The story goes that Venerable Kàludàyi used to go to a house where people were having a holiday and recite stanzas appropriate to a funeral, such as, “They stand outside the walls.” Likewise he would go to a house where a funeral was in progress, and instead of saying the appropriate words, “They stand outside the walls,” he would recite such holiday stanzas as, “Alms-giving and piety.” Or else he would recite the Jewel Sutta, containing such stanzas as, “Whatever riches exist, either in this world or in the next.”
In fact, no matter where he went, even though he set outwith the intention of saying one thing, he would invariably say something entirely different. Monks who heard him talk reported the matter to the Buddha, saying, “Venerable, what is the use of Kàludàyi’s going either to places where festivities are in progress or to places where funerals are in progress?
Where the right thing should be said, he always says the wrong thing.” The Buddha replied, “Monks, this is not the first time he has so spoken; in a previous existence also he always said the wrong thing instead of the right thing.” So saying, he told the following story.
In times long gone by, there was a bràhmin named Aggidatta who lived in Benares. The bràhmin had a son named Somadatta Kumàra who waited upon the king, and Somadatta was the king’s darling and delight. One day one of his two oxen died. Thereupon the bràhmin said to his son, “Dear Somadatta, ask the king for a single ox and fetch him back to me.” Somadatta thought to himself, “If I make such a request of the king, he will think that I am using my connection with him.” So he said to his father, “Dear father, you go yourself and ask the king.” “Very well, dear son, take me with you.”
Then he taught his father the following Stanza: I had two oxen, mighty king, with which I plowed
my field; But one of the two is dead; pray give me another, Warrior-prince.
But when he went to the king he said this: I had two oxen, mighty king, with which I plowed my field; But one of the two is dead; pray take my other, Warrior-prince.
At that time the stupid bràhmin was Kàludàyi.
