Monks and Acharyas
Chilatiputra
चिलातीपुत्र · ચિલાતીપુત્ર
Three words from a monk, and a heart that finally turned
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- Best shared with a grown-up
- Shvetambar telling
Chilatiputra grows from an unruly servant boy into a feared robber chief, driven by desire for a girl he cannot have. After one terrible night, a monk gives him just three words, and he spends the rest of his life understanding them.
What it teaches Repentance Equanimity Self-Restraint
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago, in the city of Rajgruhi, there lived a boy named Chilatiputra. He was clever, but he did not listen to anyone. He did many unkind things, and so he had to leave the house where he worked.
He went into the forest and became the leader of a band of robbers. He took things that did not belong to him. He wanted things very badly, and he never stopped to think if they were right or wrong.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
It is never too late to calm the heart, see clearly, and choose restraint.
To talk about together
The monk said only three words. Why do you think so few words were enough?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.