Jataka Tales - The Burried Treasure

In earlier times when not many people were educated, story telling was the way to instill moral values in them. In Buddhist communities, too, simple stories were used to convey and strengthen moral values. These stories are known as Jataka tales.

Today, I read quiet a few Jataka tales, one of which I am summarizing below.

Once upon a time there was a wealthy old man who had a young wife and a son. The old man had accumulated a lot of wealth and was suspicious that after his death his son would not get it. He suspected that his wife, being young, would get married to another person after his death and all his wealth will go to that another man. To ensure that his son gets all the money after his death, he hid it with the help of his faithful servant. He also directed the servant to reveal the truth to his son at the right time.

Years later after his death, his son inquired the servant about the wealth of his father. The servant took him to the location but every time refused to reveal the truth. The strange attitude puzzled the son and he sought help from his father's wise friend. His father's friend told him that the servant was a weak man and was overpowered by a sense of importance since he was the only person who knew the whereabouts of the treasure. He also advised him to send the servant back the moment he starts abusing him after reaching the jungle and dig the very spot to recover his inheritance.

The son followed the instruction and soon found his wealth. The moral of the story here is that even a bit of power can have a negative effect on a person who is not used to it.