Serivavanija Jataka (Jataka No. 3)

　　The Traders of Seriva

　　So that a disheartened bhikkhu would have no regrets in the future, the Buddha told him this story at Savatthi to encourage him to persevere. "If you give up your practice in this sublime teaching which leads to Nibbana," the Buddha told him, "you will suffer long, like the trader of Seriva who lost a golden bowl worth a hundred thousand pieces."

　　When asked to explain, the Buddha told this story of the distant past.

　　Five long aeons ago, the Bodhisatta was an honest trader selling fancy goods in the kingdom of Seriva. Sometimes he travelled with another trader from the same kingdom, a greedy fellow, who handled the same wares.

　　One day the two of them crossed the Telavaha river to do business in the bustling city of Andhapura. As usual, to avoid competing with each other, they pided the city between them and began selling their goods from door to door.

　　In that city there was a ramshackle mansion. Years before the family had been rich merchants, but by the time of this story their fortunes had dwindled to nothing, and all the men of the family had died. The sole survivors were a girl and her grandmother, and these two earned their living by working for hire.

　　That afternoon, while the greedy peddler was on his rounds, he came to the door of that very house, crying, "Beads for sale! Beads for sale!"

　　When the young girl heard his cry, she begged, "Please buy me a trinket, Grandmother."

　　"We”re very poor, dear. There”s not a cent in the house and I can”t think of anything to offer in exchange."

　　The girl suddenly remembered an old bowl. "Look!" she cried. "Here”s an old bowl. It”s of no use to us. Let”s try to trade it for something nice."

　　What the little girl showed her grandmother was an old bowl which had been used by the great merchant, the late head of the family. He had always eaten his curries served from this beautiful, expensive bowl. After his death it had been thrown among the pots and pans and forgotten. Since it hadn”t been used for a very long time, it was completely covered with grime. The two women had no idea it was gold.

　　The old woman asked the trader to come in and sit down. She showed him the bowl and said, "Sir, my granddaughter would like a trinket. Would you be so kind as to take this bowl and give her something or other in exchange

　　"

　　The peddler took the bowl in his hand and turned it over. Suspecting its value, he scratched the back of it with a needle. After just one covert look, he knew for certain the bowl was real gold.

　　He sat there frowning and thinking until his greed got the better of him. At last he decided to try to get the bowl without giving the woman anything whatever for it. Pretending to be angry, he growled, "Why did you bring me this stupid bowl

　　 It isn”t worth half a cent!" He threw the bowl to the floor, got up, and stalked out of the house in apparent disgust.

　　Since it had been agreed between the two traders that the one might try the streets which the other had already covered, the honest peddler came later into that same street and appeared at the door of the house, crying, "Beads for sale!"

　　Once again the young girl made the same request of her grandmother, and the old woman replied, "My dear, the first peddler threw our bowl on the ground and stormed out of the house. What have we got left to offer

　　"

　　"Oh, but that trader was nasty, Grandmother. This one looks and sounds very kind. I think he will take it."

　　"All right, then. Call him in."

　　When the peddler came into the house, the two women gave him a seat and shyly put the bowl into his hands. Immediately recognizing that the bowl was gold, he said, "Mother, this bowl is worth a hundred thousand pieces of silver. I”m sorry but I don”t have that much money."

　　Astonished …

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