Tribes in Ancient India c50.241

c50.241

It is apparent from the foregoing references that many people of Magadha, and more especially of Rājagṛha, were engaged in trade and commerce. There are numerous references in the Jātakas to big bankers of Magadha in the Buddha's time. In the *Asampadāna Jātaka*, for instance, we find that a Magadhan seṭṭhi or banker named Saṅkha was the master of eighty crores of wealth. He had a friend in Benares who was also a banker, having the same amount of riches. Saṅkha helped his friend greatly, but was repaid by base ingratitude. Hearing of this ingratitude, the king caused the seṭṭhi of Benares to give all his wealth to his benefactor; but the Magadhan banker was so honest that he refused to take back more than his own money.⁴ The *Petavatthu Commentary* tells us that there was a merchant at Rājagṛha who was so very wealthy that his immense riches could not be exhausted even if 1,000 coins were spent every day.⁵