Once upon a time, while Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta came into this world as a Golden Peacock, with red lines under his wings. To preserve his life, he traversed three ranges of hills, and in the fourth he settled, on a plateau of a golden hill in Dandaka. When day dawned as he sat upon the hill, watching the sun rise, he chant Surya Namaskar to preserve himself safe in his own feeding ground. Apart from this he worships the Buddhas who have passed away. Uttering this charm to keep himself from harm, the Peacock went in search of food.

So after flying about all day, he came back at evening and sat on the hilltop to see the sun go down; then he worshipped him to preserve himself and keep off evil.

Now there was a savage who lived in a village of wild huntsmen, near Benares. Wandering about among the Himalaya hills he noticed the Bodhisatta perched upon the golden hill of Dandaka, and told it to his son.

One day, one of the wives of the king of Benares, Khema by name, saw in a dream a golden peacock holding a religious discourse. This she told to the king, saying that she longed to hear the discourse of the golden peacock. The king asked his courtiers about it; and the courtiers said, “The Brahmins will be sure to know.” The king called the hunters together and asked them. Then this hunter answered, “O lord king! there is a golden hill in Dandaka; and there a golden peacock lives.” The king ordered, “Then bring it here alive.”

The hunter set snares in the peacock’s feeding ground. But even when the peacock stepped upon it, the snare would not close. The hunter tried for seven years, but he could not catch him; and there he died. And queen Khema too died without fulfilling her wish.

The king was angry because his Queen had died for the sake of a peacock. He made a gold plate with an inscription, “Among the Himalayas is a golden hill in Dandaka. There lives a golden peacock; and whoever eats its flesh becomes ever young and immortal.” This he enclosed in a casket.

After his death, the next king read this inscription and he thought, “I will become ever young and immortal;” so he sent another hunter. Like the first, this hunter failed to capture the peacock, and died in the quest. In the same way the kingdom was ruled by six successive kings.

Then a seventh arose, who also sent forth a hunter. The hunter observed that when the Golden Peacock came into the snare, it did not shut to, and also that he recited a charm before going out in search of food. He went to the forest and caught a peahen, which he trained to dance when he clapped his hands, and at snap of finger to utter her cry. Then, taking her along with him, he set the snare, fixing its uprights in the ground, early in the morning, before the peacock had recited his charm. Then he made the peahen utter a cry. This sound the female peacock’s note woke desire in the peacock’s breast; leaving his charm unsaid he came towards her; and was caught in the net. Then the hunter took hold of him and conveyed him to the king of Benares.

The king was delighted at the peacock’s beauty; and ordered a seat to be placed for him. Sitting on the proffered seat, the Bodhisatta asked, “Why did you have me caught, O king?”

The king said, “Because they say, whoever eats your flesh will become immortal and have eternal youth. So I wish to gain eternal youth and immortality by eating your flesh.”

“So be it; But that means that I must die!”

“Of course it does,” said the king.

“Well; if I die, how can my flesh give immortality to those that eat of it?”

“Your colour is golden; therefore (so it is said) those who eat your flesh become young and live so for ever.

The bird replied, “Sir! there is a very good reason for my golden colour. Long ago, I held imperial sway over the whole world, reigning in this very city; I kept the Five Commandments, and made all people of the world keep the same. For that I was born again after death in the World of the Thirty Three Archangels; there I lived out my life, but in my next birth I became a peacock in consequence of some sin; however, golden I became because I had aforetime kept the Commandments.”

“What? Incredible! You an imperial ruler, who kept the Commandments! Born gold coloured as the fruit of them! Tell me a proof!”

“I have one, Sir!”

“What is it?”

“Well, Sir!, when I was monarch, I used to pass through mid air seated in a jeweled car, which now lies buried in the earth beneath the waters of the royal lake. Dig it up from beneath the lake, and that shall be my proof.”

The king approved the plan; he made the lake to be drained, and dug out the chariot, and believed the Bodhisatta. Then the Bodhisatta addressed him thus.

“Sir! except Nirvana, which is everlasting, all things else, being composite in their nature, are unsubstantial, transient, and subject to living and death.”

Discoursing on this theme he established the king in keeping of the Commandments. Peace filled the king’s heart; he bestowed his kingdom upon the Bodhisatta, and showed him the highest respect. The Bodhisatta returned the gift; and after a few day’s, he rose up in the air, and flew back to the golden hill of Dandaka, with a parting word of advice “O king, be careful!”

And the king on his part clave to the Bodhisatta’s advice; and after giving alms and doing good passed away to fare according to his deeds.