Sasa Jataka

Sasa Jataka

Long ago, in a time when the world was filled with great virtue, the Bodhisatta was born as a compassionate hare. He lived in a forest on the foothills of Mount Vepulla, a place of exquisite beauty and abundant life. This hare was no ordinary creature; he possessed a heart full of kindness, wisdom, and a profound sense of detachment from worldly desires. He lived a simple life, content with the fruits and roots that the forest provided. Near the forest where the Bodhisatta lived, there was a small village inhabited by simple folk. One day, a great drought fell upon the land. The rivers dried up, the wells became empty, and the fields turned to dust. The villagers, desperate for water, turned to prayer, but the skies remained stubbornly clear. They were on the verge of starvation and despair. The Bodhisatta, witnessing their suffering, felt a deep pang of compassion. He knew that a great sacrifice was needed to appease the heavens and bring rain. He gathered his fellow hares, and with a calm and resolute voice, he said, 'My dear friends, our human neighbors are suffering greatly. We must find a way to help them. I have decided to offer myself as a sacrifice to the gods, so that they may be pleased and send rain upon this land.' The other hares were shocked. They pleaded with him, 'Bodhisatta, you are our leader, our friend! Do not speak such words. There must be another way.' But the Bodhisatta was firm in his resolve. He explained, 'My life is but a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of existence. If my sacrifice can bring life back to this land and save our human friends, then it is a sacrifice well made.' He then instructed the other hares to gather firewood and build a pyre. As the pyre was ready, the Bodhisatta, with a serene smile, approached it. He told the villagers, who had gathered to witness this extraordinary event, 'When you offer me to the fire, I pray that the gods will grant you abundant rain and prosperity.' He then leaped into the flames. As the Bodhisatta's body was consumed by the fire, a miracle occurred. The heavens, which had been clear for so long, suddenly opened up. Dark clouds gathered, and a torrential downpour ensued. The rain poured down, filling the rivers, reviving the parched fields, and bringing life back to the land. The villagers rejoiced, their prayers answered, and their lives saved. In gratitude, they collected the Bodhisatta's ashes and enshrined them in a stupa, a sacred monument to his selfless act. The stupa became a place of pilgrimage, and the story of the compassionate hare spread far and wide, inspiring countless beings with its message of ultimate sacrifice and boundless compassion. The King of the gods, Indra, deeply moved by the Bodhisatta's selfless act, decided to immortalize his sacrifice. He took a stone and inscribed the image of the hare upon it, placing it in the sky where it would be visible to all – the constellation we now know as the 'Hare in the Moon'. Thus, the Bodhisatta's sacrifice became a celestial reminder of the profound power of selfless love and the extraordinary lengths to which one can go to alleviate the suffering of others.

The greatest gift one can offer is one's own life, given freely for the well-being of others. True compassion transcends self-interest and seeks the welfare of all beings.