The Bodhisatta’s Humility: The Ascetic Who Didn’t Ask for More

In an earlier life, the Bodhisatta was an ascetic living alone in the Himalayas. One day, he traveled down to a city to get salt and vinegar and decided to sleep in the royal park. The king, noticing the Bodhisatta’s noble demeanor, invited him to the palace the next morning for a meal. After their conversation, the king, impressed by the Bodhisatta’s wisdom, told him he could stay in the park as long as he wished, with all his needs taken care of.

As the rainy season ended, the Bodhisatta was eager to return to the Himalayas. However, before leaving, he realized he needed a parasol and a pair of shoes. He hesitated to ask the king for these items, feeling guilty for even thinking of requesting such things. Worried about burdening the king, he initially decided not to ask. After a while, he changed his mind and thought of requesting them once more, but again, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

Years later, the king, remembering the Bodhisatta’s reluctance to ask, guessed that the ascetic might be tired of his simple life and yearned for royal comforts. The king went to see the Bodhisatta and offered him anything he desired, even the entire kingdom. To the king’s surprise, the Bodhisatta simply requested a pair of single-soled shoes and a parasol made of leaves. The king, astonished by the Bodhisatta’s unpretentious nature and deep consideration for others, begged him to stay. But with his new shoes and parasol, the Bodhisatta returned to the Himalayas, content and at peace.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

Once, some of the Buddha’s disciples were so demanding when asking for new quarters that they annoyed the townspeople. As a result, people avoided them, and Maha Kassapa, one of the Buddha’s chief disciples, could not get alms when he visited the town. The townspeople explained the problem, and Maha Kassapa went to discuss it with the Buddha.

The Buddha called an assembly and criticized the disciples for their thoughtlessness. He told them that, in the past, he had been so considerate of others that he would not even ask for simple things if it might inconvenience anyone. He used the story of the Bodhisatta’s humility to teach his disciples the importance of being mindful of others’ feelings and needs.

The king in the story was an earlier birth of Ananda, another of the Buddha’s top disciples, who was known for his deep compassion and respect for others.

Moral: The story teaches the value of humility and consideration. Just as the Bodhisatta avoided burdening the king with his needs, we should always be mindful of how our requests may affect others. True wisdom lies in understanding when and how to ask for help without causing discomfort to others.