The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Told by four of the Buddha’s great disciples in Chapter 4 (Belief and Understanding), the parable of the prodigal son expresses their awakened understanding that the treasure of Buddhahood was always theirs, though they had wandered far from it.

A young man leaves his father's home and wanders for fifty years through distant lands, sinking ever deeper into poverty and hardship. His father, who has become enormously wealthy, never ceases to search for his lost son and grieves continually. Eventually the son, seeking work, happens to arrive at his father's estate. He does not recognize the great mansion or the distinguished man seated within it, and he is so intimidated by its grandeur that he turns to flee, fearing he will be seized and forced into servitude.

The father immediately recognizes his son and sends servants to bring him back, but the son faints from terror. Understanding his son's state of mind, the father releases him and then sends two humble-looking servants to offer the son menial work -- cleaning dung and refuse -- at a fair wage. The son accepts. Over many years, the father gradually promotes him: first to more responsible work, then to managing accounts, and eventually to overseeing the entire estate. Throughout this period the father dresses in worn clothing to put the son at ease, treating him with the patience of a parent who understands that trust must be rebuilt gradually.

Only when the father is on his deathbed does he summon the king, ministers, and nobles as witnesses and reveal the truth: this humble worker is his own son, and the entire fortune belongs to him. The son is overwhelmed with joy at receiving a treasure he never dared to seek. The disciples explain that the father is the Buddha, the son represents the voice-hearers, the menial work is the teaching of nirvana as personal liberation, and the great fortune is the wisdom of Buddhahood. Just as the father patiently adapted his approach to his son's capacity, the Buddha has gradually led his disciples toward the ultimate truth they were not yet ready to receive.