The Deceptive Monkey: A Lesson in Honesty and Integrity

Once, the Bodhisatta was an ascetic living in a humble hut in the Himalayas, with only his young son for company. After the death of his wife, they had made their home in the wilderness, living simply and practicing asceticism. One day, as heavy rain poured down, a wet and cold monkey came across their hut. The monkey, shivering from the cold, saw the warmth of the fire inside but knew that if he were to ask for help, he would be shooed away. Instead, he hatched a clever plan.

The monkey took clothes from a dead ascetic nearby and draped them over himself, hoping to deceive the Bodhisatta and his son into thinking he was a fellow ascetic. He sat near their hut, pretending to be one of their kind, hoping they would invite him in to warm himself by the fire.

When the Bodhisatta’s young son saw the figure sitting outside, he assumed it was an elderly ascetic and suggested that they invite him inside. The Bodhisatta, however, was quick to discern the truth. He looked closely and said to his son, “This is not a human. Monkeys do not have faces like that. This is a deceitful creature, and monkeys are not allowed in our home, for they defile it.”

The Bodhisatta then threw a log at the monkey, who, startled and ashamed, fled into the forest.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In the Buddha’s time, there was a disciple who appeared to dedicate himself to the pursuit of salvation, but he was known by other disciples to be dishonest. This disciple would often pretend to be someone he was not, deceiving others with false claims about his devotion.

One day, the Buddha overheard some of his disciples discussing the disciple’s deceitful ways. To teach them a lesson about the dangers of dishonesty, the Buddha shared this story from his past. He explained that just as the monkey had disguised itself as an ascetic, this disciple, too, had tried to deceive others by pretending to be something he was not.

The Buddha emphasized the importance of sincerity and self-awareness, and how pretending to be virtuous when one is not only leads to failure and shame.

Moral of the Story:

The story of the Bodhisatta and the deceptive monkey teaches the value of honesty and authenticity. The Bodhisatta, with his wisdom and discernment, could see through the monkey’s ruse and drove it away, just as the Buddha could recognize the false claims of his dishonest disciple. The story serves as a reminder that deceit and pretense may fool others temporarily, but in the end, truth will always prevail. Only through genuine effort and integrity can one achieve true spiritual progress.