Junha Jataka: The King’s Generosity and Fulfilled Promises

In this Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a king. When he was still a prince studying in Taxila, he accidentally bumped into a brahmin priest one night, causing the priest to fall and break his alms bowl. The Bodhisatta, though not wealthy at the time, apologized and promised that if the priest ever came to his kingdom, he would compensate him for the loss. The priest accepted the apology, and they parted ways.

Soon after, the Bodhisatta’s father abdicated the throne, and the Bodhisatta became the king. Upon hearing of his new position, the brahmin priest traveled to the kingdom to claim his compensation. As the Bodhisatta was riding his elephant through the city during a royal procession, the priest saw him and called out, “Victory to the king!” However, the Bodhisatta did not acknowledge him. The priest, feeling slighted, shouted that he had come with a specific request and should not be ignored. Upon hearing this, the Bodhisatta stopped the procession and turned to meet the priest.

The priest explained who he was and reminded the Bodhisatta of the promise made years ago. He then asked for an extravagant reward: five villages, one hundred slave girls, seven hundred cattle, more than one thousand gold ornaments, and two wives of equal status to himself. The Bodhisatta, recalling the incident, agreed to the priest’s demands without hesitation and gave him everything he requested.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In a later birth, the brahmin priest from the Jataka is identified as Ananda, one of the Buddha’s most devoted disciples. For twenty years, various people had served the Buddha as personal attendants, but one day the Buddha asked his disciples to choose someone to attend to him full-time. Ananda was nominated, but he set out eight conditions before agreeing to take on this responsibility. These conditions were:

• Negative conditions:
  • The Buddha would not give him any of his robes.
  • The Buddha would not give him any of his food.
  • The Buddha would not allow him to sleep in his private chamber.
  • The Buddha would not bring him to places where he was invited.
• Positive conditions:
  • The Buddha would accompany Ananda when he was invited somewhere.
  • The Buddha would allow Ananda to introduce foreigners who came to visit.
  • The Buddha would permit Ananda to discuss his doubts when they arose.
  • The Buddha would repeat his teachings if Ananda missed them because he was away.

The Buddha agreed to all these terms, and Ananda faithfully served him for the next twenty-five years, until the Buddha entered nirvana.

When Ananda was chosen to serve as the Buddha’s personal attendant, some of the other disciples discussed the matter. The Buddha, upon hearing their discussion, told them the story of his earlier life as the king who had granted the wishes of the brahmin priest (Ananda). He used this story to show how, in the past, he had also granted the wishes of Ananda.

Moral:

The Junha Jataka highlights the themes of gratitude and generosity, demonstrating how the Bodhisatta (in his previous life as a king) kept his promise and honored his commitment to the brahmin priest, even when the request was unexpectedly large. This act of kindness, though it may seem extravagant, reflects the Bodhisatta’s willingness to fulfill his obligations and repay good deeds, regardless of the cost.

The Buddha’s retelling of the story emphasizes that, just as he had granted wishes in the past, Ananda too had been granted a special role in his life. The story also points to the importance of fulfilling promises and how service to others, whether a king serving a priest or a disciple serving the Buddha, is a noble path that fosters trust and respect.

Through this tale, the Buddha also teaches that devotion and loyalty in the service of a virtuous teacher or leader are virtues to be celebrated, as demonstrated in Ananda’s unwavering dedication as his personal attendant.