The Cruel King and the Gatekeeper: A Lesson in Karma

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was a king, succeeding his father, who had been a tyrant and greatly despised. When the cruel king passed away, there was widespread joy across the kingdom. People celebrated his death, burning his body with a thousand cartloads of logs and dousing the pyre with a thousand jars of water. The Bodhisatta’s coronation, in contrast, was met with great festivity and happiness. He was beloved by all, and his reign promised peace and prosperity.

However, there was one person who was not celebrating—the palace gatekeeper. The Bodhisatta noticed him weeping and inquired why he was so sad during the joyful occasion. The gatekeeper explained that he was not mourning the death of the former king but was instead afraid that the king might return. Every time the cruel king had entered or exited the palace, he would strike the gatekeeper’s head eight times, causing the man immense pain. The gatekeeper feared that, after death, his former king would return from the underworld and continue his violent behavior, perhaps even punishing Yama, the god of death, for being too lenient.

The Bodhisatta reassured him, explaining that such fears were unfounded. He explained that karma determines the fate of beings after death, and no one returns to life in the same form they had in their previous life. Thus, the cruel king could not return in the same form to torment the gatekeeper again. There was no reason to fear.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The cruel king in this story was an earlier incarnation of Devadatta, a disciple of the Buddha who became his nemesis. Devadatta was infamous for his attempts to kill the Buddha on three separate occasions. When Devadatta finally met his end, swallowed into the flames of hell by the earth itself, people throughout India rejoiced at his demise, just as they had rejoiced at the death of the cruel king in the Bodhisatta’s past life.

The Buddha, hearing his disciples discuss Devadatta’s death and the subsequent joy of the people, told them this story. He explained that this was not the first time such feelings had arisen in response to Devadatta’s death. In a previous life, too, people rejoiced when Devadatta, in the form of the cruel king, had passed away.

Moral:

1. The Nature of Karma: This story reinforces the understanding that karma dictates the fate of beings after death, and that the form one takes in their next life is not determined by their past life. The gatekeeper’s fear was unfounded, for the cruel king’s violent actions could not carry over into the next life.
2. Rebirth and Transformation: The Bodhisatta’s explanation emphasizes that beings are reborn into different forms and cannot return in the same manner. This teaches that no matter how terrible or virtuous one’s actions may be, they do not lead to a direct continuation in the same state or form in the next life.
3. The Power of Compassion and Wisdom: The Bodhisatta’s calm and wise response to the gatekeeper’s fear reflects the compassion and wisdom that he embodied, which were in stark contrast to the cruelty of his previous incarnation. By teaching the gatekeeper about karma, the Bodhisatta helped him overcome his irrational fear and gave him peace of mind.
4. The Impact of Cruelty: The story subtly alludes to the negative consequences of cruelty, as exemplified by the past actions of Devadatta, the former king. It suggests that while such behavior might lead to temporary power or control, it ultimately brings suffering and is followed by rejoicing from others when such cruelty ends.

Lesson: This Jataka teaches that the actions and behaviors of a person in one life are not carried over into the next, and it is through wisdom and understanding of karma that one can overcome fear and suffering. The Bodhisatta’s ability to ease the gatekeeper’s mind shows the importance of compassion, reassurance, and the right knowledge in times of distress.