The Righteous King and the Test of Mercy: Mahasilava Jataka

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was the King of Varanasi, ruling his kingdom righteously, wisely, and generously. He had expelled one of his advisors from the kingdom for misusing the royal harem, and this advisor later became the chief advisor to the King of Kosala.The exiled advisor, seeking revenge, convinced the King of Kosala that the Bodhisatta was a weak leader who could easily be conquered. To prove his point, the advisor suggested a test: the King of Kosala should send men to massacre a village across the border and see if the Bodhisatta would punish them. The King of Kosala, though suspicious that the advisor might be a traitor, decided to follow the plan.The murderous attackers were captured and brought before the Bodhisatta, who asked them why they had killed the villagers. They explained that they were poor and could not find work. Instead of punishing them, the Bodhisatta made them promise not to commit such acts again, gave them money, and set them free. This test was repeated twice more, including once inside the capital city, and each time the Bodhisatta showed mercy and compassion.Convinced by these tests that the Bodhisatta was indeed a righteous and non-threatening leader, the King of Kosala set out to conquer Varanasi with his army and elephants. Despite having the bravest and fiercest warriors in all of India, the Bodhisatta prohibited any resistance, determined not to let anyone suffer. When the invaders arrived, he opened the city gates and allowed them in.The King of Kosala, victorious but ruthless, ordered the Bodhisatta and his advisors to be bound and buried up to their necks in the cemetery, where they would be eaten by jackals at night. However, the Bodhisatta, maintaining his calm and compassion, managed to fend off the jackals by biting one and using its struggles to loosen the dirt around him. With his mighty strength, he then dug himself and his advisors out of the grave.Nearby, two ogres were quarreling over a corpse and brought it to the Bodhisatta to divide. After freshening up with the help of the ogres’ magical powers, the Bodhisatta used the King of Kosala’s sword of state to divide the corpse evenly between the ogres. He then asked the ogres to transport him to the King of Kosala’s bedroom.Finding the king asleep, the Bodhisatta smacked him in the stomach with the flat of the sword, awakening him. The King of Kosala, struck with terror, listened as the Bodhisatta explained how he had escaped and reached the bedroom. Realizing his mistake, the king swore an oath of friendship, asked for forgiveness, and returned to his own kingdom. The Bodhisatta praised the power of perseverance and the benefits of doing good, emphasizing that these virtues had saved his kingdom without any lives being lost.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

This tale has a significant connection to the Buddha’s later life. One of the Buddha’s disciples had stopped concentrating on his spiritual practice, and when the Buddha heard about it, he shared this story to illustrate the importance of perseverance and virtue. The story explained that even in seemingly hopeless situations, wise and virtuous men do not waver in their commitment to doing good.The exiled advisor in the story was revealed to be an earlier birth of Devadatta, a disciple of the Buddha who later became his nemesis. The Bodhisatta’s loyal advisors were earlier births of the Buddha’s disciples. After hearing this story, the disciple regained his focus and eventually became an arahant.

Moral

The Mahasilava Jataka teaches us about the power of righteousness, compassion, and perseverance. The story highlights that true strength lies not in violence or aggression but in wisdom, mercy, and the unwavering commitment to virtue. The Bodhisatta’s actions serve as a model for how to handle adversity with calmness and integrity, demonstrating that doing good and maintaining faith in its benefits can lead to the best outcomes. This tale underscores the Buddhist principles of non-violence, compassion, and the transformative power of perseverance and virtue.