The Radha Jataka: A Parrot’s Lesson on Detachment

The Radha Jataka (Jataka #145) is a story about the Bodhisatta’s life as a parrot, where he and his brother are tasked with an important responsibility: to watch over the wicked wife of a brahmin and intervene if she does anything wrong. The story highlights themes of self-control, the limitations of external vigilance, and the dangers of attachment to worldly pleasures. It also contains a lesson for the Buddha’s disciples about the futility of attempting to control others, especially when one is attached to worldly desires.

The Story:

In this Jataka, the Bodhisatta and his brother are two parrots who live in the home of a brahmin who treats them like his own children. However, the brahmin’s wife is a thoroughly wicked woman, and when her husband has to leave on business, he asks the parrots to keep an eye on her and stop her from doing anything wrong. The parrots agree, but with the caveat that if they cannot stop her, they will remain silent.

While the brahmin is away, the wife entertains a steady stream of lovers at the house. The Bodhisatta’s brother wants to speak out and warn the woman, but the Bodhisatta tells him to remain silent, reasoning that they cannot change her behavior. The Bodhisatta also understands that they are powerless in this situation and that their role is not to interfere in matters beyond their control.

When the brahmin returns and learns of his wife’s actions, the parrots inform him of everything that transpired during his absence. However, recognizing that they could no longer stay in the house after revealing the truth, they decide to leave. They fly away to the forest, choosing freedom over staying in a situation that could bring harm.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The story is used by the Buddha to teach one of his junior disciples, who had been experiencing difficulties in the monastic life. This disciple had been receiving poor and unsatisfactory food, including lumpy gruel and stale rice, which left him weak and unhealthy. He began to long for his former life, where he had been provided with delicious food by his wife. With her encouragement, he began to entertain the idea of leaving the monastic life to return to her.

In the Buddha’s teachings, the brahmin and his wife represent the disciple and his attachment to his past life, especially to the comforts of worldly pleasures. The parrots, in turn, represent the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings. By telling the story of the parrots, the Buddha reminded the disciple that one cannot control the behavior of others—just as the parrots could not stop the wife from her immoral actions, the disciple would not be able to control the world of his desires or his attachment to his former life.

The Buddha used this Jataka to demonstrate that attachment to worldly pleasures, such as the comforts of food and companionship, leads to suffering and distraction from the path of spiritual progress. The story also emphasized the importance of self-discipline and resilience in the face of temptation.

The Moral Lessons:

1. The Limitation of External Vigilance: Just as the parrots could not control the behavior of the brahmin’s wife, the story highlights that external vigilance and attempts to control others are ultimately fruitless. It is impossible to change or control the actions of others through force or observation alone. Instead, individuals must focus on their own conduct and self-discipline.
2. The Dangers of Attachment: The Buddha’s use of the story as a teaching moment for his disciple about attachment to his past life and worldly pleasures is significant. The junior disciple’s desire for the comforts of his former life is similar to the wife’s pursuit of fleeting pleasures. The story shows that attachment to worldly desires distracts one from the path to enlightenment and inner peace. The parrots, by choosing to leave the brahmin’s house and seek freedom, demonstrate the wisdom of detachment.
3. Futility of Trying to Control Others: The parrots’ decision to remain silent and not interfere with the wife’s actions underscores the futility of trying to control or change others. This is an important lesson for the junior disciple who, instead of focusing on controlling the actions of others (in this case, his wife or the situation at the monastery), should instead focus on his own practice, discipline, and inner development.
4. The Importance of Freedom: The parrots’ decision to leave the brahmin’s house reflects the idea that true freedom comes from independence and detachment. By leaving a toxic environment, they choose spiritual freedom over attachment to a worldly situation. This lesson is extended to the Buddha’s disciple, who is encouraged to leave his attachment to the worldly life and focus on his path to liberation.
5. Wisdom in Silence: The Bodhisatta’s decision to remain silent when the brahmin’s wife behaved immorally shows that sometimes the wisest course of action is silence or non-interference, especially in situations where no productive change can be made. This wisdom applies to the disciple’s struggle with his desires, reminding him that actions in the world should be guided by wisdom rather than emotional responses.

Conclusion:

The Radha Jataka teaches the importance of detachment, self-discipline, and the limitations of controlling others. It emphasizes that true spiritual progress requires focusing on one’s own practice and not being distracted by external desires or the actions of others. The Bodhisatta’s wisdom, as demonstrated by the parrots’ actions, serves as a guide for the Buddha’s disciple and all practitioners: detachment from worldly pleasures, control over one’s own actions, and wisdom in choosing how to engage with the world are key components of the path to liberation.