Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was a very wealthy merchant. He had a herdsman who was driving his cows to the forest for grazing, collect milk and take gee from it and give the merchant. He grew corns and rice and after harvest, he gave the produce from time to time to the merchant.

In the forest a lion was living and he was very fond of a dove. The cows afraid of the lion gave little milk and the quantity of gee also has gone down. The merchant asked why the quantity of gee is so little. Then the herdsman told him the reason.

The Bodhisatta told, “well! catch her, and rub her all over with this poison and leaver her there itself. The lion will die. Take his hide with the claws and teeth and fat, and bring them back to me.” He gave deadly poison to the herdsman and sent him off. With the aid of a net, the herdsman caught the doe and carried out the Bodhisatta’s orders.

As soon as the lion saw the doe again, in his great love for her, licked her with his tongue so that he died. And the herdsman took the lion’s hide and the rest, and brought them to the Bodhisatta. Then the Bodhisatta said, “Affection for others should be avoided. Mark how, for all his strength, the king of beasts, the lion, was led by his sinful love for a doe to poison himself by licking her and so to die.” He uttered for the instruction of those gathered around:-

Trust not the trusted, nor the untrusted trust;

Trust kills through trust the lion bit the dust.

Such was the lesson which the Bodhisatta taught to those around him. After a life spent in charity and other good works, he passed away to fare according to his deserts.