Deep Commentary

This verse was taught by the Buddha while he was staying at Sāvatthī, in connection with an elderly brahmin who had been rejected by his own children. According to the story, the old brahmin had four sons. When they grew up, he arranged marriages for them and divided his wealth equally among them. He had a fortune of eight hundred thousand gold coins and gave each son one hundred thousand. After his wife died, the sons feared that their father might remarry and that they would not inherit the remaining wealth. So they agreed among themselves to care for him attentively in order to gain the rest of his property. The four sons therefore looked after him well, providing food, clothing, and all necessities. Eventually, they asked him to give them the remaining money too. Out of affection, he agreed, giving each son another hundred thousand. From then on, he had nothing left. Once his wealth was gone, his daughters-in-law treated him very harshly. Wherever he went, he was neglected and driven away. In sorrow, he wandered from place to place, begging for food. One day he remembered the Buddha and went to see him. After hearing about the suffering he had endured at the hands of his children and their wives, the Buddha comforted him and taught him verses to recite before the community. In those verses, the old man lamented that the sons he had once welcomed with joy now listened to their wives and drove him away like a dog. They called him “dear father,” but their words were hollow. They were like demons disguised as sons, abandoning him in old age like a useless worn-out horse. He said that even a walking stick was better than ungrateful children, because a stick could ward off wild animals, guide one in the dark, and support one through mud and water. The Buddha told him to memorize these verses. Later, at a large gathering of brahmins where his sons were present, the old man recited them before everyone. Hearing this, the sons were terrified, because according to the law of that time, those who inherited their parents’ property but failed to support them could be severely punished. They begged their father to forgive them. Because of his generous heart, he forgave them. From then on, they cared for him respectfully as before and no longer dared to mistreat him. The old man and his children also began to offer food to the Buddha. They bowed before the Buddha and promised that from then onward they would care for their father properly and not neglect him. The Buddha praised them and taught them to follow the example of the elephant Dhanapālaka by remembering and honoring their source. After hearing the Buddha’s teaching, the old man and his daughters-in-law attained the first stage of awakening. In ordinary life, everything has two sides: benefit and harm. Wealth is like this. On the beneficial side, nearly everyone needs money in order to live. It is a practical means of exchange and supports material life. People often say that with money one can obtain almost anything. Though money may be only paper or metal, it can exert tremendous power in society and influence many affairs. Those with wealth are often listened to, respected, and able to solve many worldly difficulties. Those without wealth may be ignored even when they speak wisely or act well. Yet on the harmful side, money can also become a cause of anxiety, conflict, sleeplessness, and moral decline. Because money has such power, people compete to possess it. Excessive greed leads people to seize wealth by every kind of harmful method. Even within families, relatives may harm one another because of inheritance and property. When desire becomes extreme, it darkens conscience and wisdom. Still, money itself is neither good nor bad. Its benefit or harm depends on how people use it. Money should be treated as a temporary means for living, not as a master. We should not become its slaves or let it drive us toward wrongdoing. Many people know how to use wealth for good: they support the poor, the sick, the disabled, and those in misfortune. Such people value compassion and virtue more than money, and they are worthy of respect. The story above clearly shows the opposite. The sons, driven by greed, used deceitful means to take all their father’s wealth. Outwardly they appeared filial, but inwardly they only wanted his property. Their wives joined them in this scheme. Once they had emptied his hands, they turned away and neglected him, treating him worse than a stranger. The old man had no choice but to leave in sorrow and wander as a beggar, sleeping wherever he could. It is painful to reflect that children raised with so much hardship could treat a parent in such a way. Yet we should not judge everyone alike. In this world, people differ according to their habits, karma, and character. Some sons- and daughters-in-law are respectful, grateful, and caring, sometimes even more attentive than one’s own children. Such people understand moral duty and honor those who gave them life and care. Still, such people are rare, and for that reason they are especially cherished. Though the old man was rejected by his family, he still had the good fortune to meet the Buddha. The Buddha showed him a way to awaken the conscience of his children so that they would recognize their wrongdoing and return to wholesome conduct. In the end, they brought him home and cared for him properly. More importantly, the whole family developed faith, made offerings, listened to the Buddha’s teaching, and attained the first stage of awakening. In this verse, the Buddha speaks of the elephant Dhanapālaka, whose name means “protector of wealth.” Though the elephant became fierce and difficult to restrain when in rut, and though it refused food while in captivity, its mind still longed for the deep forest. The forest represents its place of origin, its true refuge. Even when fierce and hard to control, the elephant still remembered its source. Through this image, the Buddha reminds human beings that no matter how harsh or misguided they become, they must remember their roots. Those roots are one’s parents, ancestors, teachers, benefactors, and the land that nurtured one’s life. As human beings, we should live with gratitude and repay kindness, especially toward those who gave birth to us, raised us, taught us, supported us, and protected the conditions of our life. If a person forgets these roots, the Buddha says that such a person is inferior even to an elephant.