[1990]
Merchants who had come from various realms held an assembly and,
making one man their leader, set out in quest of wealth.
Reaching a wilderness, scant of food and without water,
they saw a great banyan (nigrodha), cool-shaded, delightful.
And sitting down there in the shade of that tree,
the merchants—fools shrouded in delusion—deliberated together:
"This tree is moist; it seems that water flows within it.
Come, merchants, let us cut its eastern branch."
And the moment it was cut, it poured forth water, clear and unturbid;
and there the merchants bathed and drank as much as they wished.
A second time they deliberated together—fools shrouded in delusion:
"Come, merchants, let us cut its southern branch."
And the moment it was cut, it poured forth boiled sāli rice with meat in abundance,
junkets (kummāsa) that looked as though made with little water, and soups of ginger and split pulse;
and there the merchants ate and feasted as much as they wished.
A third time they deliberated together—fools shrouded in delusion:
"Come, merchants, let us cut its western branch."
And the moment it was cut, it poured forth women fully adorned,
in variegated garments and ornaments, wearing jewelled earrings.
And indeed each merchant had one,
while twenty-five women encircled [the leader] round about in the shade of that tree;
and surrounded by them, the merchants [took their pleasure] as much as they wished.
A fourth time they deliberated together—fools shrouded in delusion:
"Come, merchants, let us cut its northern branch."
And the moment it was cut, it poured forth pearls and beryls in plenty,
silver and gold, woolen rugs and coverlets,
cloths of Kāsi and blankets of the uddhiya sort;
and there the merchants bound up their loads as much as they wished.
A fifth time they deliberated together—fools shrouded in delusion:
"Come, let us cut it at the root; perhaps we shall gain yet more."
Then the caravan leader rose up, entreating with palms joined:
"What wrong does the banyan do, merchants? May good fortune be yours!
The eastern branch gave water, the southern food and drink,
the western branch gave women, and the northern every object of desire—
what wrong does the banyan do, merchants? May good fortune be yours!
In whatever tree's shade a man would sit or lie,
he should not break even a branch of it; for a betrayer of friends is evil."
But they, the many, heeding not the word of that one man,
set upon it at the root with sharpened axes.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.