Parables of Wisdom
The Greedy Monkey
लालची बंदर · લોભી વાંદરો
A little monkey, a narrow jar, and a fist that would not open
- 3 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
Chintu the monkey finds a clay jar full of roasted peanuts on a farmhouse veranda and grabs as many as his hand can hold. Then he discovers that his hand will not come out.
What it teaches Greed Non-possessiveness Letting go
The opening of the children's telling
In a big banyan tree lived a little monkey called Chintu. He was quick and clever, and he was always hungry.
One day, he smelled something yummy. On the veranda of a farmhouse was a tall jar full of warm peanuts. Chintu jumped down and pushed his hand into the jar. He grabbed a big handful of peanuts. As many as he could hold!
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Often the only thing holding us is our own tight grip.
To talk about together
Is there something you hold on to so tightly that it stops you from being free or happy?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.