Ambacora Jataka: The False Accusations of the Wicked Ascetic

In this past life, the Bodhisatta was Indra, the king of the gods. A wicked ascetic, known for engaging in false practices, lived in a mango orchard. This ascetic would collect the ripe mangoes from the orchard, both to eat and to share with his relatives. His actions were deceitful, and he used his position as an ascetic to manipulate others for his own gain.

One day, the Bodhisatta, using his divine powers, sensed the ascetic’s bad behavior and decided to teach him a lesson. When the ascetic went out to collect alms, the Bodhisatta made all the mangoes in the orchard disappear, as though they had been stolen by thieves. Upon returning, the ascetic found that all his mangoes were gone. At that moment, four daughters of a wealthy merchant happened to enter the orchard. The ascetic, filled with suspicion, immediately accused the women of stealing the mangoes.

The women denied the accusation, but the ascetic insisted that they take an oath to prove their innocence. Each woman swore that they had not eaten the mangoes and were not involved in the theft. Seeing that they had sworn their innocence, the ascetic let them go, though still harboring doubt in his heart.

At that point, the Bodhisatta revealed himself in a terrifying form, scaring the ascetic so much that he fled in fear. The Bodhisatta’s goal was to punish the ascetic for his wickedness and deceit, while also showing him the consequences of falsely accusing innocent people.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The wicked ascetic from the past was an earlier birth of a man who later became an ascetic in his old age. In this life, he had built a small leaf hut in a mango orchard, where he continued to gather mangoes to share with his relatives. One day, thieves came to the orchard and stole all the ripe mangoes. Upon returning and discovering the theft, the ascetic saw four women — the daughters of a wealthy merchant — walking near the orchard after bathing in the river. He immediately accused them of stealing his mangoes, despite having no evidence to support his claim.

The women, who had nothing to do with the theft, denied the accusation. However, the ascetic demanded that they swear an oath of innocence, which they did. The women were finally allowed to go free after taking the oath, but the ascetic remained suspicious.

When the Buddha heard his disciples discussing the ascetic’s actions, he shared this past-life story to illustrate how the ascetic had falsely accused women in both lives, showing that his pattern of behavior was not new. The Buddha used the story to teach his disciples about the harm caused by false accusations and the need for fairness and compassion.

Moral:

The Ambacora Jataka teaches several important lessons about honesty, justice, and false accusations:

1. False Accusations: The ascetic’s actions — falsely accusing the women of theft — highlight the damage caused by suspicion without evidence. The Bodhisatta (Indra) punished the ascetic for his deceitful behavior, illustrating the consequences of making baseless accusations against others.
2. Integrity and Compassion: The women’s ability to maintain their innocence and swear truthfully, despite the pressure of the false accusation, underscores the importance of personal integrity. The Bodhisatta’s intervention shows how justice and compassion can prevail over wrongdoing.
3. Repetition of Negative Behavior: The Buddha uses this story to demonstrate that harmful behavior, like making false accusations, can be carried over through multiple lifetimes. The ascetic’s bad actions in his past life reflect the same patterns of behavior in his present life, showing the importance of cultivating virtuous habits and avoiding deceitful actions.

In essence, this Jataka story encourages truthfulness, fairness, and moral integrity, urging individuals to refrain from harming others with false accusations and to seek justice through honesty and compassion.