Once, the Bodhisatta was born as a buffalo in Himava. He was dark and dirty-looking. Though born in the animal-state he believed in righteousness; and exerted his best to uphold the value of a good conduct. In the same forest there lived a wicked monkey, who used to tease and bully him. Sometimes he would leap upon the back of the sleeping buffalo. Sometimes he would obstruct him from grazing the grass. Sometimes he would climb on his head by holding his horns and swing down by holding his tail. Sometimes he would mount on his back with a brandishing stick to counterfeit Yamaraja – the lord of death. [It may be noted that in the Indian mythologies buffalo is said to be the vehicle of Yamaraja]. The gentle animal bore all the unbecoming behaviour of the monkey to practise the virtue of forbearance.

In the same region there lived a yaksa, as a spirit of a tree. He resented the monkey’s acts. So, one day he advised the buffalo to punish the monkey by using his greater strength. The gentle buffalo declined to do so by saying,