“O, Wise Teacher, in you I place my trust. I will give you up one of your brothers. Which shall I bring?” “Bring me the younger of the two.” “But, Teacher; you who know so well all about the divine nature, do you not act in accordance with it?” “What do you mean?” “That neglecting the elder, and telling me to bring the younger of the two, you pay not the honour that is due to seniority.” “I both know, O Demon, what divinity is, and I walk according to it. It is on that boy’s account that we came to this forest: for it was for him that his mother begged the kingdom from our father, and our father being unwilling to grant that, sent us away to live in the forest, that we might be safe from danger. The lad himself came all the way along with us. Were I to say, ‘An ogre has eaten him in the wilderness,’ no one would believe it. Therefore it is that I, to avoid all blame, have told you to bring _him_.” “Verily thou hast spoken well, O Teacher. Thou not only knowest what divinity is, but hast acted as a divinity would.” And when he had thus magnified the Bodisat with believing heart, he brought forth both the brothers and gave them back to him. Then said the Bodisat to him, “Friend, it is by reason of evil deeds committed by you in some former birth, that you have been born as an ogre, living on the flesh of other beings. And now you still go on sinning. This thine iniquity will prevent thine ever escaping from rebirth in evil states. From henceforth, therefore, put away evil, and do good!” With these words he succeeded in converting him. And the ogre being converted, the Bodisat continued to live there under his protection. And one day he saw by the conjunction of the stars that his father was dead. So he took the water-sprite with him and returned to Benares, and took upon himself the kingdom. And he made Moon Prince his heir-apparent, and Sun Prince his commander-in-chief. And for the water-sprite he made a dwelling-place in a pleasant spot, and took care that he should be constantly provided with the best of garlands and flowers and food. And he himself ruled his kingdom in righteousness, until he passed away according to his deeds. * * * * * The Teacher having finished this discourse spoke on the Four Truths. And when he had done, that monk entered the First Stage of the Path leading to Nirvāna. And the Buddha having told the double story, made the connexion and summed up the Jātaka by concluding, “The then water-sprite was the luxurious monk; the Sun Prince was Ānanda; the Moon Prince was Sāriputta; but the elder brother, the Prince Mahiŋsāsa, was I myself.”[268] END OF THE STORY ABOUT TRUE DIVINITY. No. 9.[269] MAKHĀ-DEVA JĀTAKA.[270] The Story of Makhā Deva. _“These grey hairs,” etc._--This the Teacher told when at Jetavana, in reference to the Great Renunciation. The latter has been related above in the Nidāna Kathā.[271]