Dhammapada 4.3.p14

4.3.p14

Satthā imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ āharitvā jātakaṃ samodhānento ‘‘tadā rājā moggallāno ahosi, nārado sāriputto, kappantevāsiko ānando, kesavatāpaso ahamevā’’ti vatvā, ‘‘evaṃ, mahārāja, pubbepi paṇḍitā māraṇantikaṃ vedanaṃ patvā vissāsikaṭṭhānaṃ gamiṃsu, mama sāvakā tumhākaṃ santike vissāsaṃ na labhanti maññe’’ti āha. Rājā ‘‘bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṃ mayā vissāsaṃ kātuṃ vaṭṭati, kathaṃ nu kho karissāmīti sammāsambuddhassa ñātidhītaraṃ mama gehe kātuṃ vaṭṭati, evaṃ sante ‘daharā ca sāmaṇerā ca sammāsambuddhassa ñātirājā’ti mama santikaṃ vissatthā nibaddhaṃ āgamissantī’’ti cintetvā – ‘‘ekaṃ me dhītaraṃ dentū’’ti sākiyānaṃ santikaṃ sāsanaṃ pesesi. ‘‘Katarassa sakyassa dhītā’’ti ca pucchitvā, ‘‘ñatvā āgaccheyyāthā’’ti vatvā dūte āṇāpesi. Dūtā gantvā sākiye dārikaṃ yāciṃsu. Te sannipatitvā, ‘‘pakkhantariko rājā, sace na dassāma, vināsessati no, na kho pana amhehi kulena sadiso, kiṃ nu kho kātabba’’nti mantayiṃsu. Mahānāmo ‘‘mama dāsiyā kucchimhi jātā vāsabhakhattiyā nāma dhītā rūpasobhaggappattā atthi, taṃ dassāmā’’ti vatvā dūte āha – ‘‘sādhu, rañño dārikaṃ dassāmā’’ti. ‘‘Sā kassa, dhītā’’ti? ‘‘Sammāsambuddhassa cūḷapituputtassa mahānāmassa sakkassa dhītā vāsabhakhattiyā nāmā’’ti.

When the Teacher had ended his lesson, he identified the characters in the Jātaka as follows, “At that time the king was Moggallāna, Nārada was Sāriputta, the pupil Kappa was Ānanda, and the ascetic Kesava was I myself. Thus, great king, in former times also wise men endured the agonies of death and went to a place worthy of their confidence. My own disciples lack confidence in you, I doubt not.” Story of the Past concluded.

The king thought to himself, “I must win the confidence of the Congregation of Monks. How best can I do it? The best way is for me to introduce into my house the daughter of some kinsman of the Supremely Enlightened One. In such case the probationers and novices will come to my house with confidence regularly, thinking, ‘The king is a kinsman of the Supremely Enlightened One.’” Accordingly he sent a message to the Sākiyas, saying, “Give me one of your daughters.” And he ordered the messengers to learn the name of the Sākiya whose daughter it was and to return to him. The messengers went and asked the Sākiyas for a maiden.

The Sākiyas assembled and said to each other, “The king is an enemy of ours. Therefore if we refuse to give him what he demands, he will destroy us. Moreover, he is not of equal birth with ourselves. What is to be done?” Mahānāma said, “I have a daughter named Vāsabhakhattiyā, born of a slave-woman of mine, and she is a maiden of surpassing beauty; we will give her to him.” So he said to the messengers, “Very well, we will give the king one of our maidens.” “Whose daughter is it?” “She is the daughter of Mahānāma the Sākiya, and Mahānāma is the son of the uncle of the Supremely Enlightened One. The maiden’s name is Vāsabhakhattiyā.” The messengers went and told the king.