The Bodhisatta was once an ascetic who lived in the Himalayas. Near his hut, a mongoose lived in an anthill and a snake in a hollow tree. The two animals were always quarreling, so the Bodhisatta preached to them about the value of harmony and the pettiness of arguing, and they began to get along. One day, when the snake had gone out, the Bodhisatta saw the mongoose sleeping in the entrance of his burrow with his mouth open and asked why he was still afraid of the snake. The mongoose answered that he no longer despised the snake, but he still mistrusted him. The Bodhisatta assured him he had nothing to fear anymore, so the mongoose stopped being suspicious.
In the Lifetime of the Buddha
The snake and the mongoose were earlier births of two high-ranking soldiers who hated each other and spoke rudely every time they met. Neither the king nor their friends and family could set them right. One day the Buddha divined that these two men were close to having a spiritual breakthrough, so the next morning he went out collecting alms at their houses. While sitting with them, the Buddha preached about loving-kindness and dharma so eloquently that they both became disciples. The two soldiers forgave each other and were harmonious from then on.
Later, when the Buddha heard some of his disciples discussing how he had humbled the two soldiers, he told them this story so they knew that he had also reconciled the same two men in previous lives.
