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Mv VIII 02
PTS: Mv VIII 1.8 | CS: vin.mv.08.02
Seṭṭhibhariyāvatthu
'Line by Line'
The Story of the Money-lender’s Wife
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: 'read-friendly' layout

203. seṭṭhibhariyāvatthu
The Story of the Money-lender’s Wife

[130] tena kho pana samayena sākete seṭṭhibhariyāya sattavassiko sīsābādho hoti.

Now on that occasion the wife of a money-lender in Sāketa had had a headache for seven years.

Bahū mahantā mahantā disāpāmokkhā vejjā āgantvā tikicchantā nāsakkhiṁsu arogaṁ kātuṁ bahuṁ hiraññaṁ ādāya agamaṁsu.

Many great doctors, the foremost in all directions, came to treat her, but could not cure her of her illness. Taking a great deal of money, they left.

athakho jīvako komārabhacco sāketaṁ pavisitvā manusse pucchi ko bhaṇe gilāno kaṁ tikicchāmīti.

Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, entering Sāketa, asked the people, “I say, who is sick? Who will I treat?”

Etissā ācariya seṭṭhibhariyāya sattavassiko sīsābādho gaccha ācariya seṭṭhibhariyaṁ tikicchāhīti.

“Teacher, this wife of a money-lender has had a headache for seven years. Go and treat her.”

(Mv.VIII.1.9) athakho jīvako komārabhacco yena seṭṭhissa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā dovārikaṁ āṇāpesi gaccha bhaṇe dovārika seṭṭhibhariyāya pāvada vejjo ayye āgato so taṁ daṭṭhukāmoti.

So he went to the wealthy householder’s residence and, on arrival, sent the doorkeeper, (saying,) “I say, doorkeeper, go and inform the money-lender’s wife, ‘Lady, a doctor has come, and he would like to see you.’”

Evamācariyāti kho so dovāriko jīvakassa komārabhaccassa paṭissuṇitvā yena seṭṭhibhariyā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā seṭṭhibhariyaṁ etadavoca Vejjo ayye āgato so taṁ daṭṭhukāmoti.

Responding, “As you say, teacher,” to Jīvaka Komārabhacca, the doorkeeper went to the money-lender’s wife and, on arrival, said to her, “Lady, a doctor has come, and he would like to see you.”

Kīdiso bhaṇe dovārika vejjoti.

“I say, doorkeeper, what sort of doctor?”

Daharako ayyeti.

“A young one, Lady.”

Alaṁ bhaṇe dovārika kiṁ me daharako vejjo karissati bahū mahantā mahantā disāpāmokkhā vejjā āgantvā tikicchantā nāsakkhiṁsu arogaṁ kātuṁ bahuṁ hiraññaṁ ādāya agamaṁsūti.

“Enough, I say. What use is a young doctor to me? Many great doctors, the foremost in all directions, have come to treat me, but could not cure me of my illness. Taking lots of gold, they left.”

(Mv.VIII.1.10) athakho so dovāriko yena jīvako komārabhacco tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā jīvakaṁ komārabhaccaṁ etadavoca seṭṭhibhariyā ācariya evamāha alaṁ bhaṇe dovārika kiṁ me daharako vejjo karissati bahū mahantā mahantā disāpāmokkhā vejjā āgantvā tikicchantā nāsakkhiṁsu arogaṁ kātuṁ bahuṁ hiraññaṁ ādāya agamaṁsūti.

So the doorkeeper went to Jīvaka Komārabhacca and, on arrival, said to him, “Teacher, the money-lender’s wife says this, ‘Enough, I say. What use is a young doctor to me? Many prominent doctors, the foremost in all directions, have come to treat me, but could not cure me of my illness. Taking lots of gold, they left.’”

Gaccha bhaṇe dovārika seṭṭhibhariyāya pāvada vejjo ayye evamāha mā kira ayye pure kiñci adāsi yadā arogā ahosi tadā yaṁ iccheyyāsi taṁ dajjeyyāsīti.

“Go, I say, doorkeeper, and inform her, ‘The doctor says, “Lady, don’t give me anything at all beforehand. When you are cured of your illness, then give whatever you want.”’”

evaṁ ācariyāti kho so dovāriko jīvakassa komārabhaccassa paṭissuṇitvā yena seṭṭhibhariyā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā seṭṭhibhariyaṁ etadavoca vejjo ayye evamāha mā kira ayye pure kiñci adāsi yadā arogā ahosi tadā yaṁ iccheyyāsi taṁ dajjeyyāsīti.

Responding, “As you say, teacher,” to Jīvaka Komārabhacca, the doorkeeper went to the money-lender’s wife and, on arrival, said to her, “Lady, the doctor says, ‘Lady, don’t give me anything at all beforehand. When you are cured of your illness, then give whatever you want.’”

tenahi bhaṇe dovārika vejjo āgacchatūti.

“I say, doorkeeper, in that case, let the doctor come.”

evaṁ ayyeti kho so dovāriko seṭṭhibhariyāya paṭissuṇitvā yena jīvako komārabhacco tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā jīvakaṁ komārabhaccaṁ etadavoca seṭṭhibhariyā taṁ ācariya Pakkosatīti.

Responding, “As you say, Lady,” to the money-lender’s wife, the doorkeeper went to Jīvaka Komārabhacca and, on arrival, said to him, “Teacher, the money-lender’s wife summons you.”

(Mv.VIII.1.11) athakho jīvako komārabhacco yena seṭṭhibhariyā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā seṭṭhibhariyāya vikāraṁ sallakkhetvā seṭṭhibhariyaṁ etadavoca pasatena me ayye sappinā atthoti.

So he went to the money-lender’s wife and, on arrival, having observed her symptoms, said to her, “Lady, I need a handful of ghee.”

athakho seṭṭhibhariyā jīvakassa komārabhaccassa pasataṁ sappiṁ dāpesi.

Then she had them give him a handful of ghee.

athakho jīvako komārabhacco taṁ pasataṁ sappiṁ nānābhesajjehi nippacitvā seṭṭhibhariyaṁ mañcake uttānaṁ nipajjāpetvā natthuto adāsi.

Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having concocted the ghee with various medicines, had the money-lender’s wife lie on her back on a bed and gave her the ghee in her nose.

athakho taṁ sappiṁ natthuto dinnaṁ mukhato uggacchi.

Having been given the ghee in the nose, she spit it out her mouth.

athakho seṭṭhibhariyā taṁ paṭiggahe nuṭṭhuhitvā [ME: niṭṭhubhitvā] dāsiṁ āṇāpesi handa je imaṁ sappiṁ picunā gaṇhāhīti.

Spitting it into a spittoon, she commanded a female slave, “Hey, pick up this ghee with some cotton.”

(Mv.VIII.1.12) athakho jīvakassa komārabhaccassa etadahosi acchariyaṁ vata bho yāva lūkhāyaṁ gharaṇī yatra hi nāma imaṁ chaḍḍanīyadhammaṁ sappiṁ picunā gāhāpessati bahukāni ca me mahagghāni mahagghāni bhesajjāni upagatāni kimpimāyaṁ kañci deyyadhammaṁ dassatīti.

The thought occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca, “It’s amazing how stingy this housewife is! How can she have cotton used to pick up that ghee, which ought to be thrown away? I used up lots of expensive medicine, but will she give me anything as a reward?”

athakho seṭṭhibhariyā jīvakassa komārabhaccassa vikāraṁ sallakkhetvā jīvakaṁ komārabhaccaṁ etadavoca kissa tvaṁ ācariya vimanosīti.

Then the money-lender’s wife, noticing his expression, said to him, “What are you worried about, teacher?”

Idha me etadahosi acchariyaṁ vata bho yāva lūkhāyaṁ gharaṇī yatra hi nāma imaṁ chaḍḍanīyadhammaṁ sappiṁ picunā gāhāpessati bahukāni ca me mahagghāni mahagghāni bhesajjāni upagatāni kimpimāyaṁ kañci deyyadhammaṁ dassatīti.

“Just now, the thought occurred to me, ‘It’s amazing how stingy this housewife is! How can she have cotton used to pick up that ghee, which ought to be thrown away? I used up lots of expensive medicine, but will she give me anything as a reward?’”

Mayaṁ kho ācariya āgārikā nāma upajānāmetassa saññamassa varametaṁ sappi dāsānaṁ vā kammakarānaṁ vā pādabbhañjanaṁ vā padīpakaraṇe vā āsittaṁ mā tvaṁ ācariya vimano ahosi na te deyyadhammo hāyissatīti.

“You know, teacher, we housewives have to know the value of frugality. This ghee is excellent as foot-rub for the slaves and workers, or for putting in lamps. Don’t worry, teacher, your reward won’t be lacking.”

(Mv.VIII.1.3) athakho jīvako komārabhacco seṭṭhibhariyāya sattavassikaṁ sīsābādhaṁ ekeneva natthukammena apakaḍḍhi.

So Jīvaka Komārabhacca drove out the money-lender’s wife’s seven-year headache with one nose-treatment.

athakho seṭṭhibhariyā arogā samānā jīvakassa komārabhaccassa cattāri sahassāni pādāsi.

Then, being cured, she gave him four thousand.

Putto mātā me arogā ṭhitāti cattāri sahassāni pādāsi.

Her son, (thinking,) “My mother is cured!” gave him four thousand.

Suṇisā sassū me arogā ṭhitāti cattāri sahassāni pādāsi.

Her daughter-in-law, (thinking,) “My mother-in-law is cured!” gave him four thousand.

Seṭṭhī gahapati bhariyā me arogā ṭhitāti cattāri sahassāni pādāsi dāsañca dāsiñca assarathañca adāsi.

The wealthy householder, (thinking,) “My wife is cured!” gave him four thousand, a male slave, a female slave, and a horse-drawn carriage.

athakho jīvako komārabhacco tāni soḷasasahassāni ādāya dāsañca dāsiñca assarathañca yena rājagahaṁ tena pakkāmi anupubbena yena rājagahaṁ yena abhayo rājakumāro tenupasaṅkami

Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, taking the sixteen thousand, the male slave, the female slave, and the horse-drawn carriage, set out wandering toward Rājagaha, and traveling by stages, arrived there and went to Prince Abhaya.

upasaṅkamitvā abhayaṁ rājakumāraṁ etadavoca idaṁ me deva paṭhamakammaṁ soḷasasahassāni dāso ca dāsī ca assaratho ca paṭiggaṇhātu me devo posāvanikanti.

On arrival, he said to him, “Your highness, this was my first work: sixteen thousand, a male slave, a female slave, and a horse-drawn carriage. May your highness accept them in repayment for looking after [raising] me.”

Alaṁ bhaṇe jīvaka tuyhaṁyeva hotu amhākañca antepure nivesanaṁ māpehīti.

“I say, Jīvaka, enough. May it be your very own. Have a residence built inside our palace (grounds).”

evaṁ devāti kho jīvako komārabhacco abhayassa rājakumārassa paṭissuṇitvā abhayassa rājakumārassa antepure nivesanaṁ māpesi.

Responding, “As you say, your highness,” to Prince Abhaya, Jīvaka Komārabhacca had a residence built inside Prince Abhaya’s palace (grounds).

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