The Prince, the Lost Treasure, and the Wisdom of Letting Go

In a time long ago, the Bodhisatta was a wise advisor to a mighty king. This king, having conquered a neighboring kingdom, seized its vast treasures and hid them away in iron pots, burying them deep in the royal park for safekeeping. The defeated king’s son, however, had managed to escape the attack. In time, he became an ascetic, leading a group of five hundred followers on a pilgrimage to seek alms.

Unaware of the young ascetic’s true identity, the king, impressed by the wisdom and virtuous conduct of the group, welcomed them to his city. He gave them generous gifts and invited them to stay in the royal park as long as they desired.

The young prince, skilled in the ancient art of finding hidden treasure, recognized the buried pots of riches in the royal park. Thinking that he could use the treasure to reclaim his father’s lost kingdom, he decided to reveal his true identity to the other ascetics. He told them his plan and asked if they would join him in recovering the treasure. They agreed, and that very night, the group dug up the iron pots, replaced the treasures with grass, and reburied the pots before fleeing the city.

Soon after, the prince used the treasure he had stolen to bolster the fortifications of his father’s former kingdom, making it nearly impregnable. When the king, unaware of the deception, learned that the prince had taken the throne, he became filled with sorrow and despair. Wandering through the palace, he muttered to himself, “Grass, grass, grass,” his mind consumed by the loss of the treasure.

The Bodhisatta, who knew the king’s heart and mind better than anyone, understood that only he could help relieve the king’s troubled soul. He approached the king and asked, “Your Majesty, what is the significance of the word ‘grass’ that you keep repeating?”

The king explained the story of the lost treasure and his sorrow over its theft. After hearing the king’s tale, the Bodhisatta calmly replied, “What you have lost was never truly yours to begin with. It was not your possession, but something that came into your hands temporarily. The prince took what was his by birthright, and it is of no use for you to dwell in sorrow over something you cannot change.”

The Bodhisatta’s wise words helped the king see that his grief was misplaced. He let go of his sorrow, and from that moment on, the king ruled with a clear mind and a righteous heart, focusing on the well-being of his people rather than the riches he had lost.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In a future lifetime, the prince, with his pride and obstinacy, was reborn as one of the Buddha’s disciples. He was known for his stubborn attitude and resistance to advice, often finding it difficult to accept the teachings of the Buddha.

Seeing his disciple’s struggle, the Buddha shared this story of the prince’s past life as a powerful lesson. He told the obstinate disciple that just as the prince had clung to the treasure that was not truly his, so too was the disciple clinging to pride and selfishness, which would ultimately cause him suffering. The Buddha encouraged him to let go of his attachment to ego and to accept the wisdom of the teachings with an open heart.

Moral: Attachment to what is not truly ours brings only sorrow. True peace comes from letting go of what we cannot control and focusing on what is within our power to change.