Story of Buddha - Jataka Tales | Buddha Sutra
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Apannaka Jataka (#1)
The ‘Apannaka Jathaka Story’ - A Philosophy for Leadership
A Tale of Two Merchants | Apannaka Jataka | Animated Buddhist Stories
"The Bodhisatta was once a merchant who led large oxcart caravans to trade with distant lands. As he prepared to leave on a long, dangerous journey through a vast desert, he heard that another merchant, a young and stupid man, was going to make the same journey. If they traveled at the same time they would tear up the road and it would be difficult to find enough water, grass (for the oxen to eat), and firewood. So the Bodhisatta went to discuss the situation with the young merchant, and given a choice, he decided to go first and the Bodhisatta would leave later.
As the foolish young man’s caravan reached the middle of the wilderness, a goblin who lived there devised a plan to make the travelers discard their drinking water so he and his small gang could easily attack and eat the weary men. Using his magic powers, he conjured up a majestic carriage, and the goblins, disguised as humans and soaking wet, with lotuses and water lilies on their heads, rode toward the approaching caravan. The young merchant stopped to talk with the goblin, who told him the difficult part of the journey was over and there was plenty of rain and many lakes up ahead. The goblin suggested that the merchant lighten his load and ease the journey by dumping his water. Not doubting the goblin’s story, the young man ordered his men to smash their heavy water jars. But, of course, they found no water the rest of the day and went to sleep weak and hungry because they had nothing to drink and couldn’t cook their rice. The goblins came during the night and devoured all the men and oxen, leaving nothing but bare bones behind.
Six weeks later, the Bodhisatta began his journey with five hundred carts, and halfway through, the goblins approached him with the same story. His men believed the lie and wanted to ditch their water so they could travel faster. But the Bodhisatta recognized the ruse and refused, explaining to his men that if there really was rain ahead, they would hear thunder, see storm clouds and lightning, and feel wind. When they came to the place where the foolish young merchant’s group had been massacred, they circled their wagons for the night to make a fortified camp and kept watch, swords in hand, until morning. When they left, they swapped their weakest carts for some of the abandoned ones that were stronger and took the most valuable merchandise. All the men made a great profit and returned home safely.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
Anathapindika, a wealthy supporter of the Buddha known for his extreme generosity, brought five hundred of his friends, all followers of other sects, to hear the Buddha preach. After listening to his lesson, they all became dedicated followers of the Buddha, keeping the precepts and showing charity. But later, when the Buddha went away for many months, these men reverted to their former faiths.
When the Buddha returned, these fickle men came to see him again, and the Buddha reminded them that his teachings were the only complete, indisputable truth, and nobody who followed his path would suffer in hell. Then he told them this story to emphasize his point.
The foolish young merchant was an earlier birth of Devadatta, a disciple of the Buddha who became his nemesis, and the caravan workers who died were earlier births of Devadatta’s followers. The Bodhisatta’s workers who safely reached their goal were earlier births of the Buddha’s followers."
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Vannupatha Jataka (#2)
"The Bodhisatta was once a merchant who led large oxcart caravans to trade with distant lands. On one trip, he had to pass through a desert so extreme that travel was only possible in the cool of the night and all necessities needed to be brought along from home. There was no track; the “desert pilot” needed to navigate by the stars like ship captains do.
On the final night of the journey, with the end of the desert up ahead, the Bodhisatta ordered the water and firewood discarded to lighten the load and speed their travel. But during the night, the pilot fell deep asleep and the oxen went off course. When morning arrived, the caravan was back where it had been the day before. The men set up camp in despair due to the lack of water.
The Bodhisatta, fearing they would all perish, walked around looking for water and found a clump of kusha grass. Assuming it could only grow if there was water underneath, he directed his men to dig a hole. After thirty meters they struck rock, and the men lost hope. But the Bodhisatta climbed down and placed his ear on the rock and heard water running beneath it.
A young serving boy was the only one who had not given up. The Bodhisatta ordered him to go down and break the rock with a sledgehammer, telling him that if he lacked courage and refused, they would all die. The boy did as he was told and his blow broke the rock that had dammed the spring’s rise. Water shot up out of the hole as high as a palm tree. Everybody drank and bathed; then, using spare axles and other gear, they cooked rice. That night they completed their journey, and after making a great profit, they returned home safely.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The boy who broke the rock was an earlier birth of a disciple of the Buddha who was unable to attain insight after intense meditation in the wilderness. When he decided to give up, the Buddha told him this story of his past life to motivate him to continue trying.
The other men in the caravan were earlier births of the Buddha’s present followers."
VANNUPATHA JATAKA by Ven Dr Pemarathana
Don’t Give Up Yet | Vannupatha Jataka | Animated Buddhist Stories
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Serivanija Jataka (#3)
"The Bodhisatta was once a traveling pot and pan salesman. He and another salesman came to a new city at the same time and they each took half of it to do their business. The other salesman called at the home of a destitute family, just a girl and her grandmother, whose ancestors had been wealthy merchants. They had no money, but asked if he would take their grimy old dining bowl in trade for a small trinket. The greedy salesman suspected their bowl was made of gold, and a sly pin scratch through the tarnish confirmed it. In a ruse to get the bowl as cheaply as possible, he tossed it on the ground and declared it worthless.
Later, the Bodhisatta passed the same house and got the same request. Examining the bowl, he also saw it was made of gold, but he told the family the truth: it was worth one hundred thousand coins. But he couldn’t buy it as he did not have nearly that much money. Believing the bowl must have turned to gold due to the innate goodness of the Bodhisatta, the grandmother agreed to accept whatever he wanted to pay. He gave her five hundred coins and all his stock (which was also worth about five hundred), keeping only his scale, his bag, and enough money to pay for a boat ride across the river.
Soon after, the greedy salesman returned to the house, intending to buy their bowl for a pittance. But, when told what had happened, he lost his mind. Believing the bowl was rightfully his, he threw everything he had on the ground except the beam of his scale, which he intended to use as a club, and rushed to find the Bodhisatta. But the greedy salesman found him too late; the Bodhisatta was already halfway across the river. Full of rage, with blood gushing from his lips, the greedy salesman had a heart attack and died on the spot.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The greedy salesman was an earlier birth of Devadatta, a disciple of the Buddha who became his nemesis, and this was the first time he felt anger toward the Buddha. The Buddha told this story to one of his disciples, who had stopped working toward reaching enlightenment, so he would know that he should not quit because the reward for his efforts was great; if he stopped, he would forever regret it."
Honesty is the best policy | Serivanija Jataka - #3
Aspiration of Hatred | Serivanija Jataka | Animated Buddhist Stories
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what a GEM… this is SO human… how many times we promise paradise and, when the person falls for our talk, we finally show our demons…
when we are lucid, because of previous experiences where we were disillusioned, we can see all the details…
shared it with some friends who are at the moment in the process of taking important decisions…
thank you BB
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Amen Dear Sister!!!
Love this! I do this so much with the NC home runs, talk about the mountain of Gold that keeps on giving!
Anytime my Heart, cant take credit for all this, I stole many of these treasures from Beloved @_Barry
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Cullaka-Setthi Jataka (#4)
The Bodhisatta was once a royal treasurer. He had an innate understanding of signs and omens. One day, when he saw a dead mouse along the road during a special position of the stars, he remarked out loud, to no one in particular, that anyone who took the mouse would have good luck starting a business and finding a wife. A poor young man with a good heart overheard these words and, knowing that the Bodhisatta was a wise man, picked it up and promptly sold it for one farthing to a tavernkeeper as cat food. And this set up a series of events that would prove the Bodhisatta’s prediction.
The young man used his farthing to buy molasses that he gave, along with drinking water, to some flower gatherers in exchange for some of their flowers. He sold these flowers and the next day bought a larger batch of molasses. This time, the same people gave him flowering plants, which he quickly turned into eight pennies profit.
Later on, a storm blew down leaves and rotten branches all around the king’s palace. It was far too much work for the gardener to manage by himself, but the young man agreed to remove it all if he could keep everything, and the gardener happily agreed. The young man got children from a playground to help him gather the debris by offering them molasses. When it was all piled up in front of the palace, the royal potter, in need of fuel for his kiln, passed by and bought it for sixteen pennies plus some pottery.
Then the young man took a jar of drinking water to serve five hundred grass cutters working near the city gate. Appreciative of his deed, they asked the young man how to repay him and he said he would return soon to ask a favor from them. He had also become acquainted with a wealthy merchant in the town, and this man informed him that a horse dealer would arrive tomorrow with five hundred horses to sell. The young man went back to call in his favor with the cutters and they gave him a bundle of grass and agreed to delay selling any of theirs until he had sold his first. When the horse dealer arrived, he had no choice but to buy grass from the young man at the premium price of one thousand coins.
A few days later, his merchant friend informed him about a large ship arriving in port, and the young man made another plan. He hired a fancy carriage to make a grand entrance at the port, where he convinced the ship’s owner to sell him all its cargo on credit. Other merchants arriving later to buy from the ship were told the goods were no longer for sale. But the young man, presenting a facade of power, had them escorted into his pavilion by three successive ushers to meet with him. There, each of them agreed to buy a share in the ship, and the young man earned a fast two hundred thousand coins.
Now a very wealthy man, just four months after picking up a dead mouse, he went to see the Bodhisatta and expressed his gratitude by giving him one hundred thousand coins. After hearing the entire story, the Bodhisatta was so impressed by the young man that he took him into the family by marrying him to his daughter. And after the Bodhisatta died, the young man replaced him as royal treasurer.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The young man was an earlier birth of a disciple of the Buddha named Little Wayman. Little Wayman’s mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and when she fell in love with a slave, the couple had to run away to another city because their relationship was unacceptable. When she got pregnant, she decided to return to her parents’ home and hope for forgiveness. Her husband reluctantly agreed to go with her, but kept putting off their departure until she was nearly ready to give birth. Finally, she left on her own.
When the husband returned home and found that his wife had departed, he hurried down the road after her. And just as he reached her, she went into labor. A son was born and they named him Wayman since he was born along the way. They returned home rather than go see her parents. Soon after, she got pregnant again and everything happened exactly the same; the second son even got the same name.
As the children, called Great Wayman and Little Wayman, grew up, they heard their friends talk about their relatives, so they asked their parents about their own. They began to beg to meet them and their parents agreed to take them. When they reached the city, they sent a message announcing their arrival. The woman’s parents replied that they would never forgive her or her husband. But since the children were innocent, they were invited to come live a better life with them. The children’s parents were given some money and sent away back to their home.
When Great Wayman was old enough, he became a disciple of the Buddha. He studied intently and eventually became an arahant. Later, he invited his younger brother to join him. But Little Wayman was very stupid, and after four months of faithful intent and effort, he had not even managed to master a single small section of text. Seeing how bad things were, Great Wayman expelled his little brother from the sangha and disinvited him from a gathering that was to be held the next morning at the home of Jivaka, a renowned doctor and dedicated lay supporter of the Buddha.
Little Wayman cherished dharma and did not want to leave, but he knew that his brother was right. The Buddha divined Little Wayman’s situation and knew his struggle in understanding had nothing to do with his present circumstances; rather it was a result of bad karma earned in a past life for mocking another person who was struggling to learn scripture. So, early the next morning, the Buddha waited near Little Wayman’s quarters. When he came out to start his journey home back to lay life, the Buddha said he would help him. He materialized a perfectly clean cloth and told Little Wayman to sit and handle it continuously while repeating, “Removal of impurity.” While Little Wayman did as he was told, the Buddha left to attend that morning’s gathering.
Not long after starting with the cloth, Little Wayman noticed it had become dirty, and he instantly understood that all things are impermanent, that death and decay are inevitable. The moment it happened, the Buddha perceived that Little Wayman had reached a breakthrough and he sent an apparition of himself to preach that the evil impurities of lust, anger, and delusion were still in his mind, and removal of these would bring salvation. Suddenly, Little Wayman went from not knowing a single verse to full arahantship.
Meanwhile, Jivaka was about to begin a “water of donation” ceremony, but the Buddha stopped him and asked whether any disciples were back at the monastery. Great Wayman said there were not, but the Buddha corrected him and Jivaka sent one of his servants to check. Little Wayman, wanting to send a message to his brother, multiplied himself a thousand times and had these visions fill the whole mango grove where he sat. After the servant reported what he saw, the Buddha sent him back to tell Little Wayman to come. But when the servant asked for Little Wayman, all one thousand replied. Again the servant reported to the people at Jivaka’s home what had happened, and this time the Buddha told him to bring back the first one claiming to be Little Wayman; he would be the real one. This time, the servant returned with Little Wayman, and the Buddha had him perform the ceremony with Jivaka.
Later in the day, the Buddha heard some of his disciples discussing what had happened that morning. He told them this story to explain that while Little Wayman had risen to great faith in this life, in a previous life he had risen to great wealth—in both cases by following the Buddha’s advice."
https://thejatakatales.com/cullaka-setthi-jataka-4/
Cullaka-Setthi Jataka - The Birth of the Little Merchant: A Story of Humility
Work Hard, Be Kind and Amazing Things Will Happen | Cullaka - Setthi Jataka
For the Sake of Desire | Mudulakkhana Jataka
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Tandulanali Jataka (#5)
"The Bodhisatta was once a king’s appraiser. He alone determined the cost of everything the palace bought, and sellers had no choice but to accept his prices. The king was greedy and did not appreciate that the Bodhisatta paid fair prices, so he replaced him. Since he sought like-mindedness rather than competence, the king chose a random peasant he saw walking by his window for the job. The man was a complete idiot and he chose prices for things based entirely on whims rather than their true value.
One time the foolish new appraiser decided that five hundred horses were worth only one measure of rice. The horse dealer was beside himself and asked the Bodhisatta what could be done. He told the man to offer the appraiser a bribe if he would agree to answer, in front of the king, the question, “If five hundred horses are worth one measure of rice, then what is the value of a measure of rice?” The appraiser accepted the seller’s money, and at his next audience with the king he said that one measure of rice is worth “all the city and its suburbs.” The assembled advisors broke out in laughter and applause, exclaiming how the king and the appraiser were so well suited for each other. Made to look like a fool, the king restored the job to the Bodhisatta.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The foolish appraiser was an earlier birth of Laludayi, an elder disciple of the Buddha who was quite stupid and often said one thing when he meant another. Each morning at the monastery, rice was distributed to the disciples, with the elders getting the best rice and the inferior rice going to the youngest disciples. As Laludayi had a middle rank, sometimes he got good rice and sometimes not. When he did not get it, he complained. Eventually the steward told him to do the distribution himself, but he failed miserably at the task and was quickly relieved of the duty.
When the Buddha heard about Laludayi’s failure, he told this story so people knew that Laludayi had also been a dullard in the past."
A Handful of Rice | Tandulanali Jataka
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Devadhamma Jataka (#6)
The Bodhisatta was once a crown prince. His mother died after giving birth to a second son, Prince Canda. The king took another chief queen and had a third son, Prince Suriya. The king was so overjoyed by the birth of this boy that he granted the queen any wish she desired. She didn’t call in her wish until the three princes had all grown up, and then she asked that her son be the one to take the throne. The king refused her request, but she persisted so zealously that he feared she would unleash some evil plot to get her way. The king explained the situation to the Bodhisatta and his brother, and with great sadness sent them out to live in the forest until he died, at which time they could return to rule. When Prince Suriya, who was thoroughly honorable, heard why his half-brothers were departing, he joined them.
One day as they traveled, Prince Suriya went down to a pond to bathe and drink. In it lived a demon who devoured everyone entering the water if they could not answer the question, “What is truly devadhamma (“god-like”)?” When Prince Suriya stepped into the pond, the demon seized him and asked his question. The prince answered confidently, “The sun and the moon,” but this was wrong. The demon dragged him down to the depths of the pond and kept him in a cell. When Prince Suriya did not return promptly, Prince Canda went down to find him. As he stepped into the water he was also seized and quizzed. “The four quarters of heaven” was his answer, but it was also wrong and he was imprisoned.
When Prince Canda did not return, the Bodhisatta knew something had gone wrong and figured there was a demon in the pond. He went to the shore and waited. When the demon saw that the Bodhisatta was not going to enter the water, he took the shape of a forester and encouraged him to refresh himself in the pond. Not fooled, the Bodhisatta knew this was the demon and asked why he took his brothers. The demon explained that he was allowed to eat all who entered the water and could not pass his test. The Bodhisatta said he knew the answer, but was too weary from his travels to tell him. This persuaded the demon to bathe the Bodhisatta; bring food, drink, and perfumes; and construct a gorgeous pavilion for him to rest in. Refreshed, he had the demon sit at his feet and told him that devadhamma is avoiding sin.
Pleased with this wise answer, the demon agreed to release one of the brothers. The Bodhisatta asked for his half-brother, Suriya. The demon criticized this choice, accusing the Bodhisatta of understanding devadhamma but not practicing it because Canda, being older, should be granted the esteem that comes with seniority. The Bodhisatta countered that his choice really was the most god-like. Nobody would believe him, he explained, if he returned to the kingdom claiming a demon devoured Suriya; he would be presumed a murderer in pursuit of the throne and would be reviled. Impressed by this wisdom, the demon set both brothers free.
The Bodhisatta explained karma to the demon, telling him that he was born into his odious life because of the evil deeds he had done in the past, and the only way to break this cycle was to avoid doing evil in this life. The demon accepted this truth and stopped eating people. The three brothers chose to live at the pond with the demon until one day the Bodhisatta read in the stars that his father had died. He returned to the kingdom and took the throne, with Prince Canda serving as viceroy and Prince Suriya as commander-in-chief. The demon also went there and lived a comfortable life with a home, food, and flowers provided by the king.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The demon was an earlier birth of a wealthy landowner who became a disciple of the Buddha but did not completely give up luxuries. He owned many robes, maintained a storeroom full of food, and had his servants come cook for him.
When other disciples uncovered this prohibited behavior, they took him to talk with the Buddha. The wealthy disciple got angry and threw off his robes, standing amidst them wearing only his loincloth. But after some reassuring words from the Buddha, he put his clothes back on and listened to the Buddha tell this story so he knew that he had overcome bad behavior in the past by following the Buddha’s advice. And thus the Buddha convinced him to change his ways.
Prince Canda and Prince Suriya were earlier births of Sariputta and Ananda, two of the Buddha’s top disciples.
Marathi | Devadhamma Jataka #6
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Katthahari Jataka (#7)
"The Bodhisatta was once an illegitimate son of a king. While a king was out picking fruits and flowers in the forest, he met a peasant woman gathering firewood. They became intimate, and the Bodhisatta was conceived. The king gave the woman his signet ring in case she became pregnant: if she had a daughter she could sell the ring and use the money to raise her; if she had a son she should bring him to the palace.
One day, while he was a young boy, the Bodhisatta was out playing and the other children teased him for having no father. Upset, he ran home and asked his mother who his father was. When she told him, he demanded to go see the king, and she took him to the palace. The king knew she told the truth, but out of shame he denied his relations with her, claiming the ring was not his.
To prove she was telling the truth, she grabbed the Bodhisatta by the leg and hurled him into the air, telling the king, “If you are indeed the father of my child, I pray he stays in mid-air. But if not, may he fall and die.” The Bodhisatta floated cross-legged in the air and begged the king to accept him, which he did. His mother became the queen, and the Bodhisatta took the throne when his father died.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
King Pasenadi, a righteous ruler and devoted supporter of the Buddha, always provided food for the Buddha’s disciples, but they did not stay and eat at the palace because the people there were not friendly. When the king found out that they went to eat at their friends’ homes, he decided to marry a woman from the Buddha’s Sakya clan in order to build closer relations with the Buddha and his disciples. However, the Sakya clan was arrogant and insular and did not want to marry into a relationship with the king; but because he was their leader, a request like this could not be refused without consequences. So they sent a daughter of a nobleman born to a slave woman and told King Pasenadi she was noble.
Knowing the Sakya clan’s reputation, the king’s assistants wanted to be sure the woman they were taking back was truly noble-born. So the family faked eating a meal together as proof. This was done by having what was claimed to be a very important letter delivered to the father at the start of the meal, so after taking just one bite he sat at the table reading rather than eating. This made it appear that he had dined with his daughter, but since he didn’t actually eat, he didn’t degrade himself with a slave.
King Pasenadi truly loved his new consort and made her his chief queen. Soon a son was born and he grew up receiving all the advantages a prince deserved, except he did not get gifts from his maternal grandfather’s family. Not wanting her son to know about her life, his mother lied and told him they sent nothing because they lived very far away. Once he grew up, he decided to visit his other family; and though she tried, his mother could not stop him.
Upon learning the prince was coming, the Sakya clan sent all their noble children younger than him away to the countryside so nobody would need to bow down in respect to someone born from a slave. A few days later, when the prince was leaving, one of his soldiers overheard a Sakya slave saying the prince’s mother had been a slave. Now knowing how the Sakyas had disrespected both his mother and him, the prince vowed to destroy them when he became king.
When King Pasenadi heard the news about his wife, he was furious and gave her and his son nothing more than he gave to his other slaves. But a few days later, the Buddha, while admitting that his clan did wrong, explained to the king that his queen and son were children of royal men and the mother’s birth was irrelevant. Then he told this story as an example of when he himself had been the illegitimate son of a king and a peasant woman but still inherited the throne. The king changed his mind and restored their honor.
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