Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was reborn in the womb of the Queen. When he was born, he was named as Prince Brahmadatta. By sixteen years of age he had been well educated at Takkasila, had learned the Three Vedas by heart, and was versed in the Eighteen Branches of Knowledge. And his father made him a Viceroy.

In those days the Benares folk used to show honour to ‘gods’ and celebrated festivals. They killed number of sheeps, goats, poultry etc., and perform their rites. The Bodhisatta thought to himself, “Led by superstition, men now wantonly sacrifice life; When I succeed my throne, I will find means to end such destruction of life. I will devise some clever stratagem whereby the evil shall be stopped without harming a single human being.”

In this mood the prince one day mounted his chariot and drove out of the city. On the way he saw a crowd gathered together at a holy banyan – tree, praying to the fairy. They prayed for grant of sons and daughters, honour and wealth, each according to his heart’s desire. Getting down from his chariot, the Bodhisatta went near the tree and behaved as a worshipper so far as to make offerings of perfumes and flowers, sprinkling the tree with water; and pacing reverently round its trunk. Then mounting his chariot again, he went his way back into the city.

From then onwards the prince made like journeys from time to time to the tree, and worshipped it like a true believer in ‘gods.’

In due course, when his father died, the Bodhisatta became King. Shunning the four evil courses, and practising the ten royal virtues, he ruled his people in righteousness. And now that his desire had come to pass and he was king, the Bodhisatta set himself to fulfil his former resolve. So he called together his ministers, the Brahmins, the gentry, and the other orders of the people, and asked the assembly whether they knew how he had made himself king. But no man could tell.

The Bodhisatta said,”Have you ever seen me reverently worshipping a banyan – tree with perfumes and bowing down before it?”

“Sir, we have,” said they.

The Bodhisatta said,”Well, I was making a vow; and the vow was that, if ever I became king, I would offer a sacrifice to that tree. And now that by help of the god I have come to be king, I will offer my promised sacrifice. So prepare for it with full speed.”

The Ministers asked,”But what are we to make it of?”

The Bodhisatta said, “My vow was this:- I will slay all people who are addicted to the Five Sins, to wit the slaughter of living creatures and so forth, and all such as walk in the Ten Paths of Unrighteousness. And with their flesh and their blood, with their entrails and their vitals, I will make my offering. So proclaim this by beat of drum. The King added,”Of those that transgress after this date, I will slay a thousand, and offer them as a sacrifice to the god in discharge of my vow.”

Obedient to the king’s commands, the ministers had proclamation made by beat of drum accordingly throughout the country.

Such was the effect of the proclamation on the townsfolk that not a soul persisted in the old wickedness. And throughout the Bodhisatta’s reign not a man was convicted of transgressing. Thus, without harming a single one of his subjects, the Bodhisatta made them observe the Commandments. And at the close of a life of alms – giving and other good works he passed away with his followers to throng the city of the devas.