Susima Jataka: Renunciation and the Impermanence of Life

In the Susima Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a prince and raised alongside the king’s son. The two grow up together, educated and trained to serve their respective roles—one as king and the other as royal chaplain. When the king dies, the prince ascends to the throne and appoints the Bodhisatta as his chaplain.

During a grand procession around the city, the queen mother sees the Bodhisatta riding behind the king, and at that moment, she falls in love with him. Feeling he is unattainable and unable to bear the sorrow of unrequited love, the queen grows despondent and stops eating, fearing she will die from grief. Ashamed to tell the king about her feelings, she confides in the queen, who then shares the queen mother’s distress with the king.

In a desperate attempt to save his mother’s life, the king offers the Bodhisatta a choice: if he marries the queen mother, the king will abdicate the throne and become a viceroy, while the Bodhisatta will rule as the new king. Although the Bodhisatta is reluctant, he agrees to marry the queen to ease the situation.

However, the Bodhisatta, disillusioned with the pursuit of worldly pleasures, soon grows detached and begins to seek a life of asceticism. His avoidance of worldly desires deepens, and the queen, fearing that he no longer desires her due to her old age, attempts to use a clever trick to regain his affection. She tells the Bodhisatta that she has found a grey hair on his head, symbolizing the inevitable march of time and aging.

When the Bodhisatta sees the hair, he becomes filled with dread and anxiety, fearing that he has aged prematurely as a result of indulgence in worldly pleasures, much like a pig wallowing in filth. He becomes horrified by the idea of aging and decay and decides to renounce the throne and leave for the Himalayas to live as an ascetic.

Upon realizing that her scheme to keep him attached has failed, the queen confesses her deception and begs the Bodhisatta to stay. But the Bodhisatta, having realized the impermanence of life, explains to the queen that decay and aging are inevitable for all living beings. He chooses to pursue a spiritual path rather than remain trapped in the desires and attachments of the material world.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:
Many years later, during the time of the Buddha, some of his disciples were discussing the grandeur of his Great Renunciation—the moment he left behind his royal life in search of enlightenment. The Buddha, overhearing their conversation, decided to share the Susima Jataka with them as an example of a similar renunciation from his past lives.

The king in this story, who had renounced the throne and his worldly desires, was an earlier birth of Ananda, one of the Buddha’s closest disciples. The queen mother, whose attachment to the Bodhisatta led her to deceive him, was an earlier birth of the Buddha’s wife, Yasodhara.

Moral of the Story:
The Susima Jataka teaches profound lessons on attachment, aging, and the inevitable impermanence of life. The Bodhisatta’s decision to renounce the throne and worldly desires in favor of spiritual practice demonstrates that attachment to transient pleasures only leads to suffering. The fear of aging, which the queen attempts to use to manipulate the Bodhisatta, reflects the common human fear of impermanence. However, true peace comes from understanding that aging, decay, and death are natural parts of life.

Key Takeaways from the Jataka:

• Renunciation of Worldly Desires: The Bodhisatta’s renunciation is an example of how letting go of material pleasures and attachments leads to spiritual growth. His fear of aging symbolizes the human struggle with impermanence.
• Impermanence of Life: The story emphasizes the inevitability of aging and decay, teaching that no matter how much one tries to resist it, these natural processes are unavoidable.
• Wisdom Over Fear: The Bodhisatta’s wisdom, which leads him to renounce his royal life, contrasts with the queen’s attachment to youth and beauty. The Bodhisatta shows that wisdom allows one to transcend fears and attachments, while ignorance leads to suffering.

The Susima Jataka is a reminder of the transient nature of life and the importance of spiritual detachment. It teaches that attachment to the fleeting pleasures of the material world can only lead to sorrow, while understanding and embracing impermanence brings true peace and enlightenment.