Summary
Highlights
A story begins with a first wife, unable to bear children, who asks her husband to take a second wife. The younger wife conceives, but the first wife's jealousy leads her to poison the younger wife's children three times, ultimately causing the younger wife's death. As she dies, the younger wife vows to harm the first wife's children in future lives, initiating a cycle of hatred.
The vow of hatred manifests across multiple rebirths. They are reborn as a hen and a cat, with the cat killing the hen's chicks. Then as a doe and a leopard, where the leopard preys on the doe's fawns. Finally, as a mother and an ogre, the ogre steals the mother's children, continuously reinforcing the message: 'Hatred is not ended by hate. Love alone can change our fate.'
In their final life, the 'ogre' (Kie) attempts to seize the 'mother's' child. The mother flees to Jetavana's gate, seeking refuge with the Buddha. The spirit is stopped by the Buddha, who addresses Kie, explaining that her pain and vow are old, but hatred only brings sorrow. He advises her to 'let go the fire, release the chain' to find peace.
Kie, trembling, approaches the child. Instead of harming him, she holds and kisses him, her heart softening. She finds peace and enlightenment, walking the path of kindness. The monks marvel at the Buddha's truth, reinforcing the central message that 'Hatred is not ended by hate. Love alone can change our fate. This is the law forever true. Let kindness rise in all we do.'