From that time on the company of ascetics, abiding steadfast in the admonition of the Future Buddha, cultivated friendliness, meditated on the virtues of the Buddhas. Even as they thus meditated on the virtues of the Buddhas, all of the reptiles disappeared. As for the Future Buddha, through the cultivation of the Exalted States, he attained the goal of the World of Brahmā.
19. Partridge, Monkey, and Elephant.
Reverence your elders.
A. Canonical version.
Vinaya ii. 161-162.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One admonished a company of monks to show proper respect for their elders. Said he:
In former times, monks, on a slope of Himavat, grew a huge banyan tree. Near it lived three friends: a partridge and a monkey and an elephant. They lived without respect or deference for each other, having no common life. Now, monks, to these friends occurred the following thought: “If only we knew which one of us was the oldest, we would respect, reverence, venerate, and honor him, and we would abide steadfast in his admonitions.”
Accordingly, monks, the partridge and the monkey asked the elephant: “How far back, sir, can you remember?” “Sirs, when I was a youngster, I used to walk over this banyan tree, keeping it between my thighs; the little tips of the shoots would just touch my belly. As far back as that, sirs, can I remember.”
Next, monks, the partridge and the elephant asked the monkey: “How far back, sir, can you remember?” “Sirs, when I was a youngster, I used to sit on the ground and eat the little tips of the shoots of this banyan tree. As far back as that, sirs, can I remember.”
Finally, monks, the monkey and the elephant asked the partridge: “How far back, sir, can you remember?” “In yonder open space, sirs, grew a huge banyan tree. I ate one of its fruits and dropped the seed in this place. From that sprang this banyan tree. At that time also, sirs, I was the oldest.”