(Photo source: Pixels)
Countless aeons ago, there lived a prince whose heart was clouded by jealousy and deep resentment. He never showed gratitude for the kindness others offered him, nor did he care for anyone around him. As the years passed, his jealousy and anger only grew stronger. People around him were unhappy but they feared to speak against him and kept their silence.
One evening, the prince decided to swim in the lake, ignoring the storm clouds gathering overhead and the warnings of his attendants. As the storm intensified, those who had long suffered from his cruelty seized the moment and pushed him into the water. His attendants fled without offering any help.
Struggling in the heavy rainstorm, the prince managed to grasp a piece of floating wood and climb onto it. Soon, a snake, a mouse, and a bird, blown down by the wind, also landed on the wood. Together they drifted across the lake, while the terrified prince shouted out for help with desperation.
Upon hearing the plea for help, a sage living by the lake heard the cries and rushed to help. He pulled the prince ashore and then carried the snake, mouse, and the bird to his hut. There, the sage lit a fire and first treated the snake’s wounds, then cared for the mouse and the parrot, and only afterward tended to the prince.
Instead of gratitude, the prince felt insulted that the animals were cared for before him. The sage fed the animals first, then the prince. After a day and night of rest, the sage looked at the snake, the mouse, and the parrot, all now safe. Seeing that they had regained their strength, he allowed them to return to their own homes.
Before leaving, the snake said to the immortal, “I will never forget your kindness. Whenever you are in trouble, no matter where you are, just call out, ‘Snake! Snake!’ and I will come to help you immediately.”
At that moment, the mouse and the bird also spoke up, “Yes, we are grateful for your kindness too, and we want to repay it. Whenever you need us, just call our names, and we will appear at once.” After saying this, each of them went on their way.
After hearing what the animals said, the prince thanked the sage and promised to reward him once he became king, yet deep down, he still harboured resentment and plotted revenge.
Years passed, and the prince eventually ascended to the throne. The sage decided to pay his respects to the new king at his coronation. Along the way, he called for the snake, and it truly appeared. The snake said, “You are my lifesaver, so I want to tell you this: in my past life, I buried some gold bars in the ground. Because of my greed, I was reborn as a snake. Only by giving these gold bars to you can I be free of attachment and find peace.” The sage replied, “As long as you harbour such good intentions, let the gold remain where it is for now.”
After walking a bit further, he called for the mouse. The mouse quickly appeared and said, “In a past life, I was friends with the snake. We both sought wealth and wanted it for ourselves alone. But life is unpredictable, and I passed away not long after. I became an animal to guard the treasure, and now I feel great suffering. I hope you can accept this money so I may be free of attachment.” The sage also told him, “Leave it for now, I will come for it when the time is right.”
Later, he called for the parrot. The parrot flew over and said, “Benefactor! If you ever need me, I can summon a whole flock of birds to gather the rice seeds and repay you.” The sage replied, “I am grateful. I will call on you when the time comes.”
The sage continued on his journey and, upon entering the city, happened to encounter the new king on his royal procession. The king spotted him from a distance and ordered his guards to seize the sage, beat him, and expel him. The guards carried out the orders, leaving the sage wounded. The sage cried out, “The ancient sages said that the hearts of humans and animals are alike… yet the person I saved has the nerve to have me beaten like this!”
The guards were puzzled and pressed him for answers. That’s when they discovered the truth. The people, enraged by the king’s cruelty, overthrew him and tended to the sage’s wounds, eventually raising him as their new ruler.
As king, the sage earned great love and respect from the people. Recalling the snake and mouse’s pledge, he retrieved the hidden treasures and held a large charitable event to distribute it generously among the poor.
Gautama Buddha later revealed that the ungrateful prince had been Devadatta, and the sage was himself, bound together across lifetimes by the results of their past actions. This story shows us just how vast the differences in human hearts can be. Some know how to be grateful and repay kindness, while others are even crueller than animals, unable to appreciate the good deeds of others.
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