Mandhatu Jataka: The Futility of Chasing Worldly Desires

In an ancient time, the Bodhisatta was born as a mighty king, gifted with immeasurable riches and supernatural powers. With a simple gesture—clenching his left fist and touching it with his right—jewels would rain down from the sky, piling knee-deep. He ruled as a prince for eighty-four thousand years, co-reigned with others for another eighty-four thousand years, and then held the supreme kingship for an additional eighty-four thousand years. Yet, despite his immense wealth and power, the Bodhisatta remained unfulfilled. His desires were endless.

One day, feeling the weight of his unquenchable cravings, the Bodhisatta decided to ascend to the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the realm of lesser gods. There, he was greeted by the four kings and many other gods who, in awe of his power and wisdom, gave him rule over their domain. But even this, with all its glory, did not bring him the satisfaction he sought.

As time passed, the Bodhisatta’s yearning grew more intense, and he ascended once again, this time to the heavenly realm of Indra, the king of gods. Indra welcomed him warmly, offering half of his vast kingdom for the Bodhisatta to rule alongside him. Together, they governed the heavens for millions of years—until Indra, in time, reached the end of his divine life. Another god succeeded Indra, and the Bodhisatta ruled with him, then with his successors, thirty-six Indras in total.

Yet, despite all the celestial realms he ruled, the Bodhisatta’s desires only deepened. He yearned for total dominion over all the heavens, and in his insatiable greed, he plotted to kill Indra. But even with his great powers, he was unable to carry out his plan. His life, consumed by desire, began to unravel. The weight of his cravings brought him down from the heavens, and he fell to the earth, landing in a park near his former palace. There, old age descended upon him with crushing force, and he was too weak to move, trapped in the inevitable decline of his body.

As he lay dying, the present royal family came to visit the fallen king. They asked if he had any final message to share with the people. With his last breath, the Bodhisatta, once the ruler of heavens and earth, spoke: “Though I had all the glory and power in the world, now I lie dead. All beings must eventually face death.”

The Lesson in the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the time of the Buddha, one of his disciples, while out on his morning alms round, encountered a beautifully dressed woman and immediately fell in love with her. The Buddha, seeing the disciple’s longing and attachment, told him this story of the Bodhisatta’s past life. He explained how, even though the Bodhisatta had acquired every imaginable treasure and ascended to the highest realms, his insatiable desires led him to a tragic end.

The Buddha used this story to teach that no matter how much one attains in the pursuit of worldly pleasures, satisfaction is never achieved. The endless chasing of desires—whether for wealth, power, or sensual pleasures—only leads to frustration, suffering, and ultimately, loss. True happiness and peace can only be found by renouncing worldly attachments and living a life of wisdom, discipline, and compassion.

Moral of the Story

The Mandhatu Jataka serves as a powerful reminder about the futility of chasing after worldly desires. No matter how great the wealth, power, or pleasure, these things cannot bring lasting contentment. The Bodhisatta’s story illustrates that attachment to desires only leads to suffering, and in the end, even the most glorious of lives are transient and impermanent. The true path to happiness and fulfillment lies not in the pursuit of external things, but in the cultivation of inner peace through wisdom and detachment.