Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a Brahmin. He studied at at Takkasila, and, renouncing Lusts, gave up the world to become a hermit. He won the Five Knowledges and the Eight Attainments, and five hundred recluses of the Himalayas followed him as their master.

Insight was his as he lived amid his disciples in the Himalayas.

In those days there was an ascetic suffering from jaundice who was chopping wood with an axe. And a chattering Brother came and sat by him, and directed his work, instructed him chop here and there, till the jaundiced ascetic lost his temper. In a rage he cried, “Who are you teach me how to chop wood?” and lifting up his keen edged axe stretched the hand and the axe fell on the chattering brother, who died immediately. And the Bodhisatta buried the body.

Now on an ant hill hard by the hermitage there lived a partridge who used to cry early in the morning and late in the evening. Recognising the note of a partridge, a fowler killed the bird and took it off with him. Missing the bird’s note, the Bodhisatta asked the hermits whther they hear their neighbour the partridge cry now. Then they told him what had happened and he linked the two events together:-

As died the partridge for her clamorous cry,

So prate and chatter doomed this fool to die.

Having developed within himself the four Perfect States, the Bodhisatta thus became destined to rebirth in the Brahma Realm.