The Discourse about the Kings

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

“ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo”ti?

Ayañcarahi tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ antarākathā hoti vippakatā.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā sannipatitā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?

“Idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

‘ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo’ti?

Ayaṁ kho no, bhante, antarākathā vippakatā, atha bhagavā anuppatto”ti.

“Na khvetaṁ, bhikkhave, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitānaṁ yaṁ tumhe evarūpiṁ kathaṁ katheyyātha.

Sannipatitānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dvayaṁ karaṇīyaṁ—

dhammī vā kathā ariyo vā tuṇhībhāvo”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Yañca kāmasukhaṁ loke,

yañcidaṁ diviyaṁ sukhaṁ;

Taṇhakkhayasukhassete,

kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasin”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

SC 1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time, amongst many monks, after returning from the alms-round after the meal, assembling together, and sitting in the attendance hall, this conversation arose:

SC 2“Now, venerable friends, which of these two kings has the greater wealth, the greater riches, the greater treasury, the greater realm, the greater vehicles, the greater strength, the greater power, the greater majesty—the Magadhan King Seniya Bimbisāra, or the Kosalan King Pasenadi?”

SC 3Now this conversation amongst those monks was left unfinished. Then the Gracious One, having risen from seclusion in the evening time, went to the assembly hall, and after going, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down the Gracious One addressed the monks, saying:

SC 4“What is the talk about, monks, amongst those who have assembled together and are sitting here at present, and what is the conversation that you left unfinished?”

SC 5“Here, reverend Sir, after returning from the alms-round after the meal, assembling together, and sitting in the attendance hall, this conversation arose:

SC 6“Now, venerable friends, which of these two kings has the greater wealth, the greater riches, the greater treasury, the greater realm, the greater vehicles, the greater strength, the greater power, the greater majesty—the Magadhan King Seniya Bimbisāra, or the Kosalan King Pasenadi?” This is the conversation, reverend Sir, that we left unfinished, then the Gracious One arrived.”

SC 7“This is certainly not suitable, monks, for you sons of good family who through faith have gone forth from the home to homelessness, that you should talk such talk. When you have assembled together, monks, there are two things that you ought to do: talk about the Dhamma, or maintain noble silence.”

SC 8Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

SC 9“That which is sensual happiness in the world,
and that happiness which is divine,
To the happiness of the destruction of craving,
these are not worth a sixteenth part.”