The Vanity of Two Fish: Lessons from the Gangeyya Jataka

In the Gangeyya Jataka, the Bodhisatta is born as a tree fairy who observes an interesting encounter between two fish. One fish comes from the Jumma River, and the other from the Ganges River. When they meet at the confluence of the rivers, they compliment each other on their beauty. However, this mutual admiration soon turns into a quarrel as they argue over who is the most beautiful of the two.

Unable to resolve their disagreement on their own, the two fish decide to ask a turtle that happens to be nearby for help. The turtle listens to their argument and replies that while both fish are indeed beautiful, he himself is more beautiful than either of them. The turtle’s response, which is essentially a non-answer, upsets the fish, who are dissatisfied with his judgment and continue to quarrel.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the Lifetime of the Buddha, the two fish are identified as two young disciples of the Buddha, who were often preoccupied with boasting about their looks. They once got into a debate about which of them was the most handsome. Seeking a resolution, they approached an elder (who was an earlier birth of the turtle in the Jataka story) and asked him to settle the matter. The elder, in his wisdom, responded with a similar non-answer, saying that he himself was more beautiful than either of them. This reply irritated the young disciples, who sulked off, upset that their dispute had not been resolved in the way they expected.

When the Buddha learned about the incident, he shared this story to highlight the vanity of the two young disciples, who had also been full of themselves in a previous life, as seen in their behavior in the Jataka tale.

Moral Lessons and Teachings

1. The Futility of Vanity and Self-Admiration: Both the fish in the Jataka and the young disciples in the Buddha’s time were caught up in their own vanity and desire to be seen as superior to others. The quarrel between the fish symbolizes the futility of comparing oneself to others based on superficial traits like beauty. In both instances, the Buddha uses this story to teach his disciples about the emptiness of pride and the unhelpful nature of such comparisons.
2. The Wisdom of Humility: The turtle’s response, though not satisfying to the fish, is a lesson in humility. By claiming that he was more beautiful than the fish, the turtle indirectly points out the absurdity of the argument, since beauty is subjective and fleeting. The Buddha’s followers are encouraged to cultivate humility and to avoid being overly concerned with external appearances or trivial disputes over status.
3. The Danger of Superficiality: The behavior of the two young disciples in the Buddha’s time reflects the same superficiality seen in the fish. They were too focused on their outward appearance and their own perceived superiority. The Buddha emphasizes that true beauty lies not in the body or external features, but in inner qualities such as wisdom, compassion, and virtue.
4. The Traps of Ego: The story illustrates how the ego can create unnecessary conflicts. The fish, unable to resolve their differences peacefully, turn to the turtle for validation, seeking a judgment that would elevate their self-image. Similarly, the young disciples sought validation from the elder to boost their pride. In both cases, the Buddha teaches that the ego often leads individuals away from meaningful goals and spiritual progress.

Conclusion

The Gangeyya Jataka highlights the emptiness of vanity, the dangers of pride, and the wisdom of humility. Both the fish’s quarrel and the young disciples’ argument over beauty serve as reminders that focusing on superficial qualities like physical appearance leads to frustration and confusion. The Buddha used this story to teach his disciples to look beyond the ego and to focus instead on cultivating inner beauty, virtues, and wisdom. The turtle’s non-answer reflects the futility of engaging in trivial disputes and serves as a subtle teaching on the importance of detachment from material concerns and appearances.