Bodhisatta and Chief Disciple: A Tale of Wisdom and Insight

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was once an ascetic who lived in the Himalayas with many followers. During a period when his chief disciple was away, the Bodhisatta fell ill and was on the verge of death. The people at the monastery asked him about his spiritual attainment, and he replied, “I have won nothing.”Misunderstanding this statement, the disciples did not pay him the customary honors at his cremation. When the chief disciple returned and heard what had happened, he explained that the Bodhisatta’s words were misinterpreted. The Bodhisatta meant that he had attained insight into the nothingness of things, one of the highest spiritual attainments.However, none of the other disciples believed this explanation. Looking down from heaven, the Bodhisatta saw the confusion and descended to tell his disciples that they were fools and that his chief disciple was correct and wise. After criticizing them for their misunderstanding, he returned to heaven.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

This tale has a significant connection to the Buddha’s later life. The Bodhisatta’s chief disciple in the story was an earlier birth of Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s top disciples. Sariputta was renowned for his wisdom and skill in explaining the Dharma clearly135.One day, the Buddha heard some of his disciples praising Sariputta’s wisdom and explanatory skills. The Buddha told them this story to illustrate that Sariputta also possessed this ability in the past, highlighting his consistent role as a wise and insightful disciple across different lifetimes.

Moral and Significance

The Parosahassa Jataka teaches us about the importance of understanding and interpreting spiritual teachings correctly. The story emphasizes that true wisdom and attainment can be misunderstood by those who lack deeper insight. The chief disciple’s correct interpretation of the Bodhisatta’s words serves as a model for how to understand profound spiritual concepts, while the other disciples’ misunderstanding serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of superficial interpretation.This tale underscores the Buddhist principle of the importance of wise and knowledgeable teachers, such as Sariputta, who can provide accurate and profound explanations of the Dharma. It also highlights the continuity of virtuous and wise behavior across different lifetimes, reinforcing the Buddhist concept of karma and the recurring relationships between key figures in the Buddhist tradition.