Vannupatha-Jataka
Travelling across a desert, a caravan through mistake throws away its water, etc. In their despair the leader has a well dug, till far down water is found, and perseverance saves the caravan from death.

Pictured by: PongPang
Coloured by: Pupay

The Origin of the Story
 

Vannupatha-Jataka

     Travelling across a desert, a caravan through mistake throws away its water, etc. In their despair the leader has a well dug, till far down water is found, and perseverance saves the caravan from death.

      Tradition says that, whilst the Lord Buddha was dwelling at the city of Savatthi, there came to Jetavana a scion of a Savatthi family, who, on hearing a discourse by the Buddha, realized that lusts breed suffering, and was admitted to the first stage of the Buddhist saint. After five years passed in preparing for admission to full ordination, when he had learnt two summaries and hail trained himself in the methods of insight, he obtained from the Buddha a theme for meditation which commended itself to him. Retiring to a forest, he passed there the rainy season.

      But for all his striving during the three months, he could not develop a glimmer or an inkling of insight. So the thought came to him, ‘The Lord Buddha said there were four types of men, and I must belong to the lowest of all; in this birth, methinks, there is neither path nor fruit for me. What good shall I do by living in the forest? Back to the Blessed One I will go, and live my life beholding the glories of the Buddha’s presence and listening to his sweet teachings.’ And back again to Jetavana he came.

     In order to hearten the monk and others in his presence, the Lord Buddha recalled the story of Vaṇṇupatha.

The story of Jātaka
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The revealing of the identities
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What are learned from the story:

     1. People when seeing the finishing line, tend to be lack of focus; consequently end up with failure at the very last minute; thus good leader must supervise the work with caution thoroughly.

     2. A good leader is able to be a good source of reassurance for others as in the real life, people need encouragement including those working on the spiritual path toward liberal goal.

     3. A good leader must perform a true friend’s four duties, namely:
          1. As parent toward children
          2. As friend toward friend
          3. As doctor toward patient
          4. As teacher toward student

The End