Verses on Dhamma 6.4.p9

6.4.p9

Tepi vāṇijakā rājakulaṃ gantvā raññā pahitabhāvaṃ ārocāpetvā deviyā ‘‘āgacchantū’’ti vutte pavisitvā vanditvā ekamantaṃ aṭṭhaṃsu. Atha ne devī pucchi – ‘‘tātā, kiṃ kāraṇā āgatātthā’’ti? ‘‘Mayaṃ raññā tumhākaṃ santikaṃ pahitā, tīṇi kira no satasahassāni dethā’’ti. ‘‘Tātā, atibahuṃ bhaṇatha, kiṃ tumhehi rañño kataṃ, kismiṃ vo rājā pasanno ettakaṃ dhanaṃ dāpesī’’ti? ‘‘Devi, na aññaṃ kiñci kataṃ, rañño pana ekaṃ sāsanaṃ ārocayimhā’’ti? ‘‘Sakkā pana, tātā, mayhaṃ ārocetu’’nti. ‘‘Sakkā, devī’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi, tātā, vadethā’’ti. ‘‘Devi buddho loke uppanno’’ti. Sāpi ‘‘taṃ sutvā purimanayeneva pītiyā phuṭṭhasarīrā tikkhattuṃ kiñci asallakkhetvā catutthe vāre ‘buddho’ti padaṃ sutvā, tātā, imasmiṃ pade raññā kiṃ dinna’’nti? ‘‘Satasahassaṃ, devī’’ti. ‘‘Tātā, ananucchavikaṃ raññā kataṃ evarūpaṃ sāsanaṃ sutvā tumhākaṃ satasahassaṃ dadamānena. Ahañhi vo mama duggatapaṇṇākāre tīṇi satasahassāni dammi, aparampi tumhehi rañño kiṃ ārocita’’nti? Te idañcidañcāti itarānipi dve sāsanāni ārocayiṃsu. Devī purimanayeneva pītiyā phuṭṭhasarīrā tikkhattuṃ kiñci asallakkhetvā catutthe vāre tatheva sutvā tīṇi tīṇi satasahassāni dāpesi, evaṃ te sabbānipi dvādasa satasahassāni labhiṃsu.

The traders went to the royal palace, announced that they had been sent by the king, and upon being invited to enter by the queen, entered, made obeisance, and stood respectfully on one side. The queen asked them, "Sirs, on what errand have you come?" "Your majesty, we were sent to you by the king, who gave us three hundred thousand pieces of money." "Sirs, it is a large sum of money you mention; what did you do for the king that pleased him so greatly that he gave you that amount of money?" "Nothing much, your majesty; all we did was to bring the king a certain piece of news." "Are you permitted to tell me also what it was?" "Yes, your majesty." "Well then, sirs, tell me." "Your majesty, 'The Buddha has appeared in the world.'"

When the queen heard this, she was affected precisely as the king had been; her body was suffused with joy, and three times she failed to grasp the meaning of what she heard. When she heard the word "Buddha" the fourth time, she inquired, "What did the king give you when he heard this word?" "A hundred thousand pieces of money, your majesty." "Sirs, the king did not reward you suitably when he gave you only a hundred thousand pieces of money for bringing him such a message; it is a poor present I give you in presenting you with three hundred thousand pieces of money. Did you bring the king any other message?" "Such and such," said they, repeating the two other messages. As before, the queen's body was suffused with joy at each of the messages she heard; three times she failed to grasp the meaning of what she heard, but the fourth time she heard each message she presented them with three hundred thousand pieces of money. Thus in all they received twelve hundred thousand pieces of money.