Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a brahmin family. When he was about sixteen years old, his father and mother took his birth fire and spoke to him thus. “Son, will you take your birth fire into the woods, and worship the fire there or will you learn the Three Vedas, settle down as a married man, and live in the world?” Hee said, “No worldly life for me. I will worship my fire in the woods, and go on the way to heaven.” So taking his birth fire he went to the forest, where he lived in a hut made of branches and leaves and did worship to the fire.

One day he had been invited to some place where he received a present of rice and ghee. He thought, “I will offer this rice to Great Brahma.” So he took home the rice, and made the fire blaze. Then with the words, “With this rice I feed the sacred flame,” he offered the rice to the flames. The fire rose up and burnt the hut. The Brahmin went ans sat at a distance. Then he said, “There should be no dealings with the wicked, and this fire has burnt the hut which I made with so much trouble!” And he said:

“Nothing is worse than evil company;

I fed my fire with plenteous rice and ghee;

And lo! The hut which gave me such ado

To build it up, my fire has burnt for me.”

He added, “False friend! I’ve done with you now.” and he poured water and put out the fire. He went into the mountains. There he saw a black hind licking the faces of a lion, a tiger, and a panther. This put it into his mind how there was nothing better than good friends; and he said:

“Nothing is better than good company;

Kind offices of friendship here I see;

Behold the lion, tiger, and the pard

The black hind licks the faces of all three.”

With these reflections the Bodhisatta plunged into the depths of the mountains, and there he embraced the true religious life, cultivating the Faculties and the Attainments, until at his life’s end he passed into Brahma’s heaven.