The Dummedha Jataka: Wisdom Over Jealousy

In the Dummedha Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a majestic white elephant, praised for his perfect beauty, grace, and proportions. This magnificent creature is so extraordinary that the king of the land makes him his state elephant. During a grand festival, as the king rides on the Bodhisatta’s back, the crowd exclaims in admiration of the elephant’s perfection. But the king, instead of feeling proud, becomes filled with jealousy as the people’s praises are directed at the elephant, not him. Consumed by envy, the king decides to kill the Bodhisatta.

The king orders his mahout to take the elephant to the top of a mountain and command him to perform tricks near the edge of a cliff, hoping that the elephant will fall to his death. However, the mahout, sensing the king’s malicious intent, whispers to the Bodhisatta that they must escape. The Bodhisatta, with the mahout’s encouragement, rises into the air, defying the king’s order and flying away.

They arrive in another kingdom, where a righteous king, hearing the story, invites them to stay. Overjoyed by the arrival of the Bodhisatta, the king divides his kingdom into three parts—keeping one for himself and giving one each to the mahout and the Bodhisatta. With the help of the Bodhisatta, the righteous king soon unites the whole of India under his rule, demonstrating the value of wisdom and righteousness over jealousy and malice.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

The story of the Dummedha Jataka reveals important parallels in the Buddha’s own life. The jealous king in this Jataka is an earlier incarnation of Devadatta, one of the Buddha’s disciples who would later become his nemesis. Devadatta’s intense jealousy of the Buddha is a central theme in the Jataka, and this tale highlights how the seeds of such jealousy were sown long before in his past lives.

The righteous king, who takes the Bodhisatta and the mahout into his kingdom, is an earlier birth of Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s foremost disciples known for his wisdom and righteousness. The mahout, who plays a key role in guiding the Bodhisatta to safety, is an earlier birth of Ananda, another of the Buddha’s great disciples, known for his loyalty and devotion.

Moral of the Story

1. The Dangers of Jealousy: The central lesson of the Dummedha Jataka is the destructive power of jealousy. The king’s envy of the praise given to the Bodhisatta leads him to plot the elephant’s death, yet the Bodhisatta’s wisdom and the support of the mahout help him escape. The king’s jealousy causes him to act foolishly, revealing that envy can cloud judgment and lead to harmful decisions.
2. The Value of Wisdom and Loyalty: The Bodhisatta, through his calmness and the mahout’s wisdom, outwits the king’s malice. The righteous king, in turn, demonstrates that wisdom and integrity, rather than pride or jealousy, lead to true power. The Bodhisatta’s flight to safety is symbolic of the power of wisdom to overcome adversity.
3. Righteous Leadership: The story also illustrates the ideal qualities of a righteous ruler. The righteous king, after hearing the Bodhisatta’s story, not only offers them refuge but recognizes the value of wisdom and rewards the Bodhisatta and the mahout. This king’s actions contrast sharply with the jealous and reckless king, showing that true leadership comes from fairness, wisdom, and generosity.
4. Transformative Potential of Righteous Actions: With the Bodhisatta’s help, the righteous king unites the entire land, showing how wise and virtuous actions can lead to great achievements, even in the face of adversity.

Conclusion

The Dummedha Jataka teaches valuable lessons about jealousy, wisdom, and righteous leadership. The Bodhisatta’s escape from the malicious king’s plans highlights how wisdom and integrity can overcome the destructive forces of envy and pride. The righteous king’s embrace of wisdom and his fair treatment of others further reinforces the notion that good governance is rooted in justice, wisdom, and generosity. This tale, like many in the Jataka collection, underscores the Buddha’s teachings on the transformative power of wisdom and the dangers of negative emotions like jealousy. Through the examples of the Bodhisatta, the mahout, and the righteous king, we learn that true greatness lies in wisdom and virtue, not in the pursuit of personal gain or pride.