Bodhisatta and the Ram: A Lesson in Misinterpretation

In an earlier life, the Bodhisatta was a merchant. One day, an ascetic wearing leather clothes was out on his alms round and passed by a ram-fighting area. When a ram saw the ascetic approaching, it stepped back, and the ascetic, misunderstanding the ram’s behavior, thought it was showing him respect, much like a person would.

The Bodhisatta, observing this, tried to warn the ascetic that the ram was likely about to attack, but before he could finish his sentence, the ram charged at full speed. It knocked the ascetic over, causing him great pain. The ascetic, lying on the ground, soon regretted his foolish confidence, but it was too late—he died from the injury.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

Many years later, some of the Buddha’s disciples were discussing the death of an ascetic who had met a similar fate. The ascetic had been passing by the same area where the ram, thinking it was being threatened, stepped back as he approached. The ascetic mistakenly interpreted this as respect, only for the ram to charge and kill him.

Upon hearing about this, the Buddha explained that the same event had occurred to the ascetic in a previous life. He told the disciples this story to illustrate that, in the past, the ascetic had suffered a similar fate because of his inability to correctly interpret the situation, just as he did in this current life.

Moral: The story highlights the importance of understanding the true nature of situations and the dangers of misinterpreting signs or gestures. The ascetic’s failure to recognize the ram’s behavior for what it truly was led to his tragic death. It serves as a reminder to not let assumptions cloud our judgment, especially in potentially dangerous circumstances.