Jataka 463
Suppāraka Jātaka
The Story of Suppāraka
as told by Eric Van Horn
originally translated by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil, Cambridge University
originally edited by Professor Edward Byles Cowell, Cambridge University
There is a lot of humor in the Pāli Canon, and one amusing item happens in this story. The Bodhisatta is of service to the King, but the King does not reward him very generously. The King gives a “barber’s fee,” which is about as derogatory a remark as you could make in those days about someone’s miserliness. As a result, the Bodhisatta moves on to other affairs. As usual, karma wins.
It is also interesting that the Bodhisatta hides the existence of the various fortunes from him fellow mariners. In the end he shares it all with them, but he uses his wisdom to protect them from their own greed.
“Men with razor pointed.” The Master told this story while he was at Jetavana. It is about the Perfection of Knowledge. One day, we are told, in the evening, the Saṇgha was awaiting the arrival of the Tathāgata. And as they sat in the Dharma Hall, they were saying to each other, “Truly, brother, the Master has great wisdom! Wide wisdom! Ready wisdom! Swift wisdom! Sharp wisdom! Penetrating wisdom! His wisdom hits on the right plan for the right moment. Wide as the world, like a mighty ocean unfathomable, as the heavens spread abroad, in all India no wise man exists who can match the Dasabala (one who possesses the ten powers of the Buddha). As a cloud that rises on the great sea cannot reach the shore, or if it reaches the shore it breaks, so no man can reach the Dasabala in wisdom, or if he comes to the Master’s feet, he is broken.” With these words they sang the praises of the Dasabala’s Perfect Wisdom. The Master came in and asked, “What are you discussing, brothers, as you sit here?” They told him. He said, “Not only now is the Tathāgata full of wisdom. In former days, even when his knowledge was immature, he was wise. Even though he was blind, by the signs of the ocean he knew that in the ocean a certain treasure was hidden.” Then he told them this story from the past.
Once upon a time, a King named Bharu reigned in the kingdom of Bharu. There was a seaport town there named Bharukaccha, or the “Marsh of Bharu.”
At that time the Bodhisatta was born into the family of a master mariner there. He was amiable, and his complexion was a golden brown. They gave him the name of Suppāraka-kumāra. He grew up with great distinction. And even when he was no more than 16 years old, he had gained a complete mastery over the art of seamanship. Afterwards, when his father died, he became the head of the mariners and plied the mariner’s calling. He was wise and full of intelligence, and with him aboard, no ship ever came to harm.
In time it so happened that he was injured by the salt water, and he lost sight in both of his eyes. After that, even though he was the head of the mariners, he no longer plied the mariner’s trade. But he resolved to live in the King’s service, and to that end, he approached the King. The King appointed him to the office of valuer and assessor. From that time on he determined the worth of valuable elephants, valuable horses, choice pearls, and gems.
One day an elephant was brought to the King so that he might become the state elephant. It was the color of a black rock. The King gave him a glance and commanded that he be shown to the wise man. They led the creature before him. The man passed his hand over the elephant’s body, and he said, “This elephant is not fit to be the elephant of state. He is deformed in the rear. When his mother gave birth to him, she could not take him on her shoulder, so she let him fall on the ground. And in this way he became deformed in his hind feet.” They questioned those who had brought the elephant, and they replied that the wise man spoke the truth. When the King heard of this, he was pleased, and he ordered eight pieces of gold to be given to him.
On another day, a horse was brought so that he might become the King’s horse of state. This, too, was sent to the wise man. He felt it all over with his hand, and then he said, “This is not fit to be the King’s state charger. On the day this horse was born, his mother died, and from the lack of the mare’s milk he did not grow properly.” What he said was also true. When the King heard of it, he was pleased, and he presented him with eight more gold pieces.
On another day, a chariot was brought to be the King’s state chariot. This, too, the King sent to him. He felt it over with his hand, and then he said, “This chariot was made out of a hollow tree, and therefore it is not fit for the King.” Like the others, what he said was also true. The King was pleased again when he heard of it, and he gave him eight more gold pieces.
Then again they brought him a precious rug of great price which the King sent to the man as before. He felt it all over, and then he said, “There is one place here where a rat has bitten a hole.” They examined the rug and found the hole, and then they told the King. The King was pleased, and he ordered eight gold pieces to be given to him again.
Now the man thought, “Only eight pieces of gold with such marvels as these to see! This is a barber’s fee. This King must be a barber’s brat. Why should I serve such a King? I will return to my own home.” So back he went to the seaport of Bharukaccha, and there he lived.
(At the time of the Buddha, barbers were held in particularly low esteem.)
It so happened that some merchants had gotten a ship ready, and they were casting about for a captain. “That clever Suppāraka,” they thought, “is a wise and skillful man. When he is aboard, no ship comes to harm. Even though he is blind, wise Suppāraka is the best choice.” So they went to him and asked him to be their captain. “I am blind, friends,” he replied, “how can I sail your ship?” “You may be blind, master,” the merchants said, “but you are the best.” As they pressed him unceasingly, he finally consented. “As you propose,” he said, “I will be your captain.” Then he boarded their vessel.
They sailed in their ship upon the high seas. For seven days the ship sailed without any mishaps. Then an unseasonable wind arose. For months the vessel tossed about on a primeval ocean, until she arrived at what is called the Khuramāla Sea (a sea in western India). Here fish with bodies like men and sharp razor-like snouts dive in and out of the water. The merchants saw these fish and asked the Great Being what that sea was named, repeating the first stanza:
“Men with razor-pointed noses rising up and diving down!
Speak, Suppāraka, and tell us by what name this sea is known?”
The Great Being, recalling his mariner’s lore, answered by repeating the second stanza:
“Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Khuramāli ocean where your ship has gone astray.”
Now it happens that in this ocean diamonds are to be found. The Great Being reflected that if he told them this was a diamond sea, they would sink the ship in their greed by collecting the diamonds. So he told them nothing. But having brought the ship about, he got a rope and lowered a net as if to catch fish. With this he brought in a haul of diamonds. These he stored in the ship. Then he ordered that cargo of little value should be cast overboard.
The ship passed over this sea and came to another sea called “Aggimāla.” This sea sent forth a radiance like a blazing bonfire. It was like the sun at midday. The merchants questioned him in this stanza:
“Lo! an ocean like a bonfire blazing, like the sun, we see!
Speak, Suppāraka, and tell us what the name of this may be?”
The Great Being replied to them in the stanza next following:
“Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Aggimāli ocean where your ship has gone astray.”
Now in this sea there was abundance of gold. In the same manner as before, he got a haul of gold from it and laid it aboard. Passing over this sea, the ship next came to an ocean called “Dadhimāla.” It was gleaming like milk or curds. The merchants asked its name in a stanza:
“Lo! an ocean white and milky, white as curds we seem to see!
Speak, Suppāraka, and tell us what the name of this may be?”
The Great Being answered them by the following stanza:
“Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Dadhimāli ocean where your ship has gone astray.”
In this sea there was abundance of silver. He procured it in the same way as before and laid it aboard. The ship sailed over this sea, and it came to an ocean called “Nīlavaṇṇakusa-māla.” It had the appearance of a stretch of dark kusa-grass or a field of corn. The merchants enquired its name in a stanza:
“Lo! an ocean green and grassy, like young corn we seem to see!
Speak, Suppāraka, and tell us what the name of this may be?”
He replied in the words of the following stanza:
“Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Kusamāli ocean where your ship has gone astray.”
Now in this ocean there was a great quantity of precious emeralds. As before, he made a haul of them and stored them on board. Passing over this sea, the ship came to a sea called “Nalamāli” which had the aspect of an expanse of reeds or a grove of bamboos. The merchants asked its name in a stanza:
“Lo! an ocean like a reed-bed, like a bamboo-grove we see!
Speak, Suppāraka, and tell us what the name of this may be?”
The Great Being replied in the following stanza:
“Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Nalamāli ocean where your ship has gone astray.”
Now this ocean was full of coral of the color of bamboos. He made a haul of this as well and got it aboard.
After passing the Nalamāli Sea, the merchants came to a sea named “Vaḷabhāmukha.” Here the water is sucked away and rises on every side. And when the water is sucked away on all sides, it rises in sheer precipices leaving what looks like a great pit. A wave rises on one side like a wall. A terrific roar is heard. It sounds as if it will burst the ear and break the heart. On sight of this the merchants were terrified, and they asked its name in a stanza:
“Hear the awful sound terrific of a huge unearthly sea!
Lo a pit, and to the waters in a steep declivity!
Speak, Suppāraka, and tell us what the name of this may be?”
The Bodhisatta replied in this following stanza:
“Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Valabhāmukhi ocean where your ship has gone astray.”
He went on. “Friends, once a ship has gone into the Valabhāmukha Sea, there is no returning. If this ship goes there, she will sink and go to its destruction.”
Now there were 700 souls on board this ship, and they were in fear of dying. With one voice they uttered a bitter cry. It was like the cry of those who are burning in the lowest hell. The Great Being thought, “Except for me, no one else can save these men. I will save them by an Act of Truth.” Then he said aloud, “Friends, bathe me quickly in scented water and put new clothes on me. Prepare a full bowl and set me in front of the ship.” They quickly did so. The Great Being took the full bowl in both hands, and standing in the front of the ship, he performed an Act of Truth, repeating the final stanza:
“Since I can myself remember, since intelligence first grew,
Not one life of living creature have I taken, that I knew.
May this ship return to safety if my solemn words are true!”
Figure: “May this ship return to safety.”
For four months the vessel had been sailing in far distant regions. And now, as though endowed with supernatural power, it returned in one single day to the seaport town of Bharukaccha. It even went on dry land until it rested before the mariner’s door. The ship had leapt over a space of eleven hundred cubits. The Great Being divided the gold and silver, jewels, coral, and diamonds among the merchants. Then he said, “This treasure is enough for you. Do not travel on the sea ever again.” Then he gave a teaching to them. And after giving gifts and doing good for the rest of his life, he went to swell the hosts of heaven.
The Master, having ended this discourse, said, “Then, brothers, the Tathāgata was most wise in former days, as he is now.” Then he identified the birth: “At that time the Buddha’s company were the company (of merchants), and I was the wise Suppāraka.”
