The Bodhisatta and the Golden Bowl: A Tale of Integrity

Once, in a distant land, the Bodhisatta was born as a humble traveling salesman of pots and pans. One day, he and another salesman arrived in a new city, each taking half of it to sell their wares. The other salesman, driven by greed, visited a poor household inhabited by a young girl and her grandmother. Despite their destitution, the family offered a grimy, old dining bowl in exchange for a small trinket. The greedy salesman, suspecting the bowl might be made of gold, scratched it subtly to reveal a glint of gold beneath the tarnish. Eager to acquire the valuable bowl for a fraction of its worth, he deceitfully tossed it on the ground and claimed it was worthless.

Later, the Bodhisatta passed by the same house. The girl and her grandmother made the same offer, but unlike the other salesman, the Bodhisatta saw the true worth of the bowl. He kindly told them that it was worth one hundred thousand coins, but he lacked the money to purchase it. Moved by his honesty and the belief that the bowl’s value came from the goodness of the Bodhisatta, the grandmother agreed to accept whatever he could offer. In return for the bowl, the Bodhisatta gave her five hundred coins, along with all of his stock—worth about the same amount—keeping only his scale, his bag, and just enough money to cross the river.

The greedy salesman soon returned, hoping to buy the bowl for a mere trinket. When he learned what had transpired, his rage consumed him. Believing the bowl rightfully belonged to him, he grabbed all his belongings and rushed toward the Bodhisatta, intending to force him to give up the bowl. But by the time he reached the river, the Bodhisatta was already halfway across. In his fury, the greedy salesman’s anger overwhelmed him, and he collapsed from a heart attack, dying on the spot, with blood pouring from his lips.

Moral:

This story teaches the dangers of greed and the power of generosity. While the greedy salesman sought to take advantage of the poor family, the Bodhisatta’s honesty and selflessness led to a just and peaceful outcome. The tale reminds us that while greed can lead to destruction, kindness and truth bring lasting rewards. It also emphasizes the importance of working toward one’s goals with patience and virtue—no good deed goes unnoticed, and the rewards of generosity far outweigh the fleeting temptations of dishonesty.