Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a Brahmin family in a village of Kasi. When he came of years, he received his education at Takkasila, and settled down in life.

His wife gave birth to a son; and when the child could just run to and fro, she died. The the Bodhisatta performed her obsequies, and then, said: “What is home to me now? I and my son will live the life of hermits.” Leaving his friends and relatives in tears, he took the lad to the Himalayas, became a religious anchorite, and lived on the fruits and roots which the forest yielded.

On a day during the rainy season, when there had been a downpour, he kindled some sticks, and lay down on a pallet, warming himself at the fire. And his son sat beside him chafing his feet.

Now a wild Monkey, miserable with cold, saw the fire in the leaf hut of our hermit. He thought, “Now, suppose I go in, they’ll cry out Monkey! Monkey! and beat me back. I will not get a chance of warming myself. I’ll get an ascetic’s dress, and get inside by a trick!” So he put on the bark dress of a dead ascetic, lifted his basket and crooked stick, and took his stand by the hut door, where he crouched down beside a palm tree. The lad saw him, and cried to his father (not knowing he was a monkey) “Here’s an old hermit, miserably cold, come to warm himself at the fire.” Then he addressed his father begging him to let the poor fellow in to warm himself:

“Father, see! A poor old fellow huddled by a palmtree there!

Here we have a hut to live in; let us give the man a share.”

When the Bodhisatta heard this, he got up and went to the door. But when he saw the creature was only a monkey, he said, “My son, men have no such face like that; it is a monkey, and he must not be allowed in here.” Then he said:

“He would but defile our dwelling if he came inside the door;

Such a face it is easy telling no good Brahmin ever bore.”

The Bodhisatta asked, “What do you want here?” and took a stick, threw it at him, and drove him away. The Monkey dropped his bark garments ran into the forest.

Then the Bodhisatta cultivated the Four Excellences until he came unto Brahma’s heaven.