Visayha Jātaka

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a great merchant. His name was “Visayha,” and he was worth eighty crores (800 million rupees). And being endowed with the Five Virtues (keeping the five Precepts), he was generous and fond of almsgiving. He had alms-halls built at the four city gates, in the heart of the city, and at the door of his own house. At these six points he gave alms, and every day 600,000 men went forth to beg, and the food that the Bodhisatta ate was the same as that of the beggars.

And as he inspired the people of India with his gifts, the home of Sakka (king of the Tavatiṃsa heaven) was shaken by his extraordinary generosity. The yellow marble throne of the king of heaven showed signs of heat. (This happened whenever something momentous occurred.) Sakka exclaimed, “Who, I wonder, would make me fall from my seat in heaven?” And looking about him he saw the great merchant and thought to himself, “This Visayha gives alms, and by scattering his gifts everywhere he is inspiring all India. By means of his almsgiving, I think, he will dethrone me and himself become Sakka. I will destroy his wealth and make him a poor man, and then he will no longer be able to give alms.”

(In the Buddhist cosmology all beings exist in their places temporarily. So even the gods essentially have that job for a certain period of time before they are reborn into a different existence. So Sakka was afraid that Visayha would replace him as chief god of the Tavatiṃsa heaven.)

So Sakka caused his oil, honey, molasses, and the like, even all his treasure of grain, to vanish, as well as his slaves and workers. Those who were deprived of his gifts came and said, “My lord, the alms-hall has disappeared. We do not find anything in the places set up by you.” And calling to his wife, he told her to keep up her giving. But she searched the whole house and could not find a single coin. She said, “My lord, except the clothes we wear, I see nothing. The whole house is empty.” They opened the seven jewel boxes but found nothing, and except for the merchant and his wife no one else was seen. There were no slaves or hired workers. The Bodhisatta again addressed his wife and said, “My dear, we cannot possibly cut off our charities. Search the whole house until you find something.”

At that moment a hay cutter threw down his sickle and pole and the rope for binding the hay in the doorway and then ran away. The merchant’s wife found them and said, “My lord, this is all I see.” She brought them over and gave them to him. The Bodhisatta said, “My dear, in all these years I have never cut hay before, but today I will, and I will take the hay and sell it. In this way I will be able to give alms.” So from fear of having to cut off his charities, he took the sickle and the pole and the rope, and left the city. He came to a place where there was a lot of hay. He mowed it and tied it up in two bundles, saying, “One will belong to us, and the other I will use to give alms.” And hanging the hay on the pole, he took it and sold it at the city gate. He received two small coins. He gave half the money to the beggars.

Now there were many beggars, and they repeatedly cried out, “Give to us also.” He gave them the other half of the money as well, and passed the day with his wife fasting. In this way six days passed.

On the seventh day, while he was gathering the hay, as he was naturally delicate and had been fasting for seven days, no sooner did the heat of the sun strike his forehead, than his eyes began to swim in his head. He became unconscious and fell down, scattering the hay. Sakka was moving about, seeing what Visayha did. And at that instant the god went to Visayha, and standing in the air uttered the first stanza:

Of old, Visayha, you did alms bestow

And to almsgiving loss of wealth you owe.

Henceforth show self-restraint, refuse to give,

And you with lasting joys for long shall live.

The Bodhisatta, on hearing his words asked, “Who are you?”

“I am Sakka,” he said.

The Bodhisatta replied, “Sakka, by giving alms and keeping the moral precepts, and keeping fast days and fulfilling the seven vows, you attained the status of Sakka. But now you forbid the almsgiving that brought about your own greatness. Truly you are guilty of an unworthy deed.” And so saying, he repeated three stanzas:

It is not right, men say, that deed of shame

Should stain the honor of a noble name.

O you that does a thousand eyes possess

Guard us from this, e’en in our sore distress.

Let not our wealth in faithless ways be spent

On our own pleasure or aggrandizement,

But as of old our stores with increase bless.

By that same road a former chariot went

A second may well go. So will we give

As long as we have wherewithal to live,

Nor at the worst each generous thought repress.

Sakka being unable to stop him from his purpose asked him why he gave alms. “Desiring,” he said, “neither Sakkahood nor Brahmaship, but seeking enlightenment do I give.”

Sakka in his delight on hearing these words patted him on the back with his hands. At that very instant the Bodhisatta enjoyed this favor. His whole body was filled with joy. By the supernatural power of Sakka all of his prosperity was restored to him. “Great merchant,” Sakka said, “From here on, give alms every day, distributing twelve hundred thousand portions.” And creating countless wealth in his house, Sakka took leave of him and returned to his own place of living.