Dhamma Principles › The Cakkavāka Jātaka: The Crow and the Ruddy Goose, the Harmful Never Feel Full
The Cakkavāka Jātaka: The Crow and the Ruddy Goose, the Harmful Never Feel Full
Everyday life

The Cakkavāka Jātaka: The Crow and the Ruddy Goose, the Harmful Never Feel Full

Cakkavākajātakaṃ

A greedy crow thought the ruddy goose was beautiful because it ate fine fish. The goose replied that it ate only water plants; its radiance came from harming no one and having no one to fear. One who does not harm and has loving-kindness has no enmity with anyone.

7 points

In the Cakkavāka Jātaka of the Dasakanipāta in the Jātaka, Khuddaka Nikāya, the verses are a conversation between a crow and a ruddy goose (cakkavāka). The crow praises the goose's fine colour and bright face and guesses it must eat all kinds of fish on the bank of the Ganges. The goose replies that it eats only algae and water weed. The crow does not believe it, since it eats food seasoned with salt and oil and meat from the village, yet its own colour is not so fine.

The goose explains that the crow harms others, so it must keep watching for the enmity others hold toward it and eats in fear; food gained by bad deeds does not satisfy. The goose, by contrast, harms no living being, has few concerns, no suspicion and nothing to fear, and it advises the crow to give up its bad habits. The last verse says that one who does not kill or have others kill, does not ruin others' wealth or have others ruin it, and has loving-kindness for all beings, has no enmity with anyone.

The background story comes from the commentary. The Buddha told this story about a monk who was never satisfied with his requisites and went about looking for where meals for the Sangha or invitations were being given. In the past a crow, not satisfied with carcasses in Bārāṇasī, flew into the forest and met a pair of ruddy geese. When the teaching was over, the crow complained that the goose would not tell it what it ate, and flew back where it came from. In the commentary's identification, the crow was that monk and the ruddy goose was the Bodhisatta.

  1. 1

    Outward beauty can't be copied Vaṇṇavā abhirūposi

    The verses begin with the crow praising the ruddy goose's fine colour, good looks and bright face, and guessing it must eat good fish on the bank of the Ganges. The commentary says the crow thought that if it ate the same food, it too would have fine colour.

    Applying it in daily life

    When you see someone who seems happy or successful, don't rush to copy only what they use or eat. Look deeper at how they live and how they treat others.

  2. 2

    A simple answer nobody believes Na vāhametaṃ saddahāmi

    The goose answers truthfully that it eats only algae and water weed. The crow replies that it doesn't believe this, since it eats food seasoned with salt, oil and meat in the village, yet its colour is not like the goose's.

    Applying it in daily life

    The answer to wellbeing is often so simple we don't want to believe it: enough sleep, no debt, no lies. Before hunting for complicated secrets, get the basics in place.

  3. 3

    The one who harms must stay on guard Sampassaṃ attani veraṃ

    The goose says: you harm living beings, so you must keep watching for enmity toward yourself; even when eating you are startled and afraid, and that is why your colour is like this. The commentary explains that the crow must keep watching for the grudges arising in others' minds.

    Applying it in daily life

    If your mind hasn't been at peace lately, consider whether there is someone you've taken advantage of or hurt. Apologising or making it right may help you sleep better than any pill.

  4. 4

    What is gained by bad deeds never satisfies Laddho piṇḍo na pīṇeti

    The goose goes on: the whole world is against you, and food gained by bad deeds does not nourish you, which is why your colour is like this. The commentary says this crow was not satisfied even with elephant carcasses in Bārāṇasī, and so still had to fly off in search of more.

    Applying it in daily life

    Notice how income or things gained in unclean ways tend to make you want more and more without ever being enough. Draw a line for yourself about what you won't take, however easy it is.

  5. 5

    Harming none, fearing nothing Ahiṃsaṃ sabbapāṇinaṃ

    The goose says it harms no living being, has few concerns, is not resented by anyone, is not downcast, and has nothing to fear from any quarter.

    Applying it in daily life

    Simplify one area of your life, such as dropping needless competition or buying things cheap only because others are exploited to make them. Having fewer concerns genuinely makes the mind lighter.

  6. 6

    Using effort to drop old habits So karassu ānubhāvaṃ

    The goose advises the crow: make an effort, give up your habitual bad conduct, go about the world without harming, and you will be loved as I am. The commentary explains that the power (ānubhāva) meant here is one's own effort.

    Applying it in daily life

    Old habits don't disappear because we know they're wrong; they fade because we practise something new again and again. Pick one harmful habit, such as sarcastic remarks, and work on changing it one day at a time.

  7. 7

    With loving-kindness, no enmity with anyone Mettaṃ so sabbabhūtesu veraṃ tassa na kenaci

    The last verse says that one who does not kill or have others kill, does not ruin others' wealth or have others ruin it, and has loving-kindness for all beings, has no enmity with anyone.

    Applying it in daily life

    Check both what you do yourself and what you tell or egg others on to do, such as urging a friend to tell someone off on your behalf. Freedom from enmity has to cover both.

Try it in daily life

The crow stands for a thought we all have: seeing someone who looks good and assuming they must be getting something better, then looking for an external shortcut, when what makes the mind bright may cost nothing at all: not having to avoid anyone's eyes.

The story isn't saying real crows are bad animals, and it isn't a teaching about diet. The point is greed and harming. Notice how money or things gained by taking advantage of others tend to come with worry about being found out, while what is gained honestly, even if little, can be enjoyed with an easy mind.

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