Seri-Vanija Jathaka Katha

Seri-Vanija Jathaka is one of the five hundred and fifty jatakas

Pali

: Pali canon of Buddhist writings, including a group of 35 that were collected for didactic purposes. This Seri jataka has included as the third story in the first volume of the Jataka Tales Compendium

Introduction

The

Samsara

. According to the Buddha, it was as follow.

The Jathaka Katha^[10]

Once upon a time, 500 years ago, the Bodhisattva was born in a family of trading cast and was famous named Kacchaputa, a dealer in pots and pans, in his age. One time, He reached the city of Andhapura, where was situated beyond the river Neelavahini,^[11] accompanied by another greedy trader called Seri, for business. Both of them apportioned the streets of the city amongst them and were selling their goods. At that time a rich family of nobility had become very poor. All the younger brothers, the children and the wealth were lost survived by one granddaughter with her grandmother. They lived by serving others for wages. There was in their house among other pots, a golden bowl which the great merchant had used to have his meals and being unused it was cov- ered with soot. They did not know that it was a golden bowl. The greedy merchant at that time was going through this street advertising his wares the young girl saw this merchant and appealed to the grandmother to buy a trinket for her. The grandmother replied

"We are poor, what can we give him for the trinket?"

The young girl reminded her of the bowl and being unable to escape her plead- ing she brought the bowl and gave it to the trader and asked him for a trinket in exchange. The greedy trader took the bowl and suspecting it to be a golden bowl drew a line over it by a needle and knowing it for certain that it was gold, through that he would take it by giving nothing and said.

"What value there in this bowl? Not even half a farthing"

He then threw it on the floor and went away.
Meanwhile, the Bodhisattva thought that it would be in order enter the street where one trader had already gone and left it and entered the same street shout- ing

"Trinkets for sale"

and came to the very door of that house. The young girl again made the same request to her grandmother who retorted that the earlier trader threw away the bowl and went away and there is nothing else to be offered to the next trader. The girl replied

"Grandmother, Dear, That trader was harsh: but this one is pleasant and soft spoken and we will give this bowl to him and get the trinkets."

The trader was invited to and the bowl was given to him who at once knew it to be a golden bowl and said.

"Mother, this bowl is invaluable and I don't have goods for such value"

The grandmother replied that the earlier trader threw it away saying it was not worth even half a farthing and it has turned to be golden bowl because of your goodness and merit and we will give it to you and you can give us something for it and take it away. The Bodhisattva then gave hundred pieces of gold coins (Kahavanu) and stock of goods worth five hundred retaining his scales, the bag and eight pieces of money. The Great Bodhisattva then speeded up to the river ferry, paid eight pieces to the ferry-man and jumped to the boat. The greedy trader meanwhile went to that house again and requested for the bowl saying that he will pay something. The grandmother and the girl scolded him telling that he made the pure golden bowl worth not even half a farthing whereas a righteous trader perhaps his teacher bought it for thousand pieces and went away. Hearing this he was so grieved that he lost the bowl and due to intense sorrow, he lost his senses, flung away the coins he had and the goods at the door of that house, threw away his upper clothes, took the scales in his hand like a club and chased after the Bodhisattva. Arriving at the river-side he saw the Bodhisattva crossing the river and shouted

"You ferry-man, will you stop that boat"

The Bodhisattva advised the ferryman not to reverse the boat but proceed. The greedy trader seeing the Bodhisattva proceeding despite this request was seized by intense sorrow. His heart was burning and warm blood oozed out from the mouth and from heart break he perished. Contracting hatred against the Bodhisattva. This is the first enmity of the Devadatta Sthavira
Dhamma. He then expounded the Four Noble Truths after which the persevering members achieved the Fruit of Arhat
.

Revelation of Jathi [14]

Connection The foolish trader at that time is the present Devadatta Sthavira and the intelligent trader at that time is myself, the Exalted Buddha, the Teacher of the Three Worlds.

References

^ jataka tales.

Lord Buddha

^ Finding inner peace in Buddha’s land.

Sravasti

^ tittle-tattle. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.

^ monk

Bhikku

Sravaka

^ Noble Eightfold Path

Jataka Tales

^ Revenge can only be conquered by compassion (PDF).

^ {{Sthavira nikāya}}

^ {{Lokottaravāda}}

^ Jati

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seri-Vanija_Jathaka_Katha&oldid=1131196077"

[1] jataka tales.

[2] Lord Buddha

[3] Finding inner peace in Buddha’s land.

[4] Sravasti

[5] tittle-tattle. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.

[6] ^ monk

[7] Bhikku

[8] Sravaka

[9] Noble Eightfold Path

[10] Jataka Tales

[11] Revenge can only be conquered by compassion (PDF).

[12] {{Sthavira nikāya}}

[13] {{Lokottaravāda}}

[14] Jati

[10]

[11]

Introduction

The Jathaka Katha[10]

Revelation of Jathi[14]

References

The Jathaka Katha^[10]

Revelation of Jathi [14]