The Archer Prince: A Tale of Renunciation and Wisdom

Once, in a distant land, the Bodhisatta was born as a prince, raised in the royal palace with all the privileges of nobility. He studied the three Vedas and mastered the eighteen accomplishments in the ancient city of Taxila, excelling particularly in the art of archery. When his father, the king, lay dying, he announced that the Bodhisatta would succeed him as the ruler of the kingdom. But the Bodhisatta, uninterested in power and worldly glory, refused the throne. His younger brother, who was eager for the crown, became the king instead.

However, driven by jealousy and deceit, some slaves tricked the new king into thinking that the Bodhisatta had changed his mind and now sought to rule. The king, believing the false report, sent men to arrest the Bodhisatta. Hearing of the plot, the Bodhisatta cursed his brother and fled to a neighboring kingdom, where he sought refuge.

In this new kingdom, the local king, impressed by the Bodhisatta’s reputation as a great archer, hired him for a salary of one hundred thousand coins a year. One day, as the king relaxed in his royal park, he noticed a cluster of ripe mangoes high in a tree. He ordered his archers to bring them down, but some of the other royal archers, envious of the Bodhisatta’s fame, suggested that the king summon him to perform the task.

The Bodhisatta, dressed in fine red cloth and golden armor, appeared before the king. He asked whether the king wanted the mangoes to be brought down with an upward shot or a falling arrow. The king, curious, chose the latter, as he had never seen such a feat. The Bodhisatta, confident in his skill, told the king that the arrow would first soar to the Heaven of the Four Great Kings before coming down.

With precision, the Bodhisatta released the first arrow, sending it soaring into the sky. Then, with a second, faster shot, he struck the feather of the first arrow, redirecting it back toward Earth. The arrow fell with a thunderous roar, cutting through the mango stalk and causing the fruit to drop into the Bodhisatta’s waiting hands. The king and all the onlookers were astonished by the incredible feat and showered the Bodhisatta with riches worth millions of coins.

But trouble was brewing in the Bodhisatta’s homeland. Seven other kings had learned that he had left his kingdom, and they set out to conquer it. The Bodhisatta’s brother, terrified for his throne, sent messengers pleading for his older brother’s help. Agreeing to return, the Bodhisatta assured his brother that the kingdom would be saved.

To strike fear into the invaders, the Bodhisatta wrote a message on an arrow: “I have returned home and will kill all of you with a single arrow. Those who wish to live should flee now.” He shot the arrow onto a golden dish at the dinner table where all seven kings were dining. Upon reading the message, the kings were overcome with terror and immediately fled back to their own kingdoms, leaving the Bodhisatta’s realm in peace.

Having secured his brother’s throne, the Bodhisatta renounced his royal life and chose the path of an ascetic, seeking spiritual enlightenment.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

Many years later, the Buddha spoke to his disciples about the Great Renunciation—his own path to enlightenment. To help them understand, he told them this story from his past life, illustrating that he had similarly renounced a kingdom in search of a higher spiritual purpose.

In this story, the Bodhisatta’s younger brother was an earlier birth of Ananda, the Buddha’s beloved cousin and one of his most trusted disciples.

Moral of the Story

This tale teaches us that true wisdom lies in understanding the impermanence of worldly power and fame. The Bodhisatta’s rejection of the throne in favor of a higher spiritual quest shows that real fulfillment is found not in earthly glory, but in the pursuit of wisdom, inner peace, and enlightenment. It also highlights the importance of courage and selflessness, as demonstrated by the Bodhisatta’s actions to protect his kingdom and his people, even when he had no desire for power.

The Moral

True greatness comes not from ruling over others, but from renouncing the desire for power in pursuit of a higher purpose.