經律異相 44.62

44.62

Formerly, there was a poor, solitary old man with no livelihood of his own. In the market he happened to buy an axe; it was the finest of many treasures, but he did not recognize it. He used it to chop tree stumps to sell, thereby supporting his meager life. The axe was nearly worn out when he happened to meet a great merchant trader from abroad named Sārthavāha. Seeing the axe, he recognized it and asked the old man, 'Will you sell this axe?' The old man said, 'I rely on this axe to live; I will not sell it.' Sārthavāha said again, 'I will give you one hundred bolts of silk; why not sell it?' The old man did not respond. Sārthavāha said again, 'I will give you two hundred bolts.' The old man became dejected and unhappy. Sārthavāha said again, 'If you think it too little, I will add more. Why are you unhappy? I give you five hundred bolts.' The old man wept bitterly. Sārthavāha said again, 'If the silk is too little, I will add more. Why do you weep?' The old man said, 'I do not regret that the silk is little; I regret my own foolishness. This axe was originally one and a half feet long. In chopping into the ground, it wore down until only five inches remain, yet I can still get five hundred bolts of silk for it. That is why I feel regret.' Sārthavāha said again, 'Do not have lingering regret. Now I will give you a thousand bolts of silk.' They immediately tore the contract and took [the axe] away. Burning it with firewood, it entirely became precious jewels. (From the Zhujing zhong yaoshi)