Ekottaragama (Sanskrit fragments) 13.3.21

13.3.21

爾時，世尊告竹膊婆羅門曰：「於此舍衛城內，有一長者喪失一子，彼念此子，狂惑失性，東西馳走，見人便問：『誰見我子？』然，婆羅門！恩愛別離苦、怨憎會苦，此皆無有歡樂。昔日此舍衛城中，復有一老母無常，亦復狂惑不識東西；復有一老父無常；亦復有兄弟姊妹皆悉無常。彼見此無常之變，生狂失性不識東西。婆羅門！昔日此舍衛城中有一人，新迎婦，端正無雙。爾時，彼人未經幾時，便自貧窮。時，彼婦父母見此人貧，便生此念：『吾當奪女更嫁與餘人。』彼人竊聞婦家父母欲奪吾婦，更嫁與餘家。爾時，彼人衣裏帶利刀，便往至婦家，當於爾時，彼婦在牆外紡作。是時，彼人往至婦父母家問曰：『我婦今為所在？』婦母報言：『卿婦在牆外陰中紡作。』爾時，彼人便往至婦所。到已，問婦曰：『云卿父母欲奪汝更餘嫁耶？』婦報言：『信有此語，然我不樂聞此言耶。』爾時，彼人即拔利劍，取婦刺殺，復取利劍，自刺其腹，並復作是語：『我二人俱取死。』婆羅門！當以此方便，知恩愛別離、怨憎會苦，此皆愁憂，實不可言。」

The Bhagavān then told the priest Nāḷijaṅgha, “There’s a prominent man here in Śrāvastī whose only son has died. He became distraught thinking about his son, and he lost his composure. He rushed east and west, asking anyone whom he met, ‘Has anyone seen my son?’ Indeed, priest, it’s painful to be separated from loved ones and painful to associate with enemies. There’s no joy in either of these things.

“There was once a day when the impermanence of an elderly mother also made a person so distraught they didn’t know east from west. It’s the same with the impermanence of an elderly father and the impermanence of brothers and sisters. Seeing these impermanent changes, people become distraught and lose their composure, not knowing east from west.

“Priest, there was once a newly married man in Śrāvastī whose handsomeness was unmatched. It wasn’t long before that man became impoverished. His wife’s parents saw this man’s impoverishment and thought, ‘We ought to take our daughter back and marry her to another man!’ That man heard this from his wife’s family. ‘Her parents want to take her back and give her to another family!’

“That man then hid a sharp knife in his clothes and went to his wife’s family. On that occasion, his wife was outside of the house spinning thread. The man went to his wife’s parents and asked, ‘Where is my wife?’

“His mother-in-law replied, ‘Your wife is outside in the shade spinning thread.’

“That man then went to his wife. Reaching her, he asked his wife, ‘How can your parents take you back and marry you to someone else?’

“His wife replied, ‘I believe they did say that, but I’m not happy to hear them say it.’

“That man then drew his sharp sword, grabbed his wife, and stabbed her to death. He also ran that sword through his own belly. As he did, he said, ‘I choose for both of us to die!’

“Priest, you should know in this way that it’s painful to be separated from loved ones and to associate with enemies. These are sorrows that truly can’t be described.”