125. The Story of Kaæāhaka [One Who is an Empty Cauldron] [Kaæāhaka-Jātaka]

This story was told regarding a monk who was boastful and who had a cunning mind. The story of that monk was given in the Vikantana-Jātaka (?).

At one time when Brahmadatta was ruling in Benares, the Enlightenment Being was born as a millionaire in that city. At that time a son was born to the Enlightenment Being in his house. On the very same day, a certain servant girl also gave birth to a child. The millionaire’s son and the slave girl’s son both grew up together. When the millionaire’s son went to study, the servant girl’s son also went there and learned how to write, how to count, and all the other subjects. He was known as Kaæāhaka. He was very smart in commerce; also he was skilled in talking and debating. Therefore, the millionaire appointed him to look after his treasure.

One day the lad Kaæāhaka thought, “This status will not be permanent to me forever. Whenever my employer sees a fault in me, he will brand my chest and put me back into slavery. Then I will have to suffer a lot.” Therefore he thought, “Let me do a stratagem so I can remain in this status forever. Let me be friendly with the millionaire so as to gain his complete trust. He has another millionaire friend in a remote village. After being friendly with the millionaire, I will go to his millionaire friend and pretend to be the son of the millionaire. Doing so, I will marry his daughter and have her cook me food. If I do this, I will never lose the status I now have.”

Thinking so, he wrote a letter to the millionaire in the remote village as if he were the millionaire himself introducing his son. This stated, “I send to you my son known as Kaæāhaka for the purpose of marrying your daughter as our families are of the same caste and are appropriately matched to each other. Therefore please give your daughter to him, and he will be able to look after your wealth and so forth until I come to celebrate the marriage. I am at the moment unable to come as I have many things to do here. I will come later.” Stating these things, he wrote such a letter. And he affixed to it the seal of the millionaire. As he was able to go anywhere in the millionaire’s house, he stole some sandals, perfumes and comfortable clothes to give to the millionaire and his daughter, and he went to the millionaire’s home in the remote village and paid his respects to him.

Then the millionaire asked, “From where did you come?” And he said, “I came from Benares.” The millionaire asked, “Whose son are you?” And he said, “I am the son of the millionaire of Benares.” Then he asked, “Why did you come here?” And he took out the letter he had brought, and giving it to the millionaire he said, “You can understand why I came here by reading this.”

The millionaire read the letter and became very happy. And he gave him for marriage to his daughter together with great wealth and many luxurious things.

After that, when the millionaire’s daughter was using those luxurious things that were supposedly sent by the millionaire of Benares, Kaæāhaka used to humiliate her saying, “Did you ever have these types of things before— such perfumes, sweets and so forth, as these?” And when he was given rice and such other things to eat, he would say, “I cannot eat this type of rice and food. It is the poor fare of the provinces.” And when he was given perfume and flowers, he would say, “I cannot use these village products.” He always used to belittle her, saying that he was from the city and she was from the country.

When the millionaire of Benares found that his slave was gone, he wanted to get him back. Later, he heard that his slave Kaæāhaka was living in the country millionaire’s village. Hearing this, the millionaire decided to visit the country millionaire and he got permission from the king to go there. This was heard here and there, and in due course Kaæāhaka also heard this news. Kaæāhaka thought, “There is no doubt that he is coming to get me and to hurt me as I have done this deception.” And he thought further, “It would not be good to hide. It would be better to stay here, and when he comes I will work for him as I have done previously. In this way, I will win his mind. Then I can live freely.” Thinking this, he let it be known to everyone, “We city people are not like you provincials. When we see our parents, we live with the fear and shame of doing bad deeds. We do not sit together with them, and do not eat together with them.  We wash our parents’ feet, take them water for bathing, and do all such necessary things as if we were their servants.” Meanwhile, the millionaire came to a nearby village and stayed there.

Hearing this, Kaæāhaka went to his father-in-law and said, “Father-in-law, our father will come to this village soon. It would be good to make arrangements to welcome him and to organize hospitality for when he arrives.” And the country millionaire did so.

When the Benares millionaire came, he was very much welcomed. And after he was well entertained, after their lunch, the Benares millionaire went to take a rest. Then Kaæāhaka took a container of water and placed it near the Benares millionaire’s bed, and kneeling down paid obeisance to the Benares millionaire. He begged him, “Your lordship, whatever you want me to do, I will do for you. But please, do one thing for me. Please do not destroy my present situation here, and do not reveal me.” The millionaire on seeing his humble nature and obedience, and his unconceited air, said, “Do not worry about that. I will not reveal you and put you down from your position.”

When the two millionaires were chatting, the country millionaire said, “Sir, when you sent your son, I did everything for him, and I also gave my daughter to him. I did not omit doing anything for him.” The Benares millionaire said, “That is a very good thing that you have done. Our friendship has developed into a relationship now.” And he stayed there for a few days enjoying his hospitality.

One day, the Benares millionaire’s supposed daughter- in-law was combing his hair, and he asked her, “How is your husband? Are you happy with him or not? Do you get along, or does he put on airs with you?” She said, “Your lordship, he is not bad with others. But he has one weakness. When I do something wrong, he abuses me saying that I am a dirty woman. But there is nothing more.”

Then the millionaire said, “I will teach you a verse to tell him if he says this again.” Teaching her that, after a few days he left for Benares.

Kaæāhaka was with him, and left with him as far as the next village. He did not let anyone else talk with him. He said, “goodbye,” after going a certain distance, and then came back. [He then became even more conceited than before, as nothing bad had happened against him.]

One day, his wife prepared rice for his lunch, and on seeing this rice he said, “This is the rice you give to me? This is village rice. It cannot be eaten by city people.” Then the millionaire’s daughter recited the Pāli verse that was taught by the millionaire of Benares:

“One speaks boastfully when he goes to a remote village.

“Without saying unnecessary things, Kaæāhaka, eat this rice.”

She did not know the meaning of this stanza, since she was not well educated. Kaæāhaka, though, understood it, and he became afraid. From that point on, Kaæāhaka did not complain too much.

The real meaning of this stanza is this:

“Kaæāhaka, just because you come from another part of this country to here,  do not put down everything and everyone. Why do you not mind your former status? Your millionaire lordship this time returned without doing anything. If he comes back, the next time he will put a branding on your chest and take you back.”

Saying so, the Buddha ended the story and further said, “This monk was the boastful Kaæāhaka at that time. The millionaire of Benares was I who am the Buddha.”

The moral: “Being cunning will not gain all things.”

125. The Story of Kaæāhaka [One Who is an Empty Cauldron] [Kaæāhaka-Jātaka]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2025/07/29/125-the-story-of-kaaeahaka-one-who-is-an-empty-cauldron-kaaeahaka-jataka/

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