Sutra: To cross the wilderness, avoid fools

Ken and Visakha Kawasaki (trans.), Apannaka Jataka (Jat 1), Jataka Tales of the Buddha, Part I edited by Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly

Crossing the Wilderness

Many strange things happened in the past.

While the Buddha was staying at Jetavana Monastery near the city of Savatthi, the wealthy banker, Anathapindika ("Donor to the Needy"), one day went to pay his respects. His servants carried masses of flowers, perfume, candle butter, oil, honey, molasses, cloths, and robes.

Anathapindika bowed to the Buddha, made his offerings, and sat respectfully to one side. At that time he was accompanied by many friends who were followers of other teachers.

His friends also paid respect to the Buddha and sat close to the banker. The Buddha's face appeared like a full moon, his body surrounded by a radiant aura. Seated on the red stone seat, he was like a young lion roaring with a clear, noble voice as he taught them a beautiful discourse sweet to the ear.

After hearing the Buddha's teaching, they gave up their other practices and took guidance from the Three Gems: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.

• [Three Gems: The Teacher, the Teaching, and the successfully Taught, the noble-sangha of enlightened disciples who have reached any of the stages of awakening from stream entry to arhatship.]

After that, they returned regularly with Anathapindika to offer flowers and incense and to hear teachings. They gave liberally, kept the Five Precepts, and faithfully observed the Lunar Fasting (Uposatha) Day.

• [1: The Uposatha is the lunar observance day or "Sabbath," based on the four phases of the moon every month, when one undertakes the Eight Precepts rather than the ordinary five, fasting after noon to the next day, staying in the temple to hear the Dhamma or Dharma and putting it into practice.]

Soon after the Buddha left Savatthi to return to Rajagaha, however, these men abandoned the Dhamma and reverted to their previous beliefs.

Seven or eight months later, the Buddha returned to Jetavana. Again, Anathapindika brought these friends to visit the Buddha. They paid their respects, but Anathapindika explained that they had forsaken the guidance of the Three Gems and had resumed their previous practices.

The Buddha asked, "Is it true that you have abandoned taking guidance from the Three Gems for guidance from other doctrines?"

The Buddha's voice was incredibly clear because throughout many aeons he had always spoken truthfully.

When these men heard it, they were unable to conceal the truth. "Yes, Blessed One," they admitted. "It is true."

"Disciples," the Buddha said "nowhere between the lowest of hells below and the highest heavens above, nowhere in all the countless worlds that stretch right and left, is there the equal, much less the superior, of a buddha.

"Incalculable is the excellence that springs from being guided by the Five Precepts and from other virtuous conduct."

Then he declared the virtues of the Three Gems: "By going for guidance to the Three Gems," he told them, "one escapes from rebirth in all states of suffering." He further explained that meditation on the Three Gems leads through the four stages of enlightenment.

"In forsaking such guides as this," he admonished them, "you have certainly strayed.

"In the past, too, men who foolishly mistook what was no guide for a real guide, met with disaster. They fell prey to ghouls (yakkhas, djinn, vicious spirits) in the wilderness and came to ruin.

In contrast, people who stuck to the truth not only survived, they prospered in that same wilderness."

Anathapindika raised clasped hands to his forehead, gave praise, and asked the Buddha to tell that story of the past (jataka or rebirth tale).

"In order to dispel the world's ignorance and to conquer all suffering," the Buddha proclaimed, "I practiced the Ten Perfections for countless aeons. Listen carefully, and I will speak."

Having their full attention, the Buddha made clear, as if he were releasing a full moon from behind clouds, what rebirth had concealed from them:

Story of the Past

Proceed with caution. MONSTER CROSSING AHEAD. Do not be swayed by strangers.

The Parks Department posts signs today, whereas ancient American Indians used pictographs.

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Long, long ago, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Baranasi (Varanasi, ancient India), the Bodhisatta (the Buddha-to-be) was reborn into a merchant's family and grew up to be a wise trader.

At the same time, in the same city, there was another merchant, a very foolish fellow, with no common sense whatsoever.

One day it so happened that the two merchants each loaded many carts with costly wares of Baranasi and prepared to leave in the same direction at the same time.

The wise merchant thought, "If this young fool travels with me and if our many carts stay together, it will be too much for the road. Finding wood and water for the help will be difficult, and there won't be enough grass for the oxen. Either he or I must go first."

"Look," he said to the other merchant, "the two of us can't travel together. Would you rather go first or follow after me?"

The foolish trader thought, "There will be many advantages if I take the lead. I'll get a road that is not yet rutted and cut up. My oxen will have the pick of fresh grass. My help will get the choicest wild herbs for curry. The water will be undisturbed. Best of all, I'll be able to set my own price for bartering my goods." Considering all of these advantages, he said, "I will go ahead of you, friend!"

The Bodhisatta was pleased to hear this because he saw many advantages in following after. He reasoned:

"Those carts going first will level the road where it is rough, and I'll be able to travel along the road they have already smoothed. Their oxen will graze off the coarse old grass, and mine will pasture on the sweet young growth that will spring up in its place. My help will find fresh sweet herbs for curry where the old ones have been picked. Where there is no water, the first caravan will have to dig wells to supply themselves, and we'll be able to drink at the wells they have dug. Haggling over prices is tiresome work; he will do the work, and I will be able to barter my wares at prices he has already set."

"Very well, friend!" he said. "Please go first."

"I will," said the foolish merchant, and he yoked his carts and set out. After a while he came to the outskirts of a wilderness. He filled his huge jars with water before setting out to cross the many leagues (yojanas) of desert that stretched before him.

• [A yojana is an ancient measure of distance that is literally the length a yoked ox can walk before it needs to be unyoked and rested, which is commonly thought to be the equivalent of about 7 miles. This would have made great sense in an agrarian society.]

Throw that water away. There's more not far from here. Lighten your load and go quickly.

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Ghouls (yakkhas)? Wild spirits called jinn.

The ghoul (yakkha) who haunted that wilderness had been watching the caravan. When it reached the middle, he used his power to conjure up a lovely carriage drawn by pure white young bulls.

With a retinue of a dozen disguised ghouls carrying swords and shields, he rode along in his carriage like a mighty lord. His wet his hair and clothes, and he wore a wreath of blue lotuses and white water-lilies around his head. His attendants also wet themselves until they dripped, and they draped themselves in similar garlands. Even the bulls' hooves and carriage wheels were muddied.

Because the wind was blowing from the front, the merchant was riding at the head of his caravan to escape the dust. The ghoul drew his carriage beside the merchant's and greeted him kindly with friendly words. The merchant returned the greetings and moved his carriage aside to allow the carts to pass while he and the ghoul in disguise chatted.

"Sir, we are on our way from Baranasi," explained the merchant. "I see that you are all wet and muddy and that you have lotuses and water lilies. Did it rain while you were on the road, or did you come across water pools with lotuses and water lilies?"

"What is it that you say?" the ghoul exclaimed. "Just over there is a dark-green streak of a jungle. Beyond that there is plenty of water. It is always raining there, and there are many lakes with lotuses and water lilies."

Then, pretending to be interested in the merchant's business, the ghoul asked, "What do you have in these carts?"

"Expensive merchandise," answered the merchant.

"What is in this cart that seems so heavily laden?" the ghoul asked as the last cart rolled by.

"That cart is full of water."

Deceptive advice

The ghoul complimented him, "You were wise to carry water with you this far," and advised him: "There is no need for it now because water is so abundant ahead. You could travel much faster if you lighten your load by emptying those heavy jars. You'd be better off breaking them and throwing the water away. Well, good day," he said suddenly, as he turned his carriage, "we must be on our way. We have stopped too long already." He rode away quickly with his carts. As soon as they were out of sight, he turned and made his way back to his city.

Youthful foolishness

The merchant was so foolish that he followed the ghoul's advice. He smashed his water jars, without saving a single cupful and ordered his crew to drive on quickly.

Of course, they never found any water, and they were soon exhausted from thirst. At sunset they drew their carts into a circle and tethered the oxen to the wheels. But there was no way to slake the weary animals' thirst and no rain.

Without water, the crew could not cook any rice either. They sank to the ground and fell asleep. As soon as darkness came, the ghouls attacked, killing everyone and all the animals.

The fiends devoured the flesh, leaving only bones, and departed. Skeletons were strewn in every direction, but the carts stood with their loads untouched. The heedless young merchant was the sole cause of the ruin and destruction of the entire caravan.

Second caravan

Allowing six weeks to pass after the foolish trader had set off, the Bodhisatta set forth with his many carts. When he reached the edge of the wilderness, he filled his water jars.

Then he assembled his crew and announced, "Let not so much as a handful of water be used without my permission. Furthermore, there are poisonous plants in this wilderness. Do not eat any leaf, flower, or fruit which you have never eaten before, without showing it to me first." Having carefully warned the crew, he led the caravan into the wilderness.

The ghoul appears

When they reached the middle of the wilderness, the same ghoul appeared on the path just as before. The merchant noticed his red eyes and fearless manner and suspected something was not quite right.

"I know there is no water in the desert," he said to himself. "Furthermore, this weird stranger casts no shadow. He must be some kind of ghoul. He probably tricked that foolish merchant, but he doesn't realize that I may know better."

"Get lost!" he shouted at the ghoul. "We are on business. We do not throw away water before we see where more is to come from!"

Without saying any more, the ghoul rode away.

As soon as the ghouls had left, the merchant's crew approached their leader and said, "Sir, they were wearing lotuses and water lilies on their heads. Their clothes and hair were dripping wet. They told us that up ahead there is a thick green forest where it is always raining.

"Let's throw away our water so we can proceed more quickly with lightened carts!"

The merchant ordered a halt and summoned all the entire crew. He asked them, "Has anyone among you ever heard before today that there is a lake or a pool in this wilderness?"

"No, sir," they answered. "In fact, it's known as the 'Waterless Desert.'"

"We have just been told by some shady strangers that it is raining in the forest just ahead. How far does a rain-wind carry?"

"Seven miles (one yojana), sir."

"Has anyone here seen the top of even a single storm cloud?"

"No, sir!"

"How far off can a person see a flash of lightning?"

"Four or five leagues (yojanas), sir."

"Has anyone here seen a flash of lightning?"

"No, sir."

"How far off can one hear the peal of thunder?"

"Two or three leagues, sir."

"Has anyone here heard a peal of thunder?"

"No, sir."

"Those were not humans but ghouls," the wise merchant told the crew. "They are hoping that we would throw away our water. Then, weak and faint and unable to defend ourselves, they plan to return to devour us.

"Since the young merchant who went ahead of us was not a man of good sense, most likely he was fooled by them. We may expect to find his carts standing just as they were first loaded. We will probably come across them today. Press on in full speed, without throwing away a single drop of water!"

Just as the merchant predicted, his caravan soon came across the carts with the skeletons of men and oxen strewn in every direction. He ordered the crew to arrange the carts in a fortified circle, to take care of the oxen, and to prepare an early supper [of rice and curry] for themselves. After the animals and crew had all safely bedded down, the merchant and a coterie of guards with swords in hand stood watch through the night.

At daybreak the merchant replaced weak carts for stronger ones from those abandoned and exchanged his own common goods for the costliest of the merchandise left behind by the foolish trader.

When he arrived at his destination, he was able to barter his stock of wares at two or three times their value. He returned to his city without losing a single member out of his crew.

Meanwhile, back in the present

This story of the past ended, the Buddha said, "Thus it was, lay disciples, that in times past, the foolish came to utter ruin and destruction, while those who stuck to the truth evaded the cruel hands of ghouls, reached their destination safely, and were able to return to their homes again.

"Sticking to the truth endows happiness even up to rebirth in the World of Brahma.

• [3: The World of Brahma (brahmaloka0 is a celestial world beyond the Sensual Sphere, in what is called the Fine-Material Sphere. It surpasses the sensual heavens and is superior to them in pleasure and length of lifespan.]

Moreover, it also leads ultimately to full enlightenment (arahantship). Following untruth entails rebirth either in the four states of downfall or in the worst conditions of the human world."

After the Buddha expounded the Four Ennobling (Enlightening) Truths, those many lay disciples were established in the fruit of the first path, reaching the first stage of enlightenment (stream entry).

The Buddha concluded this lesson by identifying the rebirth as follows: "The foolish young merchant at that time was Devadatta [4] and his crew were Devadatta's followers. The wise merchant's crew were the followers of the Buddha, and I myself was that wise merchant."