The Perfection of Energy - Samvara Jataka I

“At that time when the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove,

he told the following story about a monk who had ceased to strive.

When he was a young man he lived at Savatthí,

and after he had heard the Buddha preach the Dhamma,

he gained confidence and became a monk.

Fulfilling the tasks imposed by his teachers and preceptors,

he learnt by heart both divisions of the Patimokkha.

After five years when he had learnt the meditation subjects

he took leave of his teachers and preceptors because he wanted to dwell in
the forest.

When he came to a frontier village

people took confidence in him because of his deportment

and built a hut of leaves for him,

so that he could dwell in that village.

When it was the rainy season,

he developed with strenuous endeavour his meditation subject during three months,

but when he did not reach attainment,

he thought that he himself was the lowest among the four classes of people,

namely those who could only understand the theory of the teachings, ‘pada parama’.

Hence he returned to the Jeta Grove in order to see the Buddha in person

and to listen to his delightful Dhamma Discourses.

When the Buddha was informed about this he said to that monk,

‘The highest fruit in this teaching which is arahatship cannot be realized by
someone who is lazy.

In the past you were full of energy and easy to teach.

Although you were the youngest of all the hundred sons of the King of
Varanasi,

you obtained the white umbrella and became the King.’ ”

The Buddha then related the story of the past when that monk was King Samvara.

The Buddha spoke about his excellent qualities which caused his brothers and

the citizens to pay him honour and to make him King, although he was the

youngest of the hundred sons of the King of Varanasi.