The Oldest One

A quail, a monkey and an elephant were good friends in a forest. They all lived near a large banyan tree. A lot of their time was spent under the tree, talking, sharing and, sometimes, arguing about things.
All three of them were very intelligent. Each of them felt that his opinion was as important and correct as that of the others. So, they had to start their discussion all over again because they could never reach an agreement.
“We must find some way to resolve our problems without the endless discussion,” they said, “Perhaps if we know whose opinion is most valuable, then we need not argue. But how do we decide whose opinion should be thought most valuable?”

They finally decided that the one with the largest experience was likely to have the most valuable opinion. If they followed the advice of the most experienced, then they would not waste so much time arguing. Only if they felt his opinion was really foolish or wrong, then they would have to look for a new solution.
And the one with the largest experience must be the one who is the oldest. But this created a new problem. None of them knew their dates of birth, so they did not know which of them was the oldest!
“Do you remember when you were a baby? How big was this tree?” asked the Quail one day as they sat resting under the banyan tree. The Monkey and he looked at the Elephant.
“I remember as a baby,” recollected the Elephant, “when I felt like scratching my stomach, I would rub it on the top branches of this tree. It was that small at that time.”
The monkey remembered, “I was an inquisitive little fellow. I would taste everything that I saw. This banyan tree was a little seedling and I nibbled the young, fresh leaves on top of it.”

“I lived in a forest near by,” said the Quail, “There was a huge old banyan tree. I used to eat its berries. Then one day, I came here. Some of the berry seeds fell here with my droppings. That’s how this banyan tree came to be here.”
“You are definitely the oldest then,” said the other two, “Now we will follow your advice and respect your opinion in future. Be fair and just; that is necessary.”
“I promise that I will always try to be worthy of your respect,” said the Quail who was an Enlightened One, a Bodhisatta. His friends learnt to respect the wisdom of elders.

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