“When I was well pleased, I granted to the leader of the Banyan herd a boon,” said he. “I may give up my kingdom but not my oaths! Begone with you! Not a man in my kingdom shall be allowed to hurt the deer.”
When the Banyan King heard that, he assembled his herd, and said:
“Henceforth you are not allowed to eat other people’s crops.” And so forbidding them, he sent a message to the men: “Henceforth let the husbandmen put up no fence to guard their crops: but let them tie leaves round the edge of the field as a sign.”
From that time, they say, the sign of the tying of the leaves was seen in the fields, and from that time not a single deer trespassed beyond it: for such was the instruction they received from (their King) the Bodisat.
And the Bodisat continued thus his life long to instruct the deer, and passed away with his herd, according to his deeds.
THE PUPIL WHO TAUGHT HIS TEACHER
And the Buddha was re-born in a Brahmin family and was known as Dhamapala or Law Keeper.
When he came of age he was sent by his father to study with a world famed teacher at Takasila and became the chief pupil in a company of five hundred youths.
At that time the eldest son of the teacher died and the father, surrounded by his pupils, in the midst of his kith and kin, buried his son—and all the pupils wept and wailed, but Dhamapala was silent and shed no tear, but when the company returned from the cemetery Dhamapala asked, “Why did your son die? It is not right that children should die; only when people grow old can this happen.” And they asked him, “Is it the custom of your family that the young do not die?” And he said: “Yes, that is the custom in my family.” The lads told this conversation to their teacher.