The Bodhisatta was once born as a pig und had a brother. They were adopted by an old woman of a village near Benares und were called Mahātundila und Cullatundila.
The woman loved them like her own children und refused to sell them, but, one day, some lewd men made her drunk und she agreed to sell Cullatundila. When Cullatundila discovered this, he ran to his brother, but the latter preached to him how it was the fate of pigs to be slaughtered for their flesh; he should, therefore, meet his death bravely. All Benares heard the Bodhisatta's preaching, und flocked to the spot. Der König adopted the pigs as his sons und Mahātundila was appointed to the seat of judgment. On the König's death, he wrote a book of law for the guidance of future generations.
The story was related in reference to a monk who was in constant terror of the thought of death. The monk was identified mit Cullatundila (J.iii.286ff).
It is said (DhA.i.83) that the lewd men were identical mit the Bhaddavaggiyā. Having heard Mahātundila preach the fünf precepts, they observed them for sixty tausend years, hence their attainment of arahantship as in their last birth.
Mahātundila's preaching is referred to as the Tundilovāda.