Then the Exalted One aroused the attention of the merchant by saying: “I, O householder, fulfilled the Ten Perfections during a period of time which cannot be measured, and penetrated Omniscience, for the sole purpose of rending asunder the doubt of the world. Lend ear and listen as attentively as though you were filling a golden tube with lion-marrow.” Thereupon, as it were cleaving the Vault of the Snow and releasing the full moon, he revealed circumstances hidden by rebirth: In times past, in the kingdom of Kāsi, in the city of Benāres, there was a king named Brahmadatta. At that time the Future Buddha was reborn in the household of a caravan-leader. In the course of time he grew to manhood, and went about trading with five hundred carts. Sometimes he went from east to west, sometimes from west to east. In the same city of Benāres there was another caravan-leader besides, a foolish, short-sighted, resourceless fellow. At that time the Future Buddha took a valuable lot of goods from Benāres, filled five hundred carts, made preparations for the journey, and was all ready to start. Likewise that foolish caravan-leader also filled five hundred carts, made preparations for the journey, and was all ready to start. The Future Buddha thought: “If this foolish caravan-leader goes at the same time I go, and a thousand carts travel along the road together, even the road will not be big enough. It will be difficult for the men to find firewood and water, and difficult for the oxen to find grass. Either he or I should go first.” So he had the man summoned, told him the situation, and said: “It is out of the question for both of us to go at the same time. Will you go first, or follow after?” Thought the foolish caravan-leader: “There are many advantages in my going first. There will not be a single rut in the road over which I travel; my oxen will eat grass which has not been touched; my men will have leaves for curry which have not been touched; the water will be clear; I can sell my goods at whatever price I choose to set.” So he said: “I, sir, will go first.”