Long ago, in a previous birth, the Buddha lived as a wise and compassionate hare at the foot of a mountain. He lived alongside three close friends: an otter, a jackal and a monkey. The hare acted as their natural leader, frequently teaching them about moral ethics and the profound virtues of generosity.
One evening before a holy fast day, the hare urged his friends to gather wholesome food to offer to anyone in need. The next morning, his friends set out early to collect food. They all collected their favourite food items. The otter found seven fish buried in the sand. The jackal gathered a pot of yoghurt and a lizard from an empty hut. The monkey collected juicy mangoes from the mountain. All three returned to their dwellings, prepared to give away their findings.
The hare gathered grass but quickly realized that humans do not eat it. Determined to make a worthy offering, he made a blissful vow to sacrifice his own flesh. This selfless resolution was so powerful that the earth trembled, the air filled with fragrance and flowers showered from the sky.
Sakka, the God of heavenly beings, decided to test the authenticity of the hare's vow. Disguised as a hungry Brahmin, he visited the otter, the jackal and the monkey. Though each animal eagerly offered their food, Sakka declined and moved on. When he finally approached the hare, the creature immediately offered his own body as food.
To facilitate this sacrifice, Sakka used his miraculous powers to create a heap of burning coals. The hare carefully shook his fur three times to protect any hidden insects and then leapt fearlessly into the flames. Remarkably, the fire felt completely cool and did not harm him.
Sakka then revealed his divine identity and lifted the hare into the heavenly realm. To commemorate this ultimate act of selflessness for all eternity, Sakka drew the image of the hare onto the surface of the moon.
Moral of the fable: Generosity and sacrifice are true virtues