Once upon a time Brahmadatta ruled righteously in Benares, having renounced the ways of sin, and he kept the Ten Royal Virtues. This being so, his court of justice became so to say empty. The king, by way of searching out his own faults, questioned every one, beginning with those who dwelt about him; but not in the women’s apartments, nor in the city, nor in the near villages, could he find any one who had a fault to tell of him. Then he made up his mind to try the country folk. So handing over the government to his courtiers, and taking the chaplain with him, he traversed the kingdom of Kasi in disguise; yet he found no one with a fault to tell of him. At last he came to a village on the frontier, and sat down in a hall without the gate. At that time, a landowner of that village, a rich man worth eighty crores, in going down with a great following to the bathing place, saw the king seated in the hall, with his dainty body and skin of a golden colour. He took a fancy to him, and entering the hall, said, “Stay here awhile.” Then he went to his house, and had got ready all manner of dainty food, and returned with his grand retinue carrying vessels of food. At the same time, an ascetic from Himalay came in and sat down there, a man who had the Five Transcendent Faculties. And a Pacceka Buddha also, from a cave on Mount Nanda, came and sat there. the landowner gave the king water to wash his hands, and prepared a dish of food with all manner of fine sauces and condiments, and set before the king. He received it and gave it to the brahmin chaplain. The chaplain took it and gave to the ascetic. The ascetic walked up to the Pacceka Buddha, in his left hand holding the vessel of food, and in his right the waterpot, first offered the water of gift, and then placed the food in the bowl. He proceeded to eat, without inviting any to share, or asking leave. When the meal was done, the landowner thought: “I gave this food to the king, and he to his chaplain and the chaplain to the ascetic, and the ascetic to the Pacceka Buddha; the Pacceka Buddha has eaten it without leave asked. What means this manner of giving? Why did the last eat without with your leave or by your leave? I will ask them one by one.” Then he approached each in turn, and saluting them, asked his question, while they made answer:

“I saw one worthy of a throne, who from a kingdom came

To deserts bare from palaces, most delicate of frame.

“On him in kindness I bestowed picked paddy-grains to eat,

A mess of rice all cooked so nice such as men pour on meat.

“You took the food, and gave it to the brahmin, eating none.

With all due deference I ask, what is it you have done?”

“My teacher, pastor, zealous he for duties great and small,

I ought to give the food to him, for he deserves it all.”

“Brahmin, whom even kings respect, say why did you not eat

The mess of rice, all cooked so nice, which men pour over meat.

“You knew not the gift’s scope, but to the sage you past it on:

With all due deference I ask, what is it you have done?”

“I keep a wife and family, in houses too I dwell,

I rule the passions of a king, my own indulge as well.

“Unto a wise ascetic man long dwelling in the wood,

Old, practiced in religious lore, I ought to give the food.”

“Now the thin sage I ask, whose skin shows all the veins beneath,

With nails grown long, and shaggy hair, and dirty head and teeth:

“Have you no care for life, o lonely dweller in the wood?

How is this monk a better man to whom you gave the food?”

“Wild bulbs and radishes dig, catmint and herbs seek I,

Wild rice, black mustard shake or pick, and spread them out to dry,

“Jujubes, herbs, honey, lotus-threads, myrobolan, scraps of meat,

This is my wealth, and these I take and make them fit to eat.

“I cook, he cooks not: I have wealth, he nothing: I’m bound tight

To worldly things, but he is free: the food is his by right.”

“I ask the Brother, sitting there, with cravings all subdued;

This mess of rice, all cooked and nice, which men pour on their food,

“You took it, and with appetite eat it, and share with none;

With all due deference I ask, what is it you have done?”

“I cook not, nor I cause to cook, destroy nor have destroyed;

He knew that I possess no wealth, all sins I do avoid.

“The pot he carried in his right, and in his left the food,

Gave me the broth men pour on meat, the mess of rice so good;

“They have possessions, they have wealth, to give their duty is:

Who asks a giver to partake, he is a foe.”

On hearing these words, the landowner I high delight repeated the last two stanzas:

“It was a happy chance for me to-day that brought the king:

I never knew before how gifts abundant fruit would bring.

Kings in their kingdoms, brahmins in their work, are full of greed,

Sages in picking fruits and roots: Brethren from sin are freed.”

The Pacceka Buddha having discoursed to him, then departed to his own place, and the ascetic likewise. And the king, after remaining a few days with him, went away to Benares.