The Tale of Loyalty and Harmony: The Kaccani Jataka

In a time long past, the Bodhisatta was born as Indra, the king of the gods. But in this story, he took a very different form — he was a humble man living with his mother, whom he cared for with great devotion. His father had passed away, and the son, out of love and duty, took it upon himself to serve his mother fully. He cooked for her, cleaned her, and did everything in his power to make her life comfortable. His mother, however, grew concerned that her son would remain unmarried and without a family. She encouraged him to marry, so that he might find someone to help her and allow him to work and make a living.

But the man was resolute. He found great joy in caring for his mother and had no wish to take a wife. His intention was to stay by her side until her death, and then become an ascetic. His mother, insistent that he should marry, chose a wife for him. The son, unwilling to oppose his mother, agreed to the marriage.

The new wife, eager to please her husband, took over the task of caring for her mother-in-law. She served her meals with great attention, ensuring that everything was just as the son would have wanted. But unfortunately, she misinterpreted her husband’s care. She believed that his constant attention to his mother meant that he wanted to get rid of her. Driven by jealousy and misguided intentions, the wife began to mistreat the elderly woman.

She served the mother rice that was too hot or too cold, too salty or bland. When the mother complained, the wife would switch it to the opposite extreme, only to be met with more complaints. The wife did the same with the bathwater, making it unbearably hot or unbearably cold. And when the mother asked for her bed to be cleaned of fleas, the wife added more fleas to the bed. No matter what the mother did, she was met with disregard and scorn. Eventually, the wife went so far as to scatter phlegm, dirt, and hair around the house, blaming it on the mother-in-law. She made a final ultimatum: either the old woman left, or she would.

Heartbroken and unable to bear the mistreatment, the mother left the house in tears and took refuge with a friend. She had no choice but to support herself, working to earn a living.

After the mother-in-law’s departure, the wife became pregnant. She proudly declared to everyone that her pregnancy was a blessing that would not have come about if her “wicked” mother-in-law had not left. This remark deeply hurt the mother, who felt that righteousness and justice had completely disappeared from the world. In her grief and despair, she went to a cemetery, where she burned sesame and rice as an offering to the spirits, as a final act of mourning for the death of righteousness.

When the Bodhisatta — in the form of Indra — saw her sorrow, he descended to earth to help. He comforted the woman, assuring her that righteousness could never die. He worked his magic to make the couple reflect on the goodness and love of the mother. Suddenly, they realized their mistake and decided to find the mother and seek her forgiveness.

The couple, deeply remorseful, went to the woman and threw themselves at her feet, asking for her forgiveness. The mother, filled with compassion, forgave them, and the family was reunited in happiness. They all returned home, and from that moment, they lived together in harmony.

In the Time of the Buddha

In a later life, the same man and wife were reborn. This time, when the wife demanded that her husband choose between her and his mother, the man, filled with wisdom and love, chose his mother. He told his wife that she was young and could care for herself, but his elderly mother needed his support. The wife, shocked and realizing that life without her husband would be difficult, chose to reconcile with her mother-in-law. She returned to her, taking care of her as she once had, and harmony was restored.

Later, the man visited the Buddha, who, hearing the story, explained that the couple had experienced a similar situation in a past life. The Buddha shared the story of the Kaccani Jataka to illustrate that even in previous lives, the righteous and the wise had learned the importance of family harmony and respect.

Moral of the Story:

Righteousness cannot be destroyed, even by malice. True harmony in the family comes from love, respect, and understanding. The wisdom of the past can guide us to make the right choices, fostering peace and reconciliation.