The Asilakkhana Jataka: Fortune, Deceit, and Wisdom

In the Asilakkhana Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a prince and finds himself in a complicated situation involving love, deceit, and a corrupt chaplain. The story highlights the role of fortune, timing, and the consequences of actions, as well as the idea that things are not inherently good or bad, but can depend on circumstances and intention.

The Story:

The Bodhisatta, a prince and the king’s nephew, falls in love with the king’s daughter. However, the king has other plans for their futures and forbids the two lovers from seeing each other again. The king has arranged for both of them to marry into other royal households to strengthen political alliances, making it impossible for the lovers to be together.

Determined to marry the princess, the Bodhisatta pays a wise woman a large sum of money to help him. The woman devises a plan to trick the king into allowing the princess to escape the palace. She convinces the king that his daughter is possessed by a demon and needs an exorcism at a cemetery. The wise woman sets up a ritual with the princess in a bed, where it is believed that the demon-possessed body would lie over a corpse.

However, instead of a corpse, it is the Bodhisatta himself who is placed under the princess. Once the exorcism begins, the Bodhisatta sneezes loudly after taking some ground pepper, which causes such a violent reaction that everyone at the cemetery believes the “revived corpse” is a dangerous spirit. In the ensuing chaos, everyone runs away in fear, allowing the Bodhisatta and the princess to sneak away and escape to his home.

The plan works, and the king eventually learns what happened. Realizing that the two were well-suited for each other, he relents and allows them to marry. The Bodhisatta becomes king, and the princess becomes his queen.

The Corrupt Chaplain and the Role of Fortune:

Later, after ascending to the throne, the Bodhisatta employs the corrupt chaplain, who has a peculiar “skill”—he can determine whether swords are lucky by sniffing them. However, the chaplain only recommends swords that are made by swordsmiths who bribe him. One swordsmith, aware of the chaplain’s corruption, decides to teach him a lesson by putting ground pepper in the sheath of a sword. When the chaplain smells the sword, he sneezes violently, and in the process, he slices off the tip of his nose.

Despite the chaplain’s embarrassing loss, the Bodhisatta finds it amusing and reflects on the irony: “Sneezing is good for some, but bad for others. Sneezing lost you your nose, but sneezing got me my throne and queen.” In this moment, the Bodhisatta highlights how a seemingly random event—a sneeze—had dramatically changed his fate for the better, while it had ruined the chaplain’s career. The message is clear: sometimes, fortune plays a significant role in the outcomes of events, and what may be perceived as bad luck for one person may lead to good fortune for another.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The Buddha uses this story to make a point to his disciples about the nature of good and bad actions. The corrupt chaplain in this story is an earlier birth of a man who had engaged in deceit and manipulation for his own gain. The Buddha explains that, while the chaplain’s behavior may seem inherently negative, the events in this particular story show that outcomes are not always as straightforward as they appear. Whether something is good or bad often depends on the context and the circumstances surrounding it. For the Bodhisatta, the sneeze was a stroke of good fortune, while for the chaplain, it was a form of retribution for his corrupt practices.

Moral Lessons:

1. The Role of Fortune and Timing: The story illustrates the unpredictable nature of fortune. The Bodhisatta’s rise to power, the success of his escape plan, and the downfall of the corrupt chaplain all hinge on seemingly random events—like sneezing. It suggests that timing and luck can sometimes play a more significant role in achieving success than skill or effort alone.
2. Deceit and Consequences: The chaplain’s corruption—accepting bribes in exchange for false recommendations—leads to his own humiliation. His unethical behavior results in a loss of his nose, serving as a metaphor for the eventual consequences of deceit and dishonesty. The story encourages integrity and warns of the eventual downfall of those who exploit others for personal gain.
3. Circumstantial Morality: The Buddha uses the story to teach that actions are not inherently good or bad; their outcomes depend on the context. What may seem like a good act in one situation might have negative consequences in another, and vice versa. The story of the sneezing chaplain exemplifies how the same event can have entirely different outcomes for different individuals based on the circumstances.
4. The Importance of Wisdom and Strategy: The Bodhisatta’s ability to strategize and use his wisdom to navigate the situation with the princess shows the importance of intellect and planning. His actions are not simply the result of good fortune but are also a reflection of his cleverness and foresight.

Conclusion:

The Asilakkhana Jataka is a rich tale that explores the themes of fortune, deceit, and the complexities of good and bad actions. Through the lens of the Bodhisatta’s rise to power and the corrupt chaplain’s downfall, the story reveals that outcomes are often shaped by more than just straightforward moral choices. The Bodhisatta’s final reflection on the role of sneezing in his own success serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of life and the subtle ways that fortune can impact our paths. The story also reinforces the idea that true wisdom and integrity ultimately lead to success, while deceit and corruption will eventually lead to failure.