Samuddavāṇijajātaka

Jātaka

Stories of Past Lives 466

Dvādasakanipāta

The Book of the Twelves

Cūḷakuṇālavagga

The Chapter With Cūḷakuṇāla

3. Samuddavāṇijajātaka

The Sea Merchants: a past life story

“Kasanti vapanti te janā,

“Those folk sow and reap,

Manujā kammaphalūpajīvino;

men living on the fruit of their work.

Nayimassa dīpakassa bhāgino,

They have no share of this island.

Jambudīpā idameva no varaṁ”.

This is better far than India!”

“Tipañcarattūpagatamhi cande,

“When the fifteenth day full moon has risen,

Vego mahā hehiti sāgarassa;

there will be a great flood from the sea,

Uplavissaṁ dīpamimaṁ uḷāraṁ,

drowning this splendid isle.

Mā vo vadhī gacchatha leṇamaññaṁ”.

Let it not destroy you all! Go to some other haven!”

“Na jātuyaṁ sāgaravārivego,

“Never shall a mighty flood of water from the sea

Uplavissaṁ dīpamimaṁ uḷāraṁ;

drown this splendid isle—

Taṁ me nimittehi bahūhi diṭṭhaṁ,

I have seen that through many a sign.

Mā bhetha kiṁ socatha modathavho.

Don’t fear! Why worry? Celebrate!

Pahūtabhakkhaṁ bahuannapānaṁ,

You’ve come to this splendid abode,

Pattattha āvāsamimaṁ uḷāraṁ;

full of food and drink.

Na vo bhayaṁ paṭipassāmi kiñci,

I see no danger for you at all.

Āputtaputtehi pamodathavho”.

Celebrate, even unto the sons of sons!”

“Yo devoyaṁ dakkhiṇāyaṁ disāyaṁ,

“This god in the southern quarter

Khemanti pakkosati tassa saccaṁ;

crying, ‘It is safe!’: his is the truth!

Na uttaro vedi bhayābhayassa,

The northern doesn’t know if there’s a danger or not.

Mā bhetha kiṁ socatha modathavho”.

Don’t fear! Why worry? Celebrate!”

“Yathā ime vippavadanti yakkhā,

“As these spirits argue,

Eko bhayaṁ saṁsati khemameko;

one reporting danger, one safety,

Tadiṅgha mayhaṁ vacanaṁ suṇātha,

please heed my advice,

Khippaṁ lahuṁ mā vinassimha sabbe.

lest we perish swift and fleet.

Sabbe samāgamma karoma nāvaṁ,

Let all join together to build a boat,

Doṇiṁ daḷhaṁ sabbayantūpapannaṁ;

a strong vessel fully equipped.

Sace ayaṁ dakkhiṇo saccamāha,

If this southern one speaks true,

Moghaṁ paṭikkosati uttaroyaṁ;

and is falsely rejected by the northern,

Sā ceva no hehiti āpadatthā,

it shall serve us in time of need,

Imañca dīpaṁ na pariccajema.

and we would not give up the island.

Sace ca kho uttaro saccamāha,

But if the northern speaks true,

Moghaṁ paṭikkosati dakkhiṇoyaṁ;

and is falsely rejected by the southern,

Tameva nāvaṁ abhiruyha sabbe,

then having all boarded the boat,

Evaṁ mayaṁ sotthi taremu pāraṁ.

we shall cross safely to the far shore.

Na ve sugaṇhaṁ paṭhamena seṭṭhaṁ,

Truly, best not accept the last word that came your way,

Kaniṭṭhamāpāthagataṁ gahetvā;

when what was spoken by the first was best.

Yo cīdha tacchaṁ paviceyya gaṇhati,

Who here accepts the truth after examination,

Sa ve naro seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.

that man goes to the best place.”

Yathāpi te sāgaravārimajjhe,

Just as, in the middle of the watery sea,

Sakammunā sotthi vahiṁsu vāṇijā;

the merchants fled to safety by their own efforts,

Anāgatatthaṁ paṭivijjhiyāna,

so, realizing his future welfare,

Appampi nācceti sa bhūripañño.

he of vast wisdom transgresses not at all.

Bālā ca mohena rasānugiddhā,

Fools deluded by desire for tastes,

Anāgataṁ appaṭivijjhiyatthaṁ;

not realizing their future welfare,

Paccuppanne sīdanti atthajāte,

sink down in face of present need,

Samuddamajjhe yathā te manussā.

like those people in mid-ocean.

Anāgataṁ paṭikayirātha kiccaṁ,

Prepare what must be done for the future, thinking,

‘Mā maṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle byadhesi’;

“Let what must be done not harm me on the day the duty ripens.”

Taṁ tādisaṁ paṭikatakiccakāriṁ,

The kind who acts to prepare what must be done,

Na taṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle byadhetī”ti.

is not harmed by what must be done on the day the duty ripens.

Samuddavāṇijajātakaṁ tatiyaṁ.