The Turtle’s Fall: A Lesson in Silence

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was a wise and thoughtful advisor to a king, known for his intelligence and careful speech. The king, however, was the complete opposite—he was excessively talkative, speaking at length without pause. This constant chatter made it difficult for anyone else to get a word in edgewise, and it often caused frustration among his court.

Not far from the city, there lived a turtle who had befriended a pair of geese. One day, the geese invited the turtle to visit their beautiful Himalayan home. The turtle, unable to fly, was offered a solution: the geese would carry him between them, each holding an end of a stick in their beaks, and the turtle would simply need to hold onto the stick and keep his mouth shut. The geese warned him that if he spoke during the flight, he would fall.

As the three friends flew over the city, excited children below shouted, “Two geese are carrying a turtle on a stick!” The turtle, annoyed by the children’s remarks, was unable to resist. He opened his mouth to scold them, but as soon as he did, he lost his grip and fell from the sky, crashing into the palace courtyard and dying instantly.

The courtiers rushed to the scene, and the king, curious about the commotion, came to investigate. The Bodhisatta, seeing an opportunity to teach the king a valuable lesson, explained what had happened. He told the king that the turtle’s downfall came because he could not control his urge to speak. “Those who do not know when to remain silent,” the Bodhisatta explained, “are doomed to misfortune, just as this turtle was.”

The king, recognizing that the lesson was aimed at him, reflected on his own habit of speaking too much. From that day forward, he became a man of few words, understanding the value of silence.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In the time of the Buddha, there was a disciple named Cula Kokalika, known for his greed and his tendency to speak without thinking. He had once hosted Sariputta and Moggallana, two of the Buddha’s top disciples, at his home during the rainy season. The two elders had instructed Cula Kokalika not to reveal their presence, but as soon as they left, Cula Kokalika proudly boasted to the villagers that the great monks had stayed with him.

The people, eager to show their respect, gathered food and gifts for the monks, but when they offered them, Sariputta and Moggallana refused to accept anything, as they were very frugal. This upset Cula Kokalika, who felt slighted, and he became angry.

Later, when Sariputta and Moggallana passed through the town with a group of a thousand disciples, the people greeted them eagerly, offering more gifts. Again, Sariputta and Moggallana refused to take anything, and this infuriated Cula Kokalika. He publicly insulted them, accusing them of being selfish and greedy. This behavior caused the people to lose faith in him, and they demanded that he make amends or leave town.

Cula Kokalika, fearing for his reputation, went to the Buddha’s monastery, where he began speaking ill of Sariputta and Moggallana. Despite being rebuked by the Buddha for his inappropriate words, Cula Kokalika continued his complaints. Soon, painful boils erupted on his body, and he fell to the ground in agony. One of his former teachers, who had descended from heaven, advised him to make peace with the elders, but Cula Kokalika refused to listen. His anger and reckless speech led to his untimely death and eventual descent into hell.

The Buddha later shared this story with his disciples, revealing that Cula Kokalika’s downfall was not a new occurrence. He had been similarly undone by his words in previous lives as well. The king in this story was an earlier birth of Ananda, one of the Buddha’s closest disciples, who was known for his wisdom and gentle speech.

Moral:

This story offers several key lessons:

1. The Power of Silence: The turtle’s fate illustrates the danger of speaking without thinking. His inability to remain silent led to his fall, quite literally. This shows that there are times when silence is wiser than speaking, especially when our words can cause harm.
2. The Consequences of Reckless Speech: Both the turtle and Cula Kokalika suffer because of their words. The turtle’s fall was a direct result of his urge to speak, while Cula Kokalika’s insults led to his pain, loss of respect, and eventual death. The story teaches that speaking carelessly can have severe consequences.
3. The Importance of Self-Control: Both the Bodhisatta’s advice to the king and the Buddha’s lesson to his disciples emphasize the importance of controlling one’s speech. Self-control, particularly in what we say, is a key component of wisdom and moral living.
4. Greed and Anger Lead to Destruction: Cula Kokalika’s downfall was driven by his greed (wanting the gifts meant for the monks) and his unchecked anger. His failure to manage his emotions and words resulted in his destruction, reinforcing the idea that negative emotions can lead to ruin if not properly controlled.
5. Wisdom in Restraint: The Bodhisatta’s ability to understand the situation and speak wisely shows that true wisdom often lies in knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. His calm advice to the king is a reminder that restraint in speech is a mark of a wise and mature person.

Ultimately, the story is a reminder of the profound impact our words can have, both on ourselves and others. It teaches the value of silence, the dangers of reckless speech, and the wisdom of knowing when to speak and when to hold our tongue.