Bodhisatta & Sama: A Tale of Love, Deception, and Wisdom

Once, the Bodhisatta was born as a notorious thief, known far and wide for his strength and audacity. His fame grew as he carried out daring heists, and one day, after breaking into a wealthy merchant’s house, he was caught with stolen treasures. The people were enraged and demanded justice, so the king ordered his execution. The Bodhisatta was bound, whipped, and led to the place of execution.

As he was being taken to his death, a high-class prostitute named Sama saw him and fell in love at first sight. Desperate to save him, Sama offered a bribe of a thousand coins to the governor for his release. The governor, however, explained that the Bodhisatta was too notorious to simply set free. Instead, he agreed to release the thief if she could provide a man to take his place.

Sama quickly thought of a plan. She lied to a wealthy merchant who was one of her regular customers, claiming that the Bodhisatta was her brother and that she wanted to save him. The merchant, eager to please her, agreed to pay the bribe, and the Bodhisatta was set free, while the merchant was arrested in his place. The Bodhisatta was secretly sent to Sama’s home under cover of night, while the merchant was executed in his stead.

Sama, relieved, stopped her work as a prostitute, and the Bodhisatta and she began living together. However, the Bodhisatta realized that if Sama ever fell in love with another man, he would be killed in her place. Fearing for his life, he decided to flee. He took her to a garden for a picnic, where he pretended to become overwhelmed with passion. He hugged her so tightly that she passed out, then grabbed all her jewelry and ran away over the garden wall, escaping into the night.

Sama, unaware of his true intentions, thought that the Bodhisatta had fled in fear, believing that his actions were motivated by guilt for nearly killing her. Heartbroken, she vowed to find him and win back his love. She hired minstrels to sing a song about her devotion, hoping that when the Bodhisatta heard it, he would return to her. The song spread throughout the kingdom, eventually reaching the Bodhisatta, who had been hiding in a distant village.

Upon hearing the song, the Bodhisatta approached the minstrels and explained that Sama’s love was fickle and that he feared she would betray him. He vowed never to return. The minstrels returned to Sama and delivered his message, and she, full of regret, resumed her former life as a prostitute.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the Buddha’s time, one of his junior disciples had a very poor diet, consisting of unappetizing, stale food. He was struggling with his health and longed for the comforts of his former life. This disciple, whose wife was a prostitute in a past life, would often visit her for a meal of delicious rice, curry, and sauce. With her encouragement, he was tempted to leave the monastic life and return to his previous existence.

When the Buddha learned of his struggles, he told the disciple the story of the Bodhisatta’s past life. He explained how Sama’s actions had led to the execution of the merchant in place of the Bodhisatta, and how the Bodhisatta had ultimately fled to avoid death. Upon hearing the story, the disciple understood the importance of detachment and the fleeting nature of worldly attachments. He chose to stay in the sangha, gaining new understanding of his situation.

Moral: This story teaches the consequences of attachment, deception, and the fickle nature of love. The Bodhisatta’s actions, while initially motivated by self-preservation, ultimately led to his freedom. The story also highlights the role of wisdom and detachment in overcoming the trials of life. For the disciple, understanding the past life of his wife helped him gain insight into the impermanence of worldly pleasures and find the strength to remain committed to the Buddha’s path.