The Elephant and the Deceptive Hunter

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was an elephant who led a herd of eighty thousand elephants. One day, a man who sold ivory to craftsmen in the city decided to wear the yellow robe of a private Buddha—a robe worn by those who reach enlightenment without teaching others—and would stand by the Bodhisatta’s herd as it walked from place to place. He waited for the last elephant in the herd to pass, then killed it.

The elephants soon noticed that their numbers were dwindling, and they informed the Bodhisatta. The Bodhisatta, suspecting that the man in the yellow robe was behind the killings, decided to walk at the end of the herd the next day. When the man once again approached, weapon in hand, the Bodhisatta was ready to strike him down with his trunk. However, out of respect for the sacred yellow robe, the Bodhisatta hesitated. Instead of killing the man, he rebuked him for his deception and disrespect. He warned the man that if he ever showed himself again, he would certainly be killed. After this encounter, the man never returned.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The elephant hunter was an earlier birth of Devadatta, the Buddha’s nemesis. In a later life, Devadatta once received a magnificent yellow robe as a gift from a traveling merchant. The people of the city voted to give it to Devadatta, despite the presence of the elder Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s top disciples, who was more deserving. When some of the Buddha’s disciples mentioned seeing Devadatta wearing the yellow robe, the Buddha told them this story, explaining that Devadatta had worn the mark of a saint in previous lives as well, but without deserving it.

Moral:

1. Respect for True Virtue: The Bodhisatta’s hesitation to kill the man in the yellow robe, even though he was a threat, shows the importance of respecting those who outwardly wear symbols of holiness, while still discerning the truth behind their actions.
2. The Danger of Deception: The man’s use of the yellow robe to deceive others into thinking he was a holy person illustrates the dangers of pretending to be virtuous for selfish gain, as deception will eventually be exposed.
3. The Consistency of Evil: The story also shows that Devadatta, even in past lives, had a tendency to wear the trappings of holiness without truly embodying the virtues they represented. His actions were a form of falsehood and disrespect, a theme that recurs throughout his various lifetimes.

This Jataka teaches the importance of integrity, the consequences of deception, and the difference between outward appearance and true virtue. It also highlights the value of discerning the intentions behind actions, not just their outward signs.