At Sāvatthi. “Monks, once in the past a number of good and virtuous seers had settled down in leaf huts in the forest. Then Sakka, lord of the gods, and Vepacitti, lord of the titans, approached those good and virtuous seers.
“Vepacitti, lord of the titans, put on his boots, bound his sword on tightly, and with an umbrella over his head, entered the monastery through the main gate. Then having disrespected those good and virtuous seers, left.
“But Sakka, lord of the gods, took off his boots, handed over his sword to others, lowered his umbrella, and entered the monastery through the back gate. He stood in the direction where the wind blew passing over those seers’ bodies, raised his joined hands in reverential salutation, and paid homage to those good and virtuous seers.
“Then monks, those good and virtuous seers addressed Sakka in verse:
“‘The odour of the seers long bound by their promises, spreading from their bodies, goes with the wind. Turn away from here, oh thousand-eyed god. For seers’ odour is foul, oh god-king.’
Sakka:
“‘Let the odour of the seers long bound by their promises, spreading from their bodies, go with the wind. We desire this odour, oh venerable sirs, as we do a garland of flowers on the head. The gods do not perceive it as repulsive.’”
