Taṇḍulanāḷijātaka
“Dost ask how much a peck of rice is worth?”—This was told by the Master, whilst at Jetavana, about the Elder Udayi, called the Dullard.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1.1PTS 1.123“Kimagghati taṇḍulanāḷikāyaṁ,“Speak, O King: what value has a cup of rice11.2Assāna mūlāya vadehi rāja;for the pricing of horses?”21.3Bārāṇasiṁ santarabāhirantaṁ,“He values a cup of rice1.4Ayamagghati taṇḍulanāḷikā”ti.at Varanasi with its suburbs!”3
2.1Taṇḍulanāḷijātakaṁ pañcamaṁ.
Nāḷikā (“cup”) is literally a “tube” (of bamboo). SN 3.13:6.1 shows that a nāḷikā of rice was sufficient for a modest serving.
The first two lines are spoken by horse traders, whose 500 horses were valued as a cup of rice. So they ask the king what is the value of a cup of rice when it comes to pricing horses.
The importance of correct valuation is attested by the detailed breakdowns in such texts as Arthaśāstra 2.19 and Manusmṛti 8.131–137.
These two lines record the derision of the court when told that a cup of rice is worth Varanasi with its suburbs. Note that the prose story attributes the foolish valuations to a king’s valuer of whom the verse makes no mention. Taking the verse on its own, it would appear to be the king himself who makes the false valuation.
