King Ananda ruled over Mithila for many years. As time passed, he decided to give up power and become a monk. He instructed his commander, “Henceforth, no one will see my face. Only a servant will bring me food.” However, the king realised that there were too many distractions in Mithila. So, he decided to retire to a forest in the Himalayas. When his wife, Queen Sujata, heard this, she gathered 700 beautiful queens and tried to stop him. When the king did not stop, she ordered the ministers to set fire to the bushes and forest. The Bodhisattva said, “I own nothing, so losing anything cannot make me feel sad. O Queen! to be happy, one must be content when alone.” Queen Sujata returned to the kingdom. She had a monument erected in memory of the king who never returned to the material world.
Moral: It is easier to gain power than to give it up.
