8. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Eastern monastery, in the pavilion of Visâkha-migâramâta.
Now at that time, the dearly loved grandson of Visâkha-migâramâta died.
And Visâkha-migâramâta went at unseasonable hours, with hands and hair wet (with tears)1, to where the Blessed One was and drawing near she saluted the Blessed One and sat down apart. And the Blessed One said to Visâkha-migâramâta, as he sat there: Wherefore, O Visâkha, do you come here at unseasonable hours, with hands and hair wet (with tears)?”
“Sire, my dearly loved grandson is dead; that is why I come here, at unseasonable hours, with hands and hair wet (with tears).”
“Do you find, O Visâkha, that there are sons and grandsons p. 127 in proportion to the number of men in Savatthi?”
“I find, Blessed One, that there are sons and grandsons in proportion to the number of men.”
“And how many men of Savatthi, Visâkha, die daily?”
“Sometimes, Sire, ten men of Savatthi die daily, sometimes nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two; sometimes, Sire, only one man dies in the day. Of men dying in Savatthi, there is no lack, Sire.”
“What think you, Visâkha; have you found at any time or anywhere, men whose garments have been unwetted (by tears), whose hair has been unwetted (by tears)?”
“Not so, Sire; how is that possible with so many sons and grandsons?”
“Those, Visâkha, who have a hundred dear ones, have a hundred sorrows, these who have ninety dear ones, have ninety sorrows, these who have eighty dear ones, have eighty sorrows etc. those who have one dear one, have one sorrow.
Those who have no dear one, for them there is no sorrow.
These, I declare, are the griefless ones, free from human passion, without despair.
| “Whatsoever of sorrow, lamentation and pain is in the world, All this arises from clinging, where clinging is not, these are not. Therefore happy and sorrowless are those who cling not to any thing in the world. Set not your affections on things on earth.” |