In those days, there was a king named Makadeva, who ruled the throne morally. One day, he called his barber and said “My barber, whenever you see my white hair, please tell me.”

Year passed, the barber saw one white hair on the king’s head. Therefore, he told the king as ordered “My majesty, you have one white hair.”

“My friend, please pull out that hair and put in my hand.” the king ordered.

The barber used a golden tweezer to pull out the white hair and placed down on the king’s hand.

When the king saw white hair, although the king is not old, he felt that the death is coming. He thought “Silly Makadeva, you never think of renouncing desires until you have white hair.”  and decided to renounce his worldly life on that day.

He called his eldest son and ordered “Look, my son, I have a white hair. I’m an old man now. I have had enough worldly happiness. I’ll search for divine happiness. It’s time for me to become a priest. May you reign the throne. I’ll practice in Makadeva garden.”

Royal followers asked the king “My majesty, what is your reason to become a priest ?”

“My white hair appears. Deity appears. This is the time for being a priest.” The king replied.

The king became a priest on that day and kept practicing in the garden. After he passed away, he was born in the realm of Brahman. After that he was born as the king in the same country and became a priest in the garden again. After passed away, he was born in the realm of Brahman again.

The barber finally reincarnated as Anon, a famous Buddhist saint. The eldest son of the king finally reincarnated as Rahul, the son of the Buddha. The king  finally reincarnated as the Buddha.

When the king woke up and knew this, he got angry and ordered his followers and his citizens to kill all dogs that were not owned; a lot of dogs were killed.

There was a group of dogs living near a graveyard. This group was leaded by a great dog. The great dog knew that many dogs were killed and he certain that the cart was damaged by the dogs in the palace.

Thought that no one could help dogs, the great dog ran through the graveyard, the city, the king’s followers, and finally laid down under the king’s throne.

After resting for a while, the great dog asked the king “My majesty, I heard that you have ordered to kill dogs. Is this true ?”

“Yes, that’s true,” the king replied.

“Why?” asked the great dog. Then the king explained why he ordered that.

The great dog said “Do you know which dogs have damaged your cart?”

The king replied “I don’t know.”

The great dog asked “Did you ordered to kill all dogs, or have any exception?”

“No, dogs in the palace are exempt from being killed,” replied the king.

The great dog said “If that’s true, you are unfair because you don’t know which dogs have damaged your cart, but you didn’t ordered to kill all dogs; you ordered to kill only not-owned dogs I certain that there were no dogs, except dogs in the palace, that can damage your cart.”

“Can you prove your claim?” asked the king.

“Yes, you just mix oil and grasses, and then force the dogs in the palace to eat.” replied the great dog.

The king ordered his followers to follow the instruction of the great dog. After a while, all dogs in the palace vomited out leathers.

Saw that, the king condoned all dogs, and ordered his followers to feed the great dogs and other dogs everyday.

The king finally reincarnated as Anon, a famous Buddhist saint. The great dog finally reincarnated as the Buddha.

At the time new son was born, the king told the queen that she could ask him for anything. The queen asked him to give the throne to her son but the king disagreed with her.

The queen kept asking the king for many times. Unavoidably, the king had to keep his promise.  So, he told Mahissasakumara and Chantakumara about this and ordered them to leave the city and come back to reign the throne when he died.

Sawing his brothers leaving the palace sadly, Suriyakumara insist on accompanying with his brothers.

When the three boys went near the Himmapan forest, they had a rest. Suriyakumara was thirsty, so he left his brothers to find some water to drink. Few minutes later, Suriyakumara found a swamp and quickly get into the swamp.

Unfortunately, this swamp was owned by a water demon. This demon was allowed by Wessuwan, the king of ogre, to eat all human who enter the swamp except the one know the Dharma of god.

The water demon appeared and asked Suriyakumara, “Do you know the Dharma of god?”

Suriyakumara answered “Yes, I know. The Dharma of god is the moon and the sun!”

The water demon said that was wrong, so he caught Suriyakumara and imprisoned him.

Thought that Suriyakumara may be lost, Mahissasakumara told Chantakumara to find Suriyakumara.

Chantakumara entered the swamp and was asked the same question. He answered wrong and was caught by the demon also.

Felt that his brothers went too long; Mahissasakumara followed them until he arrived at the swamp. He noticed that there were only footprints that head into the swamp and knew that the swamp must be owned by a water demon.

The water demon transformed into a woodcutter, persuade Mahissakumara to enter the swamp and drink some water. Knew that the woodcutter actually be a water demon, Mahissakumara said “The demon, I know that you have caught my brothers. Where did you imprison my brothers?”

“I keep them in my living place.” the water demon replied.

“Why did you catch my brothers?” Mahissakumara asked.

“I get permission from King Wessuwan that I can eat all human who can’t tell me what the Dharma of god is.” The water demon said.

“If I know what the Dharma of god is, will you release my brothers?” Mahissakumara asked.

“Sure, so tell me what the Dharma of god is” the water demon said.

“Calm nobleman normally has a shame of committing sins, has a fear of committing sins, and persists in moral. Such nobleman has a Dharma of god.” Mahissakumara answered.

The water demon like the answer and release only Chantakumara.
Mahissakumara said “Suriyakumara is my brother of different mother, if I come back with Chantakumara, people will think that I killed Suriyakumara. So that you should release Suriyakumara also.”

Admired by Mahissakumara’s answer, the water demon released Suriyakumara and asked for being a follower of Mahissakumara.

One day, all three brothers heard that the king had died, so they went back to the city with the water demon. At last, Mahissakumara became a king; Chantakumara became a grand regent; Suriyakumara became a prime minister; the water demon became a city guard.

The water demon finally reincarnated as an old monk. Mahissakumara finally reincarnated as the Buddha. Chantakumara finally reincarnated as Saribudra, a famous Buddhist saint. Suriyakumara finally reincarnated as Anon, a famous Buddhist saint.

Although he ruled the country for many ten thousand years, he still looked young and healthy. However, he never neglected the truth of life. He told his barber that if the barber found any whitehair, the barber must tell him as soon as possible.

After that about ten thousand years, the barber saw the first whitehair of the king. The barber told the king, took the whitehair and put down slowly to the king’s hand.

Being sad about declination of his body, the king decided to become a hermit. He rewarded the barber and talked to his son.

“My beloved son, this whitehair like a messenger of death standing in front of me. I have occupied the thrown happily long enough. It’s time to find inside happiness, which is everlasting.” the king said.

“I’ll abdicate the thrown. You should rule this city with virtues. And when you have a first whitehair, you have to abdicate the thrown and become a hermit. Don’t end this cycle.”

After that, the king abdicated the thrown, became a hermit, live in Himmapan forest, and practice the dhrama until he succeeded a high level of meditation and get reborn in higher-than-heaven world.

The barber finally reincarnated as Anon, a famous Buddhist saint. The son finally reincarnated as Rahul, the son of the Buddha. The king finally reincarnated as the Buddha.

Moral: Only inner happiness is eternal.