The Lizard’s Wisdom: A Tale of Deceit and Consequences

In an earlier life, the Bodhisatta was a lizard living in the forest. One day, an ascetic moved into the area, and the Bodhisatta, assuming him to be a proper holy man, visited him regularly to pay respect. One day, a supporter of the ascetic gave him some lizard meat to eat, which the ascetic greatly enjoyed. The ascetic became so fond of the meat that he decided he wanted to eat the Bodhisatta himself.

The ascetic prepared the necessary ingredients for cooking—ghee, curds, and condiments—and sat at the door of his leaf hut, waiting for the Bodhisatta to come by. He had hidden a mallet under his robe, ready to strike.

When the Bodhisatta approached, he sensed something was amiss. He guessed what the ascetic was planning, so he walked downwind, where the ascetic’s scent confirmed his suspicions. Realizing the danger, the Bodhisatta decided not to approach but instead ran off. The ascetic threw the mallet, but it only struck the tip of the Bodhisatta’s tail.

The Bodhisatta, now safe, mocked the ascetic, saying, “You missed me, but you will not miss your punishment in hell.” He then ran off to hide in an anthill. From there, he poked his head out through a different hole and insulted the ascetic, threatening to expose his wickedness to the people living in the area. Faced with the threat of being exposed, the ascetic left the forest.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the Buddha’s time, the false ascetic was reborn as one of the Buddha’s disciples. This disciple had been exposed as a cheater, and his deception had caused trouble within the monastic community. The Buddha told the story of the Bodhisatta’s past life as a lizard to explain that the cheating disciple had been deceitful even in previous births. The Buddha used this story to remind the other disciples of the importance of moral integrity and the consequences of deceit.

Moral: This story emphasizes the danger of false appearances and deceit. The ascetic, pretending to be holy, harbored wicked intentions. The Bodhisatta’s quick thinking and moral clarity not only saved him from harm but also led to the ascetic’s downfall. It highlights the eventual exposure and consequences of dishonesty, no matter how cleverly it is disguised.