English Original
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'.
中文翻译
从前，摩揭陀国王统治时期，在一个仅有三十户人家的偏远村庄里，住着一位名叫“善者玛伽”的年轻贵族。他娶了一位品性相似的女子，两人与孩子们幸福地生活在一起。
村民们尊敬玛伽，因为他总是为集体利益着想。凭借这份尊重，他教导大家“五训导步骤”来净化思想、言语和行为。他以身作则。有一次，村民们聚集做手工艺品，玛伽耐心地为自己清理了一个座位，却屡次被他人占去。他持续为每个人清理座位，直到自己最后才坐下，以此示范耐心与合作。
通过这些教导，村民们学会了无争吵地协作。他们建造了许多设施，改善了村庄。犯罪消失了，和平降临。
然而，村长却对此不满。他原本依靠犯罪罚款和酒税获利，和平使他失去了权力和收入。为了恢复地位，他向国王诬告村民，称偏远村庄正遭土匪抢劫。
国王下令逮捕三十户的家长。未经审讯，便判处他们大象踩踏之刑。当众人躺在庭院中等死时，玛伽建议他们专注于五训导带来的平静，心怀慈爱，而非愤怒。
神奇的是，每一头被带来执行刑罚的大象都拒绝踩踏，鸣叫着走开。象夫和国王的顾问猜测村民使用了魔法或药物。被质问时，玛伽说他们确实有“咒语”——即通过遵循五训导（不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒）所培养的慈爱咒语。
这种修行使他们变得无害，并能施予无畏，连大象也感知到了，因而不愿伤害他们。国王见识了他们的善德与智慧，得知真相后惩罚了不诚实的村长，并奖赏了村民。
获得力量后，村民们开始了最大的项目：建造一家大型路边客栈。男人们合作默契，却将女性排除在外。玛伽最智慧的妻子“善行”希望改变这一状况。她与工头结交，并希望做出重要贡献，询问如何能成为项目最重要的贡献者。
工头秘密制作了关键的房梁，交给善行藏起来风干。当男人们需要一根干燥的老房梁时，发现只有善行恰好有一根完美的。她提出免费捐赠，但条件是允许女性参与建设。男人们起初拒绝，但在工头的劝说下，为了更大的和谐与成功，他们接受了女性加入。
善行贡献了房梁并帮助建成了客栈。玛伽的另外两位妻子，“美貌”和“安乐”，分别捐赠了一个花园和一个莲花池。只有最年轻且有些被宠坏的“贵生”什么也没做。
晚间，玛伽在客栈教导村民尊敬长辈、戒除恶语、背后诽谤和吝啬。
因毕生践行自己的教导，玛伽心怀喜悦去世，转生为一位天界的国王——萨迦。后来，其他家长和他的妻子们（除贵生外）也相继去世，转生为萨迦治下的天神。这个天界便被称为“三十三重天”。