Ja 3 Serivavāṇijajātaka
The Story about the Tradesman from Serivā

In the present a monk is about to give up striving. The Buddha tells a story of two merchants called Serivā, one of whom attempts to cheat a poor family out of its riches, while the other paid a decent price for their golden bowl.

⏑⏑−−¦⏑−−−¦¦−−−⏑¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
1. Idha ce naṁ virādhesi Saddhammassa niyāmataṁ,
If here you miss being certain of (results in) the True Dhamma,

⏑−−⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦−⏑−−¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
Ciraṁ tvaṁ anutappesi, Serivāyaṁ va vāṇijo ti.
For a long time you will suffer, like the merchant in Serivā.

Tattha, {1.113} idha ce naṁ virādhesi, saddhammassa niyāmatan-ti,
In this connection, if here you miss being certain of (results in) the True Dhamma, means:

imasmiṁ sāsane etaṁ Saddhammassa,
in this dispensation of the True Dhamma,

niyāmatāsaṅkhātaṁ Sotāpattimaggaṁ virādhesi.
you miss the Path of Stream-Entry which is reckoned as a certainty.

Yadi virādhesi, viriyaṁ ossajanto,
If you miss, through giving up effort,

nādhigacchasi na paṭilabhasī ti attho.
and do not attain, do not gain (these), is the meaning.

Ciraṁ tvaṁ anutappesī ti,
For a long time you will suffer,

evaṁ sante tvaṁ dīgham-addhānaṁ socanto, paridevanto, anutapessasi,
in this case while grieving, lamenting for a long period of time, you will feel remorse,

atha vā ossaṭṭhaviriyatāya, Ariyamaggassa virādhitattā,
or, through giving up effort, and losing the Noble Path,

dīgharattaṁ nirayādīsu uppanno,
and being reborn in hell and so forth for a long time,

nānappakārāni dukkhāni anubhavanto,
while experiencing various sufferings,

anutappissasi kilamissasī, ti ayam-ettha attho.
you will become remorseful and weary, this is the meaning here.

Kathaṁ?
How?

Serivāyaṁ va vāṇijo ti.
Like the merchant in Serivā.

Serivā, ti evaṁnāmako ayaṁ vāṇijo yathā.
Serivā, such is the name of this trader.

Idaṁ vuttaṁ hoti:
This is what is said:

Yathā pubbe Serivanāmako vāṇijo,
Just as formerly the trader called Serivā,

satasahassagghanikaṁ suvaṇṇapātiṁ labhitvā,
having received the golden dish worth a hundred thousand,

tassā gahaṇatthāya viriyaṁ akatvā, tato parihīno anutappi,
because of not having made a (proper) effort to take it, was remorseful at his loss,

evam-eva tvam-pi imasmiṁ sāsane,
so you, in this dispensation,

paṭiyattasuvaṇṇapātisadisaṁ,
like the decorated golden dish,

Ariyamaggaṁ ossaṭṭhaviriyatāya, anadhigacchanto,
through giving up effort, not attaining the Noble Path,

tato parihīno, dīgharattaṁ anutappissasi.
then losing out, you will have remorse for a long time.

Sace pana viriyaṁ na ossajissasi,
But if you do not give up effort,

paṇḍitavāṇijo suvaṇṇapātiṁ viya,
like the wise trader and the golden dish,

mama sāsane navavidham-pi lokuttaradhammaṁ paṭilabhissasī ti.
you will attain the supermundane in nine ways i.e., the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbāna. in my dispensation.