Dhammapada 3.9.p7

3.9.p7

Purisaliṅge pātubhūtamatteyeva taṃ takkasilāya seṭṭhiputto āha – ‘‘samma sahāyaka, ime dve dārakā tava kucchiyaṃ vutthattā maṃ paṭicca nibbattattā ubhinnampino puttā eva, idheva vasissāma, mā ukkaṇṭhī’’ti. ‘‘Samma, ahaṃ ekenattabhāvena paṭhamaṃ puriso hutvā itthibhāvaṃ patvā puna puriso jātoti vippakārappatto, paṭhamaṃ maṃ paṭicca dve puttā nibbattā, idāni me kucchito dve puttā nikkhantā, svāhaṃ ekenattabhāvena vippakārappatto, puna ‘gehe vasissatī’ti saññaṃ mā kari, ahaṃ mama ayyassa santike pabbajissāmi. Ime dve dārakā tava bhārāti, imesu mā pamajjī’’ti vatvā putte sīse paricumbitvā parimajjitvā ure nipajjāpetvā pitu niyyādetvā nikkhamitvā therassa santike pabbajjaṃ yāci. Theropi naṃ pabbājetvā upasampādetvā gaṇhitvāva cārikaṃ caramāno anupubbena sāvatthiṃ agamāsi. Tassa soreyyattheroti nāmaṃ ahosi. Janapadavāsino taṃ pavattiṃ ñatvā saṅkhubhitvā kotūhalajātā taṃ upasaṅkamitvā pucchiṃsu – ‘‘evaṃ kira, bhante’’ti? ‘‘Āma, āvuso’’ti. ‘‘Bhante, evarūpampi kāraṇaṃ nāma hoti’’? ‘‘Tumhākaṃ kucchiyaṃ kira dve puttā nibbattā, tumhe paṭicca dve jātā, tesaṃ vo kataresu balavasineho hotī’’ti? ‘‘Kucchiyaṃ vutthakesu, āvuso’’ti. Āgatāgatā nibaddhaṃ tatheva pucchiṃsu.

When the inhabitants of the country learned what had happened, they were much agitated and excited. And approaching the Elder Soreyya, they asked him, “Reverend Sir, is this report true?” “Yes, brethren.” “Reverend Sir, matters stand thus: you are said to be the mother of two sons and the father of two sons as well. For which pair of sons have you the stronger affection?” “For the pair of which I am the mother.” All those who came invariably asked the Elder the same question, and again and again the Elder returned the answer, “I have the stronger affection for the pair of sons of which I am the mother.”