The Makasa Jataka: The Merchant and the Foolish Son

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was once a merchant who traveled to various places for his trade. One day, he stopped at a carpenter’s home in a faraway border village in Kasi. While the carpenter was planing wood, a mosquito settled on his scalp and stung him. The carpenter asked his son, who was seated nearby, to drive the mosquito away.The son, in an attempt to swat the mosquito, picked up a sharp axe and struck at it. However, his aim was poor, and instead of hitting the mosquito, he cleft his father’s head in twain, killing him instantly. The Bodhisatta, who was present and witnessed the entire scene, reflected on the incident and said, “Better than such a friend is an enemy with sense, whom fear of men’s vengeance will deter from killing a man.” He recited the following lines to emphasize this point:”Sense-lacking friends are worse than foes with sense;
Witness the son that sought the gnat to slay,
But cleft, poor fool, his father’s skull in twain.”

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

This tale has a significant connection to the Buddha’s later life. While the Buddha was on an alms pilgrimage in the kingdom of Magadha, he came to a village that was thronged with foolish inhabitants. Upon arriving, he noticed many wounded men lying around the village.When the Buddha asked the villagers what had happened, they explained that the mosquitoes in the forest had been bothering them immensely. In their foolishness, the villagers had declared war on the mosquitoes, arming themselves with bows and weapons. However, instead of hitting the mosquitoes, they ended up shooting and striking each other, resulting in many injuries.The Buddha observed that this was not the first time these villagers had dealt out blows to themselves instead of to their intended targets. He told them this story of the past to illustrate that their foolish actions were not new and that sense-lacking friends can be more harmful than smart enemies15.

Moral

The Makasa Jataka teaches us about the dangers of foolishness and the importance of having wise and sensible companions. The story highlights that actions driven by ignorance or lack of sense can lead to severe and tragic consequences, while smart enemies, who are aware of the consequences of their actions, are less likely to cause harm. This tale underscores the Buddhist principle that wisdom and discernment are crucial for avoiding suffering and achieving well-being.