Bilarikosiya Jataka: The Power of Generosity and the Dangers of Greed

In a distant past, the Bodhisatta was born as Indra, the king of the gods. Before his divine birth, however, he had been a wealthy merchant on earth, known for his generosity and virtuous deeds. After much reflection on his life, he decided to build an alms hall and generously gave to the poor. Before he passed away and ascended to his divine realm, the Bodhisatta instructed his son to continue the tradition of charity every day. His son followed this command, and so did the next three generations. For their devotion to giving, these four men were reborn in heaven as Chandra, the moon god; Surya, the sun god; Matali, Indra’s charioteer; and Pancasikha, one of heaven’s top musicians.

However, the next in line, Bilarikosiya, was different. He became consumed by greed. Instead of continuing his ancestors’ legacy of generosity, he destroyed the alms hall, chased away the beggars, and hoarded all the wealth for himself.

One day, the Bodhisatta, in his divine form as Indra, wondered if his family had continued the noble tradition of almsgiving. To his dismay, he discovered that the chain of charity had been broken. Determined to teach Bilarikosiya the importance of generosity, the Bodhisatta summoned his four descendants from heaven. Together, they descended to earth, taking the guise of brahmins. Each of them approached Bilarikosiya and asked for food. At first, Bilarikosiya refused, claiming he had nothing to offer. But after each of the four recited a poem about the destructive nature of greed and the virtues of generosity, he begrudgingly invited them into his home.

Bilarikosiya ordered his servant to provide the visitors with unhusked rice and sent them to cook it elsewhere. But the brahmins refused, saying they would only accept properly cooked food. Undeterred, Bilarikosiya then sent them cooked rice, but they still refused, demanding food that had been properly prepared. In a final act of disdain, Bilarikosiya had them served a pot of food meant for cattle. The brahmins ate a mouthful and pretended to choke and die, their throats deliberately obstructed by the cow food.

Fearing the consequences of the brahmins’ apparent deaths, Bilarikosiya panicked. He quickly ordered his servant to replace the food with the finest delicacies and invited a crowd into his house, claiming the brahmins had been so greedy in their eating that they had choked on their food and died. Just as he spoke these lies, the five men rose from the ground, revealing their true identities. The Bodhisatta declared that Bilarikosiya was a liar and explained the true events, spitting out the inedible cow food as proof.

The crowd, hearing the truth, rebuked Bilarikosiya for his greed and questioned whether he would be able to take all his wealth with him when he died. At that moment, the five men ascended into the air in a blaze of light, their divine forms shining brightly. They spoke of the great rewards they had received in heaven for their generosity and urged others to follow their example.

Realizing the gravity of his actions, Bilarikosiya was deeply moved by the sight of these gods and their message. He vowed to change his ways, promising to share his wealth and alms with others. From that day forward, he distributed food, water, and even the means to clean his teeth to the poor and needy. He continued this practice until his final days, and upon his death, he joined his ancestors in heaven.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

Bilarikosiya was later revealed to be an earlier incarnation of one of the Buddha’s disciples, a man known for his boundless generosity. This disciple, so devoted to giving, would not even drink water unless he could share some with others. When the Buddha heard of his great generosity, he shared this story with the disciple and the rest of his followers, explaining that in a past life, this very disciple had once been a greedy man, unwilling to share even a blade of grass. It was through the Buddha’s teachings that the disciple had been humbled and transformed from a miser into a man of selfless giving.

The four gods who had descended with the Bodhisatta to teach Bilarikosiya were revealed to be the earlier births of Sariputta, Moggallana, Maha Kassapa, and Ananda—four of the Buddha’s closest and most esteemed disciples.

Moral:

This Jataka teaches the virtues of generosity and the dangers of greed. It shows that wealth cannot be taken beyond death, and that true spiritual fulfillment comes not from hoarding material goods, but from sharing them with others. The story also highlights the transformative power of wisdom and compassion, as even the most selfish individuals can change when confronted with the truth. Just as Bilarikosiya learned the value of giving and repented for his greed, we too can cultivate generosity and selflessness in our lives, understanding that such virtues lead to both spiritual and worldly rewards.