Parables of Wisdom
The Brahmin and the Bracelet
ब्राह्मण और कंगन · બ્રાહ્મણ અને કંકણ
An old tiger, a golden bracelet, and a lake full of soft mud
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
A hungry old tiger by a lake holds up a golden bracelet and offers it to any passing traveller. A poor brahmin knows he should keep walking, but the gold shines very brightly.
What it teaches Greed Discernment Non-possessiveness
The opening of the children's telling
Once upon a time, an old tiger lived beside a lake. He was too slow to chase deer any more. So he thought of a trick.
He found a shiny golden bracelet. He sat by the water and held it up. When a poor man came walking by, the tiger called out sweetly, "Come here, kind sir! I want to give you this gold bracelet."
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Wanting too much can pull me down like soft mud.
To talk about together
The man had a little voice that said 'be careful'. When have you heard a voice like that inside you?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.