Jātaka 003: Serivavāṇija Jātaka The Traders of Seriva Ashin Sarana: The Buddha encouraged a disheartened monk by telling a story about a merchant who threw away a golden bowl. A merchant (peddler), Devadatta-to-be, deceptively threw an unrecognized dirty golden bowl on the floor, intending to grab it later almost for free. The Buddha-to-be, also a merchant, came to the house, and besides what he needed for his return home, he gave everything he had (worth 1000 pieces of money) for the hundred times more expensive bowl. When the evil merchant found out, the Buddha-to-be was already on a boat in midstream and escaped danger. Although Devadatta-to-be died of anger, and the Buddha-to-be returned to Seriva city in peace, the unforgiving man continued to harass the Bodhisatta for many lives.
Thinzar’s drawing There are two merchants selling at Andharpura, one greedy and the other honest. they separate to reduce competition and the greedy one comes to a home of a young girl and her grandmother. She pleads for a ring of beads, in exchange for a dusty bowl that is revealed to be solid gold. The greedy merchant wanted to get it without giving anything, he leaves thinking to come back for it later. When the honest merchant comes however he finds the gold and immediately offers his whole cart for the golden bowl.Kids’ drawing
