Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a brahmin’s son in a village of Kasi. Coming of years, he attained perfection in all his studies, and embraced the religious life; and he lived in Himalaya, hard by a natural lake, cultivating the Faculties and the Attainments.

All night long he had wrestled in the spirit; and at sunrise he bathed. With one bark garment on and the other in his hand, he stood, letting the water dry off his body. At the moment a daughter of the gods observed his perfect beauty, and fell in love with him. She started to tempt him, saying:

“Begging brother, do you know

What of joy the world can show?

Now’s the time there is no other:

Pleasure first, then begging brother!”

The Bodhisatta listened to the nymph’s address, and then replied, declaring his set purpose:-

“The time is hid I cannot know

When is the time that I must go:

Now is the time there is no other:

So I am now a begging brother.”

When the nymph heard the Bodhisatta’s words, she vanished at once.