Maha-Vanija Jataka: The Dangers of Greed and the Power of Moderation

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was born as a merchant. One day, while leading an oxcart caravan through a distant land, he and his companions became lost in a dense, remote forest. They ran out of food and water, and after many days of searching for a way out, they stumbled upon a massive banyan tree. The air around it was unusually moist, and the men decided to rest in its shade.

Upon closer inspection, they discovered something extraordinary: when they cut a branch from the tree, water flowed from it. They drank their fill and bathed joyously. Encouraged by this, they cut another branch from the south, and out poured a feast—rice, meat, porridge, ginger, lentil soup, and other delicious foods. The men ate heartily, satisfying their hunger and thirst.

Next, they cut a branch from the west, and to their amazement, a group of beautiful women appeared, adorned in fine clothes and jewelry. The men, eager to indulge, spent time with them. Finally, they cut a branch from the north, and gold, silver, jewels, fabrics, and other treasures spilled forth. The men greedily collected as much as they could carry.

Still unsatisfied and overcome by greed, the men decided to cut down the entire tree, believing it would provide them with even more wealth and pleasure. The Bodhisatta, however, was the only one who opposed this plan. He urged the men to respect the tree and leave it standing, but his words were ignored. The men chopped at the roots, intending to bring the whole tree down.

At that moment, the naga king, a powerful serpent deity who lived in the tree, saw what was happening. Enraged by the destruction of his sacred tree, he summoned an army of three hundred archers and six thousand swordsmen. The naga soldiers attacked the greedy merchants, killing them all, but sparing the Bodhisatta, who had tried to protect the tree. As a reward for his virtuous stand, the naga king filled five hundred carts with treasures and delivered them to the Bodhisatta’s home, bestowing great wealth upon him.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

A group of merchants once set out to lead an oxcart caravan to a distant land. Before embarking on their journey, they visited the Buddha, promising to honor him if they returned safely. Along the way, they too became lost in the same forest and came upon the same banyan tree. As they noticed the moisture on the tree’s leaves, they followed the same course of action as the merchants in the past—cutting branches and receiving water, food, women, and treasures.

However, unlike the greedy merchants from the past, these merchants practiced moderation. They took only what they needed and refrained from cutting down the tree. When they returned home, they offered great gifts to the Buddha and renounced the merit from their donation, attributing their success to the spirit that had provided the treasures.

Upon hearing their story, the Buddha praised their moderation and spoke of the dangers of greed. He then told them the tale of the earlier merchants to show them what would have happened had they succumbed to their greed. The story served as a reminder of the importance of moderation and the consequences of unchecked desire.

The naga king in this tale, who protected the tree, was an earlier birth of Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s top disciples.

Moral:

The story of the Maha-Vanija Jataka imparts a powerful lesson about greed and moderation. The merchants’ initial greed led to their downfall in the earlier version of the story, while the merchants in the Buddha’s time demonstrated wisdom and restraint. By choosing not to be consumed by desire, they were able to receive blessings and good fortune without suffering the negative consequences of their actions. The tale highlights the value of self-control, the dangers of excess, and the spiritual rewards of practicing moderation.