In the long past times there lived in a dense forest four animals: a
partridge, [164] a hare, a monkey, and an elephant. As they had become
attached to each other, they lived together in harmony and full
content, and spent their time joyfully, without fear or strife. But
after some time it occurred to them that although, actuated by a
reciprocal attachment, they lived without strife in full content, yet
as they did not know which of their number they ought most to esteem,
honour, and revere, they must for that purpose investigate their
several ages. So they began to take counsel with one another, in order
to find out which of them was the oldest. Then the partridge pointed
out a fig-tree, and said: “O honoured ones, at what periods of its
growth has each of us seen this fig-tree?” The elephant said: “When I
came this way with our herd I saw this tree of the size of my body.”
The monkey said: “When I came this way with our troop, I saw that its
size was the same as my own.” Then said the animals: “You are older
than the elephant.” The hare said: “When the tree had only two leaves,
I licked the dew-drops off them with my tongue.” Then the animals said:
“You are older than both the others.” The partridge said: “So ye have
seen the fig-tree when it was of a certain size?” They said that they
had. “But I,” it continued, “having eaten seed, let fall that from
which this tree has sprung.” The animals said: “If that is so, you are
the oldest among us.” Thereupon the elephant began to pay honour to all
the others, and the monkey to the hare and the partridge, and the hare
to the partridge. In this way they showed each other reverence
according to their respective ages.
In the dense forest they were wont to wander to and fro, and when they
came to open spaces and broken ground, the monkey used to ride on the
elephant, and the hare on the monkey, and the partridge on the hare.
Now when their feelings of mutual attachment and reverence had still
more increased, there occurred to them this thought, that as their
attachment and reverence had increased, they ought to strive a little
after other virtues as well. In reply to the question as to what was to
be done, the partridge said, “One should abstain from putting living
creatures to death.” The other said, “What like are those among us who
put living creatures to death?”
The partridge replied, “There are leaves, flowers, and fruits, which
are endowed with life, as well as those which are devoid of it. In
future we will enjoy those which are lifeless, giving up those which
possess life.” So they took to giving up what possessed life, and
partaking of what was lifeless. Then they thought, “Since we have
renounced the putting to death of what is living, but not as yet the
acquisition of the unbestowed, therefore will we also renounce the
acquisition of the unobtained.” “What like are those among us who
acquire the unbestowed?” said the others. The partridge said, “There
are in our possession, roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits, but there
are also such as are unpossessed; therefore will we in future give up
those which we possess, and feed only on the unpossessed.” So they took
to giving up what was possessed, and feeding on the previously
unpossessed.
Then they thought, “We have now renounced the acquisition of the
unbestowed, but not as yet illicit intercourse.” “In what does our
illicit intercourse consist?” The partridge said, “As we enter into
allowable unions and also unallowable, we must henceforth enter into
allowable unions alone, and not unallowable.” So they followed the
lawful paths and gave up those which were unlawful. Then they thought,
“We have now renounced unlawful love, but not as yet falsehood. Well,
we will also renounce falsehood.” “Wherein then consists our
falsehood?” asked the others. The partridge said, “Whereas we have been
in the habit of speaking all at random, we will in future speak at
random no more, but will utter only well-considered words at the right
time.” So they no longer spoke at random, but uttered merely
well-considered words at the right time. Then they thought, “We have
renounced falsehood, but not as yet shameless intoxication, by means of
intoxicating drinks. Well, we will also renounce shameless intoxication
by means of intoxicating drinks.” “What like are those among us who
shamelessly intoxicate themselves with intoxicating drinks?” The
partridge said, “As there are fruits which intoxicate, and also such as
do not, we will in future, giving up the intoxicating fruits, partake
of those only which are not intoxicating.” So they began to partake of
only the non-intoxicating fruits, giving up those which intoxicate.
Now when they were duly set fast in the five vows, the partridge said,
“O honoured ones, as we are now duly set fast in the five vows, we will
confirm others also in the five vows.” The others said, “We will do so.
But whom shall each of us confirm in them?” The monkey said, “I will
confirm all monkeys therein.” Then said the hare, “I will confirm
therein all hares and furry beasts.” The elephant said, “This being the
case, I will confirm therein all elephants, lions, tigers, and bears.”
The partridge said, “This being the case, I will also now confirm in
the five vows all the as yet unconverted birds and creatures, footless,
two-footed, and four-footed.” Then they confirmed in the five vows all
the living creatures of the animal world, as many as there were of them
in the Kāśi land.
As they did each other no harm, and lived in the dense forest according
to their knowledge and pleasure, their influence brought it about that
the deity sent rain from time to time, and the earth was constantly
provided with seeds, flowers, and fruit-trees.
Now, when the king saw that men were living without doing each other
any harm, and that the earth was constantly provided with seeds,
flowers, and fruit-trees, he said, “As I rule according to law, this is
due to my influence.” His wives, and the princes, ministers, warriors,
towns-people, and country-folk, were of opinion that it was due to
their influence. When the king perceived that they all considered it as
due to their influence he was astonished, and he sent for the diviners
and asked about it, but they knew nothing of the matter.
Not far from Vārāṇasī there was a grove in which there dwelt a Rishi,
endowed with the five kinds of higher knowledge. He practised
divination for the men who dwelt in Vārāṇasī and paid honour to him. To
this Rishi the king betook himself, touching his feet and saying, “O
great Rishi, as all the living beings in my realm belonging to the
animal world, without doing one another any harm, live according to
their knowledge and pleasure, and the deity sends rain at the right
season, and the earth is constantly provided with seeds, flowers, and
fruit-trees, therefore I have supposed that, as I rule according to the
law, this is due to my power. But as my wives, and the princes,
ministers, warriors, towns-people, and country-folk, are of opinion
that it is all due to their power, I am greatly puzzled. Therefore it
is meet that you should dispel the doubt as to whose power it is due.”
The Rishi replied, “O great king, it is not your power which has
brought this about, nor yet that of your wives, princes, ministers,
warriors, towns-people, or country-folk. But there are four living
creatures in your realm whose power has done so.” The king said, “If
this be so, I will go to see them.” The Rishi said, “Wherefore do you
wish to see them? Rather adopt the course of life which they have
adopted, and live according to it.”
“What course of life have they adopted?”
“That of the five vows.”
“O great Rishi, what is the nature of these five vows?”
“O great king, they are these: Not to take the life of any living
creature; not to steal the property of others; not to enter into
unlawful unions; not to lie; not to drink intoxicating liquors.”
“O great Rishi,” said the king, “if this be so, I also will observe
these five vows, and live in accordance with them.”
Thereupon the king began to observe those five vows, and to behave
accordingly. As the king observed the five vows, and lived in
accordance with them, his wives did the same, and the princes,
ministers, warriors, towns-people, and country-folk, accepted the five
vows, and took to behaving in conformity with them. When the tributary
kings heard that King Brahmadatta, together with his wives, princes,
ministers, warriors, towns-people, and country-folk, had undertaken the
five vows, and were living in conformity with them, they also, along
with their wives, princes, ministers, warriors, towns-people, and
country-folk, accepted the five vows and observed them. The greater
part of the inhabitants of Jambudvīpa accepted the five vows, and began
to observe them. Whosoever then died in Jambudvīpa, after his body
perished, was born again in the Tushita region of the thirty-three
gods.
When the king of the gods, Śakra, saw the circle of the gods so
enlarged, he uttered this verse—
“The partridge’s disciples, dwelling in the penance-forest with esteem
and reverence, have instructed the world in the doctrine.”
Bhagavant said, “O Bhikshus, what think ye? I myself was the partridge
of that period, the hare of that period was Śāriputra, the monkey
Maudgalyāyana, and the elephant Ānanda.”