The Bhallatiya Jataka: A Story of Love and Separation

In this Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a king who has a great fondness for eating charcoal-broiled venison. One day, while hunting in the Himalayas, he encounters two fairies near a stream, who are initially seen embracing and kissing each other. But suddenly, they begin to cry. The king, moved by their sorrow, quietly approaches them and asks why they are weeping.

The fairies explain that six hundred seventy-seven years earlier, a storm caused the river to rise, separating them for the night. Although they were reunited the next day, the brief separation left them with lasting sorrow due to the depth of their love. The king, deeply moved by their tale, abandons his hunting and returns to his palace. From that moment on, he gives up hunting and focuses on enjoying his wealth while giving charity, reflecting on the pain caused by love’s separation.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The fairies in this story are identified as King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika, two of the Buddha’s prominent disciples. At one point, King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika had a serious quarrel, which led to the king ignoring her. In an effort to restore peace between them, the Buddha visited the royal palace to collect alms. After his meal, the Buddha asked why the queen was absent. The king explained that the queen had become proud, which led to their discord.

The Buddha then shared the story of the fairies’ past love, recounting how the brief separation had caused them sorrow despite their deep affection for each other. The Buddha used this story to remind the king and queen of the fragility and value of their relationship. After hearing the tale, the couple reconciled and lived in harmony from then on.

Moral of the Tale:

The Bhallatiya Jataka emphasizes several important themes:

1. The Pain of Separation in Love: The story highlights how even a brief separation between two loving beings can cause lasting sorrow, underlining the deep emotional bond that true love creates.
2. The Power of Compassion: The king’s compassion for the fairies’ sorrow transforms his life, leading him to abandon hunting and embrace a life of charity. This change reflects the power of empathy to bring about positive personal transformation.
3. Restoring Harmony Through Understanding: The Buddha uses the story of the fairies to help reconcile King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika, showing how shared understanding and compassion can heal conflicts and restore harmony in relationships.

The story thus encourages both the appreciation of love and the importance of resolving conflicts with wisdom and kindness.