Once upon a time when King Magadha was ruling in Rajagaha in Magadha, the Bodhisatta was born an elephant. He was white all over and graced with all the beauty. And because of his beauty the king made him his state elephant.

One festal day the king adorned the city like a city of the devas and, mounted on the elephant in all its trappings, made a solemn procession round the city attended by a great retinue. And all along the route the people were moved by the sight of that peerless elephant to exclaim, “Oh what a stately gait! What proportions! What beauty! What grace! Such a white elephant is worthy of an universal monarch.” All this praise of his elephant awoke the king’s jealousy and decided to kill the elephant. So he summoned the mahout and asked whether it is a trained elephant.

The mahout said, “Indeed he is well trained, sir!” The king said, “If he is so well trained, can you get him to climb to the summit of Mount Vepulla?”

The mahout said,”Yes, sir!” The king got down from the elephant, and made the mahout mount. The king went himself to the foot of the mountain, while the mahout rode on the elephant’s back up to the top of Mount Vepulla. The king with his courtiers also climbed the mountain, and had the elephant halted at the edge. The king said, “If he is well trained, let him stand there with three legs.”

And the mahout on the elephant’s back just touched the animal with affection and told him to stand on three legs. The elephant did so.

The king said, “Now make him stand on his two fore legs,” said the king. And the Great Being raised his hind legs and stood on his fore legs alone.

The king said, “Now on the hind legs.” and the obedient elephant raised his fore legs till he stood on his hind legs alone.

The king said, “Now on one leg.” and the elephant stood on one leg.

Seeing that the elephant did not fall over the edge, the king cried, “Now if you can, make him stand in the air.”

The mahout thought to himself, “The king wants to kill the elephant.” So he whispered in the elephant’s ear, “My son! the king wants you to fall over and get killed. He is not worthy of you. If you have power to travel through the air, rise up with me upon your back and fly through the air to Benares.”

And the Great Being, endowed with marvelous powers which flow from Merit, is too good for such a worthless fool as you none but a wise and good king is worthy to be his master. When those who are so worthless as you get an elephant like this, they don’t know his value, and so they lose their elephant, and all the rest of their glory and splendour.”

Rising in the air, the elephant went to Benares and halted in mid air over the royal courtyard. And there was a great stir in the city and all cried out, “Look at the state elephant that has come through the air for our king and is hovering over the royal courtyard.” Hearing this, the king came out and said, “If your desire is to come to me, then come down.” And the Bodhisatta descended from the air. Then the mahout got down and bowed before the king, and in answer to the king’s enquiries told the whole story of their leaving Rajagaha. The King said, “It was very good of you to come here.” In his joy he had the city decorated and the elephant installed in his state stable. Then he divided his kingdom into three portions, and made over one to the Bodhisatta, one to the mahout and one he kept himself. And his power grew from time to time. As Emperor of India, he was charitable and did other good works till he passed away to fare according to his deserts.