Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was born in a town in the family of a wealthy brahmin and they named him Rakkhita-Kumara. When he grew up and had completed his education at Takkasila, he married a wife, and on his parents’ demise, he made enquiry into his treasures; then being much exercised in mind, he distributed alms, and mastering his passions became a hermit in the regions of Himalaya, where he developed supernatural powers and dwelt in a certain spot, nourishing himself upon the roots and fruits of the forest. In course of time his followers became a great number, five hundred disciples that lived with him.

One day these ascetics except the Bodhisatta, in order to spend the winter came down from Himalayas to Benares, where they took up their dwelling in the king’s park. And much honour and hospitality was shown to them.

There was a great crowd come together in the royal rest house at Benares, and the Omen Problem was discussed. The crowd saw no one who could allay the doubts of men and solve the problem of the omens; so they went to the park, and put their problem to the body of sages. The sages addressed the king saying, “Great king, we cannot solve this question, but our Teacher lives in Himalaya; he will solve the question.” The king requested them to go to Himalayas, get the answer from the teacher and return to Benaras and tell it to the him. They promised to do; and when they had returned to their Teacher, they told him all the story of the omens of sight and so forth from beginning to end, and explained how they came on the king’s errand, to hear the answer to the question with their own ears; They say, “Sir! please make clear this Omen Problem to us, and tell us the truth.” Then the eldest disciple asked his question of the Teacher:

“Declare the truth to mortal man perplex,

And tell what scripture, or what holly text,

Studied and said at the auspicious hour,

Gives blessing in this world and in the next?”

When the eldest disciple had put the omen problem in these words, the Great Being allaying the doubts of gods and men, answered, “This and this is an omen,” and thus describing the omens with a Buddha’s skill, said,

“Whoso the gods, and all that fathers be,

And reptiles, and all beings, which we see,

Honours for ever with a kindly heart,

Surely a Blessing to all creatures he.”

Thus did the Great Being declare the first omen, and then proceeded to declare the second, and all the rest:

“Who shows to all the world a modest cheer,

To men and women, sons and daughters dear,

Who to reviling answers not in kind?

Surely a blessing he to every fere.

Who clear of intellect, in crisis wise?

Nor playmates nor companions does despise,

Nor boasts of birth or wisdom, caste, or wealth,

Among his mates a blessing doth arise.

Who takes good men and true his friends to be,

That trusts him, for his tongue from venom free,

Who never harms a friend, who shares his wealth?

Surely a blessing among friend is he.

Whose wife is friendly, and many children bears,

Devoted, good, and many children bears,

Faithful and virtuous and of gentle birth,

That is the blessing that in wives appease.

Whose king the mighty Lord of Beings is,

That knows pure living and all potencies,

And says, He is my friend, and means no guile

That is the blessing that in monarchs lies.

The true believer, giving drink and food,

Flowers and garlands, perfumes, ever good

With heart at peace, and spreading joy around

This in all heavens brings beatitude.

Whom by good living virtuous sages try

With effort strenuous to purify,

Good men and wise, by tranquil life built up,

A blessing he mid saintly company.”

Thus the Great Being brought his discourse to a top stone in sainthood; and having explained the Omens, in praise of those same Omens said:

“These blessings then, that in the world befall,

Esteemed by all the wise, magnifical,

What man is prudent let him follow these,

For in the omens is no truth at all.”

The sages, having heard about Omens, returned to Benaras. The king visited them and asked his question they explained the Problem of the Omens in the same way as it had been told to them, and went back to Himalaya. Thenceforward the matter of Omens was understood in the word. And having attended to the matter of omens, as they died they went each to swell the hosts of heaven. The Bodhisatta cultivated the Excellences, and along with his band of followers was born in Brahma’s heaven.