Verses on Dhamma 21.4.p2

21.4.p2

Ekadivasañhi sambahulā āgantukā bhikkhū satthāraṃ divāṭṭhāne nisinnaṃ upasaṅkamitvā vanditvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu. Tasmiṃ khaṇe lakuṇḍakabhaddiyatthero bhagavato avidūre atikkamati. Satthā tesaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ cittācāraṃ ñatvā oloketvā ‘‘passatha, bhikkhave, ayaṃ bhikkhu mātāpitaro hantvā niddukkho hutvā yātī’’ti vatvā tehi bhikkhūhi ‘‘kiṃ nu kho satthā vadatī’’ti aññamaññaṃ mukhāni oloketvā saṃsayapakkhandehi, ‘‘bhante, kiṃ nāmetaṃ vadethā’’ti vutte tesaṃ dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

For once upon a day several visiting monks drew near to the Teacher as he sat in his day-quarters, saluted him, and sat down respectfully on one side. At that moment Elder Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya passed by not far from the Exalted One. The Teacher, knowing the disposition of mind of those monks, looked at the Elder and said to the monks, "Look, monks! There is a monk who has killed mother and father and free from pain he goes!" "What is this the Teacher says?" exclaimed those monks, looking each other in the face, while doubt sprang up within them. And they said to the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, what say you?" Then the Teacher preached the Law to them by pronouncing the following Stanza,