The Kusanali Jataka: Wisdom Beyond Social Rank

In the Kusanali Jataka, the Bodhisatta is depicted as a fairy living in a humble clump of kusha grass. This story focuses on the Bodhisatta’s cleverness and the theme of wisdom transcending social rank.

The story begins with the king’s palace, which had a large central pillar supporting its roof. The pillar needed to be replaced, and the royal carpenters, after searching far and wide, found a tree that seemed perfect for the task. However, this tree was home to a respected tree fairy, who was devastated at the prospect of losing her home. The king ordered that proper ceremonies and offerings be made before the tree was cut down, but the tree fairy had no idea how to stop the impending destruction.

When the Bodhisatta heard of his friend’s plight, he decided to act. He transformed himself into a chameleon and climbed into the tree, moving his head rapidly to create the illusion that part of the tree was rotting and full of holes. The carpenters, upon inspecting the tree, deemed it unsuitable for use as the palace pillar. As a result, the tree fairy’s home was saved, and she joyfully sang the Bodhisatta’s praises.

The fairy expressed her gratitude, advising her fellow tree fairies not to look down on beings of lower rank, such as grass fairies. She emphasized the importance of valuing all wise beings, regardless of their social status or position, because everyone has their own unique skills and wisdom.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

The story finds its parallel in the lifetime of the Buddha with a tale involving Anathapindika, a wealthy and generous supporter of the Buddha. Anathapindika’s friends and family, who were wealthy and influential, tried to convince him to abandon a poor man whom he considered a close friend, believing that they were not equals. However, Anathapindika rebuked them for their prejudice and continued to value his poor friend.

One day, when Anathapindika was away on a trip, a group of armed thieves surrounded his house, intending to break in and steal his wealth. Anathapindika’s poor friend, who was left in charge of the house, suspected the thieves were coming. He stayed up all night, and when he heard the thieves approaching, he ran around the house, making loud noises to convince them that there were many people inside. The thieves, thinking they were outnumbered, threw down their weapons and fled.

The next morning, the people who had once mocked Anathapindika’s friendship with the poor man now praised him for his wisdom in trusting such a clever and resourceful friend. When Anathapindika returned, he mocked his friends for their earlier advice, explaining that had he followed their suggestions, he would have been a beggar.

Anathapindika shared this story with the Buddha, who told him that a true friend should be valued above social status. No matter what one’s position in life, a wise and dependable friend is always a superior friend. The Buddha then used the Kusanali Jataka to teach Anathapindika that even in past lives, he himself had saved a superior friend’s home through his cleverness, showing that wisdom is not bound by rank.

Moral of the Story

The Kusanali Jataka teaches several important lessons:

1. The Value of Wisdom Over Social Status: The Bodhisatta, as a humble grass fairy, saves the home of a respected tree fairy through his quick thinking and wisdom. This underscores the idea that wisdom is not tied to one’s social position, and that even beings of lower rank have the ability to be of great help to others.
2. True Friendship Transcends Social Class: In both the Jataka and the Buddha’s own life, the emphasis is placed on the value of true friendship. The story with Anathapindika and his poor friend illustrates that wisdom and loyalty should be valued over wealth and social standing. A friend’s cleverness and resourcefulness can be more valuable than their material wealth.
3. Cleverness and Resourcefulness Can Overcome Adversity: The Bodhisatta’s use of cleverness to save the tree fairy’s home shows how a quick mind can solve problems that seem insurmountable. Similarly, Anathapindika’s friend uses resourcefulness to save the household from thieves. This highlights the importance of using one’s intelligence and resourcefulness in times of need.

Conclusion

The Kusanali Jataka illustrates that wisdom is not restricted by one’s social status or external appearances. Whether a humble grass fairy or a poor man, anyone who possesses wisdom and resourcefulness can be of great help to others. It also teaches the importance of true friendship, where loyalty and wisdom are far more important than wealth or rank. This lesson echoes through the Buddha’s teachings, reinforcing that moral qualities are what truly define a person, not their social position.