Bodhisatta, Son, and Wicked Woman: A Tale of Temptation

In a previous life, the Bodhisatta was born as an ascetic, living a life of austerity in the remote Himalayas with his young son. Before this, he had been a wealthy brahmin, but after the death of his wife, he chose to abandon worldly comforts and seek a more spiritual existence. His son, too, embraced this ascetic lifestyle, though the harshness of their life in the wilderness was difficult at times.

One day, while the Bodhisatta was out gathering fruit, a group of bandits attacked a nearby town, taking plunder and slaves. During their raid, a beautiful yet wicked woman fled for her life. Her journey brought her to the ascetic’s humble hut, where she found the son alone. Quickly, she used her charms to seduce him and convinced him to leave the ascetic life behind in exchange for a more comfortable existence in the kingdom. The son, filled with desire and blinded by her allure, agreed to go with her, but not before saying goodbye to his father.

Knowing that the Bodhisatta would surely punish her when he returned, the woman fled, leaving only directions to her village. The son, torn between his duties and his new desires, lay down in sadness, abandoning his responsibilities.

When the Bodhisatta returned and saw the woman’s footprints, he immediately understood what had transpired. He questioned his son, who confessed that he had fallen in love and planned to return to civilization. Realizing that he could not force his son to stay in the wilderness against his will, the Bodhisatta gave him a loving farewell, telling him that he was always welcome to return if he found that the life he sought was not fulfilling.

The son followed the woman to her home, but soon found that her promises of happiness were hollow. She treated him not as a husband, but as a servant, demanding that he fetch meat, ghee, and salt, and perform other menial tasks. Feeling more like a slave than a partner, the son became miserable. Disillusioned and despondent, he fled back to the Himalayas, returning to the ascetic life he had once abandoned, never again wavering from his spiritual path.

The Buddha’s Teaching

In the time of the Buddha, a similar story unfolded, though this time the wicked woman was a plump, lascivious young woman who had no suitors. Her mother, seeing an opportunity to corrupt one of the Buddha’s disciples, carefully chose a monk who had not yet overcome his attachment to his appearance. The monk’s oil-slicked eyes, immaculate robes, and well-kept bowl caught her attention, and she saw that he could be tempted by worldly cravings, particularly for fine food.

When the monk came to her door for alms, the mother invited him in and fed him the best food she had to offer. Over time, they built a rapport, and the mother invited him back again. Eventually, she devised a plan to seduce him away from his monastic vows. She dressed her daughter in alluring clothing and used her charms to manipulate the monk, who fell under her spell and began to consider leaving the sangha.

The Buddha, seeing the connection, told the monk the story of the ascetic’s son and the wicked woman from his past life. The monk realized that in a previous birth, he had been the young ascetic in the Himalayas, and the same woman had tried to tempt him away from his spiritual path. This realization helped the monk overcome his weakness and reaffirm his commitment to the path of enlightenment.

Reflection and Wisdom

The story of the Udancani Jataka teaches us about the power of temptation and the importance of inner strength to resist worldly distractions. It also highlights the cyclical nature of our actions across lifetimes. The Bodhisatta’s compassionate response to his son’s choices, and the disciple’s eventual realization of the same temptation in a previous life, serve as reminders of the struggle we all face in staying true to our higher purpose.