The Story of Suppāraka in brief

Icchāpūraṇa-sacca occurs also in the Suppāraka story of the Ekādasaka Nipāta of the Jātaka. The story in brief is:

In days gone by, the Bodhisatta, Suppāraka by name, who was highly learned, was living in the sea-port town of Kurukaccha (Bharukaccha). He had long worked as the captain of a ship and had become blind through contact of his eye with the vapour of sea-water. So he retired. However, at the request of certain merchants, he took control of a ship sailing out into the sea. After seven days, because of an unseasonal gale, the ship could not hold its course and wandered astray on the sea for four months. It then went beyond such seas as (1) Khuramālisamudra, (2) Aggimālisamudra, (3) Dadhimalisamudra, (4) Kusamalisamudra and (5) Nalamālisamudra, and was about to reach the most terrible sea of Balavāmukhasamudra. At that moment, Captain Suppāraka said that whoever came to this sea was not able to retreat, but would be drowned. This made all the merchants cry in fright.

Thinking: “I will save all these people by asseveration.” the Bodhisatta made a solemn declaration: “Since I came of age, I have never ill-treated even a single person; I have not stolen other’s property, even a blade of grass or a piece of split bamboo; I have not eyed even with an iota of lust another person’s wife; I have not lied; I have not taken any intoxicating drink even with the tip of a grass blade. On account of this truthful declaration of mine, may the ship get home safe and sound.” Then the ship that had wandered aimlessly for four months, turned back to Kurukaccha as though it were a mighty being and arrived at Kurukaccha port within one day by virtue of the Bodhisatta’s asseveration.

Epilogue: This verbal truth of Suppāraka the Wise is also icchāpūrana-sacca as it was made to have his wish of saving the lives of all fulfilled.