The Sea Merchants: a past life story

“Those folk sow and reap,*A castaway reflects on the abundance of his lonely isle.men living on the fruit of their work.They have no share of this island.This is better far than India!”

“Kasanti vapanti te janā, Manujā kammaphalūpajīvino; Nayimassa dīpakassa bhāgino, Jambudīpā idameva no varaṁ”.

“Those folk sow and reap,*A castaway reflects on the abundance of his lonely isle.“Kasanti vapanti te janā, men living on the fruit of their work.Manujā kammaphalūpajīvino; They have no share of this island.Nayimassa dīpakassa bhāgino, This is better far than India!”Jambudīpā idameva no varaṁ”.

“When the fifteenth day full moon has risen,*A righteous god stands in the north and warns the newly arrived refugees.there will be a great flood from the sea,drowning this splendid isle.Let it not destroy you all! Go to some other haven!”

“Tipañcarattūpagatamhi cande, Vego mahā hehiti sāgarassa; Uplavissaṁ dīpamimaṁ uḷāraṁ, Mā vo vadhī gacchatha leṇamaññaṁ”.

“When the fifteenth day full moon has risen,*A righteous god stands in the north and warns the newly arrived refugees.“Tipañcarattūpagatamhi cande, there will be a great flood from the sea,Vego mahā hehiti sāgarassa; drowning this splendid isle.Uplavissaṁ dīpamimaṁ uḷāraṁ, Let it not destroy you all! Go to some other haven!”Mā vo vadhī gacchatha leṇamaññaṁ”.

“Never shall a mighty flood of water from the sea*A wicked god speaks in the south.drown this splendid isle—I have seen that through many a sign.Don’t fear! Why worry? Celebrate!*Modathavho is second imperative plural reflexive, “Let you all celebrate”.

“Na jātuyaṁ sāgaravārivego, Uplavissaṁ dīpamimaṁ uḷāraṁ; Taṁ me nimittehi bahūhi diṭṭhaṁ, Mā bhetha kiṁ socatha modathavho. *modathavho → modatha vo (mr)

“Never shall a mighty flood of water from the sea*A wicked god speaks in the south.“Na jātuyaṁ sāgaravārivego, drown this splendid isle—Uplavissaṁ dīpamimaṁ uḷāraṁ; I have seen that through many a sign.Taṁ me nimittehi bahūhi diṭṭhaṁ, Don’t fear! Why worry? Celebrate!*Modathavho is second imperative plural reflexive, “Let you all celebrate”.Mā bhetha kiṁ socatha modathavho. *modathavho → modatha vo (mr)

You’ve come to this splendid abode,full of food and drink.I see no danger for you at all.Celebrate, even unto the sons of sons!”*Here ā is a separate preposition, glossed by yāva.

Pahūtabhakkhaṁ bahuannapānaṁ, Pattattha āvāsamimaṁ uḷāraṁ; Na vo bhayaṁ paṭipassāmi kiñci, Āputtaputtehi pamodathavho”.

You’ve come to this splendid abode,Pahūtabhakkhaṁ bahuannapānaṁ, full of food and drink.Pattattha āvāsamimaṁ uḷāraṁ; I see no danger for you at all.Na vo bhayaṁ paṭipassāmi kiñci, Celebrate, even unto the sons of sons!”*Here ā is a separate preposition, glossed by yāva.Āputtaputtehi pamodathavho”.

“This god in the southern quarter*A foolish refugee endorses the southern god.crying, ‘It is safe!’: his is the truth!The northern doesn’t know if there’s a danger or not.Don’t fear! Why worry? Celebrate!”

“Yo devoyaṁ dakkhiṇāyaṁ disāyaṁ, *dakkhiṇāyaṁ → dakkhiṇassaṁ (bj)Khemanti pakkosati tassa saccaṁ; Na uttaro vedi bhayābhayassa, Mā bhetha kiṁ socatha modathavho”.

“This god in the southern quarter*A foolish refugee endorses the southern god.“Yo devoyaṁ dakkhiṇāyaṁ disāyaṁ, *dakkhiṇāyaṁ → dakkhiṇassaṁ (bj)crying, ‘It is safe!’: his is the truth!Khemanti pakkosati tassa saccaṁ; The northern doesn’t know if there’s a danger or not.Na uttaro vedi bhayābhayassa, Don’t fear! Why worry? Celebrate!”Mā bhetha kiṁ socatha modathavho”.

“As these spirits argue,*A wise refugee counsels action.one reporting danger, one safety,please heed my advice,lest we perish swift and fleet.

“Yathā ime vippavadanti yakkhā, Eko bhayaṁ saṁsati khemameko; Tadiṅgha mayhaṁ vacanaṁ suṇātha, Khippaṁ lahuṁ mā vinassimha sabbe.

“As these spirits argue,*A wise refugee counsels action.“Yathā ime vippavadanti yakkhā, one reporting danger, one safety,Eko bhayaṁ saṁsati khemameko; please heed my advice,Tadiṅgha mayhaṁ vacanaṁ suṇātha, lest we perish swift and fleet.Khippaṁ lahuṁ mā vinassimha sabbe.

Let all join together to build a boat,a strong vessel fully equipped.If this southern one speaks true,and is falsely rejected by the northern,it shall serve us in time of need,and we would not give up the island.

Sabbe samāgamma karoma nāvaṁ, Doṇiṁ daḷhaṁ sabbayantūpapannaṁ; Sace ayaṁ dakkhiṇo saccamāha, Moghaṁ paṭikkosati uttaroyaṁ; Sā ceva no hehiti āpadatthā, Imañca dīpaṁ na pariccajema.

Let all join together to build a boat,Sabbe samāgamma karoma nāvaṁ, a strong vessel fully equipped.Doṇiṁ daḷhaṁ sabbayantūpapannaṁ; If this southern one speaks true,Sace ayaṁ dakkhiṇo saccamāha, and is falsely rejected by the northern,Moghaṁ paṭikkosati uttaroyaṁ; it shall serve us in time of need,Sā ceva no hehiti āpadatthā, and we would not give up the island.Imañca dīpaṁ na pariccajema.

But if the northern speaks true,and is falsely rejected by the southern,then having all boarded the boat,we shall cross safely to the far shore.

Sace ca kho uttaro saccamāha, Moghaṁ paṭikkosati dakkhiṇoyaṁ; Tameva nāvaṁ abhiruyha sabbe, Evaṁ mayaṁ sotthi taremu pāraṁ.

But if the northern speaks true,Sace ca kho uttaro saccamāha, and is falsely rejected by the southern,Moghaṁ paṭikkosati dakkhiṇoyaṁ; then having all boarded the boat,Tameva nāvaṁ abhiruyha sabbe, we shall cross safely to the far shore.Evaṁ mayaṁ sotthi taremu pāraṁ.

Truly, best not accept the last word that came your way,when what was spoken by the first was best.Who here accepts the truth after examination,that man goes to the best place.”

Na ve sugaṇhaṁ paṭhamena seṭṭhaṁ, Kaniṭṭhamāpāthagataṁ gahetvā; Yo cīdha tacchaṁ paviceyya gaṇhati, *tacchaṁ → majjhaṁ (bj, sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli1) | gaṇhati → gaṇhi (mr)Sa ve naro seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.

Truly, best not accept the last word that came your way,Na ve sugaṇhaṁ paṭhamena seṭṭhaṁ, when what was spoken by the first was best.Kaniṭṭhamāpāthagataṁ gahetvā; Who here accepts the truth after examination,Yo cīdha tacchaṁ paviceyya gaṇhati, *tacchaṁ → majjhaṁ (bj, sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli1) | gaṇhati → gaṇhi (mr)that man goes to the best place.”Sa ve naro seṭṭhamupeti ṭhānaṁ.

Just as, in the middle of the watery sea,*These editorializing verses are attributed to the Buddha.the merchants fled to safety by their own efforts,so, realizing his future welfare,he of vast wisdom transgresses not at all.

Yathāpi te sāgaravārimajjhe, Sakammunā sotthi vahiṁsu vāṇijā; Anāgatatthaṁ paṭivijjhiyāna, Appampi nācceti sa bhūripañño.

Just as, in the middle of the watery sea,*These editorializing verses are attributed to the Buddha.Yathāpi te sāgaravārimajjhe, the merchants fled to safety by their own efforts,Sakammunā sotthi vahiṁsu vāṇijā; so, realizing his future welfare,Anāgatatthaṁ paṭivijjhiyāna, he of vast wisdom transgresses not at all.Appampi nācceti sa bhūripañño.

Fools deluded by desire for tastes,not realizing their future welfare,sink down in face of present need,like those people in mid-ocean.

Bālā ca mohena rasānugiddhā, Anāgataṁ appaṭivijjhiyatthaṁ; Paccuppanne sīdanti atthajāte, Samuddamajjhe yathā te manussā.

Fools deluded by desire for tastes,Bālā ca mohena rasānugiddhā, not realizing their future welfare,Anāgataṁ appaṭivijjhiyatthaṁ; sink down in face of present need,Paccuppanne sīdanti atthajāte, like those people in mid-ocean.Samuddamajjhe yathā te manussā.

Prepare what must be done for the future, thinking,“Let what must be done not harm me on the day the duty ripens.”The kind who acts to prepare what must be done,is not harmed by what must be done on the day the duty ripens.

Anāgataṁ paṭikayirātha kiccaṁ, ‘Mā maṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle byadhesi’; Taṁ tādisaṁ paṭikatakiccakāriṁ, *paṭikatakiccakāriṁ → paṭigata … (bj); paṭikataṁ … (mr); paṭikacca … (?)Na taṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle byadhetī”ti.

Prepare what must be done for the future, thinking,Anāgataṁ paṭikayirātha kiccaṁ, “Let what must be done not harm me on the day the duty ripens.”‘Mā maṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle byadhesi’; The kind who acts to prepare what must be done,Taṁ tādisaṁ paṭikatakiccakāriṁ, *paṭikatakiccakāriṁ → paṭigata … (bj); paṭikataṁ … (mr); paṭikacca … (?)is not harmed by what must be done on the day the duty ripens.Na taṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle byadhetī”ti.