ðɪ ˈɜːli bˈuːdɪst tˈɛksts ɐsˈɜːt ðæt pɹˈiːbˈuːdə ˈeɪntʃənt ˈɪndiən sˈeɪdʒᵻz hˌuː tˈɔːt ðiːz vˈɜːtʃuːz wɜːɹ ˈɜːlɪɚɹ ɪŋkɑːɹnˈeɪʃənz ʌvðə bˈuːdə.
The early Buddhist texts assert that pre-Buddha ancient Indian sages who taught these virtues were earlier incarnations of the Buddha.