Ja 39 The Story about the Slave Nanda
(Nandajātaka)
In the present a pupil of Ven. Sāriputta’s becomes puffed up when he goes into the countryside with him, but is docile again when back in Jetavana. When the Buddha hears of this he tells a story about the servant Nandaka in olden times who was entrusted with the secret location of a treasure, and would become conceited when he was close to the spot. The treasure’s rightful heir regained his fortune by following the Bodhisatta’s advice.
Maññe sovaṇṇayo rāsi, sovaṇṇamālā ca Nandako,
Yattha dāso āmajāto ṭhito thullāni gajjatī ti!
I know that the valuable stack, the father’s valuable array, is where the slave-born servant Nandaka stands and loudly curses!
In this connection, I know means I know thus. Maññati can mean both I think, and I know, here it is defined as the latter.
Valuable means those valuable things of beautiful colour. What things? Silver, jewels, gold, coral, and so on are treasures. For in this place all these valuable things is the intention, a stack of them, a stack of valuable things. The term is being used to signify any valuable things, rather then strictly just gold itself, which is what sovaṇṇa normally means.
Valuable array means your father’s property, that valuable array is surely here, this I know.
Is where the ... servant Nandaka means in whatever place the servant Nandaka stands.
Slave-born. Saying: “Yes, I am your female slave.” Thus having come into a state of slavery, the son of this female slave is known as a slave of one who said yes. We can compare the idea of the yes-man in English.
Stands and loudly curses. “In whatever place he stands and loudly calls out with rough words, right there is the family’s property, this is what I know.” The Bodhisatta pointed out the means to seize his riches to the young man.