1. Tittira Jataka (No.37) - There were
once three friends, a partridge (tittira), a monkey and an elephant. Discovering
that the partridge was the oldest of them, they honoured him as their teacher
and he gave them counsel. Their conduct came to be called the
Tittiriya brahmacariya. The Bodhisatta was the partridge, Moggallana the
elephant, and Sariputta the monkey.
The story was related in reference to
the failure of the Chabbaggiyas to show due respect to Sariputta. Once, when he
visited them in company with the Buddha, they refused to provide him with
lodging, and he had to sleep under a tree. J.i.217ff; cp. Vin.ii.161; Avadana
S.ii.17.
2. Tittira Jataka (No.117) - The
Bodhisatta was once a leader of five hundred ascetics. One day, a talkative
ascetic approached a jaundiced colleague who was chopping wood and worried him
by giving him directions on how to do it. The ill man killed him with one blow
of the axe. Soon after, a partridge, who used to sing on an anthill near by, was
killed by a fowler. The Bodhisatta pointed out to his followers how the death of
both was due to their talking too much.
The story was told in reference to
Kokalika, who is identified with the chattering ascetic. J.i.431f.
3. Tittira Jataka (No.319) - Once the
Bodhisatta was a brahmin ascetic, and Rahula a decoy partridge used by a village
fowler. When the partridge uttered a cry, other partridges would flock to him,
and they were killed by the fowler. The partridge was filled with remorse,
fearing that he was doing wrong. One day he met the Bodhisatta who set his
doubts at rest.
The story was told in reference to
Rahulas readiness to profit by instruction (J.iii.64ff). It was related by
Moggaliputta Tissa to Asoka, to prove to him that an action becomes a crime only
when performed with bad intention. Mhv.v.264.
4. Tittira Jataka (No.438) - Once in
Benares was a famous teacher who retired into the forest. Men came from all
parts to learn from him and brought him many presents. He had in his house a
tame partridge, who, by listening to the teachers exposition, learnt the three
Vedas by heart. A tame lizard and a cow were given as presents to the teacher.
When the teacher died, his students were in despair, but were reassured by the
partridge who taught them what he knew. One day a wicked ascetic came to the
hermitage and, in the absence of the students, killed the partridge, the young
lizard and the cow. The partridge had two friends, a lion and a tiger, who
killed the murderer.
The ascetic was Devadatta, the lizard
Kisagotami, the tiger Moggallana, the lion Sariputta, the teacher Maha Kassapa,
and the partridge the Bodhisatta.
The story was related in reference to
Devadattas attempts to kill the Buddha. J.iii.536f.
