Bodhisatta’s Snakebite Cure: Sariputta’s Lifelong Vow

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was once a skilled snakebite doctor. A man who had been bitten by a snake came to the Bodhisatta for treatment. The Bodhisatta offered the patient two options for treating the venom: either using medicine and charms or having the snake suck the venom out of the wound. The patient chose the latter method.The snake was captured and admitted to biting the man, but it refused to extract the venom. The Bodhisatta, determined to find a solution, built a fire and threatened to throw the snake into it if it did not take back the venom. The snake, preferring to die rather than be weak, crawled toward the fire.The Bodhisatta blocked the snake’s path and ordered it never to harm anyone again. He then set the snake free and cured the patient using the conventional medical methods.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

This tale has a significant connection to the Buddha’s later life. The headstrong snake in the story was an earlier birth of Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s top disciples.In the Buddha’s lifetime, an incident occurred where some lay visitors brought meal-cakes to the monastery for the disciples and left some extras for those who were not present at the time. A portion was set aside for a young disciple who lived with Sariputta, but as noon approached (after which time disciples cannot eat solid food), the leftover cakes were given to Sariputta. Right after he ate them, the young disciple returned. Feeling bad about eating the disciple’s food, Sariputta vowed to never eat meal-cakes again.When the Buddha heard some of his disciples discussing this, he told them the story of the Visavanta Jataka to illustrate that Sariputta had always been steadfast in keeping his vows, even when his life was at stake in past lives.

Moral

The Visavanta Jataka teaches us about the importance of integrity, determination, and the keeping of vows. The story highlights the Bodhisatta’s wisdom and compassion in dealing with the snake, as well as Sariputta’s unwavering commitment to his principles. This tale underscores the Buddhist principle of adhering to one’s vows and maintaining a strong moral character, even in the face of adversity. It also emphasizes the transformative power of past actions and the continuity of virtuous behavior across different lifetimes.