Bodhisatta’s Renunciation: Overcoming Desires and Temptation

Long ago, the Bodhisatta was born into a wealthy family but was uninterested in the pleasures of the world. He did not want a wife and refused his parents’ efforts to arrange a marriage for him. When his parents passed away, he gave away the family fortune and chose the life of an ascetic. His six younger brothers and one sister followed his example, and together they traveled to the Himalayas to live a simple life near a lotus lake. They lived off the fruits and roots they gathered from the forest.

The Bodhisatta and his immediate family were exempt from collecting food, but they still participated in the sharing of what was gathered. Each day, the brothers took turns gathering food, and when the food was ready, they would strike a gong to signal it. Eleven portions of food were laid out for the group.

Their virtuous way of life caught the attention of Indra, the king of the gods. He was curious to see if their renunciation of worldly pleasures was genuine or if they were simply free of desire. To test them, Indra caused the Bodhisatta’s share of food to mysteriously disappear for three days in a row.

On the first day, the Bodhisatta thought it was a mistake. On the second day, he suspected that someone might be secretly pointing out his faults. By the third day, he gathered the others and sounded the gong to call a meeting. The three brothers who had gathered food on the previous days denied taking his portion. It seemed the food had been stolen, and the group was troubled. The tree fairy who lived nearby, an elephant who had escaped from captivity, and a monkey who once performed in a snake charmer’s show all joined the meeting. All thirteen of them swore an oath that they had not stolen the food and cursed the thief.

Indra, who had been watching the situation, revealed himself. He asked the Bodhisatta why they all rejected the things that most people desire. The Bodhisatta replied that desires were like chains that bound people, leading to suffering and sin. Indra was pleased by this wise answer and confessed that he had tested them. He apologized for his trick and saluted them before returning to heaven. The ascetics continued to live their righteous lives, unaffected by temptation.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:
Many years later, during the time of the Buddha, a man of noble birth gave up a life of comfort to become a devoted disciple of the Buddha. However, one day while on an alms round, he saw a beautiful woman and instantly fell in love with her. Overcome by desire, he became deeply depressed, losing his joy in his ascetic life. His health suffered, and he grew thin, weak, and pale.

When the Buddha learned of his plight, he advised the disciple to let go of his attachment to the woman, who was, in fact, wicked. To help him understand, the Buddha told the story of the Bodhisatta’s past life as an ascetic. The disciple, hearing how the Bodhisatta had resisted worldly temptations, was inspired. He overcame his lust, regained his health, and continued his devoted life of dharma.

The Bodhisatta’s brothers in this story were the past lives of Sariputta, Moggallana, Punna, Maha Kassapa, Anuruddha, and Ananda, six of the Buddha’s closest disciples. His sister and maid were the past lives of Uppalavanna and Khujjuttara, two of the Buddha’s revered female disciples and lay followers. The tree fairy was Satagira, a goblin who supported the Buddha, the slave was Citta, a devoted lay follower, the elephant was Parileyya, who cared for the Buddha, and the monkey was Madhuvasettha, a prominent brahmin. Indra, in this past life, was Kaludayi, another of the Buddha’s important disciples.

Moral:
This story teaches us that desires bind us to suffering, and only by breaking free from these chains can we achieve true peace and wisdom. It reminds us that even in the face of temptation, one can remain steadfast on the path of righteousness and spiritual growth.