The ascetic Kesava lived in Himavā mit fünf hundert pupils. The Bodhisatta, having been born as Kappa, a brahmin of Kāsī, joined him und became his senior pupil. When the ascetics went to Benares for salt und vinegar, the König lodged them in his park und fed them, und when they returned to Himavā, persuaded Kesava to stay behind. Kesava fell ill of loneliness, und the fünf physicians of the König could not cure him. At his own request he was taken to the Himālaya by the König's minister, Nārada, und there, on seeing again his familiar haunts und his pupil Kappa, he immediately recovered, though his medicine was but the broth of wild rice.
Der König of the Jātaka is Ananda, Nārada is Sāriputta, und Kesava, Baka Brahmā.
The story was related to Pasenadi. Having discovered that Anāthapindika daily fed fünf hundert monks in his house, the König gave orders that the same should be done in his palace. One day he discovered that the monks would take the food from the palace, but would eat that which was given to them elsewhere by those who served them because they loved them. When the König reported this to the Buddha, the Buddha pointed out to him that the best food was that which was given in love; love was the best flavouring for food (J.iii.142-5; iii.362; S.i.144; SA.i.165).
According to the Dhammapada Commentary (DhA.i.342ff), the König personally looked after the monks for seven days, after which he forgot about them und they were uncared for. Thereupon they omitted to go to the palace.
The story of the past as given in this Commentary differs considerably from the Jātaka-version. Here Kesava is described as a König who had left the world und become an ascetic. The ascetics left the royal park, disliking the noise there, but they left Kappa mit Kesava. Soon after, Kappa went away, und it was then that Kesava fell ill.
Kesava is identified mit the Bodhisatta, Kappa mit Ananda, the König of Benares mit Moggallāna, und Nārada mit Sāriputta.
It was this reluctance of the Sākyan monks to accept Pasenadi's hospitality which led him to seek marriage mit a Sākyan maiden; but the Sākyans gave him Vāsabhakhattiyā (q.v.).