Overcoming Lust: The Ummadanti Jataka

The Ummadanti Jataka (Jataka #527) is a story about lust, temptation, and the power of righteous conduct. It illustrates how self-control and spiritual discipline can help overcome even the most intense passions, and the story provides a moral lesson about the dangers of uncontrolled desires and the importance of virtue.

The Plot

The Previous Life of Ummadanti

The story begins with the Bodhisatta being born as a king. A wealthy merchant’s daughter, known for her extraordinary beauty, becomes the subject of attention from many suitors. Her beauty is not an accident, but the result of a previous life. In her past existence, she was a poor girl who desired a scarlet robe, which was a sign of wealth and beauty. She worked for a family to earn money for the robe, and when she finally obtained it, she went down to a river to bathe. There, she encountered a holy man whose clothes had been stolen. She selflessly tore her new robe in half and gave it to him. The holy man was so grateful that she gave him the rest of her robe as well. Moved by her generosity, she prayed that in her next life, she would be the most beautiful woman in the world, and that everyone who saw her would be overcome by her beauty.

As a result of her past generosity and selflessness, she is reborn as the beautiful daughter of a merchant, and her beauty becomes so overwhelming that anyone who looks at her is immediately overcome with uncontrollable desire.

The King’s Temptation

The king hears of the merchant’s daughter’s beauty and sends fortune-tellers to read her lines. However, as soon as they lay eyes on her, they lose control and begin behaving foolishly, doing things like putting food on their heads instead of eating it. Disturbed by their behavior, the daughter throws them out of the house in disgust. The fortune-tellers, now angered by her rejection, report to the king that she is a witch and not a suitable wife for him.

The merchant’s daughter, feeling humiliated and insulted, vows to get revenge on the king someday. In time, the merchant arranges for her to marry the commander-in-chief, a childhood friend of the Bodhisatta.

The Festival and the Act of Revenge

One day, the Bodhisatta takes part in a grand festival, making a procession through the city. The commander-in-chief, knowing his wife’s beauty and the effect it has on men, warns her not to show herself to the king, lest he lose control of himself. However, the merchant’s daughter sees this as an opportunity for revenge. When the Bodhisatta’s procession passes by, she throws flowers at him from an open window, ensuring that he sees her.

The moment the Bodhisatta looks up and sees her, he is overwhelmed with lust and passion, unable to control himself. His charioteer informs him that she is the wife of the commander-in-chief, and the king, in a state of obsession, calls off the remainder of his procession. He returns to the palace, lost in thoughts of the woman, feeling as though his mind is consumed with desire.

The Commander-in-Chief’s Plan

The commander-in-chief realizes that the Bodhisatta’s intense infatuation could be dangerous, so he devises a plan to save him. He sends a servant to hide in a sacred hollow tree and pose as a spirit. The next day, the commander-in-chief goes to the tree in front of many witnesses and asks the “spirit” what is causing the king’s affliction and how he can be cured. The servant, acting as the spirit, replies that the king is not sick, but rather he is infatuated with the commander-in-chief’s wife. To save the king, the spirit advises that the king should be allowed to have the commander-in-chief’s wife for a time, to satisfy his urges.

The commander-in-chief then goes to the Bodhisatta and tells him what the “spirit” has said. He insists that the king should take his wife as the spirit suggested and assures him that he will not tell anyone about it. The Bodhisatta, deeply ashamed that even the gods know about his infatuation, thanks his friend for his advice but refuses to act on it. He tells the commander-in-chief that no matter what he might gain, he is a righteous man, and he will not do something that causes harm to another.

The Bodhisatta’s Righteousness

The two men discuss the matter further, and the commander-in-chief reminds the king that heavenly reward awaits those who follow the righteous path. This teaching from his friend helps the Bodhisatta regain his composure and break free from the obsession. His infatuation vanishes, and he returns to his virtuous path, no longer disturbed by the desire that had overtaken him.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the time of the Buddha, one of the Buddha’s disciples, while on his morning alms round, saw a woman so beautiful that he became immediately infatuated with her. He was so lovesick that he became as thin as a wild deer and could no longer concentrate on his studies or meditation. The Buddha, seeing the disciple’s plight, shared the Ummadanti Jataka with him to show that in the past, even the Bodhisatta had fallen prey to such temptations but had regained control and stayed true to his path. The Buddha encouraged the disciple to persevere, reminding him that lust had risen in his heart before but eventually faded, and so the disciple should not give up.

The commander-in-chief, charioteer, and wife from the Jataka were identified as the Buddha’s disciples Sariputta, Ananda, and Uppalavanna, while the king’s courtiers were earlier births of the rest of the Buddha’s disciples.

Themes and Moral Lessons

1. The Dangers of Uncontrolled Lust: The story emphasizes how lust and desire can cloud judgment and lead to unvirtuous behavior. Even a wise and righteous king can be overcome by passion if he is not vigilant.
2. Self-Control and Righteousness: The Bodhisatta’s ability to overcome his infatuation, despite being overwhelmed by desire, underscores the importance of self-discipline and righteous conduct. His decision to refrain from acting on his desires and to prioritize his moral values shows that even in moments of weakness, one can choose the path of virtue.
3. The Power of Friendship and Wise Counsel: The commander-in-chief‘s role in advising the Bodhisatta reveals how friendship and wise counsel can help steer someone back to the right path. His gentle guidance helps the Bodhisatta regain his clarity and moral resolve.
4. The Impermanence of Passion: The story reminds us that desires, especially those rooted in the sensual world, are impermanent. With awareness and contemplation, one can overcome these urges and return to a state of spiritual equilibrium.
5. The Role of Generosity: The story of the merchant’s daughter in her past life reminds us of the importance of generosity. Her selflessness in giving her robe to the holy man resulted in her being reborn with extraordinary beauty, showing the potential of past good deeds to shape one’s future.

Overall, the Ummadanti Jataka teaches that through virtue, self-control, and the support of wise friends, one can overcome the temptations and distractions of the world, remaining steadfast on the path to enlightenment.