The Bodhisatta was a lion living in a mountain cave; on the banks of a lake nearby lived many boars, and in the neighbourhood were some hermits. One day the lion, having eaten some game, went to the lake to drink; but after he had drunk, seeing a boar which he did not wish to frighten away, having the idea of eating it when food should be scarce, he slunk away. The boar saw this, and, thinking that the lion was afraid of him, challenged him to a fight. The lion agreed to fight a week later. The boar was overjoyed, and told his relations of this. However, they all frightened him and advised him to spend the next seven days rolling in the hermits’ dunghill. When the dirt was dry, he was to moisten his body with dew and go to the meeting place early, standing well to windward. This he did, and when the lion arrived and smelt the filth, the boar was allowed to go away uninjured.

The story was told in reference to an old and foolish monk. One night the Buddha returned to his cell late at night after teaching. Then Mahā-Moggallāna asked Sāriputta various questions, which the latter explained. The people stayed on, entranced with Sāriputta’s expositions. An old monk, wishing to attract attention to himself, stood up and asked a foolish question. Sāriputta, reading his thoughts, rose from his seat and walked away; so did Mahā-Moggallāna. The laymen who were present were annoyed with the old monk and chased him away. As he ran he fell into a cesspit and was covered with filth. The laymen then felt remorse and visited the Buddha to ask his forgiveness. The old monk is identified with the boar. J.ii.9-12; cf. DhA.iii.344 f; it is said that the story was told concerning Lāḷudāyī.