Akitta Jātaka

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was King in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born into the family of a Brahmin magnate whose fortune amounted to eighty crores (800 million rupees). They named him Akitti. When he was old enough to walk, a sister was born, and they gave her the name Yasavatī.

When he turned 16 years of age, he traveled to Benares where he completed his education, after which he returned. After that his mother and father died. He performed their funeral rites, and then he reviewed his inheritance. “So and so,” ran the catalogue, “laid up so much, and then he died.” Hearing this, he was disturbed. He thought, “This treasure is here for all to see, but those who gathered it are no longer seen. They have all gone and left the treasure behind them. But when I pass away, I will take my treasure with me.” So sending for his sister, he said, “Take charge of this treasure.” “What is your own intention?” she asked. He replied, “To become a recluse.” “Dear one,” she answered, “I will not take on what you have rejected. I will have none of it. I will also become a recluse.”

Then having asked leave of the King, he commanded the drum to beat all about the city, and a proclamation to be made. “Oyez! Let all those who want some money go to the wise man’s house!” For seven days he distributed a great supply of alms, and yet the treasure did not come to an end. Then he thought to himself, “The elements of my being waste away, and what do I want with this treasure? Let those who want it, take it.” Then he opened wide the doors of the house, saying, “This is a gift. Let the people take it.” So leaving the house behind with all its gold and precious metal, and with his family weeping all around, he and his sister departed. The gate of Benares by which they went was renamed Akitti’s Gate, and the landing stage by which they went down to the river was called the Quay of Akitti.

They traveled three leagues. And there in a pleasant spot they made a hut of leaves and branches and lived the holy life together. After they retired from the world, many others did as well. This included many villagers, townsfolk, and citizens of the royal city. Their number was great, and they received great gifts and honor. It was like the arising of a Buddha. But the Great Being thought to himself, “Here is great honor and supply of alms. Here is a great company, even beyond great, but I should live alone.” So at a time when no one expected, without even a warning to his sister, he departed.

By and by he arrived at the kingdom of Damiḷa (Sri Lanka). He settled in a park near Kāvīrapaṭṭana. (The geography is muddled here. Kāvīrapaṭṭana is actually on the south India coast.) He cultivated deep samadhi and the supernatural Faculties (desire, intention, energy, and investigation). There he also received great honor and many gifts. But he did not want any of this. So he rejected it, and flying through the air, he descended on the island of Kāra. Kāra is next to the island of Nāga. At that time, Kāradīpa was named Ahidīpa, the Island of Snakes. He built a hermitage there beside a great kāra tree, and that is where he lived. But no one knew that he was there.

Now his sister went searching for her brother. In due course she arrived at the kingdom of Damiḷa. She did not see him there. And even though she lived in the very place where he had lived, she could not attain samadhi. Meanwhile the Great Being was so contented that he never left his hermitage. When the fruit was ripe, he fed on that. When the leaves on the tree budded, he fed on those sprinkled with water.

By the fire of his virtue Sakka’s marble throne became hot. (Sakka’s throne becomes hot when something auspicious happens.) “Who would bring me down from my place?” thought Sakka, and considering this, he beheld the wise man. “Why is it,” he thought, “that recluse guards his virtue? Is it that he aspires to become Sakka or for some other reason? I will test him. The man lives in misery. He eats kāra leaves sprinkled with water. If he wants to become Sakka, he will give me his own sodden leaves. But if not, then he will not give them to me.” Then ¬—disguised as a brahmin—he went to see the Bodhisatta.

The Bodhisatta was sitting at the door of his leaf hut. In front of him was a pile of sodden leaves that he had cooked. “When they are cool,” he thought, “I will eat them.” At that moment Sakka appeared before him asking for alms. When the Great Being saw him, he was full of joy. “It is a blessing for me,” he thought, “that I see a beggar. On this day I will attain the desire of my heart, and I will give alms.” When the food was ready, he took it in his bowl at once, and advancing towards Sakka, he said to him, “This is my gift. Be it the means by which I gain wisdom!” Then without leaving any for himself, he laid the food in the other’s bowl. The brahmin took it, and moving a short way off, he disappeared. But the Great Being, having given his gift, cooked no more that day. He simply sat still in joy and blessedness.

On the next day he cooked again, and sat as before at the door of the hut. Again Sakka came disguised as a brahmin, and again the Great Being gave him the meal and continued in joy and blessedness. On the third day he again gave as before, saying, “See what a blessing for me! A few kāra leaves have brought great merit for me.” Thus in heartfelt joy, despite being weak from the lack of food for three days, he came out of his hut at noon. There he sat in the door, reflecting on the gift that he had given. And Sakka thought, “This brahmin has been fasting for three days. And as weak as he is, he still gives to me and takes joy in his giving. There is no other intention in his thoughts. I do not understand what it is he wants and why he gives these gifts, so I will ask him. I will discover his intention and learn the reason he gives.”

He waited until past midday. He went to see the Great Being in great glory and magnificence, blazing like the young sun. And standing before him, he put the question to him. “Ho, ascetic! Why do you practice the holy life in this forest, surrounded by the salt sea with hot winds beating down on you?”

To make clear this matter, the Master repeated the first stanza:

“Sakka, the lord of beings, saw Akitti honored.

‘Why, O great Brahmin, do you rest here in the heat?’ he said.”

When the Great Being heard this, he realized that it was Sakka. He answered and said to him, “I do not crave those Attainments. But I live the life of a recluse in the search for wisdom.” To make this clear, he recited the second stanza:

“Re-birth, the body’s breaking up, death, error—all is pain.

Therefore, O Sakka Vāsava! I here in peace remain.”

Hearing these words, Sakka was pleased in his heart. He thought “He is dissatisfied with all kinds of being, and for Nirvana’s sake he lives in the forest. I will offer him a boon.” Then he invited him to choose a boon in the words of the third stanza:

“Fair spoken, Kassapa, well put, most excellently said.

Choose now a boon—as bids your heart, so let the choice be made.”

The Great Being repeated the fourth stanza, choosing his boon:

“Sakka, the lord of beings all, has offered me a boon,

Son, wife or treasure, grain in store, content not tho’ possessed,

I pray no lust for such as these may harbor in my breast.”

Then Sakka, much pleased, offered yet other boons, and the Great Being accepted them, each in turn repeating a stanza as follows:

“Fair spoken, Kassapa, well put, most excellently said,

Choose now a boon—as bids your heart, so let the choice be made.”

“Sakka, the lord of beings all, has offered me a boon.

Lands, goods, and gold, slaves, horse, and cows, grow old and pass away.

May I be not like them, nor be this fault in me, I pray.”

“Fair spoken,” etc.

“Sakka, the lord of all the world, has offered me a boon.

May I not see or hear a fool, nor no such live with me,

Nor have discussion with a fool, nor like his company.”

“What has a fool e’er done to you, O Kassapa, declare!

Come tell me why fools’ company is more than you can bear?”

“The fool does wickedly, binds loads on him that none should bear,

Ill-doing is his good, and he is mad when spoken fair,

Knows not right conduct. This is why I would have no fool there.”

“Fair spoken, Kassapa,” etc.

“Sakka, the lord of beings all, has offered me a boon.

Be it mine the wise to see and hear, and may he dwell with me,

May I hold discourse with the wise, and love his company.”

“What has the wise man done to you, O Kassapa, declare!

Why do you wish that where you are, the wise man should be there?”

“The wise does well, no burden binds on him that none should bear,

Well-doing is his good, nor is he mad when spoken fair,

Knows well right conduct, this is why ‘tis well he should be there.”

“Fair spoken, Kassapa,” etc.

“Sakka, the lord of beings all, has offered me a boon.

May I be free from lusts, and when the sun begins to shine

May holy mendicants appear, and grant me food divine.”

“May this not dwindle as I give, nor I repent the deed,

But be my heart in giving glad. This choose I for my need.”

“Fair spoken, Kassapa, well put, most excellently said,

Choose now a boon—as bids your heart, so let the choice be made.”

“Sakka, the lord of beings all, to me a boon he gave,

O Sakka, visit me no more, this life is all I crave.”

“But many men and women too of those who live aright

Desire to see me. Can there be a danger in the sight?”

“Such is your aspect all divine, such glory and delight,

This seen, I may forget my vows, this danger has the sight.”

“Well, Sir,” said Sakka, “I will never visit you again.” And so saluting him and begging his pardon, Sakka departed. The Great Being then lived there all his life, cultivating the Excellences (the brahma vihāras), and he was born again in the world of Brahma.