There once lived in Benares a wealthy householder, worth eighty crores. He offered his wealth to the king, who, however, had no need for it; so he gave much away in gifts and was born as Sakka. Equally generous were his descendants - Canda, Suriya, Mátali and Pañcasikha. But the next in descent, Pañcasikha's son, Maccharikosiya, became a miser. He stopped all giving and lived in abject poverty. One day, seeing his sub-treasurer eating rice porridge, he wished for some himself, but, owing to his miserliness, he went in disguise to the river with a little rice and there started to cook it with the help of a slave. Sakka saw this, and, accompanied by Canda and the others, appeared before him disguised as a brahmin. Advancing towards him, Sakka asked him the way to Benares, and, pretending to be deaf, approached the place where the porridge was being cooked and asked for some. Maccharikosiya refused to give him any, but Sakka insisted on reciting to him some stanzas on the value of giving, and then Kosiya agreed to give him a little porridge. One by one the others, also disguised as brahmins, approached, and, in spite of all his efforts, Kosiya was forced to invite them to share his meal. He asked them to fetch small leaves, but in their hands small leaves became large. After the porridge had been served, Pañcasikha assumed the form of a dog, then of a horse of changing colours, and started chasing Kosiya, while the others stood motionless in the air. Kosiya asked how beings could gain such powers, and Sakka explained to him and revealed their identity. Maccharikosiya went back to Benares and gave away his wealth in charity. Later he became a hermit and lived in a hut.
At that time the four daughters of Sakka - Asá, Saddhá, Sirí and Hirí - went to Anotatta to play in the water. There they saw Nárada under a páricchattaka-flower, which served him as a sunshade, and each asked him for the flower. Nárada said he would give it to the best of them, and referred them to Sakka. Sakka sent (by Mátali) a cup of ambrosia (sudhábhojana) to Kosiya, and said that whichever of his daughters succeeded in persuading Kosiya to share with her his drink would be adjudged the best. He listened to all their claims and decided in favour of Hirí. Sakka, wishing to know why he decided thus, sent Mátali in his chariot to ask him. While Mátali was yet speaking to him, Kosiya died and was reborn in Távatimsa. Sakka gave him Hirí as wife and also a share of the kingdom of Távatimsa.
The story was told in reference to a monk of Sávatthi, who was so generous that he would give away his own food and drink and so starve. He is identified with Maccharikosiya, Uppalavanná with Hirí, Anuruddha with Pañcasikha, Ananda with Mátali, Kassapa with Suriya, Moggallána with Canda, Sáriputta with Nárada, and Sakka with the Buddha himself. J.v.382 412.