11.9 The Story about Mahā Dhana, the Rich Man’s Son

The wealthy youth Mahā Dhana took to drink and squandered both his own and his wife’s money and ended up a beggar; the Buddha explained that if he had applied himself as a lay disciple he would have been amongst the chief rich men; and if he had gone forth he would have attained the paths and fruits; and then he spoke some verses about him.