Bodhisatta, Wise, and Wisest: A Tale of Honesty and Justice

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was once a merchant named Wise, who had a business partner named Wisest. After they took a large caravan of merchandise to sell outside the city, Wisest demanded a double share of their profits, arguing that his name indicated he was the better of the pair. However, since they had each provided half the goods and half the oxen, the Bodhisatta rejected this idea, and they began to quarrel.To resolve the dispute, Wisest proposed that they let a tree fairy decide the matter. He had his father hide in a hollow tree, and when they appealed to the “fairy,” the father answered that Wise should receive one share, and Wisest two. However, the Bodhisatta was not convinced by this deceitful plan.To expose the trick, the Bodhisatta placed straw in the tree and set it on fire. As the flames rose, Wisest’s father climbed out of the tree, revealing the scam. The Bodhisatta then declared that he was actually the wisest, and they decided to split the profits equally.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

This tale has a significant connection to the Buddha’s later life. Two merchants took a long and difficult journey to sell their goods. Upon their return, one of the merchants, who was scheming, felt certain that his partner would soon die of indigestion due to eating poorly on the trip and then feasting on loved foods back home. He delayed dividing the profit, hoping to give one share to his partner’s orphans and keep two shares for himself.As the delay dragged out, the honest partner went to seek advice from the Buddha about this problem. The Buddha told him this story to illustrate that the scheming merchant, who was an earlier birth of Wisest, had also been a scoundrel in the past. This narrative served to remind the honest merchant that such deceitful behavior was not new and that the scheming merchant had a history of dishonesty.

Moral

The Kutavanija Jataka teaches us about the importance of honesty, fairness, and the dangers of deceit. The story emphasizes that true wisdom and integrity are more valuable than superficial claims or names. The Bodhisatta’s actions serve as a model for how to expose and address deceitful behavior, while Wisest’s fate serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of dishonesty. This tale underscores the Buddhist principle of ethical conduct and the need for fairness and honesty in all interactions, especially in business and partnerships.