Two parrots were once carried away by the wind during the moulting season. One of them fell among the weapons in a robber village and was called Sattigumba; the other fell in a hermitage among flowers and was called Pupphaka. He was the Bodhisatta. One day, Pańcāla, king of Uttarapańcāla, went out hunting. While chasing the deer with his charioteer, he was separated from his bodyguard and found himself in a glen near the robbers' village. There he slept. The robbers were absent, leaving only Sattigumba and a cook, named Patikolamba. The parrot, seeing the king, plotted with the cook to kill him. The king overheard the plan and fled with his charioteer. In his flight he came to the hermitage, where he was made welcome by Pupphaka till the return of the sages. The king told his story, and Pupphaka explained that though he and Sattigumba were brothers, heir upbringing had been different, which accounted for the difference in their natures. The king decreed immunity to all parrots and provided for the comfort of sages in his park.

The story was told in reference to Devadatta's attempt to kill the Buddha by hurling a stone at him. Sattigamba is identified with Devadatta and the king with Ananda. J.iv.430 7.


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