Sibi Jataka

Tradition states that these tales were narrated by Buddha himself during his ministry in India to emphasise that by the constant practice of virtuous deeds one reaches the status of Nirvana or enlightenment.

Arvind Sharma describes the story of King Shibi in the following terms, "As he sat in the court one day, a sparrow sought refuge in his lap, while being chased by a falcon.

Accepting the falcon’s right, the king offered his own flesh in order to fulfill his duty of protecting his subjects.

"[citation needed]In the Chinese Buddhist tradition, the two versions of the story are attributed to two different kings.

This shows a man holding a set of scales while the king is engaged in cutting his flesh out.