Once upon a time, Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, when the Bodhisatta came to life as the son of a householder who lived in a village not far from the city.

At the appropriate time, he was married to a lady named Sujata. She was faithful, virtuous, and dutiful. She always did duly her devoir to her lord and his parents. This girl was very dear and precious to the Bodhisatta. So they two lived together in joy, and unity, and oneness of mind.

On a day Sujata said to her husband, “I have a wish to see my mother and father.”

He replied, “Very good. My wife! Make ready for the travel; store enough food. Since he drove the vehicle, he sat in front, and his wife behind. They went to Benares; and there they unyoked the wagon, and washed and ate. Then the Bodhisatta yoked the oxen again, and sat in front; and Sujata, who had changed her dress and adorned herself, sat behind.

As the wagon entered the city, the king of Benares happened to be making a solemn circuit round the place mounted upon the back of a elephant; and he passed by that place. Sujata had come down out of the cart, and was walking behind on foot. The king saw her; her beauty so attracted his eye, that he became enamoured of her. He called one of his suite. He said, “Go! and find out whether that woman has a husband or not.” The man did as he was bid, and came back and told the king, “She has a husband, I am told. He was sitting in the cart? He is her husband.”

The king could not smother his passion, and sin entered into his mind. He thought, “I will find some way of getting rid of this fellow and then I will take the wife myself.”

Calling to a man, he said, “Here, my good fellow, take this jeweled crest, and make as though you were passing down the street. As you go, drop it in the waggon of that man.” So saying, he gave him a jewelled crest, and dismissed him. The man took it, and went; as he passed the waggon, he dropped it in; then he returned, and reported to the king that it was done.

The king cried, “I have lost a jeweled crest!” and the whole place was in an uproar.

The king ordered, “Shut all gates! Cut off the outlets! Hunt the thief!” The king’s followers obeyed. The other man, taking some others with him, went up to the Bodhisatta, crying “Hullo! Stop your cart! The king has lost a jeweled crest; we must search your cart!” He searched the cart till he found the jewel which he had put there himself.

“Thief!” cried he, seizing the Bodhisatta; they beat him and kicked him; then binding his arms behind him they dragged him before the king, crying out “See the thief who stole your jewel!” The king ordered, “Cut his head.” They whipped him, and tormented him at every street corner, and cast him out of the city by the south gates.

Now Sujata left the waggon, and stretching out her arms she ran after him, wailing as she went “O! my husband! it is I who brought you into this woful plight!” The king’s servants threw the Bodhisatta upon his back, with the intent to cut off his head. When she saw this, Sujata, thought upon her own goodness and virtue, reflecting thus within herself; “I suppose there can be no spirit here strong enough to stay the hand of cruel and wicked men, who work mischief to the virtuous” and weeping and wailing she said:

“No gods are here they must be far away;

No gods, who over all the world hold sway

Now wild and violent men may work their will,

For here is no one who could say them nay.”

As this virtuous woman thus lamented, the throne of Sakka, king of the Gods, grew hot as he sat upon it. “Who is it that would make me fall from my godhead?” thought Sakka. Then he was aware of what was happening. He thought, “The king of Benares is doing a very cruel deed. He is making the virtuous Sujata miserable; now I must go there!”

So descending from the godworld, by his own power he dismounted the wicked king from the elephant on whose back he was riding, and laid him upon in the place of execution; but the Bodhisatta he caught up, and decked him with all kinds of ornaments, and made the king’s dress come upon him, and set him on the back of the king’s elephant. The servants lifted the axe and cut off a head but it was the king’s head; and when it was off, they knew that it was the head of the king.

Sakka took upon him a visible body, and came before the Bodhisatta, and consecrated him to be king; and made Sujata the chief queen. And as the courtiers, the Brahmins and householders, and the rest, saw Sakka, king of the gods, they rejoiced, saying, “The unrighteous king is slain! Now have we received from the hands of Sakka a king who is righteous!” And sakka stood poised in the air, and declared, “This your righteous king; from this time forth shall rule in righteousness. If a king be unrighteous, God sends rain out of season, and in season he sends no rain and fear of famine, fear of pestilence, fear of the sword these three fears come upon men for him.”

Thus did Sakka admonish a great concourse of folk, and then he went straight to his divine abode. And the Bodhisatta reigned in righteousness, and then went to swell the hosts of heaven.