Golden Goose Jataka: The True Beauty of Virtue and Simplicity

In a distant past, the Bodhisatta was born as a golden goose, renowned for his striking beauty. He lived with his mate by the banks of the Ganges River, where the two of them thrived in peace. One day, a greedy crow, tired of feeding on the carcasses of dead elephants in the city, decided to venture into the forest to find better food. However, he soon grew disillusioned with the wild fruits and decided to explore the riverbank to see what he could find there.

As the crow flew over the Ganges, he saw the Bodhisatta and his mate, their golden feathers shining brilliantly in the sunlight. The crow, envious of their beauty, thought to himself that if he ate the same foods as the geese, perhaps he could gain their vibrant color and charm. He approached them, offering polite greetings and flattering them with compliments. He then asked where he could find the fish they ate, believing that such food was the secret to their stunning appearance.

The Bodhisatta and his mate, however, explained that they did not eat fish or any other form of meat. Instead, they fed on the weeds by the river, living a simple and peaceful life. They told the crow that it was not their diet that made them beautiful, but their virtuous behavior, their refusal to harm other creatures, and their adherence to a life of kindness and integrity. It was this purity of heart, not food, that had given them their golden feathers.

The crow, still longing for the same beauty, realized that the life of peace and virtue the geese led was not the life for him. He was not willing to give up his selfish desires and harmful ways. With a sigh, he returned to the city’s dunghill, where he resumed his greedy habits.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

The greedy crow was later revealed to be an earlier incarnation of one of the Buddha’s disciples, a man known for his insatiable craving. During the Buddha’s morning alms rounds, this disciple would only seek out homes that served rich, savory meats, disregarding the simple offerings of rice or vegetables. The Buddha, understanding the man’s struggle, summoned him one day and recounted this story. He explained that the crow’s greed had prevented him from understanding the true nature of beauty and contentment, and he encouraged the disciple to overcome his cravings by embracing simplicity and cultivating virtues like kindness and self-control.

The Bodhisatta’s mate, who had shared the peaceful life by the river, was revealed to be the Buddha’s wife in this earlier life, embodying the same gentle and virtuous qualities that the Buddha’s followers would come to respect and admire.

Moral:

This Jataka teaches the lesson that true beauty and contentment do not come from external things like food or material wealth, but from living a virtuous life. The crow’s envy and greed blinded him to the simple truth that the Bodhisatta and his mate’s beauty came from their peaceful, harmless existence. Likewise, the story reminds us that fulfillment and peace come from cultivating inner virtues, not from satisfying our desires or comparing ourselves to others. By leading a life of integrity and kindness, we too can find true beauty and happiness, free from the emptiness of greed and envy.