On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c18.40

v2.c18.40

Beside this tope, in the great wood, Yuan-chuang relates, was a tope where the P'usa and Devadatta as Deer-kings settled an affair. To prevent the extermination of their two flocks of deer by the hunts of the king of the country it was arranged that an animal from each flock, on alternate days, should be given up to the king for the use of his table. When it came to be the turn of a doe big with young in Devadatta's flock the doe begged to be spared for a few days for the sake of her unborn fawn. The Devadatta Deer-chief refused to entertain her petition and the P'usa Deer-chief thereupon offered himself as substitute for the doe. This act of self-sacrifice moved the king to remorse, he released all the deer from the penalty of death, and gave them the wood as pasture land: hence arose the name, the Wood of Charity to the Deer.