The Greedy Jackal and the Divided Carp

In a time long ago, the Bodhisatta was born as a tree fairy, observing the world from the safety of the forest. One day, a jackal’s mate became hungry and had a strong craving for a carp. Eager to satisfy his appetite, the jackal set out in search of one. His luck changed when he saw two otters working together to catch a huge carp. They brought it to the shore, and after struggling to pull it from the water, the otters began to argue about how to divide the fish. Each otter insisted that the other should take on the task of dividing the carp.

The jackal, seeing an opportunity, approached the otters and offered his services. “I am a fair and experienced arbiter,” he declared. “I will divide the fish equally between you.” The otters, eager to settle their quarrel, agreed to let the jackal do the dividing.

The jackal first gave the head of the carp to one otter and the tail to the other. Then, without hesitation, he took the best part—the middle section of the fish—and ran off, grinning at his cleverness. He intended to feast on the middle portion with his wife, leaving the otters to settle for their less desirable portions.

The Bodhisatta, who had been observing from his perch in the tree, saw this unfold and remarked, “When there is strife between others, someone always stands to benefit from their quarrels.” His words carried a quiet truth, for the jackal had taken advantage of the otters’ conflict to claim the best part of the fish.

The Moral:

This story teaches a powerful lesson about the destructive effects of greed and conflict. When individuals allow discord to take root and fail to work together, they become vulnerable to exploitation by those who take advantage of their division. The greedy jackal benefited from the quarrel between the otters, but his actions revealed his true nature—selfish and opportunistic. The Bodhisatta’s observation reminds us that harmony and cooperation are the keys to avoiding exploitation, while conflict often leads to suffering and loss for everyone involved.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In the time of the Buddha, the jackal in this tale was an earlier birth of Upananda, a disciple of the Buddha known for his hypocrisy and greed. Upananda had a habit of preaching simplicity and selflessness to others while secretly hoarding possessions for himself. During the rainy season, he would leave personal items like his umbrella, waterpot, and walking stick at various monasteries, so he could collect robes and alms bowls from each one.

At the monastery where he actually resided, Upananda encouraged the other monks to give up their fine robes and bowls, exchanging them for rags and clay pots in order to develop their spiritual practice. He took advantage of their generosity and collected the discarded items, hoarding them for himself. When the rainy season ended, he would load up everything he had gathered in a cart and transport it to his regular monastery.

One day, on his way to his monastery, Upananda met two elderly disciples at another monastery. These two men had one fine blanket and two coarse cloaks, and they could not decide how to divide them. They asked Upananda to help them. In keeping with his greedy nature, Upananda took the fine blanket for himself and gave each of the disciples one cloak, leaving them with only the coarse coverings.

When the other disciples learned of Upananda’s actions, they were deeply displeased. The Buddha, upon hearing their complaints, explained that Upananda’s behavior was a reflection of his past actions. He told the disciples that one should not preach about virtues like simplicity and generosity until one has truly mastered them. The Buddha then shared this story to show that Upananda had been similarly greedy in a past life, taking advantage of others’ disputes for his own gain.

Through this tale, the Buddha reminded his disciples of the dangers of hypocrisy and greed. He taught that true virtue arises from inner purity and selflessness, not from the pretense of moral superiority. Those who seek to benefit from the conflicts of others or act out of selfishness will never find true happiness or spiritual fulfillment. The story of the jackal, like the story of Upananda, serves as a cautionary tale against the dangers of greed and division.