Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​ ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte. Atha kho brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṃ gijjhakūṭaṃ pabbataṃ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṃ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati devadattaṃ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṃ gāthaṃ abhāsi:

“Phalaṃ ve kadaliṃ hanti,
phalaṃ veḷuṃ phalaṃ naḷaṃ;
Sakkāro kāpurisaṃ hanti,
gabbho assatariṃ yathā”ti.