Bodhisatta’s Generosity: Rewarding Kindness and Loyalty

Long ago, the Bodhisatta was born as a virtuous and generous king. One day, he found himself defeated in battle and forced to flee on horseback to a small village on the outskirts of his kingdom. His armor was stained with the dust of war, and when the villagers saw him approaching, they panicked and fled, thinking he might be a rebel. Only one man, a humble villager, remained calm and asked, “Are you a royalist or a rebel?”

The Bodhisatta, not revealing his true identity, simply answered, “I support the king,” and the villager, understanding that they were on the same side, welcomed him into his home. The villager cared for the Bodhisatta and his horse, providing them with food and rest for several days until the king was well enough to continue his journey. Before he left, the Bodhisatta, in gratitude, gave the man a small piece of advice: “If you ever come to the city, ask for ‘Maha Assaroha,’ the ‘Great Horseman’ at the gate.”

Once back in the capital, the Bodhisatta, eager to reward the villager’s kindness, instructed the gatekeepers that anyone who asked for “Maha Assaroha” should be brought directly to the palace. But the villager, having no reason to visit the city, did not come. Undeterred, the Bodhisatta raised the village’s taxes, hoping the villagers would be motivated to send the man to plead on their behalf. However, even after raising the taxes a second and third time, the villager still did not come. Finally, the villagers, burdened by the unfair taxes, suggested the man go to the city to seek the king’s intervention.

Reluctantly, the villager agreed, bringing along gifts of clothing and a fried cake as a token of gratitude. Upon mentioning the name “Maha Assaroha” at the city gate, he was immediately escorted to the palace. There, to his astonishment, the villager learned that his former guest was none other than the king himself. The Bodhisatta welcomed him with great joy and treated him with the utmost respect. He gave the man a fine silk robe worth a hundred thousand coins, invited him to sit on his throne, and even ordered his queen to wash the villager’s feet in a gesture of honor.

To the surprise of his court, the Bodhisatta then called for an assembly and declared, “I give half my kingdom to this man.” The villager and the king, now lifelong friends, ruled their lands together in harmony and mutual respect.

The Bodhisatta’s son and the royal advisors, however, were displeased with this unexpected generosity and questioned why the villager deserved such a rich reward. The Bodhisatta explained that the man had shown him great kindness when he was in need, and such noble actions must always be repaid. Upon hearing this, the advisors and the prince understood the wisdom of the king’s actions and had no further complaints.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In a later birth, the helpful villager was reborn as Ananda, one of the Buddha’s chief disciples. On one occasion, a king received one thousand splendid robes, each more beautiful than the last. The king, wishing to honor his wives, gave one robe to each of his five hundred queens. The queens, in turn, gave these robes to Ananda, who was their teacher of the Dharma.

When the king later noticed that his queens were not wearing the new robes, he became suspicious and assumed that Ananda had secretly sold them. He summoned Ananda to explain himself. The king asked, “Why did you take five hundred robes when the Buddha’s rules forbid you to possess more than three?”

Ananda replied, “Although I accepted the robes, I did not keep them for myself. I gave them to other disciples who were in need.” He continued, “When disciples receive new robes, the old ones are not wasted. First, they are turned into cloaks, then into shirts, and later into bed sheets, towels, and mats. Finally, the fabric is mixed into mortar for building houses.”

The king was pleased by Ananda’s explanation and his generosity. Moved by Ananda’s selflessness, the king gave him the remaining five hundred robes, which Ananda then passed on to a young disciple who had been especially helpful to him by serving him in everyday tasks such as sweeping his room and cleaning.

Some of the other disciples questioned whether it was appropriate for Ananda to give such a large gift to a disciple of lower rank. The Buddha, hearing their concerns, explained that Ananda’s gift was an act of gratitude and was entirely appropriate. He then told them this story to show that, in the past, he himself had rewarded someone of lower status for their kindness and service.

Moral: Generosity and gratitude are the cornerstones of noble character. Just as the Bodhisatta rewarded the villager for his selfless kindness, and Ananda gave thanks for the support of his disciple, we too should recognize the worth of those who help us and repay them with kindness and respect. True virtue is not measured by status, but by the goodness of one’s actions.