Jataka 302
Mahāassāroha Jātaka
The Great Horseman
as told by Eric Van Horn
originally translated by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil, Cambridge University
originally edited by Professor Edward Byles Cowell, Cambridge University
This is one of the many stories in the Jātaka literature about someone who does a good deed not knowing that the recipient of their generosity was someone rich and powerful. In return they are richly rewarded. But this story also has karmic overtones, as we see in the King’s poem. Those who are ungrateful for acts of generosity or who are foolish in those to whom they, in turn, give gifts, will suffer the consequences. So both gratitude and wisdom are the lessons here. Another small note of interest is that the generous giver was Ānanda in a previous life, so this story is used as an opportunity to praise Ānanda, his kindness, and his legendary selflessness and generosity.
“Your gifts bestowed.” The Master told this story while living at Jetavana. It is about the Elder Ānanda. The circumstances that suggested the story have been already given (Jātaka 157). “In former days, too,” the Master said, “wise men acted on the principle that one good turn deserves another.” And then he told them this story from the past.
Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was the King of Benares. He exercising his rule with justice and equity. He gave alms and kept the moral precepts.
And having to subdue a disturbance on his frontier, he set out with a large force. But he was defeated. He mounted his horse and fled until he reached a certain border village. Now there lived here thirty loyal subjects. They gathered together very early in the middle of the village to transact their business. And at this moment the King—mounted on his mail-clad horse and splendidly equipped—rode into the place by the village gate. The people were terrified, saying, “What can this be?” They all fled back to their homes.
But there was one man who did not go to his own house. Instead he went to welcome the King. And telling the stranger that he had heard that the King had come to the frontier, he asked whether he was a royalist or a rebel. “I am for the King, sir,” he said. “Then come with me,” he replied.
He led the King to his home and invited him to sit down on his own seat. Then the man said to his wife, “My dear, bathe our friend’s feet.” And when she had so done, he offered him the best food he could. He had a bed made ready for him, telling him to rest awhile. So the King lay down. Then his host removed the armor from the horse, turned him loose, gave him water to drink and grass to eat, and he rubbed him down with oil. And so in this way he tended to the King for three or four days.
Finally the King said, “Friend, I am now off.” And once again he took care of both to the King and his horse. The King, after he had eaten, as he was leaving said, “I am called the Great Horseman. My home is in the center of the city. If you should ever come there on any business, stand at the gate on the right side and ask the porter where the Great Horseman dwells. Go with him and he will take you to my house.” And with these words, he left.
Now the army, not seeing the King, remained encamped outside the town. But when they saw him, they came out to meet him and escorted him home. The King, on entering the city, stood at the entrance of the gate. He called to the porter to order the crowd to disperse. Then he said, “Friend, a certain man who lives in a frontier village will come here anxious to see us. He will ask where the house of the Great Horseman is. Take him by the hand and bring him to me, and then you will receive a thousand gold coins.”
But when the man failed to come, the King increased the taxes on the village where he lived. But even though the tax was raised, still he did not come. So the King increased the tax for a second and third time, but still he did not come. Then the inhabitants of the village gathered together and said to the man, “Sir, from the time the Horseman came to you, we have been so weighed down by the tax that we cannot lift up our heads. Go and see the Great Horseman and persuade him to lighten our burden.”
“Well, I will go,” he answered, “but I cannot go empty-handed. My friend has two sons. So get some ornaments ready and suits of clothes for them and for his wife and for my friend himself.”
“Very well,” they said, and gathered together all of the gifts.
So he took both these gifts and cakes that were baked in his own house. And when he went to the gate on the right side he asked the porter where the house of the Great Horseman might be. The porter answered, “Come with me and I will show you.” He took him by the hand, and on arriving at the King’s gate, he sent word. “The porter has come and brought with him the man who lives in the border village.” The King on hearing it, rose from his seat and said, “Let my friend and all that have come with him enter.”
Then he went forward to welcome him and embraced him. And after inquiring if his friend’s wife and children were well, he took him by the hand, stepped on the dais and seated him on the royal throne beneath the white umbrella (the symbol of royal authority). He summoned his chief consort and said, “Wash my friend’s feet.” So she washed his feet. The King sprinkled water from a golden bowl while the Queen washed his feet and anointed them with scented oil. Then the King asked, “Have you brought us anything to eat?” And he said, “Yes, my lord,” and brought out the cakes in a bag. The King received them in a golden dish, and showing great favor towards him he said, “Eat what my friend has brought.” He gave some to his Queen and his ministers, and he also some.
Then the stranger brought out his other gift. And the King—to show that he accepted it—took off his silken garments and put on the suit of clothes that he had brought him. The Queen also laid aside her silk dress and ornaments and put on the dress and ornaments he had brought her. Then the King served him with food fit for a King and told one of his councilors, “Go and see that his beard is trimmed after the fashion of my own. Let him bathe in scented water. Then dress him in a silken robe worth 100,000 gold coins. Dress him in royal style and bring him here.” This was done.
And the King gathered together his councilors by the beat of the drum throughout the city. He threw a thread of pure vermilion across the white umbrella and gave him half of his kingdom. From that day they ate, drank, and lived together, and they became firm and inseparable friends.
Then the King sent for the man’s wife and family. He had a house built for them in the city, and they ruled the kingdom in perfect harmony. But the courtiers were very angry. They said to the King’s son, “O Prince, the King has given half of his kingdom to a certain householder. He eats and drinks and lives with him, and he orders us to salute his children. We do not know what service he has done for the King. What is the King doing? We feel ashamed. Would you speak to the King?” He readily agreed to do so. He spoke to the King, saying “O great King, do not act in this way.”
“My son,” he answered, “do you know where I was after I was defeated in battle?”
I do not know, my lord,” he said.
“I was living,” said the King, “in this man's house, and when I had recovered my health I came back and reigned again. How then should I not bestow honor on my benefactor?”
Figure: Explaining wise giving
And then the Bodhisatta went on to say, “My son, whoever gives to someone who is unworthy of his gift, and to the deserving gives nothing, when that man falls into misfortune there will be no one to help him.” And to this point the moral he uttered these verses:
If your gifts are bestowed on fool or knave,
In sorest need would bring no friend to save.
But grace or kindness to the good displayed
In sorest need would bring you timely aid.
Boons to unworthy souls are spent in vain,
Your smallest service to the good is gain.
A noble action though it stands alone,
Renders the doer worthy of a throne.
As fruit abundant from the tiny seed,
Eternal fame springs from a virtuous deed.
On hearing this neither the councilors nor the young prince had anything to say in answer.
End of story in the present...
