Theirs was a friendship that stretched back over many previous births in samsara. They helped and looked after each other. Their friendship was endowed with seven noble qualities; they each shared with each other what was difficult to share, did for each other what was difficult to do, endured for each other what was difficult to endure, revealed their secrets with each other and guarded the secrets revealed to them, did not abandon each other in times of trouble and did not look down upon each other when misfortune struck.

On on balmy evening, Mudita the parrot was heard screeching “hide! hide! hide!”. In no time, the jungle was swarmed by a group of men who were armed with spears, axes, ropes and saws. One even had a gun. They began to attack Metta the tusker. He tried his best to ward them off and his two friends tried their best to scare them, but to no avail. Metta finally collapsed in exhaustion and the men tied him up. They cut his tusks and took them away. Metta was left feeling very sad and so were his friends. The three of them wept with such sorrow that their tears formed a creek that flowed down with a sad whisper.

At this time, Sakra the all powerful one, Lord of all gods, was wandering through the jungle in the guise of a woman, Upekkha, and noticed the the flowing creek whispering a deep sadness. . She walked along upstream and found the three weeping friends. Upekkha asked the reason for their tears. Hearing the story, Upekkha, the all powerful one, was so moved that the earth and the heavens and the seas began to tremble. The sun hid away and the skies began to rain and thunder followed blinding lightening.

Upekkha finally spoke. All life calmed down – the sun came out and the flowers swayed to the music in the wind. Upekkha said to Metta, Karuna and Mudita “With my divine eye I can see where Metta’s tusks are. They are many seas away. Locked behind a heavy iron door. There are some men guarding the tusks and all the other stolen goods that are inside. They guard them on behalf of their King and his rich friends. Early morning is the best time to slip in if you want. I can help you open the door but you will have to slip in quickly and bring the tusks out.”

Mudita the parrot said they needed meticulous planing. Karuna the rabbit too had no hesitation and said that she could mobilise the support from three of her friends. Mudita took the responsibility of navigating. Upekkha assured them, “All of you will be safe come rain, hail or shine.” She directed her many loyal devas to protect the friends as they travelled the seas.

On a Vesak day, Karuna and her three rabbit friends accompanied by the parrot Mudita embarked on the long journey to bring the looted tusks back to their dear friend. Metta the Bodhisattva, bade farewell his friends with the advice, “Please do no harm to anyone”. The Devas, following Upekkha advice , kept the seas tranquil.

Karuna, Mudita and the three rabbit friends sailed the seas and trekked over land. Having sneaked in, they took possession of the tusks and with the help of Devas, brought the tusks back to Metta.

Upekkha the Sakra or the Lord of all gods, planted the tusks back on Metta. Joyful Metta the Bodhisattva, looked skywards and trumpeted to show his gratitude to all. Devas gathered in the sky to witness this beautiful reverence. Honouring this tradition, elephants of today trumpet to the sky in the same way, paying homage to all who came together to help Metta the Bodhisattva.

Bodhisattva – A pious person who is striving towards Buddhahood through his countless rebirths
Devas – Celestial beings or gods
Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha – The four divine abodes described in Buddhism, the virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, peaceful joy and equanimity respectively
Samsara – A continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth that comes to an end when one attains Nibbana (enlightenment) through right perseverance
Sakra – Lord of the Devas
Vesak – The day of the full moon in the month of May. Vesak signifies the Siddhartha Gautama Buddha’s birth, attainment of enlightenment and passing

Made in collaboration Jerome Pearce (Animation) and Isuru Kumarasinghe (Sound)

Commissioned by Campbelltown Arts Centre as a part of Gaja. Supported by Creative Australia through Visual Arts Grants program, 2022.