Once on a time, while Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as the son of an elephant trainer. When he grew up, he was taught all the art of managing the elephant.

And there came a young villager from Kasi who wanted to learn elephant training. The Bodhisatta taught everything according to their own knowledge of thepupil. So this youth learnt all the branches of knowledge from the Bodhisatta, without omission; and when he had learnt, he said to his master: “Master, I will serve the king and please get me one.”

The Bodhisatta said, “Good!”

The Bodhisatta asked a job fir his pupil. The king said, “Good! let him serve me.” The Bodhisatta asked the king, “How much you pay him as salary?”

“A pupil of yours will not receive so much as you; if you receive one hundred, he shall have fifty. So the Bodhisatta went home, and told all this to his pupil.

The pupil said, “Master! I know all your knowledge, piece for piece. If I shall have the like payment, I will serve the king; but if not, then I will not serve him.” And this the Bodhisatta told to the king.

The king said, “If the young man proves that he has all skills like you, then I will pay equal salary.” And the Bodhisatta told this to the pupil, and the pupil answered, “Very good, I will.” The King said, “Proove your skills in tha arena.” It was announced by drum beat. “Tomorrow the master and the pupil will make show together of their skill in managing the elephant. Tomorrow let all that wish to see gather together in the courtyard of the palace, and see it.”

The Bodhisatta thought, “My pupil does not know all my resources.” So he chose an elephant, and in one night he taught him to do all things in the opposite way. He taught him to back when ordered to go forward, and to lie down when bidden rise and so on.

Next day The Bodhisatta mounting his elephant came to the palace yard. And his pupil also was there, mounted upon an elephant which was trained to do opposite manner,. There was a great gathering of people. They both showed all their skill. But the elephant of the pupil made everything in opposite; “Go on!” said he, and it backed; “Back!” and it ran forward; “Stand up!” and it lay down; “Lie!” and it stood up; “Pick it up!” and the creature dropped it; “Drop it!” and he picked it up. And the crowd cried, “Go to, you rascal! Do not raise your voice against your master! You do not know your own measure, and you think you can match yourself against him!” and they drove him away. The Bodhisatta came down from his elephant, and approaching the king, addressed him thus: “O mighty king! For their own good men get them taught; but there was one to whom his learning brought misery with it like an ill made shoe.”

The king was delighted, and heaped honours upon the Bodhisatta.