Once upon a time, five kings led by King Bimbisara were discussing a question: "What desire is the most irresistible and unforgettable, ranking first in the world?"

Each king had his own opinion. One said, "The things we see with our eyes, such as gold and jewels or beautiful women are what make us feel intoxicated and greedy for more. This desire ranks first."

Another king said, "The sounds we hear with our ears like melodious music or birds singing are what make us feel intoxicated and greedy for more. This desire ranks first."

A third king said, "The smells we detect with our nose like fragrant flowers or wine are what make us feel intoxicated and greedy for more. This desire ranks first."

A fourth king said, "The tastes on our tongue like crispy pastries or delicious dishes are what make us feel intoxicated and greedy for more. This desire ranks first."

And finally, a fifth king said," The sensations we touch with our body like soft fur or tender skin are what make us feel intoxicated and greedy for more. This desire ranks first."

They debated back-and-forth trying to convince each other of their opinions but could not reach an agreement after a long time.

King Bimbisara then suggested they seek advice from Buddha to resolve their doubts.

"Great Kings," he proposed," We have been debating this issue without any resolution; let's go together to ask Buddha to help clarify it for us." 

All five kings agreed unanimously.

So they went together to visit Buddha at his residence where they paid him respect before sitting down beside him.

King Bimbisara spoke up:" Lord Buddha ,we have come here today seeking your guidance on an important matter.We have been debating which one of these desires - seeing,tasting,touching etc- is the most irresistible and unforgettable, ranking first in the world. We have not been able to reach a consensus on this matter. Can you please help us resolve our doubts?"

The Buddha said, "Your Majesty, the things that people in this world think about and love most in their hearts are the desires that rank first among those that make them intoxicated and unable to let go. For some people, when they see certain things with their eyes, such as gold and jewels or a beautiful woman, these things will attract them greatly and become the objects of their desire. They believe that these things are the most attractive to them, making them feel intoxicated and unwilling to let go. However, for other people who see these same things with their eyes, they may not find them as attractive or desirable.

Similarly, when some people hear certain sounds with their ears like beautiful music or birds singing sweetly, they will be attracted by these sounds greatly and consider them to be the most appealing objects of desire. But for others who hear these same sounds with their ears may not find them as attractive or desirable.

Likewise when some people smell certain fragrances like flowers or wine aromas with their noses，they will be attracted by these smells greatly and consider them to be the most appealing objects of desire. But for others who smell these same fragrances may not find them as attractive or desirable.

Also when some people taste certain flavors like crispy pastries or delicious dishes with their tongues，they will be attracted by these tastes greatly and consider it to be the most appealing object of desire. But for others who taste these same flavors may not find it as attractive or desirable.

Finally，when some people touch something soft like fur on an animal's skin  or smooth skin on someone’s body ，they will feel very happy about it because they have been attracted by this feeling so much that nothing else can compare。But for others who touch those same textures might not feel any attraction at all。

Therefore，the thing which attracts each person is different from one another based on individual preferences。For those whose senses are drawn to a particular object, they will not be attracted by anything else and will not seek any other objects of desire. Therefore, the thing that attracts them most is their number one desire in their hearts. The Buddha said that the things people think about and love most in their hearts are those which make them feel intoxicated and unwilling to let go, ranking first among all desires."

At that time, a lay practitioner named Zhandan E Li Jia was sitting among the crowd listening to Buddha's teachings. After hearing the Dharma, he stood up from his seat and adjusted his clothes before bowing to Buddha and everyone present. He said, "World Honored One and all great beings here today, please do not think of anything else in your minds but my appearance right now. If you focus solely on my current form and image with undivided attention, you will not have any other thoughts."

Buddha replied to Zhandan E Li Jia saying, "You are proclaiming the true Dharma of Tathagata."

Many people who were listening had doubts about what Zhandan E Li Jia meant when he spoke earlier. They asked Buddha for clarification by saying, "World Honored One, what did Zhandan E Li Jia mean when he said those words? Why did you say that he is proclaiming your true Dharma? We don't understand what he meant! Please enlighten us."

Buddha explained that Zhandan E Li Jia wanted them to stop pondering over which desire was ranked first in the world. He didn't want them to generate any more thoughts or desires seeking answers within themselves regarding this question because doing so would only lead them into further confusion and suffering.

Zhandan E Li Jia wished for them to break free from this cycle of questioning and searching for answers by focusing their minds solely on his appearance instead. By doing so they could avoid generating any more thoughts or desires related to this issue.

Although focusing on his appearance may cause some minor discomforts or distractions it would be much less than if they continued asking questions about desire rankings.

By eliminating all mental attachments including worries and obsessions one can liberate oneself from suffering caused by afflictions.

Zhandan E Li Jia praised Buddha at this point by saying, "Tathagata is like a pure and fragrant red lotus that blooms in the morning with its sweet fragrance filling the air. Tathagata is also like a saint who emits light, shining upon all things in the world just as the sun illuminates everything."

At this moment, layman Shan Tan E Li Jia recited a verse:

"The fragrance of the red lotus blooms in the morning and never fades away,

The reflection of the mandarin ducks' radiance shines like the sun in empty space."

Then, the five kings who were listening to the Dharma took off their luxurious clothes and offered them to layman Shan Tan E Li Jia. He then offered all five sets of clothing to Buddha.

Pali original scripture

SN.3.12/(2). Pañcarājasuttaṃ

　　 123. Sāvatthinidānaṃ Tena kho pana samayena pañcannaṃ rājūnaṃ pasenadipamukhānaṃ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṃ samaṅgībhūtānaṃ paricārayamānānaṃ ayamantarākathā udapādi – “kiṃ nu kho kāmānaṃ aggan”ti? Tatrekacce evamāhaṃsu– “rūpā kāmānaṃ aggan”ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu “saddā kāmānaṃ aggan”ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu– “gandhā kāmānaṃ aggan”ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu– “rasā kāmānaṃ aggan”ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu “phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṃ aggan”ti. Yato kho te rājāno nāsakkhiṃsu aññamaññaṃ saññāpetuṃ.

　　 Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo te rājāno etadavoca– “āyāma, mārisā, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ etamatthaṃ paṭipucchissāma. Yathā no bhagavā byākarissati tathā naṃ dhāressāmā”ti. “Evaṃ, mārisā”ti kho te rājāno rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paccassosuṃ.

　　 Atha kho te pañca rājāno pasenadipamukhā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṃ etadavoca “idha, bhante, amhākaṃ pañcannaṃ rājūnaṃ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṃ samaṅgībhūtānaṃ paricārayamānānaṃ ayamantarākathā udapādi– ‘kiṃ nu kho kāmānaṃ aggan’ti? Ekacce evamāhaṃsu– ‘rūpā kāmānaṃ aggan’ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu – ‘saddā kāmānaṃ aggan’ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu– ‘gandhā kāmānaṃ aggan’ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu– ‘rasā kāmānaṃ aggan’ti. Ekacce evamāhaṃsu– ‘phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṃ aggan’ti. Kiṃ nu kho, bhante, kāmānaṃ aggan”ti?

　　 “Manāpapariyantaṃ khvāhaṃ, mahārāja, pañcasu kāmaguṇesu agganti vadāmi. Teva, mahārāja, rūpā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rūpā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. Yehi ca yo rūpehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rūpehi aññaṃ rūpaṃ uttaritaraṃ vā paṇītataraṃ vā na pattheti. Te tassa rūpā paramā honti. Te tassa rūpā anuttarā honti.

　　 “Teva mahārāja, saddā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva saddā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. Yehi ca yo saddehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi saddehi aññaṃ saddaṃ uttaritaraṃ vā paṇītataraṃ vā na pattheti. Te tassa saddā paramā honti. Te tassa saddā anuttarā honti.

　　 “Teva, mahārāja, gandhā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva gandhā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. Yehi ca yo gandhehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi gandhehi aññaṃ gandhaṃ uttaritaraṃ vā paṇītataraṃ vā na pattheti. Te tassa gandhā paramā honti. Te tassa gandhā anuttarā honti.

　　 “Teva, mahārāja, rasā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rasā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. Yehi ca yo rasehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rasehi aññaṃ rasaṃ uttaritaraṃ vā paṇītataraṃ vā na pattheti. Te tassa rasā paramā honti. Te tassa rasā anuttarā honti.

　　 “Teva, mahārāja, phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. Yehi ca yo phoṭṭhabbehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi phoṭṭhabbehi aññaṃ phoṭṭhabbaṃ uttaritaraṃ vā paṇītataraṃ vā na pattheti. Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā paramā honti. Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā anuttarā hontī”ti.

　　 Tena kho pana samayena candanaṅgaliko upāsako tassaṃ parisāyaṃ nisinno hoti. Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsaṅgaṃ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṃ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca– “paṭibhāti maṃ bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṃ sugatā”ti. “Paṭibhātu taṃ candanaṅgalikā”ti bhagavā avoca.

　　 Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako bhagavato sammukhā tadanurūpāya gāthāya abhitthavi–

　　 “Padumaṃ yathā kokanadaṃ sugandhaṃ, pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṃ.

　　 Aṅgīrasaṃ passa virocamānaṃ, tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.

　　 Atha kho te pañca rājāno candanaṅgalikaṃ upāsakaṃ pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi acchādesuṃ. Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi bhagavantaṃ acchādesīti.