The Keli-Sila Jataka: Lessons on Respect for the Elderly

In the Keli-Sila Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as Indra, the king of the gods. The story centers around a cruel earthly king who is disgusted by anything old. If he sees an old cart, he has it destroyed; if he sees an old woman, he mistreats her; and if he sees an old man, he belittles him, forcing him to roll around like an acrobat. This behavior extends to his court and kingdom, with his friends and followers imitating his cruel treatment of the elderly.

As a result, people in the kingdom who grow old are driven away to remote border regions, beyond the king’s reach. With no one to care for their aging parents, those elderly people fall into hell after they die. The Bodhisatta, noticing that the population of heaven is dwindling due to the king’s cruelty, devises a plan to teach the king a lesson.

The Bodhisatta disguises himself as an elderly man wearing ragged clothes, driving a decrepit cart pulled by old oxen, and makes his way through the city. The king, on his royal procession, orders his men to remove the cart, but because the Bodhisatta has made himself invisible to everyone except the king, the men cannot intervene. To humiliate the king, the Bodhisatta smashes two jars of buttermilk on his head.

As the king sits in shame and confusion, the Bodhisatta reveals his true form, floating in the air and holding a thunderbolt. He scolds the king for his cruelty, warning him that he will sever his head if he does not change his ways. He then speaks of the great value of parents and the importance of respecting the elderly. The king, deeply humbled by the Bodhisatta’s rebuke, vows to never again mistreat the elderly and changes his behavior for the rest of his life.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the Lifetime of the Buddha, Lakuntaka, one of the Buddha’s most renowned disciples, was a small, dwarf-like figure. Once, thirty disciples from the countryside visited the Buddha at his monastery. As they passed through the gates, they mistook Lakuntaka for a mere novice and began to roughly pull on his nose, ears, hands, head, and robe.

Afterward, they asked the Buddha about this small figure, having heard much about Lakuntaka’s devotion and achievements. They were surprised that such a significant and revered figure could appear so insignificant. The Buddha then explained that Lakuntaka’s smallness was a result of his behavior in a past life, where he had been a cruel king who mistreated the elderly, as the Bodhisatta had described in the Keli-Sila Jataka. This cruel behavior, from a previous life, had led to his current small and humble form as a form of punishment and karma.

Moral Lessons and Teachings

1. Respect for the Elderly: The story emphasizes the importance of respecting the elderly and honoring one’s parents. The Bodhisatta, in the form of Indra, teaches the king a powerful lesson that cruelty toward the aged and vulnerable leads to suffering, while respect and care for them lead to merit and spiritual progress.
2. Karma and Rebirth: The story also illustrates the Buddhist concept of karma and how past actions influence present conditions. Lakuntaka’s small, humble form in the Buddha’s time is a result of his negative actions in a past life. This underscores the idea that our actions have consequences that can carry over into future lives.
3. Transformation through Wisdom: The king’s transformation from cruelty to humility upon receiving the Bodhisatta’s rebuke highlights how wisdom and the realization of one’s wrongdoings can lead to personal transformation. It shows that even a person as cruel as the king can change through awareness and guidance.
4. The Power of Compassion and Rebuke: The Bodhisatta, by revealing his divine form and speaking with authority, uses both compassion and strong rebuke to correct the king’s behavior. This reflects the Buddhist teaching that sometimes strong words are necessary to wake others from harmful actions, but they should always come from a place of compassion and wisdom.

Conclusion

The Keli-Sila Jataka teaches a lesson on the importance of respecting the elderly and honoring our parents, linking this value to spiritual well-being. It also highlights the consequences of past actions, showing that cruelty and disrespect lead to suffering, while humility and kindness bring positive transformation. By using a combination of wisdom, compassion, and rebuke, the Bodhisatta as Indra not only teaches the king but also provides an example of how to transform negative behaviors for the better. This story, in the Buddha’s teaching, also serves as a reminder of the deep interconnection between our actions and their results, both in this life and in future ones.