ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



135 



The third, or Seriwanija Jatakan. 



Verse. — If you now fail in attaining the advantages of 

 true religion, long and bitterly will you repent it, as was \he 

 case with the merchant, Seriwayo. 



Legend* — This discourse was delivered when Budha lived 

 at Sewat, in consequence of a priest having become discourag- 

 ed in his efforts to [obtain, spiritual illumination. Upon the 

 case being represented to Budha, he said, Priest, if after be- 

 coming a priest of this fruit giving religion, you intermit your 

 exertions, long will you regret it, as the merchant Seriwayo 

 regretted the loss of the salver of solid gold worth a lack. At 

 the solicitations of the priests, Budha related |he circumstances 

 as follows : — 



Five kalpas previous to ^he present one, Bodisat was a 

 travelling goldsmith in the country named feeriwa, and in com- 

 pany with another person of the same profession named Seri- 

 wayo, who was very covetous, he crossed the Telawahan river? 

 and came to a city called Andhapura : they divided the streets 

 of the city between them^ each commencing to sell his goods 

 in the part assigned to him. There was in the city a noble 

 family reduced to abject'poverty \ their property was lost, their 

 relations died, and only a girl and her grandmother remained 

 alive, the latter having to serve others to support herself and 

 grand ch;ld. There was in the house, a golden dish out of 

 which the nobleman used to eat ; but it had long been disused, 

 and it was so covered with dirt and filth, that they did not 

 know it to be gold, and cast it among some useless lumber. 

 The covetous merchant entered the street in which they lived, 

 crying, buy my jewels ! by my jewels ! and came to the door 

 of the house. The child said to her grand-mother, mother, 

 t>uy me an ornament. Child, replied the grantl-mother, we 



