Takkariya Jataka: The Power of Words and Consequences of Reckless Speech

In the Takkariya Jataka, the Bodhisatta was once a student of a king’s chaplain, a man who was bitter because of his wife’s affair with a man of similar appearance—both had tawny brown skin and were toothless. The chaplain, unable to control his wife’s infidelity, decided to take drastic measures and had a deadly plan to have the lover killed. He convinced the king that the city’s southern gate was unlucky and needed to be rebuilt. He also suggested that the right celestial alignment for the project would require a sacrifice—a tawny-skinned, toothless, pure-blooded brahmin to be buried under the gate.

The chaplain’s wife, hearing this, quickly warned her lover, and he fled the city. Other men of similar appearance also left in fear. When the time came for the sacrifice, the king’s men could find no one fitting the description, except for the chaplain himself. Despite his importance, the king was convinced to proceed with the sacrifice, and the chaplain’s student, the Bodhisatta, was summoned to take his place.

As the chaplain was about to be led to the pit, he regretted his actions and began lamenting his fate. He confessed his plot and explained how his own reckless speech had led to his downfall. The Bodhisatta, always wise and patient, used this moment to teach the chaplain a valuable lesson. He spoke of the consequences of careless words and told the chaplain four stories that illustrated the harm that can come from poor speech, as well as the benefits of thoughtful communication.

The Four Stories:

1. The Prostitute and Her Brother:
   A high-class prostitute earned one thousand coins a day, and though her brother was a drunkard, she supported him. One day, after he lost everything, including his clothes, in a dice game, she had enough and refused to let him into the house. When one of her customers arrived and saw the brother crying outside in a rag, he offered him his own clothes. The brother, however, took the clothes and ran off to the tavern, never returning. The customer was left ashamed, walking home naked, regretting his decision to intervene.
2. The Goats and the Bird:
   Two goats were locked in a fierce fight in their pasture. A small bird, concerned that they might kill each other, tried to stop them, but they ignored him. Desperate, the bird flew between them and said, “If you want to keep fighting, you’ll need to kill me first!” The goats, irritated by the bird’s persistence, crushed him to death.
3. The Snake and the Fruit Picker:
   A man was gathering fruit from a tree when a snake began to crawl up the trunk. The people below tried to knock the snake off with sticks but were unsuccessful. In fear, the man in the tree jumped down into a cloth that the people were holding to catch him. However, the sudden impact caused the men to crash into each other, and they died from the blow.
4. The Goat and the Thieves:
   A group of thieves stole a goat and hid it in a bamboo thicket. The next day, they realized they didn’t have a knife to kill it, so they released the goat. However, the goat played in the bamboo and accidentally knocked a knife loose. The thieves, seeing the knife, killed the goat and ate it.

The Story with a Positive Outcome:

In contrast to these tales of misfortune, the Bodhisatta also told a story where careful speech saved lives.

A king had two fairies captured in the forest and brought them before him, demanding they perform. But the fairies refused to perform, explaining that they could not give their best in such a situation. The king, growing impatient, ordered them to be killed. Just as the fairies were about to be executed, the female fairy explained the reason for their silence. The king, impressed by her wisdom and self-control, set them both free.

The Bodhisatta’s Compassionate Act:

After sharing these stories, the Bodhisatta turned to his former teacher, the chaplain, and informed him that he would secretly help him escape. The Bodhisatta delayed the execution by telling the king that the proper celestial alignment would occur at midnight. Under the cover of darkness, and with no one watching, the Bodhisatta helped the chaplain escape to a distant place. He buried a dead goat under the gate in place of the chaplain, ensuring the man’s life was spared and his reckless speech did not lead to further harm.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In the Buddha’s time, the tawny-skinned brahmin of this story was reborn as Cula Kokalika, a greedy disciple of the Buddha. Sariputta and Moggallana, two of the Buddha’s most respected disciples, spent a rainy season at Cula Kokalika’s home, under the instruction not to tell anyone about their stay. However, after the season ended, Cula Kokalika boasted about his hospitality to the locals, hoping to gain credit and material gifts. This backfired when Sariputta and Moggallana did not accept the offerings, leading Cula Kokalika to accuse them of selfishness.

As a result, the disciples left the town, and the people demanded Cula Kokalika make amends. Unable to fix the damage he had caused, Cula Kokalika followed Sariputta and Moggallana, hoping to get some gifts for himself. When he failed again, he angered the people, who forced him to leave town.

Cula Kokalika went to the Buddha, where he continued to vent his anger and criticize the elders. His inappropriate words angered the Buddha, and shortly afterward, bloody boils erupted on Cula Kokalika’s body, causing him immense pain. Despite a visit from a former teacher, who tried to help him make peace, Cula Kokalika refused. His anger and reckless speech ultimately led to his death and rebirth in hell.

The Buddha, reflecting on this story, shared it with his disciples to teach them that poor speech can bring about great destruction, while careful words can prevent harm and lead to wisdom and peace.

Moral Reflection:

The Takkariya Jataka underscores the importance of being mindful of one’s words. The reckless speech of the chaplain, driven by anger and selfishness, led to his downfall, while the Bodhisatta’s wisdom showed how careful speech and a compassionate heart can save lives. The story emphasizes that speech has tremendous power—words can heal or harm, and when spoken with care, they can prevent conflict and bring peace.

In the case of Cula Kokalika, the Buddha’s disciple, his inability to control his speech led to his downfall, highlighting how greed, anger, and careless boasting can have devastating consequences. The lesson from this Jataka is that words have consequences, and the wise are those who speak with intention and compassion.

Final Takeaway:

Reckless speech causes harm, while careful, mindful speech brings peace and understanding. As the Bodhisatta wisely demonstrated, words matter, and we should always speak with awareness of their potential to either build or destroy.