Once upon a time in the Kampillaka kingdom, when a Pancala king was reigning in a North Pancala city, the Bodhisatta was born into a brahmin family. And when he was grown up, he acquired knowledge of the arts at Takkasila. Afterwards taking orders as an ascetic and dwelling in the Himalayas, he lived for a long time by what he could glean – feeding on wild fruits and roots.

And wandering into the haunts of men for the purpose of procuring salt and vinegar, he came to a city of North Pancala and took up his abode in the king’s garden. Next day he went into the city to beg alms, and came to the king’s gate. The king was so pleased with his behaviour that he seated him on the dais and fed him with food worthy of a king. And he assigned him a lodging in the garden.

At the end of the rainy season, being anxious to return to the Himalayas, he thought, “If I go upon this journey, I must get a pair of single-soled shoes and a parasol of leaves. I will beg them of the king.”

One day he came to the garden, and finding the king sitting there, he resolved to ask him for the shoes and parasol. But he is hesitant to ask before others. He said, “Great King, I am anxious to speak with you in private.” The royal attendants on hearing this departed. The Bodhisatta thought, “If the king should refuse my prayer, our friendship will be at an end. So I will not ask now.” Then he said, “Go now, Great King! I will deal this matter later.” Another day on the king’s coming to the garden, saying, as before, first this and then that, he could not frame his request. And so twelve years elapsed.

Then the king thought, “This priest said, ‘I wish to speak in private,’ and when the courtiers are departed, he has not the courage to speak. And while he is longing to do so, twelve years have elapsed. After living a religious life so long, I suspect, he is regretting the world. He is eager to enjoy pleasures and is longing for sovereignty. But being unable to frame the word ‘kingdom,’ he keeps silent. To-day now I will offer him whatever he desires, from my kingdom downwards.” So he went to the garden and sitting down saluted him. The Bodhisatta asked to speak to him in private, and when the courtiers had departed, he could not utter a word. The king said, “For twelve years you have asked to speak to me in private, and when you have had the opportunity, you have not been able to say a word. I offer you everything, beginning with my kingdom. Do not be afraid, but ask for whatever you please.”

“Great King,” he said, “will you give me what I want?”

“Yes! Reverend Sir! I will.”

“Great King, when I go back to the Himalayas, I must have a pair of single soled shoes and a parasol of leaves.”

“Have you not been able to ask for such a trifle as this for twelve years?”

“Great King, the man who says ‘Give me so and so,’ sheds tears, and the one who refuses and says ‘I have it not,’ in his turn weeps. If, when I begged, you should have refused me, I feared the people might see us mingling our tears. This is why I asked for a secret interview.

The king, being charmed with the Bodhisatta, granted him the boon and spoke:

Bramin I offer thee a thousand kine,

Red kine, and eke the leader of the herd;

Hearing but now these generous words of thine,

I too in turn to generous deed am stirred.

But the Bodhisatta said, “I do not desire material pleasures. Give me that only which I ask for.” And he took a pair of single-soled shoes and the parasol of leaves, and exhorted the king to be zealous in religion and to keep the moral law and observe fast days. And though the king begged him to stay, he went off to the Himalayas, where he developed all the Faculties and Attainments, and was destined to birth in the Brahma – world.

The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth: At that time Ananda was the king, and I myself was the ascetic.”