Verses on Dhamma 11.6.p4

11.6.p4

Rājā ‘‘satthā āgato’’ti sutvā nikkhamitvā pattaṃ ādāya pāsādaṃ abhiruhituṃ ārabhi. Satthā pana rathasālāya nisīdituṃ ākāraṃ dassesi. Rājā satthāraṃ tattheva nisīdāpetvā yāgukhajjakena paṭimānetvā vanditvā nisinnova ahaṃ, bhante, mallikāya deviyā nibbattaṭṭhānaṃ pucchissāmīti gantvā pamuṭṭho, kattha nu kho sā, bhante, nibbattāti. Tusitabhavane, mahārājāti, bhante, tāya tusitabhavane anibbattantiyā ko añño nibbattissati, bhante, natthi tāya sadisā itthī. Tassā hi nisinnaṭṭhānādīsu ‘‘sve tathāgatassa idaṃ dassāmi, idaṃ karissāmī’’ti dānasaṃvidhānaṃ ṭhapetvā aññaṃ kiccameva natthi, bhante, tassā paralokaṃ gatakālato paṭṭhāya sarīraṃ me na vahatīti. Atha naṃ satthā ‘‘mā cintayi, mahārāja, sabbesaṃ dhuvadhammo aya’’nti vatvā ‘‘ayaṃ, mahārāja, ratho kassā’’ti pucchi. Taṃ sutvā rājā sirasmiṃ añjaliṃ patiṭṭhāpetvā ‘‘pitāmahassa me, bhante’’ti āha. ‘‘Ayaṃ kassā’’ti? ‘‘Pitu me, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Ayaṃ pana ratho kassā’’ti? ‘‘Mama, bhante’’ti. Evaṃ vutte satthā, ‘‘mahārāja, tava pitāmahassa ratho tenevākārena tava pitu rathaṃ na pāpuṇi, tava pitu ratho tava rathaṃ na pāpuṇi, evarūpassa nāma kaṭṭhakaliṅgarassāpi jarā āgacchati, kimaṅgaṃ pana attabhāvassa. Mahārāja, sappurisadhammasseva hi jarā natthi, sattā pana ajīrakā nāma natthī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

“Reverend Sir,” said the king, “had Queen Mallikā not been reborn in the World of the Tusita gods, who else could ever have been reborn there? Reverend Sir, there never lived a woman like her; wherever she sat, wherever she stood, these words were ever on her lips, ‘To-morrow I will give this to the Tathāgata; to-morrow I will do this for the Tathāgata.’ She cared for naught else but to make provision of offerings. Reverend Sir, ever since she went to the other world, my own person has been non-existent.” Said the Teacher, “Great king, do not grieve; this is the immutable law of all living beings.”

Then the Teacher asked the king, “Great king, whose chariot is this?” “My grandfather’s, Reverend Sir.” “Whose is this?” “My father’s, Reverend Sir.” “But whose chariot is this?” “My own, Reverend Sir.” When the king had thus answered his questions, the Teacher said, “Great king, just as your father’s chariot has outlasted your grandfather’s chariot, so also has your own chariot outlasted your father’s chariot. Thus does decay draw nigh unto this worthless chaff. But even more does decay wear away this body. Great king, righteousness alone does not wear away, but of living beings there are none that wear not away.” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,