Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born and grew up in a brahmin house, and became the chief pupil of a world-famed teacher at Takkasila. At that time this teacher preached the moral law to any one that he might see, fishermen etc., even if they did not want it, repeatedly bidding them receive the law. But though they received it, they kept it not. The teacher spoke of it to his disciples. His disciples said, “Holy Sir! you preach to them against their wishes, and therefore they break the law. Hence preach only to those who wish to hear you, and not to those who do not wish.” The teacher was filled with regret, but even so he still laid down the law to all whom he happened to see.

Now one day, some people came from a village and invited the teacher to partake of the cakes offered to brahmins. He summoned his disciple named Karandiya and said, “My dear son, I am not going, but you are to go there with these five hundred disciples, and receive the cakes, and bring the portion that falls to my share.” So he sent him. The disciple went, and as he was returning, he saw a cave, and the thought struck him, “Our master lays down the law, without being asked, to those he sees. Hence I will cause him to preach only to those that wish to hear him.” And while the other disciples were comfortably seated, he arose and picking up a huge stone, flung it into the cave, and again and again repeated the action. Then the disciples stood up and said, “Sir, what are you doing?” Karandiya said not a word. And they went in haste and told their master. The master came and in conversing with Karandiya said:–

Why in forest all alone

Seizing oft a mighty stone,

Didst thou hurl it with a will

Mountain cave as it were to fill?

On hearing his words, Karandiya to rouse his master said:–

I would make this sea-girt land

Smooth as palm of human hand:

Thus I level knoll and hill

And with stones each hollow fill.

The brahmin, on hearing this, said:–

Never a one of mortal birth

Has the power to level earth.

Scarce Karandiya can hope

With a single cave to cope.

The disciple, on hearing this, spoke:–

If a man of mortal birth

Has no power to level earth,

Heretics may well refuse,

Brahmin, to adopt thy views.

On hearing this the teacher made an appropriate reply. For he now recognized that other men might differ from him, and thinking, “I will no longer act thus,” he said:–

Friend Karandiya in short

For my good thou dost exhort:

Earth can never levelled be,

Neither can all men agree.

Thus did the teacher sing the praises of his disciple? And after he had thus admonished his teacher, conducted him home.

The Master, having ended this lesson, identified the Birth : “At that time sariputta was the brahmin, and I myself was the disciple Karandiya.”