Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as the son of a wealthy merchant.

One day, a hunter killed a deer and filled his cart with the meat, returned to the city with the intention of selling it. At this time four sons of rich merchants who were living in Benares came out of the city, and meting at a cross road they sat down and conversed with one another about whatever they had seen or heard. One of these youths on seeing the cart full of meat proposed to go and get a piece of venison from the hunter. The others asked him to go and try. So he went up to the hunter, and said, “Hi, Sirrah! give me a piece of meat.”

The hunter replied:

“A man who begs somewhat from another ought to speak with a gentle voice; you shall receive a piece of meat appropriate to your manner of speech. Your language is coarse in its tone; Such language deserves coarse fare in return, so I offer thee mere skin and bone.”

Then the other merchant went to the hunter and said, “O! elder brother! give me a piece of venison.” The hunter answered:

“The name of a brother a strong link is found, to join those akin to each other,

As thy kind words suggest the gift I should make, so a joint I present to my brother.” And with these words he took up and threw him a joint of venison.

Then a third youth went to the hunter and cried, “Dear father! give me a piece of venison.” The hunter replied:

“As a parent’s fond heart to pity is moved, the cry of “Dear father” to hear,

So I too respond to thy loving appeal, and give thee the heart of the deer.

And with these words he picked up and gave him a savoury piece of meat, heart and all.

Then the fourth of the youth went to the hunter and said, “My friend! give me a piece of meat.” The hunter said:

“A world without friends, I venture to think, a wilderness surely must be,

In that title of friend all that’s dear is implied, so I give all the deer to you.

Moreover he said, “Come, friend, I will deliver all this cartful of meat to your house.” So this merchant’s son had the cart driven to his house, and he went and unloaded the meat. And he treated the hunter with great hospitality and respect, and sending for his wife and son he took him away from his cruel occupation, and settled him on his own estate. And they became inseparable friends, and all their life long lived amicably together.

The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth: “At that time Sariputta was the Hunter, and I myself was the Merchant’s Son who had all the venison given to him.”