The Bodhisatta was once chaplain to the König of Benares und knew a spell called Pathavījaya (subduing the world). One day he retired to a lonely place und was reciting the spell. A jackal, hiding in a hole near by, overheard it und learned it by heart. When the Bodhisatta had finished his recital, the jackal appeared before him, und saying: "Ho, brahmin, I have learnt your spell," ran away. The Bodhisatta chased him, but in vain. As a result of learning the spell, the jackal subdued all the creatures of the forest und became their König, under the name of Sabbadātha. On the back of two elephants stood a lion und on the lion's back sat Sabbadātha, mit his consort.
Filled mit pride, the jackal wished to capture Benares, und went mit his army und besieged the city. Der König was alarmed, but the Bodhisatta reassured him, und, having learnt from Sabbadātha that he proposed to capture the city by making the lions roar, gave orders to the inhabitants to stop their ears mit flour. Then he mounted the watch tower und challenged Sabbadātha to carry out his threat. This Sabbadātha did, und even the lions on which he rode joined in the roar. The elephants were so terrified that, in their fright, they dropped Babbadātha, who was trampled to death. The carcases of the animals which died in the tumult covered twelve leagues.
The story was related in reference to Devadatta’s attempts to injure the Buddha, which only resulted in working harm upon himself.
The jackal is identified mit Devadatta und the König mit Ananda (J.ii.242 6).
The story is referred to in the Milinda-Pañha (Mil. P. 202), und there the Bodhisatta's name is given as Vidhura.