Discourse on Duddubha or Daddabha Jātaka

The Buddha then went on giving exhortation to the assembled crowd. “Your Royal Highnesses, do not believe what others say without giving careful consideration. All the quadruples of the Himalaya forest, which was three yojanas in extent, were once about to plunge into the great ocean for trusting, without reasoning, the word of a hare that ran away screaming: ‘The earth has crumbled! The earth has crumbled!’ You should never allow yourself to become a person who is taken in by what others say without careful consideration.” With these introductory words, the Buddha gave the discourse on Duddubha Jātaka of Catukka Nipata.

Notes on the Duddubha Jātaka:

This Jātaka treats of the story of a hare who was unduly scared by the fall of a bale fruit on the palm leaf under which it was sleeping. It ran towards the ocean through fright screaming: ‘The earth has crumbled.’ Equally frightened without any reasoning, all the four-legged animals of the Himalayan forest ran along until they were stopped by the Lion King who saved them from the impending danger after careful investigation into the aspect of the matter. (For more details, may refer to the Five hundred and fifty Jātaka).