Kapota — Book of the Ones · Chapter Five (Atthakāmavagga) · Poem 2 of 10
Setting
No narrative scene in the canonical verse itself
Speaker
Unspecified in the canonical verse itself
Form
One four-line stanza, continuing this chapter's refrain sequence
Length
Under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
This reading guide does not assert a specific matching text for this poem in other Buddhist literatures.
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — one short verse, part of a formulaic sequence
Why this text
This is the second poem in this chapter's refrain sequence begun at Ja 41, and its illustration is disarmingly simple: a greedy crow ignores a wise pigeon's own good counsel and pays the ordinary, predictable price.
Reading guide
The refrain continues, with a plain animal example
The verse repeats the chapter's opening formula — ‘one who does not follow advice when instructed by an ally who wants to help’ — then supplies its own illustration: ‘not following the pigeon's counsel, ends up in the hands of their foes.’ Per Sujato's comment, a greedy crow ignores the warning of the wise pigeon and continues to steal food from the kitchen, with predictable consequences.
A simpler counterpart to the previous poem's absurdity
Where Ja 41's illustration required an elaborate, ‘too complex to relate’ backstory, this poem's crow-and-pigeon story is straightforward and immediately legible — showing the range this chapter's shared refrain can accommodate, from the surreal to the mundane.
Key terms
kapotakassa vacanaṁ — “the pigeon's counsel” — the good advice given and ignored, giving this poem its traditional title.
amittahatthatthagatova seti — “ends up in the hands of their foes” — the crow's predictable fate.
Kapotajātaka — the traditional title of this tale, ‘The Pigeon’.
Ja 41 — the previous poem, opening this chapter's shared refrain sequence, which this poem continues.
crow — per Sujato's comment, the greedy party in this tale, repeatedly stealing food despite the pigeon's warning.
The text
The text in full: a single verse, continuing the refrain sequence begun at Ja 41. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1One who does not follow advice when instructed by an ally who wants to help, not following the pigeon’s counsel, ends up in the hands of their foes.
· · ·
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does this poem's opening repeat?
Correct: B. The second poem in this chapter's five-poem refrain sequence begun at Ja 41.
Question 2 of 10
Who ignores good advice in this poem's illustration?
Correct: C. Continuing to steal food from the kitchen despite being warned.
Question 3 of 10
What is the crow's fate, per the verse?
Correct: D. The predictable consequence of ignoring the pigeon's counsel.
Question 4 of 10
How does this poem's illustration compare to Ja 41's in complexity?
Correct: A. Showing the range this chapter's shared refrain can accommodate.
Question 5 of 10
What specifically does the crow keep doing despite the warning?
Correct: B. Its persistent greed despite the pigeon's counsel.
Question 6 of 10
What is this poem's traditional title?
Correct: C. The forty-second poem overall, and the second of the Atthakāmavagga.
Question 7 of 10
Where does this poem sit in the collection's own chapter structure?
Correct: D. Part of the same refrain sequence as Ja 41, 43, 44, and 45.
Question 8 of 10
What role does the pigeon play in this tale?
Correct: A. Giving this poem its traditional title.
Question 9 of 10
What general theme does this poem share with Ja 41?
Correct: B. Both poems are variations on the same shared refrain.
Question 10 of 10
How many poems total make up this chapter's refrain sequence, including this one?
Correct: C. Each supplying a different illustrative example of the same underlying warning.
