The Story of "Merchant Great-Wealth"

Eugene Burlingame (BPS, Wheel 324); Dhr. Seven, Eliza Darcey (editors), Wisdom Quarterly

Greed is not good if happiness born of karma is one's goal (Minerva Studio/Shutterstock)

21. Merchant Great-Wealth

"Here shall I spend the rainy season..."

This instruction was given by the Teacher (the Buddha) when he was residing at Jetavana Grove with reference to Mahadhana or "Merchant Great-Wealth."

 

The story goes that Mahadhana loaded 500 (figuratively "a large number") carts with red cloths dyed in safflower and set out from Benares (Varanasi) to trade.

When, on his return to Savatthi, he reached the bank of the river, he thought, "Tomorrow I will cross the river" and unyoked his carts right there and spent the night.

During the night a severe storm came, and it rained all night long. For seven days the river was flooding. For seven days the citizens did not go out to work or shop. The result was that the merchant had no opportunity to sell his crimson colored cloths.

The merchant thought to himself, "I have come a long distance, and if I go back again, I shall be delayed. Here shall I dwell during the rainy season, during the winter, and during the summer, working, selling these cloths."

 

As the Teacher made his alms round through the city, he became aware of the merchant's intention and smiled.

Thereupon the Elder Ananda asked the Buddha why he smiled. The Teacher replied, "Ananda, did you see Merchant Great-Wealth?"

— "Yes, reverend sir."

— "Not realizing that the end of his life is near, he has made up his mind to dwell right here during this entire year for the purpose of selling his goods."

— "But, reverend sir, is the end of his life at hand?"

— "Yes, Ananda. He will live only seven days longer, and then he will fall into the jaws of Death." So saying, the Teacher pronounced the following stanzas:

 

Today the effort must be made:

Who knows? Tomorrow Death may come.

No bargain with mortality

Can keep Death and his hordes away.

But one who dwells thus ardently,

Relentlessly, by day, by night,

One, a Hermit-Stilled, is one called,

The ideal lover of solitude [7].

• Note 7: These verses (found in full in MN 131) are a combination of the renderings of Ven. Ñanamoli Thera and Ven. Ñanananda Bhikkhu. See The Wheel No. 188, Ideal Solitude: An Exposition of The Bhaddekaratta Sutta, by Ven. Ñanananda Bhikkhu.

— "Reverend sir, I will go tell him."

— "By all means go, Ananda."

Ananda went to the enclosure formed by Mahadhana's carts and made his alms round. The merchant reverently presented Ananda with an offering of food.

Then Ananda asked the merchant, "How long a time do you expect to remain here, Mahadhana?"

— "Reverend sir, I have come a long distance, and if I go back again, I shall suffer delay. So I shall remain here during this entire year, and when I have sold all my goods, I shall move on."

— "Layman, though the end of one's life is near, yet it is hard to realize it. One should be heedful."

— "Why, reverend sir, is the end of MY life at hand?"

— "Yes, layman, it is. Only seven days more will your life continue."

 

The merchant Mahadhana's heart stirred with deep emotion, so he invited the Order of Monastics presided over by the Buddha to be his guests for an offering of dana.

For seven days he gave alms. Finally, he took the Teacher's bowl to permit him to pronounce the words of thanksgiving. The Teacher said, in pronouncing words of thanksgiving:

"Disciple, a wise person should never allow oneself to think, 'Right here will I dwell during the rainy season, during the winter, and during the summer. I will do this work, and I will do that work.'

"Rather a person should meditate on the end of life." So saying the Teacher pronounced the following stanza:

"Here shall I spend the rains,
Here the winter, here the summer,"
This is the speculation of the fool

Unaware of the danger. — Dhp 286 

At the conclusion of the lesson, the merchant was established in the fruit of stream-entry (the first stage of enlightenment, from which there is no danger of falling back into worldly ignorance). The assembled audience also benefited from the lesson.

 

The merchant Mahadhana accompanied the Teacher on his way for a short distance and then turned back.

"I feel as if I have some trouble in my head," Mahadhana said. Then he laid himself on his bed. No sooner had he lain down than he died, and he was reborn in the world of the very fortunate Tusita devas. More