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Everyday life
The Kakkāru Jātaka: Divine Flowers for Those Who Deserve Them
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Four young gods come down wearing crowns of divine kakkāru flowers and describe who is worthy to wear them: one who doesn't steal or lie, earns wealth rightly, has steady faith, shares, and acts as they speak. A chaplain who lies that he has every quality suffers terribly.
7 points
In the Kakkāru Jātaka of the Catukkanipāta in the Jātaka, Khuddaka Nikāya, there are four verses, each ending: such a one is truly worthy of the kakkāru flowers. The qualities named are: not stealing by body, not speaking falsely, not being intoxicated by fame once gained; seeking wealth rightly, not taking wealth by deceit, not being intoxicated by possessions once gained; having a heart that doesn't fade quickly and faith that doesn't waver, not enjoying good things alone; not reviling good people to their face or behind their back, and acting as one speaks.
The story comes from the commentary. At a festival in Bārāṇasī, four young gods from Tāvatiṃsa wore crowns of kakkāru, divine flowers of the gourd family, whose scent filled the city. People asked for the flowers, and the gods replied that these flowers don't suit the immoral, then spoke the verses one by one. The king's chaplain, who had not a single one of these qualities, claimed to have them all and was given all four crowns.
After the gods left, the chaplain was seized by terrible pain in his head and couldn't remove the flowers. After seven days the king held the festival again so the gods would return. The chaplain admitted he had lied, and the gods removed the flowers. The commentary says the Buddha told this story when monks were discussing Devadatta, who split the Saṅgha through false speech, and that the chaplain was Devadatta in a past life.
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1
Not stealing by body, not lying by speech Kāyena yo nāvahare
The first verse says that one who does not steal by body and does not speak falsely is worthy of the divine flowers. The commentary explains: not taking even a blade of grass belonging to another, and not lying even at the cost of one's life.
Applying it in daily lifeDon't take things home from work as your own, even small items like pens or paper, and don't dress up the figures in a report.
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2
Not intoxicated by fame once gained Yaso laddhā na majjeyya
The first verse goes on: having gained fame, not being intoxicated by it. The commentary explains that even on gaining power, such a person doesn't lose mindfulness and do evil because of it.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you're promoted, notice whether the way you speak to former peers has changed.
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3
Seeking wealth rightly Dhammena vittameseyya
The second verse says that one who seeks wealth rightly, doesn't take wealth by deceit, and isn't intoxicated by possessions once gained is worthy of the divine flowers. The commentary explains this as earning a living through a clean livelihood, not by trickery.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen selling or pitching, state the limits of your product or service honestly, even if it makes the sale harder.
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4
A heart that doesn't fade, faith that doesn't waver Yassa cittaṃ ahāliddaṃ
The third verse speaks of one whose heart doesn't fade quickly and whose faith doesn't waver. The commentary explains a heart unlike cloth dyed with turmeric, whose colour soon fades — that is, steady affection — and faith that doesn't break over trifles.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen a friend or family member makes a small mistake, don't let a long-built relationship fade over that one thing.
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5
Not enjoying good things alone Eko sāduṃ na bhuñjeyya
The third verse goes on: not enjoying delicacies alone. The commentary explains: not shutting out those who ask or who deserve a share, but sharing with them before eating.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you get something delicious or a good opportunity, think of those around you who should share in it, such as sharing snacks with colleagues or passing on a job lead to someone looking for work.
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6
Not reviling good people, and acting as one speaks Yathāvādī tathākārī
The fourth verse says that one who does not revile good people, to their face or behind their back, and who acts as they speak, is worthy of the divine flowers. The commentary explains: not abusing those with virtue and good qualities, and doing with the body what one has said in words.
Applying it in daily lifeBefore promising anything, ask yourself whether you can really do it, and speak about others behind their backs as you would to their face.
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7
The chaplain who claimed qualities he lacked Kakkārujātakaṃ
In the commentary, the chaplain knows he has not one of these qualities, but thinks that if he wears the flowers people will believe he is virtuous, so he lies to get all four crowns. After the gods leave, his head aches terribly and he can't remove the flowers for seven days, until he admits before everyone that he lied.
Applying it in daily lifeDon't put skills or experience you don't have on an application or profile. If you get a job that way, the pressure that follows is heavier than telling the truth.
Try it in daily life
The divine flowers in the story are like honours, positions or trust that others give us. These are too heavy for someone without the qualities to support them. Claiming qualities we lack in order to get them becomes a burden we must carry ourselves.
The qualities in the four verses make a checklist you can use at once, especially when CVs, online profiles and advertising tempt us to exaggerate.
The last quality, acting as one speaks, sums up all the rest, because someone whose words and deeds match never needs to claim qualities they lack.
Sources in the Tipiṭaka
Tap to read the actual passage on the page cited.
- Kakkāru Jātaka (Kuṭidūsaka Vagga) Thai Royal Edition · Volume 27 · page 141 Four verses on who is worthy to wear the divine kakkāru flowers
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