118. The Story of the Quail

When the enlightened one was living in Jetavana monastery, this Jātaka story was delivered regarding the millionaire called Uttara.

While the millionaire Uttara was living in the city of Sāvatthi, a certain very highly meritorious prince was conceived in his wife’s womb, and after ten months he was delivered. He grew up and became a youth.

At one time, there was a Kattikā festival. Many millionaires’ children came out with their wives onto the streets and celebrated in the streets for seven days. Uttara also, thinking his son should celebrate with them, went to him and told him of his intentions, saying, “You also go, along with the young women of the household, and celebrate the Kattikā festival.”

As the son of Uttara came from the Brahma world, he did not do as his father wished. Thereupon, without his consent, his friends got together and summoned a certain prostitute from the village. She, decorated with ornaments and fancy clothes, tried to entice him. But, on seeing her, he did not want to have anything to do with her. His friends tried to persuade him, letting her show him her feminine wiles, but he only smiled.

The millionaire Uttara’s son, looking at her with a distracted mind, saw her as bones only. Seeing her as impurities, he was averse to her. But he thought, “Why should I send her back empty-handed?” So, he gave her all that she needed. She left, and while she was walking in the street, a certain rich official saw her. He led her to his home.

When the Kattikā celebration was over, the prostitute’s mother did not see her daughter. She went to the millionaires’ sons and accused them of taking her daughter. She asked, “Where is she now? Show me.” Hearing her accusation, the youths said, “We sent her, on the very same day she was summoned, to the millionaire Uttara’s son. Go and ask him.” Then she went to him and asked about her daughter. He said, “I sent her away, on the very same day. I do not know where she went.” The woman took him to court, and cried before the king. The king examined the case and said, “If she was in your house, you will have to produce her.” The young millionaire’s son said, “Sir, I do not know where she is.”

The king then said, “If it is so, I will order you to be punished.” And he did so.

The ministers, hearing the king’s order, put cuffs around the millionaire Uttara’s son’s hands and led him away as punishment drums were beating. On hearing this noise, many people came and surrounded him crying and weeping. They said, “Such a punishment has fallen on such a virtuous person as you!”

The millionaire’s son, who was the victim, thought, “If I get rid of this punishment, I will be ordained as a monk in the monastic order of the Buddha.”

Meanwhile, the prostitute heard the news that he was sentenced to death because of her. Knowing this, she came from the official’s mansion where she had been staying and appeared before the executioners. Some people in the crowd, who saw her, handed her over to her mother. Then, the millionaire Uttara’s son was released.

The millionaire’s son after being freed from death went to the lake and washed his hair, taking a bath. He then ate rice. After that, he paid respect to his parents, and obtained permission from them to become ordained as a monk. And he went to the forest. He became a monk, and received his higher ordination [upasampadā]. Within a few days, gaining insight from meditation, he obtained the status of Arahant.

On the very same day, the elders assembled in the preaching hall were talking about him. When the Buddha entered, he asked the monks, “Oh monks, what were you talking about before I came here?” When they mentioned that the story of the millionaire’s son and his attainment of the status of Arahant was being discussed by them, the Buddha said, “Oh monks, not only today but even in the past wise people have been released from death’s grip as was this monk today.” The Buddha was invited to disclose the story of the past. The Buddha then disclosed this story:

Long ago a king called Brahmadatta was ruling in Benares. At that time, the Enlightenment Being was born among quails. A certain quail hunter in Benares at one point went to the forest and came back having caught a lot of quails. Keeping them at home and feeding them, he sold them to people.

One day, the quail that was the Enlightenment Being got trapped in the net placed down by the quail hunter. He also was brought to the hunter’s home. The quail hunter gave the quails that he had caught food to eat to make them fat. But the Enlightenment Being did not eat the food, thinking, “If I eat, I will be fat, and I will not be able to escape through the small holes of the net which is confining me.” The quail hunter, seeing that this quail was not eating over a few days, took him into his hand and examined him in the palm of his hand so as to ascertain why this quail was not eating. Meanwhile, this quail saw a moment’s inattention on the part of the quail hunter, and he flew away to the forest.

When he went home, his relatives surrounded him and asked, “What happened to you? Why were you away for such a long time?” He said that he had been captured by a hunter, and related how he had obtained his release. Buddha said, comparing the two stories, “Wise people are released from death as this quail. The quail at that time was I who have attained Buddhahood, the master who became the teacher of the three worlds.”

The moral: “Parents love children.”

Further,

“The practice of common sense is essential for a safe life.”

118. The Story of the Quail

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2025/05/06/118-the-story-of-the-quail/

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