Lay Followers
Pethad Shah
पेथड़ शाह · પેથડ શાહ
A poor man makes a promise about his wealth, and his guru smiles at what he sees
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
Pethad is a poor man who wants to take a vow limiting how much he will ever own. His guru gives him unexpected advice, and Pethad's life turns out very differently from what he imagined.
What it teaches Non-possessiveness Generosity Faith Learning
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago there was a man named Pethad. He was very poor. Some days he did not have much food at all.
Pethad had a wise teacher, a Jain monk. One day the monk said, A good person can make a promise. I will only keep this much. If I ever have more, I will share it. But he was always cheerful, and he loved to listen to his teacher.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
When we decide what is enough, everything beyond it becomes a gift for others.
To talk about together
Why do you think the guru told Pethad to set a bigger limit?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.