Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as prince, once more. On the day when he was to be named, the parents enquired as to their child’s destiny from eight hundred Brahmins.These clever soothsaying Brahmins foretold that, coming to the throne at the king’s death, the child should be a mighty king endowed with every virtue; famed and renowned for his exploits with five weapons, he should stand peerless in all Jambudipa. And because of this prophecy of the Brahmins, the parents named their son Prince Five Weapons.

Now, when the prince was come to years of discretion, the king sent him to school for study.

The prince asked, “With whom, sir, am I to study?”.

Giving his son a thousand pieces for studying expenses, The King said,”With the world famed teacher in the town of Takkasila in the Gandhara country.”

So the prince went to Takkasila and studied there. When he was leaving, his master gave him a set of five weapons. Armed with five weapons, Prince returned to Benares.

On his way he came to a forest haunted by an ogre named Hairy grip; and at the entrance of the forest, men who met him tried to stop him, saying:- “Young Brahmin! do not go through that forest; it is the haunted by the ogre Hairy grip and he kills every one he meets.” But, bold as a lion, the self reliant Bodhisatta pressed on, till in the heart of the forest he came on the ogre. The monster made himself appear in stature as tall as a palm tree, with a large head and huge eyes like bowls, with two tusks like turnips and the beak of a hawk; his belly was blotched with purple; and the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet were blue – black! The monster cried, “Halt! You are my prey.” the Bodhisatta answered, “Ogre! I knew what I was doing when entering this forest. You will be ill advised to come near me. I can kill you with a single poisoned arrow.” And with this defiance, he shot an arrow dipped in deadliest poison at the ogre. But it only stuck on to the monster’s shaggy coat. Then he shot another and another, till fifty were spent, all of which merely stuck on to the ogre’s shaggy coat. Hereon the ogre, shaking the arrows off so that they fell at his feet, came at the Bodhisatta; and the Bodhisatta, again shouting defiance, drew his sword and struck at the ogre. But, like the arrows, his sword, which was thirty three inches long, merely stuck fast in the shaggy hair. Next the Bodhisatta hurled his spear, and that stuck fast also. Seeing this, he smote the ogre with his club; but, like his other weapons, that too stuck fast. And thereupon the Bodhisatta shouted, “Ogre, you never heard of me, Prince Five-Weapons. When I ventured into this forest, I put my trust not in my bow and other weapons, but in myself! Now will I strike you a blow which shall crush you into dust.” So saying, the Bodhisatta smote the ogre with his right hand; but the hand stuck fast upon the hair. Then, in turn, with his left hand and with his right and left feet, he struck at the monster. Again shouting “I will crush you into dust!” he butted the ogre with his head, and that too stuck fast.

Even when thus caught, the Bodhisatta, as he hung upon the ogre, was still fearless, still undaunted. And the monster thought to himself, “This man is a lion among men; a hero without a peer. He has not shown even a small tremor even at the clutches of an Ogre. I have not seen a single man like him throughout my life. How comes it that he is not frightened?” Not daring to devour the Bodhisatta offhand, he said, “How is it, young Brahmin, that you have no fear of death?”

The Bodhisatta answered,”Why should I?” “Each life must surely have its destined death. Moreover, within my body is a sword of adamant, which you will never digest, if you eat me. It will chop your organs inside into mincemeat, and my death will involve yours too. Therefore it is that I have no fear.” (By this, it is said, the Bodhisatta meant the Sword of Knowledge, which was within him.)

Hereon, the ogre fell thought,”This young Brahmin is speaking the truth and nothing but the truth. I could not digest a tiny piece of such a hero. I’ll let him go.” And so, in fear of his life, he let the Bodhisatta go free, saying, “Young Brahmin, you are a lion among men; I will not eat you. Go away to gladden the hearts of your parents, kinsfolk, your friends, and your country.”

The Bodhisatta answered,”As for myself, ogre,I will go. As for you, it was your sins in bygone days that caused you to be reborn a ravening, murderous, flesh-eating ogre; and if you continue in sin in this existence, you will go on from darkness to darkness. But, having seen me, you will be unable to sin any more. Know that to destroy life is to ensure re-birth either in hell or as a brute or as a ghost or among the fallen spirits. Or, if the re-birth be into the world of men, then such sin cuts short the days of a man’s life.”

With these teachings the Bodhisatta changed the mind of Ogre. Then making the ogre the fairy of that forest, with a right to levy dues, and charging him to remain stedfast.

The Bodhisatta went his way, making known the change in the ogre’s mood as he issued from the forest. And in the end he came, armed with the five weapons, to the city of Benares, and presented himself before his parents. In later days, when king, he was a righteous ruler; and after a life spent in charity and other good works he passed away to fare there after according to his deserts.