395. DSC 253/4th Sem- The Jataka: Demons in the Desert (1)

The Jatakas recount the development of the Bodhisatta—the being destined to become the present Buddha in his final life—not just through the events of one lifetime but of hundreds. Written in Pali; the language of the Theravada Buddhist canon; the Jatakas comprise one of the largest and oldest collections of stories in the world dating from the fifth century BCE to the third century CE. Generations in South and South-East Asia have grown up with these tales. 

The key to understanding the Buddhist cosmological scheme lies in the principle of the equivalence of cosmology and psychology. In the traditional understanding the various realms of existence relate rather closely to certain commonly (and not so commonly) experienced states of mind.

This powerful Jataka tale, the Buddha — in a past life — reveals how wisdom and clear thinking can save lives, even when lies sound sweet and tempting.

This tale is one of the Jataka tales — stories from the Buddha’s previous lives that teach moral lessons.
1. Two Merchant Friends:
Two merchants who are close friends plan to travel with their caravans to sell goods. They decide not to travel together because each has many carts and it would be too crowded. One merchant chooses to go first, believing it’s better to be ahead. The other agrees and waits to follow later.
2. The First Merchant’s Mistake:
The first merchant’s group reaches a dangerous region called the “Waterless Desert”. Locals had warned that demons lived there. In the middle of the desert, they meet strange people carrying water and plants. These strangers say there’s an oasis nearby and encourage them to discard their water.
The merchant trusts them and dumps all his water. But the oasis doesn’t exist — it was a trick. The party becomes weak from thirst, falls asleep, and at night the disguised demons come and kill everyone.
3. The Second Merchant’s Wisdom:
Months later, the second merchant begins his journey. When he reaches the desert, he warns his people about the demons and tells them to be cautious.
When the same group of water-carrying demons appears and tells them to throw away their water, the second merchant sees through the trick. He reminds his people that it doesn’t make sense to throw away water in a waterless desert and refuses to listen.
As a result, his group safely crosses the desert. They even find the remains of the first caravan and recover goods left behind. They complete their journey and return home successfully.
Moral of the Story:
Always think carefully and don’t be fooled by clever talk or false appearances — wisdom and caution can protect you from danger. 

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