The Bodhisatta’s Generosity: Overcoming Adversity with Charity

In a previous life, the Bodhisatta was born as a wealthy and righteous merchant, renowned for his extraordinary generosity. Every day, he gave alms to six hundred thousand people, providing them with food of the same quality he himself ate. His philanthropy was so great that it became legendary across India, and even reached the ears of Indra, the king of the gods, who was concerned by the Bodhisatta’s boundless generosity.

Indra feared that when the Bodhisatta died, his immense generosity would earn him a place among the gods, and that the Bodhisatta might even dethrone him. In order to stop him, Indra decided to strip the Bodhisatta of all his possessions—his food, wealth, and even his servants. Soon, the Bodhisatta and his wife found themselves destitute, with only the clothes on their backs.

Despite their poverty, the Bodhisatta’s compassion remained unshaken. One day, as they wandered in search of something to give to the poor, they saw a grass cutter throw down his tools and run away. The Bodhisatta picked up the abandoned tools and began cutting grass to sell at the city gates. He sold two bundles for two small coins, keeping one for food and giving the other to a group of beggars. But seeing more beggars, he gave away the second coin as well, and both he and his wife went without food that day. For the next six days, he repeated this act of charity, and by the seventh day, weakened from hunger, the Bodhisatta collapsed from exhaustion.

Seeing this, Indra appeared before him in the sky. He revealed that it was he who had taken the Bodhisatta’s wealth, and he implored the Bodhisatta to stop his relentless charity. The Bodhisatta replied that Indra had committed a great offense by trying to stop him, but he vowed to never cease his giving, as it was not for earthly or celestial rewards, but for the sake of insight and happiness.

Indra, moved by the Bodhisatta’s words, restored his former prosperity, and even increased it. He commanded the Bodhisatta and his wife to double their daily charity and to continue their acts of generosity without hesitation.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In a later life, Anathapindika, one of the Buddha’s most devoted lay supporters, was known for his boundless generosity. Even when his wealth dwindled from neglecting his business to focus entirely on helping others, he continued to give whatever he could to the Buddha and his sangha. This act of selflessness brought him praise from the Buddha, but one of Anathapindika’s servants, a fairy, was displeased with his excessive charity.

The fairy, who lived above the fourth gateway of Anathapindika’s palace, resented the fact that she and her children had to descend to the ground floor every time Anathapindika hosted the Buddha and his disciples. She also grew frustrated with the money Anathapindika spent on charity, believing it was being wasted. Seeking to stop him, the fairy appeared before Anathapindika, urging him to stop donating to the Buddha and instead focus on his family’s future.

Anathapindika, whose faith in the Buddha was unwavering, was so angered by the fairy’s words that he kicked her and her children out of his palace. Homeless and shunned by the other gods, the fairy sought forgiveness from the gods, but none were willing to intervene except Indra. Indra, understanding the fairy’s plight, advised her to help Anathapindika recover the debts owed to him, as well as the lost treasure chests, using her supernatural powers.

The fairy followed Indra’s instructions, and with her help, Anathapindika’s treasure was restored. Grateful for this, Anathapindika forgave the fairy, but he insisted she seek his pardon in the presence of the Buddha. The next day, the fairy appeared before the Buddha and confessed her wrongdoings. The Buddha, explaining that to virtuous people goodness may feel like sin before it ripens, forgave her, as did Anathapindika.

Anathapindika, humbled by the experience, began to speak highly of himself, proud that he had not been swayed from his devotion to the Buddha. However, the Buddha corrected him, explaining that his dedication was not an extraordinary achievement because he lived in the time of a perfect Buddha. The Buddha then told the story of the Bodhisatta’s previous life, when he had so strongly committed himself to generosity that he ignored even Indra’s attempts to stop him.

Moral: True generosity and selfless giving are not dependent on external circumstances or rewards. The Bodhisatta’s unwavering commitment to charity, even in the face of adversity, teaches us that virtuous actions, when done with pure intention, lead to greater fulfillment and happiness, not just for oneself, but for the world around us.