Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young lion. And when fully grown he lived in a wood. Near the Western Ocean, there was a grove of palms mixed with vilva tree.

One day this hare after feeding came and lay down beneath the young palm tree. And the thought struck him: “If this earth should be destroyed, what would become of me?” At this very moment a ripe vilva fruit fell on a palm leaf. At the sound of it, the hare thought: “This solid earth is collapsing,” and starting up he ran, without looking behind. Another hare saw him running, as if frightened to death, and asked the cause of his panic. Then the hare stopped a moment and without looking back said, “The earth here is breaking up.” And at this the second hare ran after the other. Seeing this and knowing that the earth is splitting up, all the other animals followed them.

When the Bodhisatta saw the animals running, and heard the cause of it was that the earth was coming to an end. Surely it must be some sound which was misunderstood by them. And if I don’t make a great effort, they will all perish. I will save their lives.” So with the speed of a lion he got before them to the foot of a mountain, and lion-like roared three times. They were terribly frightened at the lion and stopped. The lion went in amongst them and asked why they were running away.

“The earth is collapsing,” they answered.

Lion asked, “Who saw it collapsing?”

Every one pointed out the other and they didn’t know who started it. When the hares were questioned, they pointed to one particular hare and said, “This one told us.”

So the Bodhisatta asked, “Is it true? that the earth is breaking up?”

The Hare said, “Yes! Sir! I saw it. Near the ocean! Sir! in a grove of palms mixed with vilva trees. For as I was lying beneath the shade of a palm sappling at the foot of a vilva tree: I thought, ‘If this earth should break up, where shall I go?’ And at that very moment I heard the sound of the breaking up of the earth and I fled.”

The Lion thought: “A ripe vilva fruit must have fallen on a palm leaf and made a ‘thud,’ and this hare jumped to the comclusion that the earth was coming to an end, and ran away. I will find out the exact truth about it.” So he reassured the herd of animals, and said, “I will take the hare and go and find out exactly whether the earth is coming to an end or not, in the place pointed out by him. Until I return, do you stay here.” Then placing the hare on his back, he sprang forward with the speed of a lion, and putting the hare down in the palm grove, he said “Come, show us the place you meant.”

The hare, not venturing to go near the vilva tree, stood at a distance and cried, “There! Sir! is the place of dreadful sound.”

After hearing what the hare said, the lion went to the foot of the vilva tree, and saw the spot where the hare had been lying beneath the shade of the palm tree, and the ripe vilva fruit that fell on the palm leaf, and having carefully ascertained that the earth had not broken up, he placed the hare on his back and with the speed of a lion soon came again to the herd of beasts.

Then he told them the whole story, and said, “Don’t be afraid.” And having thus reassured the herd of beasts, he let them go. Verily, if it had not been for the Bodhisatta at that time, all the beasts would have rushed into the sea and perished. It was all owing to the Bodhisatta that they escaped death.