Villagers:
The great Buddha’s knowledge is wonderful. The Blessed One knows perfectly who has lots of merit and who does not.
This baby has been abandoned in the cemetery. He survives by drinking milk oozing out of his thumb. Demons and non-humans will not harm him. This is because the baby has previously done many meritorious deeds.
Dogs lick his feet to clean them, while crows and jackals protect him. Flocks of birds remove the impurities from his birth, and crows wipe of the dirt from his eyes.
There are no parents or relatives to protect him, to provide him with medicine, or to celebrate his birth.
Being in such a horrible state—abandoned, cold and shivering—his survival is uncertain.
The extremely wise Supreme Buddha, teacher of gods and humans, saw him and announced,
Supreme Buddha:
This baby will become a member of a high-cast family with great wealth.
Villagers:
What has the baby done in his previous life to get this result? Having fallen to a miserable state, how would this baby become a member of a high cast family?
Supreme Buddha:
In his previous life, he insulted a group of people who were giving alms to the monks headed by the Buddha, and he spoke harshly to the Buddha and the monks.
Afterwards, he abandoned that evil mind. Becoming a devoted disciple, he developed a happy mind towards the Supreme Buddha and monks. Furthermore, he offered rice-gruel to the Supreme Buddha for seven days.
These were his good actions. That is why even though he is miserable now, he will be very wealthy and happy in the future.
He will live in this world for one hundred years as a very wealthy and happy person and after death be reborn in the Tavatimsa Heaven with the god Sakka.
