1. Tittira Játaka (No.37).-There were once three friends, a partridge (tittira), a monkey and an elephant. Discovering that the partridge was the oldest of them, they honoured him as their teacher and he gave them counsel. Their conduct came to be called the Tittiriya-brahmacariya. The Bodhisatta was the partridge, Moggallána the elephant, and Sáriputta the monkey.
The story was related in reference to the failure of the Chabbaggiyas to show due respect to Sáriputta. Once, when he visited them in company with the Buddha, they refused to provide him with lodging, and he had to sleep under a tree. J.i.217ff; cp. Vin.ii.161; Avadána S.ii.17.
2. Tittira Játaka (No.117).-The Bodhisatta was once a leader of five hundred ascetics. One day, a talkative ascetic approached a jaundiced colleague who was chopping wood and worried him by giving him directions on how to do it. The ill man killed him with one blow of the axe. Soon after, a partridge, who used to sing on an anthill near by, was killed by a fowler. The Bodhisatta pointed out to his followers how the death of both was due to their talking too much.
The story was told in reference to Kokalika, who is identified with the chattering ascetic. J.i.431f.
3. Tittira Játaka (No.319).-Once the Bodhisatta was a brahmin ascetic, and Ráhula a decoy partridge used by a village fowler. When the partridge uttered a cry, other partridges would flock to him, and they were killed by the fowler. The partridge was filled with remorse, fearing that he was doing wrong. One day he met the Bodhisatta who set his doubts at rest.
The story was told in reference to Ráhula's readiness to profit by instruction (J.iii.64ff). It was related by Moggaliputta-Tissa to Asoka, to prove to him that an action becomes a crime only when performed with bad intention. Mhv.v.264.
4. Tittira Játaka (No.438).-Once in Benares was a famous teacher who retired into the forest. Men came from all parts to learn from him and brought him many presents. He had in his house a tame partridge, who, by listening to the teacher's exposition, learnt the three Vedas by heart. A tame lizard and a cow were given as presents to the teacher. When the teacher died, his students were in despair, but were reassured by the partridge who taught them what he knew. One day a wicked ascetic came to the hermitage and, in the absence of the students, killed the partridge, the young lizard and the cow. The partridge had two friends, a lion and a tiger, who killed the murderer.
The ascetic was Devadatta, the lizard Kiságotamí, the tiger Moggallána, the lion Sáriputta, the teacher Mahá Kassapa, and the partridge the Bodhisatta.
The story was related in reference to Devadatta's attempts to kill the Buddha. J.iii.536f.