The Crow Who Tried to Imitate: Lessons from the Viraka Jataka

In the Viraka Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a crow living in a forest by a pond. During a famine, the city’s people can no longer spare food for the crows, goblins, or snakes, leading many crows to leave the city and seek food in the forest. One day, a pair of city crows takes up residence at the Bodhisatta’s pond. The Bodhisatta catches a fish, and one of the crows, impressed by his skill, offers to become his servant. The Bodhisatta agrees, and from then on, he catches fish, eating only what he needs and sharing the rest with his servant. The servant, in turn, only eats what he needs and gives the remainder to his wife.

After some time, the servant crow begins to believe that since he shares the same physical traits (beak, feet, and eyes) as the Bodhisatta, he too must be able to catch fish. The Bodhisatta warns him, saying they are not from the same tribe, and that if the servant tries fishing, he will likely perish. The servant, however, does not heed the warning and ventures into the pond to try fishing. He gets tangled in the weeds and drowns.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the Lifetime of the Buddha, the servant crow is identified as Devadatta, one of the Buddha’s disciples who later becomes his antagonist. Devadatta, jealous and ambitious, eventually leaves the Buddha’s community with many followers to establish his own order, declaring himself to be a Buddha.

To remind his disciples of Devadatta’s recurring tendency to imitate others and suffer the consequences, the Buddha recounts the Viraka Jataka. He explains that just as the servant crow tried to imitate the Bodhisatta’s fishing skill and drowned, Devadatta had attempted to emulate the Buddha but had failed disastrously. This pattern of arrogance and imitation had been a recurring issue for Devadatta in past lives, illustrating how his pride and desire to take the Buddha’s place had caused him trouble even in earlier births.

Moral Lessons and Teachings

1. The Dangers of Imitation Without Understanding: The primary lesson of this Jataka is the danger of blindly imitating others without understanding their true nature or the context in which they operate. Just as the servant crow assumed that because he had the same physical traits as the Bodhisatta, he could fish just as well, Devadatta assumed that because he was part of the Buddha’s community, he could assume the Buddha’s role. This shows that imitation without wisdom or comprehension of the deeper qualities that make someone successful will often lead to failure or even harm.
2. Respecting One’s Own Abilities and Limits: The Bodhisatta’s warning to his servant that they were “not of the same tribe” highlights the importance of recognizing one’s own limitations and respecting the unique qualities and skills of others. The servant crow’s failure was rooted in pride and overconfidence, believing that simply by imitating the Bodhisatta, he could succeed. In contrast, the Bodhisatta showed wisdom and humility in knowing his own abilities and limits.
3. The Dangers of Jealousy and Ambition: Devadatta’s attempt to replace the Buddha or establish his own order out of jealousy and ambition is mirrored in the servant crow’s actions. The Viraka Jataka teaches that jealousy and a desire for recognition or power without the requisite qualities can lead to disastrous outcomes. In Devadatta’s case, his failure to recognize the Buddha’s unique enlightenment and wisdom led him down a path of conflict and suffering.
4. The Importance of Right Effort and Knowledge: The story underscores the importance of right effort and right understanding in the practice of Buddhism. Just as the servant crow’s failure to understand the true nature of the Bodhisatta’s fishing skills led to his death, spiritual practice requires not only effort but the right understanding and wisdom to achieve true progress.

Conclusion

The Viraka Jataka offers important lessons about imitation, humility, and wisdom. The failure of the servant crow to heed the Bodhisatta’s warning serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of imitating someone without truly understanding their abilities or the context in which they act. In the Lifetime of the Buddha, this story is used to illustrate Devadatta’s recurring failures to recognize his limitations and his attempts to imitate the Buddha, which ultimately led to his downfall. The Jataka emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, wisdom, and right action in the pursuit of spiritual goals.