The Foolish King, Greedy Queen & the Wise Bodhisatta

Once upon a time, in a kingdom nestled between lush forests and winding rivers, there lived a wise and powerful king. One day, while the king was in the royal park, he happened upon an unusual scene. Some mischievous boys were throwing stones at a naga king who had ventured out of his realm in search of food. The human king, witnessing the danger the naga king was in, immediately ordered the boys to stop and saved the naga’s life.

In gratitude for the king’s kindness, the naga king gave him a reward: a precious set of jewels and a beautiful naga maiden who would stay with the king for protection and pleasure. She was told that if the king ever lost sight of her, he could recite a magical spell, and she would appear instantly.

The Naga Maiden’s Betrayal and the King’s Mistake

For a time, the king lived in harmony with his new companion. However, one day, while the king was enjoying a peaceful moment in the royal park, the naga maiden saw a water snake. In a moment of desire, she shed her human form and had sex with the snake. The king, noticing she was missing, spoke the magical spell and saw her in the act. In a fit of jealousy and anger, he beat her with a bamboo pole.

The naga maiden, humiliated and hurt, returned to her realm in anger. When she went to the naga king to explain her wound, she lied, telling him that she was punished by the human king for failing to obey his orders. The naga king, enraged by the news, sent four nagas to avenge her and kill the human king.

That night, the assassins entered the king’s bedchamber, just as he was discussing the incident with his queen. The king confessed that he feared the naga maiden had lied to the naga king about the events. The assassins, overhearing this, returned to the naga king and relayed the king’s words.

The King’s Greed and the Queen’s Desire

Upon hearing this, the naga king regretted his decision to send the assassins. He went to the king’s bedchamber and apologized. He then gave the king a new spell—one that would allow him to understand the language of animals. But there was a grave condition: if the king taught the spell to anyone else, he would die a fiery death.

The king, intrigued by his newfound power, tested the spell over dinner one evening. As he and his queen dined, drops of honey and molasses fell to the ground. The ants, excited by the feast, called out to one another. The king laughed aloud at the antics of the ants, amused by their chatter. But then, a fly, caught up in the moment, asked the queen to have sex with him. The queen, unaware that the king could hear the conversation, politely told the fly to wait until the king had been anointed with perfumes. She said they could have their fun on his back while he smelled fragrant.

Once again, the king burst into laughter, much to his queen’s concern. She feared that his laughter was meant to mock her, and so she pressed him to explain. After some persuasion, the king reluctantly revealed the spell that had allowed him to understand animal speech.

The queen, greedy for power and knowledge, demanded that the king teach her the spell. She told him that she didn’t care if he died from the consequences; she had to know the secret for herself. Swayed by her charm and persistence, the king agreed to teach her the spell, despite the dire warning.

The Bodhisatta’s Intervention

Meanwhile, the Bodhisatta, who had once been the mighty Indra, king of the gods, saw the danger the king was in. Disguised as a goat, he descended to earth, accompanied by another god. They decided to teach the king a lesson he would not forget.

As the king traveled in his chariot, the two gods appeared in front of him, pretending to engage in sexual acts. The king and the donkeys pulling his chariot were the only ones who could see the goats’ behavior. One donkey, observing the shameful act, remarked that this kind of behavior, typically done in private, was one reason why people thought goats were foolish. The Bodhisatta, in the form of a goat, replied that the donkey itself was foolish, tied to ropes and unable to escape. The king, he pointed out, was even more foolish, for he was willing to lose his life over a woman’s greed.

The king, hearing the animals speak, asked the Bodhisatta for guidance. The Bodhisatta revealed his true form as Indra and told the king that he had come to rescue him. He advised the king to lie to his queen, telling her that the first step in learning the spell was to endure a hundred lashes, without making a single sound. The Bodhisatta predicted that the queen, driven by her greed, would change her mind once she learned the harsh requirement.

The Queen’s Greed and the King’s Decision

The king, now knowing what he must do, returned to the palace. He told the queen that if she truly wanted to learn the spell, she would have to endure the punishment of one hundred lashes. The queen, consumed by her desire for knowledge, agreed to undergo the punishment without a moment’s hesitation.

But as the lashes began to fall, the queen’s resolve quickly faltered. After only three hits, she screamed in pain, begging for mercy. The king, angry at her greed and willingness to cause his death, ordered the punishment to continue until her back was raw and bleeding.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the time of the Buddha, one of his disciples began to long for his former wife, a woman who had been so selfish in the past that she had nearly caused his death. The Buddha told him this story to remind him of his wife’s past behavior and to warn him against giving in to his desires. The disciple understood the lesson and chose to stay on the path of the Buddha, leaving his past behind.

The donkey who had spoken to the Bodhisatta was none other than Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s most revered disciples. The Bodhisatta’s intervention in this tale was an example of how wisdom and compassion can save us from our own foolishness.

The Moral of the Story

The story of the foolish king, the greedy queen, and the wise Bodhisatta teaches us the dangers of greed, selfishness, and the consequences of giving in to temptation. The king’s decision to listen to his queen, despite the risk to his own life, demonstrates the perils of being swayed by desire, while the queen’s obsession with the spell reveals how greed can cloud one’s judgment and lead to ruin.

The Bodhisatta’s intervention shows that true wisdom lies in making wise decisions, even when faced with temptation and pressure. Sometimes, the best course of action is to step back, think carefully, and avoid the traps of greed and pride.

Final Thought

The tale of the Naga Maiden, the King, and the Queen reminds us that our choices and actions, driven by our desires, can have far-reaching consequences. Whether we are making decisions in our relationships or navigating temptations in our own lives, it is important to remain wise, virtuous, and compassionate in our choices. Like the Bodhisatta, we should strive to act with foresight and understanding, guiding ourselves and others away from destructive paths.