Matakabhatta-Jātaka (No. 18) - the Goat Who Laughed and Cried

 The Jātaka of the Goat Who Laughed and Cried: The Heavy Burden of Karma

 

The Matakabhatta-Jātaka (No. 18) teaches us that every action has a consequence, and true compassion is born from awareness.

 

 

Within the vast collection of Jātakas, the stories of the Buddha's past lives, the Matakabhatta-Jātaka (No. 18) stands out for its narrative power and universal ethical message. It is known as "The Story of the Goat Who Laughed and Cried".

 

A Brahmin is about to sacrifice a goat for a "Feast for the Dead." As it is led to the river for ritual purification, the animal, gaining sudden awareness of its past lives, first laughs, then bursts into tears. It laughs because, after 499 rebirths of suffering caused by having sacrificed a goat itself, it is about to be freed. It cries out of compassion for the Brahmin, who is about to attract the same terrible karmic cycle upon himself.

 

The image video accompanying this post visualizes the climax of the story. On the left, we see the silent, poignant dialogue between the goat, portrayed with striking dignity, and the Brahman, caught in a moment of doubt and introspection. On the right, above, the scene transcends the earthly plane: the Bodhisattva, in the form of a tree-deity, sits meditating in the air, surrounded by an aura of peace. His presence is not violent, but revelatory. At his feet, the goat does not die a violent death but is transfigured into light, a symbol of its final liberation. The crowd, with faces of awe and reverential fear, witnesses the revelation of truth.

 

The message of the Buddha as narrator is crystal clear: "If beings knew the penalty that awaits them, they would cease from taking life." The Jātaka is not just a condemnation of animal sacrifice, but a profound metaphor for how our actions (karma) create chains of consequences. The goat's compassion towards its executioner and the Brahman's choice to spare it (even though the animal's karmic destiny was already complete) point the way out: awareness and ethical choice can break the cycle of suffering.

 

An ancient story that speaks to the present, reminding us that true compassion includes an understanding of the laws of cause and effect that govern the life of all beings.