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Brahmadatta, king of Benares, had two sons.
When he died the elder refused the crown and retired into a frontier village.
The people there, discovering his identity, offered to pay their taxes to him
instead of to the king, and the king, at his request, agreed.
As his power increased, the prince became more covetous and demanded the
kingdom, which the younger brother gladly renounced. But the elder's greed was
insatiable, and Sakka, to teach him a lesson, came
in the guise of a young man and offered to capture for him three cities. The
king made up his mind to accept the offer; but, then the young man could not be
found, and the king fell ill of greed.
The Bodhisatta, just returned from Takkasilā,
heard of this, and having obtained the king's leave to treat him, cured him of
this disease by showing him the futility of his wishes. Thereafter the king
became a righteous ruler (J.iv.167ff).
The story was told in reference to the brahmin to whom the
Kāma Sutta was preached. The
Kāmanīta Jātaka was also preached in this
connection.

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