Jataka Tales 15: Kharadiya

Kharadiya Jataka The Buddha told this story, while at Jetavana, about an unruly member of the Order. Tradition said that this monk was unruly and would not do right things, after being admonished.

Therefore, the Buddha asked him whether it was correct, that he was unruly and did not act correctly as advised. He replied that it was true.

So, the Buddha told him that in bygone days too, he would not listen to good and wise advice.

This resulted in his capture and death. Then, the Buddha told this story.

Story of the past In ages past, when Brahmadatta ruled Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a deer, that lived in a forest, as the head of a herd of deer. One day, a doe brought her off-spring to him and said: "Brother, this is your nephew; teach him how to live safely as a deer."

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So he gave the young deer a time to meet him each day. But the deer did not turn up at the appointed time as asked. Nor did he turn up during seven consecutive days. So he did not learn the tricks a deer used, to escape danger.

One day, he was caught alive in a snare for animals.

Then, his mother came and asked the Bodhisatta: "Brother, wasn't your nephew taught a deer's tricks?" The Bodhisatta replied: "Give no more thought to the unteachable scamp. Your son failed to learn the tricks of a deer." So saying, having no more desire to advise the incorrigible rascal, he spoke this: "A deer possesses many assets to save himself from danger. But, if they are not learnt, the deer is doomed." And so the hunter killed the self-willed deer, who would not learn, and went away with its flesh.

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End of story of the past When the Buddha ended this lesson, about the unruly monk, not only in bygone days but also in the present, He showed the connection in the two stories.

He said: "In those days, this unruly brother was the nephew-deer, Kharadiya; Uppala-vanna (a nun) was the sister, and I, myself, was the leader who gave the admonition."

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