The Test of Virtue: Lessons from the Silavimamsa Jataka

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was a king’s chaplain, highly respected and honored by all for his virtue. However, he began to wonder whether his high status was truly due to his moral conduct, or if it was merely the result of his noble lineage and family reputation.

To test this, the Bodhisatta decided to steal some coins in front of the king’s treasurer, fully aware of the consequences. He was immediately arrested and brought before the king, where he was sentenced to death. As he faced his punishment, he explained that his theft was not out of greed, but rather to test the true source of his honor.

The Bodhisatta reasoned that being punished for a crime he had committed showed that his respect in the court was not because of his noble birth, but due to his virtuous actions. The king, moved by his wisdom, pardoned him, and the Bodhisatta left the palace to live a life of asceticism in the Himalayas.

The Three Lessons of the Bodhisatta
On his journey, the Bodhisatta witnessed three significant events that shaped his understanding of life.

1. The Hawk and the Other Birds
   The Bodhisatta saw a hawk seize a piece of meat from a butcher and fly off. The other birds quickly attacked the hawk, trying to steal the meat, forcing the hawk to drop it. As soon as the hawk lost the meat, the birds stopped attacking and left it in peace. A similar cycle repeated with other birds, each of whom was attacked when they held the meat, only to be left in peace once they dropped it.

From this, the Bodhisatta realized that human desires are like the meat—the more we cling to them, the more we suffer. True peace comes when we release our attachments.

2. The Hope of the Slave Girl
   The Bodhisatta spent the night at a family’s home in a village. He overheard a slave girl telling her lover when to meet her. She waited all night at the door, hoping for him to come, but he never arrived. When morning came and the girl finally gave up hope, she felt peace and went to sleep.

This taught the Bodhisatta that hope often leads to sorrow, but when we let go of expectations, peace follows.

3. The Bliss of Meditation
   The next day, the Bodhisatta saw an ascetic sitting in deep meditation. He realized that there is no greater happiness, neither on earth nor in heaven, than the bliss that comes from meditative practice.

With these three lessons in mind, the Bodhisatta continued his journey as an ascetic, focusing on detachment, peace, and meditation.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha
One of the Buddha’s disciples had once been a king’s chaplain, just like the Bodhisatta in this story. He too wondered whether his position of honor was due to his virtue or his lineage, and conducted the same test by stealing in front of the treasurer. After being forgiven by the king, he left the royal court and joined the Buddha’s sangha, eventually reaching arahantship.

When the Buddha heard other disciples discussing this story, he shared the tale to show that, just as his disciple had tested his privilege, he himself had done the same in a past life.

Moral of the Story
The Silavimamsa Jataka teaches that true honor and respect come not from family heritage or outward appearances, but from virtuous actions. It also emphasizes the importance of letting go of attachments, hopes, and desires to find peace and happiness in the present moment.