Cullaka-Setthi Jataka
Buddhist Jathaka Tales
Description: A poor young man transforms his life from poverty to wealth by seizing opportunities, starting with the sale of a dead mouse.
Moral: The story teaches that even the smallest opportunity can lead to great success if one is resourceful, diligent, and willing to take risks.
The Jātaka Story
Once Upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a wise advisor to a king.
He was known for his intelligence and wisdom.
One day, as he was on his way to a meeting with the king and other advisers, something unusual happened.
As he walked along the road, he noticed a lifeless small creature, a dead mouse, lying by the roadside.
This seemingly insignificant sight sparked a thought in his mind.
He turned to those who were with him and spoke: "Even from such small beginnings as this dead mouse, an energetic young person could build a fortune. With hard work and intelligence, they could start a business, support a family and prosper."
Little did he know that his words were about to set a remarkable chain of events into motion.
A passerby overheard his words and recognized the wise advisor to the king.
Intrigued by the idea, he decided to act upon it.
The passerby picked up the dead mouse by its tail and ventured forth.
Faith had plans in store for him.
Not far from where he found the mouse, a shopkeeper approached him.
The shopkeeper had been troubled by a persistent cat all morning and he saw an opportunity in the mouse.
He offered the passer by two copper coins in exchange for the lifeless creature, and the deal was struck.
With his newly acquired coins, the passerby bought sweet cakes and a jug of water.
He stationed himself by the side of the road, knowing that people returning from work who picked flowers for garlands would be both hungry and thirsty.
In his shrewd business move, he offered sweet cakes and water in exchange for a bunch of flowers from each of them.
The plan worked like a charm, and he soon had a collection of beautiful flowers.
In the evening, he made his way to the city and sold the flowers at a profit.
With his earnings, he returned the next day to sell to the flower pickers again.
This cycle continued until one day when a powerful storm with heavy rains and strong winds struck.
As the passerby walked past the King's pleasure garden, he noticed that many branches had been blown off the trees, creating a mess.
Seeing an opportunity, he approached the lazy King's gardener and made a proposition.
He offered to clear away all the fallen branches in exchange for keeping them.
The Gardener, eager to rid himself of the task, readily agreed to the deal.
The passerby, however, didn't plan to do the hard work himself.
Instead, he spotted some children playing in a nearby park.
He offered them sweet cakes in exchange for collecting and piling up the fallen branches at the entrance to the Pleasure Garden.
The children, enticed by the offer, quickly gathered the branches, thinking they had made a great deal.
Little did they know that their playtime would soon lead to more opportunities.
A local potter, always on the lookout for firewood for his glazing oven, happened upon the piles of wood collected by the children.
Recognizing the potential value, he paid the passer by handsomely for the wood and even threw in some of his pots.
With the profits from selling flowers and firewood, the passerby decided to open a refreshment shop.
His generosity and business acumen drew the attention of grass mowers, who passed by on their way to town.
He offered them free sweet cakes and drinks, earning their good will.
Some time later, he learned that a foreign ship had docked at the city's port.
This presented him with a new opportunity.
He devised a clever plan.
He approached a jeweler friend and bought a valuable gold ring with a stunning red Ruby at a low price.
Knowing that the foreign ship came from a land without rubies and where gold was expensive, he gifted the ring to the ship's captain as an advanced commission.
In return, the captain agreed to send all the ship's passengers to him as a broker.
The passerby would then guide them to the best shops in the city.
Merchants were willing to pay him a commission for sending customers their way.
Acting as a middleman, he amassed wealth with each passing ship that arrived at the port.
His success grew and he became very wealthy.
Grateful for the journey that started with the words of the wise advisor, he decided to show his gratitude.
He gifted the advisor of vast sum of 100,000 gold coins, half of his entire wealth.
The adviser was astonished and asked how he had earned such riches.
The passerby recounted his journey from the dead mouse to the hungry cat, sweet cakes, flowers, storm damaged branches, children, the King's potter, a refreshment shop and many more steps that led to his fortune.
Hearing this incredible tale, the adviser saw the potential in the passerby and decided to unite their fortunes.
He arranged for the passerby to marry his beloved daughter and they combined their wealth and talents.
After the adviser's passing, the once humble passerby became the wealthiest man in the city and was appointed as the new advisor to the king.
Throughout his life, he used his wealth to bring happiness and well-being to many people, proving that opportunities can arise from the most unexpected places.
So, my dear friends, this tale reminds us of a valuable lesson.
Life often presents us with opportunities in unexpected places and situations.
Just as the passerby's journey began with a simple, lifeless mouse, our own paths may start with seemingly small or insignificant moments.
But it's our determination, hard work, and ability to recognize and seize these opportunities that can lead to success and prosperity.
So remember, no matter where you are in life, stay open to the possibilities around you.
Keep your eyes and mind alert to the chances that may come your way.
With effort, intelligence, and a willingness to take action, you can turn even the humblest beginnings into a remarkable journey toward your dreams and ambitions.
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