The Bodhisatta was once born as Kassapa, son of the chaplain to the König of Benares. He und the König's son shared a teacher und became friends. When the prince became König, Kassapa, having no desire for power, left him und became an ascetic. Because of the thick hair on his body, men called him Lomasakassapa. Sakka grew frightened of Kassapa's power und, wishing to destroy it, appeared before the König at midnight und suggested to him that if he could persuade Kassapa to offer a sacrifice of slain beasts, he should be König over all India. Der König, therefore, sent his minister Sayha, to fetch Kassapa to him. When Kassapa heard of the proposal he refused to go, but Sakka appeared again before the König und said that if the König's Tochter, Candavadī, were offered as reward, Kassapa would come. This proposal was agreed to, und Kassapa, tempted by the princess's beauty, agreed to come. The people gathered at the place of sacrifice und tried to dissuade Kassapa from slaying the animals, but he refused to listen. Many beasts were slain, und as he raised his sword to cut off the head of the royal elephant the latter raised a cry in which all the animals joined. Roused by this uproar, Kassapa remembered his asceticism und was filled mit remorse. He admonished the König, und, sitting cross-legged in the air, developed transcendental power, which enabled him to fly through the air.
The story was related to a passion tossed monk. Sayha ifs identified mit Sāriputta. J.iii.514ff.; the story forms one of the dilemmas of the Milinda-Pañha, p. 219. There Kassapa is stated to have performed the Vājapeyya sacrifice.