Hearing that a flock of 500 birds was perching in his garden, the king thought it would be a spectacular sight. So he ordered his servants to spread a net above the garden to capture the birds when they flew up.

The birds didn't know that the king had ordered a net to be placed there, so when they flew upward, all of them were caught.

Delighted, the king ordered his servants, "Feed the birds with rice every day. When they become fat enough, cook them so I can provide a feast for all the ministers."

When the bird king heard what the king planned to do, he blamed himself for the situation. "It's all my fault that my birds flew into the king's garden, and now they will all be killed to feed this king and his ministers. What should I do?"

When the rice was brought in, the bird king suddenly had an inspiration. He warned all the birds, "If you want to stay alive, don't eat the rice!"

"But if we don't eat, we'll starve to death! How can we possibly stay alive?"

The bird king told them, "The king is feeding us to make us fat. If we eat the rice and get fat, the king will kill us for food. So don't eat anything for a few days. If we get thinner, we may stand a better chance of escaping."

The 500 birds had always been obedient to their king, so they didn't touch the rice at all.

The people who were looking after the birds brought lots of rice to the birdcage every day, but the food remained untouched. The bird king pondered hard, trying to think of a way to flee the cage. One day he noticed a tiny hole on top of the cage. He ordered all the birds to peck at the hole every day. A few days later, the hole had become bigger as the birds grew thinner. Under the king's direction, the 500 birds eventually flew quietly out of the hole.

Seeing the empty cage, the bird king was very happy. He was the last one to leave. The 500 birds waited outside flapping their wings. When the bird king finally flew to the sky with the rest of the birds, their melodious songs filled the air.

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We must be aware of our actions and thoughts. If we are careless, suffering is bound to happen.

All of our mistakes and sufferings are caused by our minds. If we abide by the rules, we will live in safety. If we are careful and discreet in our actions, we will lead happy, peaceful lives.