Bodhisatta’s Compassion: A Jataka Story of Strength

In this Jataka tale, the Bodhisatta was once a noble elephant, the leader of a large herd in the Himalayas. One day, while the herd was feeding, a quail, whose eggs had just hatched, saw the elephants approaching and feared for the safety of her newly born chicks. She approached the Bodhisatta and begged him to protect them. The Bodhisatta, showing his compassion, stood over the nest until the entire herd passed, ensuring no harm came to the fragile chicks. Before leaving, he warned the quail of a rogue elephant that was following behind, advising her to speak to him as well.

The rogue elephant, however, was cruel and heartless. When the quail asked for his protection, the elephant deliberately trampled the chicks and urinated on their lifeless bodies. Heartbroken, the quail vowed revenge, believing that a strong mind could overcome even the might of a powerful body.

The quail began to plan her revenge, starting by doing favors for a crow, a fly, and a frog, and then calling in these favors for her plan. Together, they carried out an intricate scheme to take down the rogue elephant.

• The crow pecked out the elephant’s eyes, blinding him.
• The fly laid eggs in the elephant’s eye sockets, and when the eggs hatched into maggots, the maddening pain drove the elephant into a frenzy.
• The frog, knowing that the elephant was following the sound of his croaking, led him to a dangerous cliff. As the elephant climbed the mountain, the frog hopped down to a lower spot, continuing his croak. The elephant, thinking the frog was near water, followed the sound and fell off the cliff to his death.

The quail, watching the rogue elephant’s demise, danced in victory on his lifeless body before flying away.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The rogue elephant in the story was an earlier incarnation of Devadatta, a disciple of the Buddha who became one of his most notorious adversaries. Devadatta was known for his cruelty and his lack of empathy, and his eventual opposition to the Buddha was rooted in jealousy and pride. The Buddha used this story to explain to his disciples that Devadatta had been equally harsh and violent in his past lives.

The story also served as a lesson to the Buddha’s disciples about the importance of not instigating quarrels or conflicts. It emphasized that even someone much weaker or smaller than oneself—like the quail—could bring down someone powerful if they acted with cleverness, patience, and determination.

Moral:
The story teaches that physical strength alone is not the most important power. A clever mind, combined with determination and the ability to strategize, can overcome brute force. It also highlights the dangers of cruelty and violence, reminding us that even those who seem weak have the potential to triumph over the powerful if they use their intellect and resources wisely.