The King’s Riddle and the Wise Chaplain

In a past life, the Bodhisatta served as the chaplain to a powerful king. The king was surrounded by advisors who were highly quarrelsome, and their influence over him eventually led to a breakdown in judgment. They managed to turn the king against the Bodhisatta, and in his anger, the king banished him from the city.

However, as time passed, the king began to regret his decision. He remembered the Bodhisatta’s wisdom and virtuous nature and felt that he had acted unfairly. But the king didn’t want to simply send a messenger to ask the Bodhisatta to return. Instead, he decided to send a more subtle message, hoping the Bodhisatta would understand without needing a direct invitation.

The king wrote a poem with a riddle, carefully crafted to communicate his desire for the Bodhisatta’s return. The poem was accompanied by cooked crow meat, as crows were believed to symbolize the return of a friend. The riddle, which the king believed the Bodhisatta would easily decipher, read:

That which can drink when rivers are in flood;
That which the grain will cover out of sight;
That which foretells a traveler on the road–
O wise one, eat and read my riddle right.

The Bodhisatta, understanding the king’s meaning, realized that he was being invited back and that his return would be met with respect and honor. He traveled back to the city, where the king reinstated him as chaplain, and all was well again.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In the time of the Buddha, the disciples often marveled at the immense wisdom of their teacher. One day, while they were discussing the Buddha’s extraordinary insight, the Buddha shared this story to remind them that his wisdom was not new—it had existed long before he attained Buddhahood.

The king in the story, in his previous life, was Ananda, the Buddha’s devoted cousin and one of his closest disciples. Through this tale, the Buddha highlighted that even in his earlier lives, he had demonstrated great wisdom and understanding.

Moral:

This story teaches several important lessons:

1. The Power of Wisdom: The Bodhisatta’s ability to understand the king’s riddle demonstrates the importance of wisdom and discernment. The Bodhisatta’s sharp intellect allowed him to read the king’s subtle message correctly, showing that true wisdom is not just about knowledge but also about understanding what is unsaid.
2. The Importance of Reflection and Regret: The king’s change of heart shows that even rulers are not immune to mistakes. His regret for banishing the Bodhisatta demonstrates the value of reflecting on one’s actions and learning from mistakes. True leadership involves recognizing wrongs and taking steps to correct them.
3. The Subtlety of Communication: The king’s clever use of a riddle and the symbolic crow meat highlights how communication can go beyond words. Sometimes, messages can be conveyed through symbols, actions, and even riddles, and understanding such communication requires insight.
4. The Timelessness of Virtue: The story reminds us that virtue and wisdom are qualities that endure across lifetimes. Just as the Bodhisatta exhibited wisdom in his previous life, the Buddha’s wisdom was present in all his forms, long before he attained Buddhahood.

Ultimately, the story shows that wisdom, humility, and the ability to reflect on one’s actions are qualities that shape both leaders and followers, and that understanding can come in many forms, whether through words, symbols, or quiet reflection.