r:,

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I
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I:
The Supriya Legend i Buddhist LiteratUre
by
Miss. Ratna Handurukande
University of Peradeniya
Dr.
(Professor of Sanskrit.
Sri Lanka.)
A large number of Buddhist legends is found
.
in
Buddhist Sanskrit texts bearing the genenc title
'avadana. The 'avadana' class of literature generally
praises the perfection of giving (anaparamlta) and
illustrates the inevitability of 'karma or action as seen
in 'the recurring formula at the end of these legends
viz. Completely black deeds bear completely eVil
'eHects. Completely white deeds bear completely
good effects; and composite deeds. composite effects.
Variously defined as fables. parables. legendary tales.
stories the hearing of which purifies the mmd. grea
leligious exploits or tales of pious monks and saints
the 'avadana' legends often narrate the past stones a
rhe Buddha and thus recall to a ur minds the 'jataka
tales of the Pali Buddhist Canon. Some of the
'avadana' stories are identical with or differ little from
those of the Pali Jataka collection. while there are at
good many not known in the
.
ali tra't,on. even
though they are sometimes called Jatakas . One such
story is the Supriyasarthavaha-Jataka. an edition of
h h along with a detailed synopsIs of ItS contenl.
w IC .
, Th'
in English. has recently been published.
.
IS
edition is based on sections of seven manuscripts
found in the libraries 01 the Universities of Tokyo
and Kyoto in Japan. The relevant manuscripts used
are of collections called the Bhadrakalpavadana and
the Sambhadravadanamala. which contain mostlv
metrical adaptctions of older works. The penod f
composition of the 'avadanamala' collections IS said
to be about the sixth century A.D. and later.
As its name implies. the Supriya-sarthavaha-jataka
relates the stOr of the merchant Supriya. who was
nO other than the Buddha in one of his past lives.
The stOr. related by the Buddha himself. is in brie
f
as follows. In the distant past. there lived in the city
of Kasi. a mighteous ruler called Brahmadatta. At
that time. there was 8 rich merchant called Priyasena
in Benares. His son. Supriya by name. was wise
strong. handsome and of good speech. Being vry
clever and intelligent as a chid. he mastered all the
arts and sciences and took to trade as his mode of
life. When. in course of time. his father fell ill and
died. Supriya was made the chief of merchants.
Supriya saw people coming to his mansion daily
to beg for alms and was distressed at the thought of
the people of Kasi having to do so. Being generous
at heart and an excellent giver. he expressed
.
a deslfe
to share all his wealth with the poor. But. dissuaded
by the people themselves from doing so. he deCided
to go to sea. to find jewels with which he could make
everyone rich. He summoned his friends and requested
those who wished to do so to accompany him .
.
Five
hundred merchants rejoiced at the idea of l
ommg
him in his journey and turned Up. bringing thelf
merchandise.
Supriya. the me'chant-Ieader and his five hundred
followers set out from Benares. went past mountain.
village and province. and reached a large ocean, in
the far distance. There they hailed a seaman and
bade him take them to sea. The seaman brought a
strong ship. which. launched by him and set In
motion by the winds. sailed swiftly and reached a
mine of jewels in the huge ocean. There. SUPrly
.
a
collected many jewels and began to return With hiS
friends. Suddenly. in the middle of a forest. a band
01 thousand robbers came to rob them of their jewels.
Suprj'ya. not availing himself of the option given to
him of escaping unharmed. leaving his followers to
be robbed. sent the thieves away. giving them wealth
and advising them not to indulge in theft. On their
return home. the merchants related the incident to
their friends and kinsmen. who p

aised Supriya' s
magnanimity.
1. Th, SuriY4sarth8vlhliatlka. Edilld with an introduction by RaIna H8ndUfukande. Indica ee ribelica IS. Indies et
Tiberics V,rllg Bonn 198.
18
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Bent on the welfre WOrd.
practising generosity with the wealth brought
back from sea. The thieves accosted him repeatedly
on his journeys and asked for wealth to live on. for
t
hey said they no longer robbed others. listening to
his advice. Each time. the kind Supriya gave them a
share of his wealth and asked them again to refrain
from theft. Or. the seventh occasion when this
happened. the robbers went away pleased as usual.
but a sad Supriya sat under a tree and thought:
"Seven times have I given riches to these thieves but
they are not satisfied. How then can 1 satisfy the
whole world witt wealth? But that is my wish and
who will help me fulfil that wish? Bereft of hope
and full of despair. Supriya fell asleep.
Seeing Supriya deep in slumber. the presiding
goddess of the forest spoke to him of there bing a
wish-conferring gem (cintamani) in the port-city of
Badara in Jambudvipa and disappeared instantly
Supriya woke uP. remembered what he heard in a
dream and regretted not having asked for directions
to Badaradvipa. He fell asleep once again. The
goddess reappeared and said that Badaradvipa lying
in the western quarter had to be reached. passing
five hundred islands. seven huge mountains and
seven large rivers. This was a feat which only Great
Beings like Supriya alone could accomplish. The
goddess furl her described the oceans and the moun
tains that Supriya would meet on the way to Bada
' radvipa. the difficulties he would encounter and the
means of overcoming them. Waking up. Supriya
decided to follow the instructions of the goddess
and to go in search of the wish-conferring jewel
so that he would have a sufficiency of wealth to
satisfy his suppliants. Despite the dissuasion of
friendS and kinsmen and the lamentations of his wife.
Sulapana. Supriya set out on his arduous journey.
armed with courage and fortitude.
Overcoming many a difficultt
'
-<ith the help of the
gods and the power of his own strength and virtue.
Supriya reached the large and prosperous city of
ROhitakantha ruled over by King Rohltaka. where
lived a senior merchant called Magha. who, the
goddess had sad. would give further instructions
relevant to the jcurney to Badaradvipa. Magha was
ill and on the verge of denth when Supriya arrived
at his residence. Noting the symptoms of Magha's
World of Buddhism
en I "at M hl_'
month to live .supriya did 81\ he
his illness. Skilled in the art of healing.
clibed suitable medicines and a wholesome diet;'8nd
looked alter Magha as a good son would a fathe,.
When the merchant-leader Magha regained his
henlth. Supriya introduced himself and requested
Magna to lead him to Badaradvipa. Impressed by
Supr;, a's courage and determination. Magha offered
to acompany him to Badaradvipa. Boarding a
strong ship. they set sail. As they went into the deep
ocean. Magha. struck by a severe disease and gripped
by pain. asked Supriya to spread a soh couch for
him. reposing on which he could continue the journey.
As they sailed on. various colours and signs appeared.
each of which Magha explained as being landmarks
on tile way to Badaradvipa.
At a certain stage of the journey. Magha confessed
that he himself had not been to Badaradvipa. but ha
recalled hearing from senior merchants that il lay
beyond the shore in a westerly direction. Then
Magha remained silent for a while. and assailed. yet
again. b the pain of disease. he spoke slowly. asked
Supriya to take the ship ashore and dispose of his
body according to rite. when he was no more.
withcut rieving over his death. Supriya did "0 and
sailec alone towards the west. full of heroic vigour.
He went past impassable mountain made of gems
and crstal with the jelp cf super-huran beings. who
recognised him as a bodhisattva'. an aspirant to
buddhahood.
As Supriya went ahead. he reachd a cit of gOld.
beset with gardens. groves and pools. but desolate
and empty. Full of fatigue. Supriya fell asleep at the
city gate. At break of dawn. the goddess who spoke
10 Supriya at first appeared once again and said.
"Well done. Great Being. well done. I have come
this time to congratulate you. for you have now
reached Badaradvipa. Move on. mindful. and with
senses guarded." She then spoke of four lovely
'kinnars' maidens who will receieve him at this citY
of gold. eight of them. lovelier, who will welcome
him at a second city of silver. sixteen at a city of cat's
eye gems and thirtytwo at a fourth 'kinnara' cily made'
of a varity of jewels. These attractive damsels will
make every eHort at enticing him to enjoy sensual
19
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B" ' J ' t)a c 3 ' e
V S q. E -3
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pleasure D ever kind. But 5upr|ye was fDm to lfD the welth
oI|e nlqm I
resi.t their saductive charms, lOK upon them a8 if conferred. take f0U@0 lD the Three Uewe8, V the
end te tbelr 0tG0 DO
C0H\10IOh mlO IO hm m m
. they were his mothers, sisters, or daughters and to Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha and to follow
mBHDBOf discovered 1O8 and warned the others
years and A.D., where the litle @\V0D 1D 1W0
h h h ' S ' d'd h h the path of conduct leading to enlightenment. The
@on|y half of them were willing to attempt BD
story is $uprlyavadana" chapter of Ksemendra'a teac t em t e doctflne. upflya I exact y w 8t e
Now it happened that the Bodhisatta was
k d t d PI d th 'k'n 'd m ave people followed Supriya's advice. There was weH
A adanakalp I t th 't' of wh' h
.
was as e O o. ease, e | nara a se s g
g hotS of the Valahaka race and was flying through
V a a , e compoSi .on \l l$
h' f d'd' b 'd the and being on earth, while Supriya's fame spread far BO
'b d h | h AD h h
1m our sp en I Jewe s, eSt es many O rs,
the air from the Himalaya to Tambapanni. There, as
attn ute to tee event century , " w ere t e
taught him the procedure of making ("em shower
wide.
pased over the banks and fields, he asked in B title of the story is Badaradvipa yatravadana; and
wealth or whatever is desired.
human voice: 'Who wants to go home and the
the Badaradvipa.jataka forming chapter ? of the
Supriya then began his homeward journey following
the advice of the maidens. Past seven mountains in
the west, and two others, the first guarded by a fierce
demon called Lohitaksa and the second, by the
equally fierce 'naga' serpent. Agnimukha, Supriya
reached flat land, where he saw Valaha, a majestic
king of horses, feeding upon the fragrant and pure
grain that grew there. As predicted by the 'kinnara'
maidens, the huge and white norse, Valaha, made
an offer of a ride home to whosoever desired to
return to his own country. Supriya begged that he
be granted the favour, and in a moment he was taken
swiftly across the sky and left in a park at Varanasi.
Returning home, Supriya related his adventurous
experiences to kinsmen and friends who praised and
complimented him.
The thousand thieves came to Supriya again, to
ask for wealth. Pleased at their request, Supriya asked
them to return to their respective abodes and to wish
for anything they wanted. Then, on the eigth day of
the month, Supriya bathed early in the momlng,
observed the precepts, placed the first of the splendid
jewels he broughl back on a banner, circumambulated
it three limes, and asked for wealth, looking up
towards it. The jewel rained riches continuously
over the distance of B thousand yojanas'. Similarly'
the second and third jewels, bein\ honoured and
asked for wealth on subsequent occasions, showered
the desired treasures over the distance of to thousand
and three thousand 'yojanas' respectively. Finally,
the fourh jewel, honoured on the fullmoon day of
the month, let fall continuous shower of gems and
other precious treasures over the whole of Jambud
vipa. The people collected as much of whatever they
wanted, and became affluent and happy. Supriya
King Brahmadatta had died in the meantime and
Supriya was made king by the ministers. Whe, in
course of time, the 'bodhisanva' Supriya grew old,
i'left the kingdom for a hermitage, after handing
over the duties of kingship to his eldest son. There,
in peaceful surroundings, he led a pious life. and at
death, was born in 'brahmaloka' as the lord of the
brahmas.
The Supriyasarthavaha-jataka ends with the iden
tification of characters in the stor as follows: The
Buddha Sakyasimha was Supriya, the 'bodhisatta';
a group of thousand monks in the audience at the
time of narration of the story were the thousand
thieves; Kasyapa Buddha was the goddess; Ihe monk,
Saradvatisuta (Sariputra) was the merchant Magha;
and Maitreya, who is practising the course of conduct
leading to enlightenment was the great horse Valaha,
The Supriya story, the gist of which is given above,
is not found in the Pali tradition. However, the
Valahassa-jataka (Pali jataka No. 19G , (related with
reference to a monk who had become a backslider,
his passion aroused by seeing a finely dressewoman,
though different from the Supriya story, contains
some elements in common with it, as the fcllowing
summary of it shows:
"Once, in Tambapannidipa, there was a yakha
city called Sirisavatthu, peopled by yakhinis. When
shipwrecked sailors were cst on the shore from
the river Kalyani to Nagadipa, the yakkhinis would
assume human form, entice them and use them
as their husbands. On the arrival of other castaways,
they would eat their former husbands and take the
new arrivals as their lovers. Once, five hundred
2. The Jataka together with iI8 Commentar. For first time edited in the otgin8I Pali by V. Fausboll. Vol. First
publishe 1879. Reprio,ed London 1963 pp t27.t30, The J."ke ot 1oo5 o the Buddha'. former birth, Vol.
ll. fnra!ed by W. H. D. Rous. First published t89S. Reprlnled London 1967,pp,89-91
20 Vo!. 5 No. Z TSbS
.
4.
0.
7.
two hundred and fifty traders begged to O taken.
Haribhattajatakamala "\comparison of these veions
Tclimbed on the horse's back and tail and he
with the Supriya.sarthavaha.jataka discussed here
took them to their own country, The others were
by the yakkhinis."
has been made in the study of it published recently.7
Malal" askera, G. P. Dicllonary of Plli Proper Nemea. Vol II. London 1938 . v. Valahua J8!8X&.
Cowell, L. d\ and Neil, R, A,q, The Divyavadlno. Cambridge 1888, pp, 91-123 , Vaidye, P. Lad. Divyevadlne
Datbhongl 1959.pp 58,76
Das. . C. and Pandt H&r Mohan VidyabhuNna ed. Ksemendra's Avadenekalpalata with its Tibetan version. Biblio
theellndica. 2 vols, L8!uUa t888 end 1918, Vol I pp, t77-229.
Vaidya, P. L. ad Avadana k.rpdata o Ksemendra. Z voh, Bubhanga 1959 Vol, 1. pp 6164. rn8l&!00 In thl
Journal o the Buddhist Text Society of Inia, Vol III. Part l. &ldutW 1895, pp, I~ll: op. cit. Vol. Bada,advipaya
travadena.
Part O a mon graph being printed ' Haribhatta's Jet.kamala.
Tha EIvsn Le)ends available in 5anWrt. (author; Profesor Michaal Han o thl UniverSity of Marburg.)
e the first oo1no6 |n this article.
. The Surri'Q sh"
Sskrit sourcs
~ fOIJ ehere
Cter 8 0' the