Jataka 256
Jarudapāna Jātaka
Contented with Enough
as told by Eric Van Horn
originally translated by William Henry Denham Rouse, Cambridge University
originally edited by Professor Edward Byles Cowell, Cambridge University
This story reminds me of Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme. He was once asked how he got away with his crimes, to which he responded, “People always want more.”
Well, some people always want more, and that is often their undoing. If you are satisfied with having enough, that is the Buddha’s way, and that is the way to peace, happiness, and contentment.
“Some merchants.” The Master told this story while he was at Jetavana. It is about some traders who lived in Sāvatthi.
The tradition is that these men had acquired some merchandise in Sāvatthi which they loaded into carts. When the time came for them to leave on their trading mission, they sent an invitation to the Blessed One. They offered him rich alms, they received the Refuges, they took the Precepts, and then they took leave of the Master with these words: “Sir, we are traveling a long way. When we have sold our merchandise, if we are fortunate and return safely, we will come and visit you again.” Then they set off on their journey.
On a rough stretch of road they came upon an unused well. There was no water in it that they could see, but they were so thirsty they decided to dig deeper. As they dug, they came upon successive layers of minerals of all sorts from iron to lapis lazuli. They were very happy with this discovery. They filled their wagons with these treasures and got safely back to Sāvatthi. They stored their treasure, and then they thought that having been so lucky, they would give food to the Saṇgha.
So they invited the Blessed One to share a meal. After they had respectfully greeted him, they gave him presents. Then they sat down on one side and recounted how they had found their treasure. He said, “You, good laymen, are content with your find and accept your wealth and your livelihood with moderation. But in other days there were men who were not content. They were immoderate, they refused to do as wise men advised them, and so they lost their lives.” And then he told them this story from the past.
Once on a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born into the family of a business man, and he grew up to be a great merchant. At one time he filled his wagons with goods, and in company with a large caravan he came to this very same place and saw this very same well. No sooner had the traders seen it then they wanted to drink. They began to dig, and as they dug they came upon a quantity of metal and gems. But though they got a great deal of treasure, they were not satisfied. “There must be another treasure here, better than this!” they thought, and they dug and dug and dug.
Then the Bodhisatta said to them, “Merchants, greed is the root of destruction. You have found a great deal of wealth. Be content with this. Do not continue to dig.” Despite this admonition, they continued to dig.
Now this well was haunted by serpents. The Serpent King was furious at the falling of clods and earth. He killed the merchants with the breath from his nostrils, all except for the Bodhisatta. Then he came up from the serpent world, hitched the oxen to the carts, and filled the carts with jewels. He seated the Bodhisatta on a fine wagon. He had some young serpents drive the carts and brought him to Benares. He led him into his house, had the treasure unloaded, and then went back to his own place in the serpent land. And the Bodhisatta spent his treasure. He became famous throughout all India by his almsgiving and generosity. And, having performed many virtuous deeds and keeping the Uposatha day, at the end of his life he was reborn in a heavenly realm.
Figure: Too much mango juice
The Master, after telling this tale, in his perfect wisdom, said the following lines:
“Some merchants, wanting water, dug the ground
In an old well, and there a treasure found.
Tin, iron, copper, lead, silver and gold,
Beryls and pearls and jewels manifold.
“But not content, still more they did desire,
And fiery serpents slew them all with fire.
Dig if thou wilt, but dig not to excess,
For too much digging is a wickedness.
“Digging bestowed a treasure on these men,
But too much digging lost it all again.”
When the Master finished this discourse, he identified the birth: “At that time, Sāriputta was the Serpent King, and I was the master of the caravan.”
