Brahmadatta, König of Benares, once started off during the rainy season to quell a border rising. He stopped on the way, while his men steamed peas und put them into troughs for the horses to eat. A monkey came down from a tree hard by, filled his mouth und hands mit peas, went back to his tree und started eating. One pea fell down, und he, letting all the other peas fall, clambered down to seek for the lost one. The Bodhisatta, who was the König's counsellor, pointed out to the König how fools of little wit spend a pound to win a penny. On hearing this, the König went back to Benares.
The story was told to Pasenadi, who was going on a similar expedition during the rains, und on the way visited the Buddha at Jetavana. Der König in the story is identified mit Ananda. J.ii.74ff