Once upon a time, during the reign of King Magadha, there lived a young noble named 'Magha the Good' in a remote village of thirty families. He married a woman of similar character, and they lived happily with their children.
The villagers respected Magha because he always worked for the common good. Through this respect, he taught them the Five Training Steps to purify their thoughts, words, and deeds. He taught by example. Once, while villagers gathered for handicraft work, Magha patiently cleaned a sitting spot for himself, only to have others repeatedly take it. He continued cleaning spots for everyone until he finally took the last place, demonstrating patience and cooperation.
Through such lessons, the villagers learned to work together without quarrels. They built several structures and improved their village. Crime vanished, and peace prevailed.
However, the village headman, who profited from fines and taxes on crime and liquor, was displeased with this new peace. He lost his power and income. To regain his standing, he falsely accused the villagers to the king, claiming bandits were robbing remote villages.
The king ordered the arrest of all thirty family heads. Without a trial, he condemned them to be trampled by elephants. As they lay in the courtyard awaiting death, Magha advised them to focus on the peace from the Five Training Steps and feel loving-kindness, not anger.
Remarkably, each elephant brought to trample them refused, trumpeting and walking away. The mahouts and the king's advisors suggested the villagers used magic or drugs. When questioned, Magha said they did have a 'spell'—the spell of loving-kindness cultivated through the Five Training Steps, which involved abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication.
This practice made them harmless and bestowed fearlessness, which even the elephants sensed, refusing to harm them. Convinced of their wholesomeness, the king learned the truth, punished the dishonest headman, and rewarded the villagers.
Empowered, the villagers undertook their biggest project: building a large roadside inn. The men worked well together but excluded the women. Magha's wisest wife, Good-doer, wished to change this. She befriended the construction boss and, seeking to contribute significantly, asked how she could become the project's most important contributor.
The boss secretly crafted the crucial roof beam and hid it with Good-doer to age. When the men needed a dry, aged beam, they found that only Good-doer had one. She offered to donate it on condition that women be allowed to participate. Initially resistant, the men were persuaded by the boss to include women for greater harmony and success.
Good-doer contributed the beam and helped build the inn. Magha's other wives, Beauty and Happy, donated a garden and a lotus pond, respectively. Only Well-born, the youngest and somewhat spoiled, contributed nothing.
In the evenings, Magha taught villagers in the inn to respect elders, avoid harsh speech, gossip, and stinginess.
Having lived by his teachings, Magha died joyfully and was reborn as Sakka, king of a heaven world. In time, the other family heads and his wives (except Well-born) also died and were reborn as gods under Sakka. This realm became known as the 'Heaven of Thirty-Three'.