The Bodhisatta born as Duyyodhana, son of the king of Rájagaha. When he came of age his father handed over the kingdom to him, became an ascetic, and lived in the royal park. There Duyyodhana frequently visited him; finding this inconvenient, the ascetic went to Mahimsakarattha and lived in a hut on a bend of the Kannapenná River, which flows from the Sankhapála Lake near Mount Candaka. There he was visited by the Nága king Sankhapála, to whom he preached the Dhamma. Later, Duyyodhana discovered the whereabouts of the ascetic and visited him. There he saw the Nága-king, and, impressed by his great magnificence, desired to visit the Nága-world. On his return to the capital, Duyyodhana engaged in works of merit, and was born after death in the Nága world and became its king under the name of Sankhapála. In course of time, he grew weary of his magnificence, and, leaving the Nága world, lived near the Kannapenná, on an ant hill, keeping the holy fast. As he lay there, sixteen men, roaming in the forest, saw him and seized him. They drove stakes into his body, and made holes in the stakes and fastened ropes to them in order to drag him along. But Sankhapála showed no resentment. A landowner of Mithilá, called Alára, saw him being ill treated and had him released. Thereupon, Sankhapála invited Alára to the Nága world, and Alára lived there for one year. He later became an ascetic, and, in due course, visited Benares, where he told the king the story of his visit to the Nága world. After the rains he returned to the Himálaya.
The story was told to some laymen who kept the fast.
The Bodhisatta's father is identified with Mahá Kassapa, the king of Benares with Ananda, and Alára with Sáriputta. J.v.161 71. See also Alára.
The story is given in the Cariyápitaka (ii.10; see also J.i.45; MA.ii.617; BuA.50) to illustrate Síla páramitá.