The Chaplain and the Corrupt Commander

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was a king’s chaplain. The king ruled justly, but his commander-in-chief was corrupt, taking bribes and mistreating the people. One day, a man who had been wronged by the commander-in-chief came to the Bodhisatta, pleading for justice. The Bodhisatta, moved by compassion, decided to take matters into his own hands. He judged the case himself and found in the man’s favor, which caused a great outpouring of applause in the courtroom. The king, hearing this, appointed the Bodhisatta as judge.

The commander-in-chief, angered by this shift of power, plotted to have the Bodhisatta killed. He convinced the king that the Bodhisatta wanted to seize the throne and, with the people’s love for him, the king believed the lie. To set a trap, the king ordered the Bodhisatta to complete an impossible task: to build a new royal park by the next day, or face execution. The Bodhisatta, understanding the plot, was in despair. But Indra, the king of the gods, learned of the Bodhisatta’s plight and appeared to help. Indra miraculously created a magnificent park overnight.

When the commander-in-chief ordered another impossible task—creating a lake with seven precious jewels—the Bodhisatta again found divine help, as Indra conjured the lake. As the tasks grew more impossible, the Bodhisatta, though aided by the gods, began to lose hope, realizing that the final task—the search for a park-keeper with four virtues—was beyond even divine power.

At this point, Indra disguised himself as a forester and offered the Bodhisatta a solution. He introduced a craftsman who was virtuous enough to meet the king’s impossible demands. The craftsman shared stories from his past lives, revealing his renunciation of evil and his deep moral transformation. Moved by his tales, the king’s court rallied against the commander-in-chief for his corruption. The commander-in-chief was dragged from the palace and killed, and the king returned to ruling righteously.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The commander-in-chief in this tale was an earlier birth of Devadatta, the Buddha’s nemesis. The Buddha used this story to show that even in past lives, Devadatta had harbored plans to harm him, but could never succeed in making the Buddha fearful or bring about his downfall. The craftsman in the story, who embodied virtue and moral fortitude, was an earlier birth of Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s chief disciples.

Moral:

1. The Importance of Integrity: This story highlights the dangers of corruption and the importance of holding to moral integrity, no matter the pressures or temptations faced.
2. Divine Intervention in Times of Need: The Bodhisatta’s ability to overcome impossible odds, with the help of Indra, illustrates that even in the face of extreme injustice, assistance can come from unexpected sources.
3. Moral Transformation: The craftsman’s stories of his past lives show how deep transformation can lead to virtuous living and that wisdom gained through experience can help solve seemingly insurmountable problems.
4. The Power of Truth: The court’s turn against the commander-in-chief after hearing the craftsman’s tale shows how truth and righteousness will eventually prevail, even against the most powerful wrongdoers.

This Jataka teaches us about justice, the importance of moral virtues, and how divine forces may assist the righteous, ultimately ensuring that goodness triumphs over evil.