On a certain occasion the Exalted One reproved the monks for begging. Said he:

"In olden times two ascetics, brothers, lived by the Ganges river. Now Jewel-neck, a dragon-king, came out of the Ganges, approached the younger ascetic, and having approached, encircled the younger ascetic seven times with his coils and rose and spread his huge hood over his head. And the younger ascetic, for fear of that dragon, became lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, his body strewn with veins.

"The older ascetic saw the younger ascetic lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, his body strewn with veins. Seeing, he said this to the younger ascetic: 'Why are you lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, your body strewn with veins?' 'While I was here, Jewel-neck, a dragon-king, came out of the Ganges river, approached me, and having approached, encircled me seven times with his coils and rose and spread his huge hood over my head. For fear of him I am lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, my body strewn with veins.'

"'But do you wish that dragon never to come back again?' 'I wish that dragon never to come back again.' 'Well, but do you see anything on that dragon?' 'I see he wears a jewel on his neck.' 'Well then, ask that dragon for the jewel, saying: "Give me the jewel! I want the jewel!"' Now Jewel-neck the dragon-king came out of the Ganges river, approached the younger ascetic, and having approached, stood aside. As he stood aside, the younger ascetic said this to Jewel-neck the dragon-king: 'Give me the jewel! I want the jewel!' Thereupon Jewel-neck the dragon-king, reflecting, 'The monk begs the jewel, the monk wants the jewel,' quickly enough departed. Three times did the younger ascetic beg the jewel of Jewel-neck the dragon-king, and three times did Jewel-neck the dragon-king depart. The third time, Jewel-neck the dragon-king addressed the younger ascetic with stanzas:

"'My food and drink, abundant, choice,
I get by the power of this jewel.
This I will not give you,--you ask too much;
Nor will I even come back again to your hermitage.

"'Like a lad with sand-washed sword in hand,
You frighten me, asking for the stone.
This I will not give you,--you ask too much;
Nor will I even come back again to your hermitage.'

"Thereupon Jewel-neck the dragon-king, reflecting, 'The monk begs the jewel, the monk wants the jewel,' departed. When he departed, he departed indeed, and never came back again. And the younger ascetic, because he saw no more that dragon so fair to see, became more than ever lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, his body strewn with veins.

"When the older ascetic saw the younger ascetic altered in appearance, he inquired the reason. The younger ascetic told him. Then the older ascetic addressed the younger ascetic with a stanza:

"'One should not beg or seek to get what is dear to another.
Odious does one become by asking overmuch.
When the Brahman asked the dragon for the jewel,
Never again did the dragon let himself be seen.'

"For, monks, to living beings in the form of animals, begging is said to have been offensive, hinting is said to have been offensive. How much more so must it be to human beings!"