Dhammapada 2.2.p7

2.2.p7

Atha naṃ vanditvā ṭhitaṃ rājā āha – ‘‘tvaṃ kumbhaghosako nāmā’’ti? ‘‘Āma, devā’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ kāraṇā mahādhanaṃ vañcetvā khādasī’’ti? ‘‘Kuto me, deva, dhanaṃ bhatiṃ katvā jīvantassā’’ti? ‘‘Mā evaṃ kari, kiṃ amhe vañcesī’’ti? ‘‘Na vañcemi, deva, natthi me dhana’’nti. Athassa rājā te kahāpaṇe dassetvā, ‘‘ime kassa kahāpaṇā’’ti āha. So sañjānitvā, ‘‘aho bālomhi, kathaṃ nu kho ime rañño hatthaṃ pattā’’ti ito cito ca olokento tā dvepi paṭimaṇḍitapasādhanā gabbhadvāramūle ṭhitā disvā, ‘‘bhāriyaṃ vatidaṃ kammaṃ, imāhi raññā payojitāhi bhavitabba’’nti cintesi. Atha naṃ rājā ‘‘vadehi, bho, kasmā evaṃ karosī’’ti āha. ‘‘Nissayo me natthi, devā’’ti. ‘‘Mādiso nissayo bhavituṃ na vaṭṭatī’’ti. ‘‘Kalyāṇaṃ, deva, sace me devo avassayo hotī’’ti. ‘‘Homi, bho, kittakaṃ te dhana’’nti? ‘‘Cattālīsakoṭiyo, devā’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ laddhuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti? ‘‘Sakaṭāni devā’’ti? Rājā anekasatāni sakaṭāni yojāpetvā pahiṇitvā taṃ dhanaṃ āharāpetvā rājaṅgaṇe rāsiṃ kārāpetvā rājagahavāsino sannipātāpetvā, ‘‘atthi kassaci imasmiṃ nagare ‘‘ettakaṃ dhana’’nti pucchitvā ‘‘natthi, devā’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ panassa kātuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti? ‘‘Sakkāraṃ, devā’’ti vutte mahantena sakkārena taṃ seṭṭhiṭṭhāne ṭhapetvā dhītaraṃ tasseva datvā tena saddhiṃ satthu santikaṃ gantvā vanditvā ‘‘bhante, passathimaṃ purisaṃ, evarūpo dhitimā nāma natthi, cattālīsakoṭivibhavo hontopi uppilāvitākāraṃ vā asmimānamattaṃ vā na karoti, kapaṇo viya pilotikaṃ nivāsetvā bhatakavīthiyaṃ bhatiṃ katvā jīvanto mayā iminā nāma upāyena ñāto. Jānitvā ca pana pakkosāpetvā sadhanabhāvaṃ sampaṭicchāpetvā taṃ dhanaṃ āharāpetvā seṭṭhiṭṭhāne ṭhapito, dhītā cassa mayā dinnā. Bhante, mayā ca evarūpo dhitimā na diṭṭhapubbo’’ti āha.

Then said the king to him, “Speak, sir. Why do you act thus?” “I have no protector, your majesty.” “There does not exist a protector who is my equal.” “Your majesty, it would be most agreeable to me if your majesty were my protector.” “That am I, sir. How great is your wealth?” “Forty crores, your majesty.” “What shall I send to convey your wealth hither?” “Carts, your majesty.” So the king had several hundred carts yoked, and sent and had Kumbhaghosaka’s wealth brought and heaped up in the palace court. Then he assembled the residents of Rājagaha and asked, “Is there anyone at all in this city that possesses so much wealth as this?” “There is not, your majesty.” “What should be bestowed upon him?” “Honor, your majesty.” So the king bestowed high honor upon him, appointed him to the post of treasurer, and gave him his daughter in marriage.

The king then took Kumbhaghosaka to the Teacher, paid obeisance to the Teacher, and said to him, “Reverend Sir, behold this man. For wisdom the like of him does not exist. Though he possesses forty crores of treasure, he gives no sign of being unduly elated, nor is he puffed up in his own conceit. As though he were a poor man, he dressed himself in rags and worked for his living in the servants’ quarter. In this way I came to know of him. And coming to know of him, I sent for him, made him admit his wealth, caused his wealth to be carried to the palace, appointed him to the post of treasurer, and gave him my daughter in marriage. So wise a man I never saw before.”