Once the Bodhisatta was born among the vultures on Gijjhakūṭa. On one occasion there was a great storm of wind and rain, and the vultures were forced to seek shelter in a ditch outside Bārāṇasī. A merchant, seeing them, provided them with a warm fire and food. When the weather cleared, the vultures returned to their haunts, and decided to give the merchant whatever finery and jewellery they might find in their wanderings. These they dropped in the merchant’s garden. The king, hearing of their depredations, set traps and caught a vulture, who confessed the truth, which was corroborated by the merchant. The vulture was set free and the goods were returned to their owners.

Ānanda was the king, and Sāriputta the merchant.

The story was told in reference to a monk who was charged with having supported his poor parents. The Buddha praised the man’s action, saying that such gratitude was an excellent quality. J.ii.50 f; see also the Suvaṇṇasāma Jātaka.