Date: 03/15/2025 03/16/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Hypocritical Kāraha
In the past, in Bārāṇasī, the capital of the Kāsī Kingdom, there was a Brahmin named Phaluhī. He had five hundred disciples under his guidance and was a highly respected royal teacher.
One day, a servant in Phaluhī’s household gave birth to a son named Kāraha. Kāraha was intelligent and had an excellent memory; whatever he heard, he could remember and never forget. He worked as a servant for the children in the royal teacher’s household, day after day, year after year. However, one day, he had a conflict with others and, in a fit of anger, fled from Bārāṇasī, escaping to another country.
In this foreign land, Kāraha falsely claimed that he was Yajñadatta, the son of Phaluhī the Brahmin, and that he had left his homeland specifically to study the Brahmanical scriptures. The royal teacher, deeply moved by his story, immediately accepted him as a disciple.
Because Kāraha had previously heard the Brahmanical teachings in Bārāṇasī, and now formally studied under the royal teacher, he performed exceptionally well. The teacher was delighted, not only appointing him to teach his five hundred disciples but also giving him his only daughter in marriage.
From then on, Yajñadatta’s life gradually became wealthy and comfortable. However, despite his good fortune, Yajñadatta was never satisfied. He often complained that his wife’s cooking did not suit his taste. His kind-hearted wife never complained, and she even learned how to cook in the style of Bārāṇasī just to please her husband.
Later, Phaluhī learned about the whereabouts of his runaway servant Kāraha and prepared to travel abroad to capture him.
One day, Kāraha happened to be traveling with his disciples when he saw Phaluhī approaching from a distance. Panic-stricken, he hurriedly dismissed his disciples, then walked alone to Phaluhī, knelt before him, and pleaded bitterly, saying:
“I came here, falsely claiming that you are my father, so that I could seek refuge under the royal teacher, study the scriptures, and marry his daughter. Please do not reveal my secret! From now on, I will serve you faithfully.”
Seeing that Kāraha was remorseful, Phaluhī did not hold him accountable but instead comforted him, saying: “You are indeed my son!” He then accompanied Kāraha back home.
Upon entering the house, Kāraha told his family that his relatives had come to visit. His wife was overjoyed and prepared a lavish meal to entertain Phaluhī.
After the meal, Kāraha’s wife found an appropriate moment to privately consult Phaluhī. With deep reverence, she knelt before him and humbly asked,
“I serve my husband three meals a day, yet he is never satisfied. I hope you can guide me—what dishes did Yajñadatta enjoy eating in his home before? I am willing to learn and prepare them for him.”
Seeing Kāraha’s wife’s sincerity, yet resenting Kāraha’s ungratefulness, Phaluhī became extremely angry. He then taught her a method—if Kāraha complained about the food again, she should softly recite the following verse beside him:
“A man without kin roams distant lands,
Deceiving all the people around.
Coarse food was once his daily meal,
Why then despise fine food now?”
After sending Phaluhī off, Kāraha quickly returned to his old ways, criticizing the food at mealtime as usual. But this time, his wife calmly recited the verse exactly as Phaluhī had taught her.
Upon hearing it, Kāraha’s face turned red with anger, yet he dared not utter a single word. Fearing that his wife might expose his true identity, from that day forward, Kāraha humbled himself, obeyed his wife in all matters, and never dared to complain about the food again.
