A Cup of Rice: a past life story

“Speak, o king: what value has a cup of rice*Nāḷikā (“cup”) is literally a “tube” (of bamboo). SN 3.13:6.1 shows that a nāḷikā of rice was sufficient for a modest serving.for the pricing of horses?”*The first two lines are spoken by horse traders, whose 500 horses were valued as a cup of rice. So they ask the king what is the value of a cup of rice when it comes to pricing horses. | The importance of correct valuation is attested by the detailed breakdowns in such texts as Arthaśāstra 2.19 and Manusmṛti 8.131–137.“He values a cup of riceat Varanasi with its suburbs!”*These two lines record the derision of the court when told that a cup of rice is worth Varanasi with its suburbs. Note that the prose story attributes the foolish valuations to a king’s valuer of whom the verse makes no mention. Taking the verse on its own, it would appear to be the king himself who makes the false valuation.

“Kimagghati taṇḍulanāḷikāyaṁ, *Kimagghati… taṇḍulanāḷikā”ti → kimagghatī taṇḍulanāḷikā ca, bārāṇasīantarabāhirāni. assapañcasatetāni, ekā taṇḍulanāḷikāti. (sya1ed, sya2ed) | taṇḍulanāḷikāyaṁ → … nāḷikā ca (si, sya1ed, sya2ed); … nāḷikāya (bj-a)Assāna mūlāya vadehi rāja; Bārāṇasiṁ santarabāhirantaṁ, *santarabāhirantaṁ → bāhirāni (sya1ed, sya2ed); … bāhirato (csp1ed)Ayamagghati taṇḍulanāḷikā”ti.

“Speak, o king: what value has a cup of rice*Nāḷikā (“cup”) is literally a “tube” (of bamboo). SN 3.13:6.1 shows that a nāḷikā of rice was sufficient for a modest serving.“Kimagghati taṇḍulanāḷikāyaṁ, *Kimagghati… taṇḍulanāḷikā”ti → kimagghatī taṇḍulanāḷikā ca, bārāṇasīantarabāhirāni. assapañcasatetāni, ekā taṇḍulanāḷikāti. (sya1ed, sya2ed) | taṇḍulanāḷikāyaṁ → … nāḷikā ca (si, sya1ed, sya2ed); … nāḷikāya (bj-a)for the pricing of horses?”*The first two lines are spoken by horse traders, whose 500 horses were valued as a cup of rice. So they ask the king what is the value of a cup of rice when it comes to pricing horses. | The importance of correct valuation is attested by the detailed breakdowns in such texts as Arthaśāstra 2.19 and Manusmṛti 8.131–137.Assāna mūlāya vadehi rāja; “He values a cup of riceBārāṇasiṁ santarabāhirantaṁ, *santarabāhirantaṁ → bāhirāni (sya1ed, sya2ed); … bāhirato (csp1ed)at Varanasi with its suburbs!”*These two lines record the derision of the court when told that a cup of rice is worth Varanasi with its suburbs. Note that the prose story attributes the foolish valuations to a king’s valuer of whom the verse makes no mention. Taking the verse on its own, it would appear to be the king himself who makes the false valuation.Ayamagghati taṇḍulanāḷikā”ti.