In the rainy season, he with five hundreds disciples arrived at Varanasi and was welcomed by the king of Varanasi. The king offered the hermit master and his disciples to be in the royal garden.

At the end of rainy season, the hermit bid farewell to the king. The king asked “My noble, you’re old. It’s not good for you to be in Himmapan forest. You should send your disciples to Himmapan forest and stay here.”

The hermit master accepted and sent all his disciples to Himmapan forest and he was stay in the royal garden.

Among the five hundred disciples, there was one leader. He had ever been a king before becoming a hermit and he also succeeded the highest level of meditation.

The leader wanted to see his master, he said to all disciples “I’ll go to see the master. Don’t be annoyed. Please be here. I’ll come back when I had seen the master.” Then, he left Himmapan forest and headed for the royal garden. After he had met the hermit master, the leader laid himself in the hermit master’s place.

The king thought that he should go to see the hermit master, so he went to the royal garden and paid respect to the hermit master.

Although the leader saw the king, the leader didn’t stand up and greet the king. The leader still laid down and exclaimed “So happy, So happy !”

The king felt neglected so he said to the hermit master “This hermit must be full of food so he didn’t stand up.”

“My majesty, this hermit had ever been a king like you.  He thought that when he was the king he still had not much happiness like this,” the hermit master explained, “One who looks after no one and be looked after by no one usually be happy.”

The king was glad with the hermit master’s words. He bid farewell to the hermit master and went back to his place.

The leader finally reincarnated as Pattiyadera, a Buddhist saint. The hermit master finally reincarnated as the Buddha.

In those days, there was a king of Varanasi named Phrommadatta. His queen had a son named Mahissasa. One of his concubine also gave a birth to a son named Chanta.

When the queen passed away, he appointed his most favourite concubine as a new queen. The new queen also had a son named Suriya. At the time Suriya was born, the king said to his queen that he will give anything she want as gift fore the new child. The queen replied that she would ask him when she want.

When Suriya grew up, the new queen told the king “When I gave a birth to Suriya, you said that you will give anything I want. Now I beg that you give the throne to my son please.”

The king discouraged “My first two sons are already shining. I can’t give the throne to your son.”

However, the queen still begged the king for many times. He thought that the queen may had malice against his first two sons. He called his first two sons and ordered his two sons to went away from the country for their safety.

Suriya was playing at the royal courtyard and saw his brothers were going. Because they were familiar, Suriya also followed his two brothers. Therefore, three boys were traveling together and they are heading to Himmapan forest.

After traveling for a while, they stopped and had a rest under a big tree. The eldest brother, Mahissasa, said to Suriya “Suriya, please go to that pond, take a bath and bring us some water to drink.”

Unfortunately, the pond was owned by a water demon. The water demon had a permission from Vessawan, the king of ogres, to eat all people who went into the pond except the people who know Deva Dharma (Dharma of god).

Not knowing that the pond was owned by a water demon, Suriya went into the pond and was caught by the water demon. The water demon asked “Do you know Deva Dharma ?”

“I know,” Suriya said, “The moon and the sun are Deva Dharma !”

“You don’t know Deva Dharma.” The water demon said and brought Suriya to it’s place.

Feeling that Suriya left too long, Mahissasa sent out Chanta to find Suriya.

Chanta went to the pond and found the water demon. The water demon asked “Do you know Deva Dharma ?”

“Yes, I know,” Chanta said, “The north, the south, the east and the west are Deva Dharma.”

“You don’t know Deva Dhama.” The water demon said and brought Suriya to it’s place.

After a while, Mahissasa feel that there may be something wrong, so he went to the pond by himself. He noticed footsteps of his two brothers and thought that the pond may be owned by a demon. He armed his bow and stood there.

[To be continue ...]

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.