Dhammapada 4.3.p19

4.3.p19

Tato katipāhaccayena satthā rājanivesanaṃ gantvā paññattāsane nisīdi. Rājā āgantvā vanditvā, ‘‘bhante, tumhākaṃ kira ñātakehi dāsidhītā mayhaṃ dinnā, tenassā ahaṃ saputtāya parihāraṃ acchinditvā dāsadāsīhi laddhabbamattameva dāpesi’’nti āha. Satthā ‘‘ayuttaṃ, mahārāja, sākiyehi kataṃ, dadantehi nāma samānajātikā dātabbā assa, taṃ pana, mahārāja, vadāmi, vāsabhakhattiyā khattiyarājadhītā khattiyarañño gehe abhisekaṃ labhi. Viṭaṭūbhopi khattiyarājānameva paṭicca jāto, mātugottaṃ nāma kiṃ karissati, pitugottameva pamāṇanti. Porāṇakapaṇḍitā dalidditthiyā kaṭṭhahārikāya aggamahesiṭṭhānaṃ adaṃsu, tassā ca kucchimhi jātakumāro dvādasayojanikāya bārāṇasiyā rajjaṃ patvā kaṭṭhavāhanarājā nāma jāto’’ti kaṭṭhahārijātakaṃ (jā. 1.1.7) kathesi. Rājā dhammakathaṃ sutvā ‘‘pitugottameva kira pamāṇa’’nti tussitvā vāsabhakhattiyāya ca puttassa ca pakatiparihārameva dāpesi.

A few days afterwards the Teacher went to the royal residence and sat down. The king came, paid obeisance to him, and said, “Reverend Sir, I am informed that it was the daughter of a slave-woman that your kinsmen gave me. I have therefore cut off the royal honors which have hitherto been bestowed on her and her son and have degraded them to the condition of slaves.” The Teacher replied, “It was not right, great king, for the Sākiyas so to do. When they gave you one of their daughters, they should have given you a maiden of equal birth with yourself. But, great king, I have this also to say to you: Vāsabhakhattiyā is the daughter of a king and received the ceremonial sprinkling in the house of a king of the Warrior caste. Viḍūḍabha also is the son of a king. What matters the family of the mother? It is the family of the father that affords the only true measure of social position. Wise men of old bestowed the honor of chief consort on a poor woman who picked up sticks; and the prince she bore became king of Benāres, a city twelve leagues in extent, and bore the name Kaṭṭhavāhana.” So saying, he related the Kaṭṭhahārika Jātaka. The king listened to his discourse on the Law, and pleased at the thought, “It is the family of the father that affords the only true measure of social position,” restored to mother and son their former honors.

At Kusinārā, Mallikā, daughter of Mallikā and wife of Bandhula, commander-in-chief of the army, remained for a long time childless. Accordingly Bandhula put her away, saying, “Go back again to the house of your own family.” She thought to herself, “I will see the Teacher before I go.” Therefore she entered Jetavana, paid obeisance to the Tathāgata, and waited. “Where are you going?” asked the Teacher. “My husband has sent me back to the house of my family, Reverend Sir.” “Why?” “On the ground that I am barren, having borne him no children.” “If this be true, it is no reason why you should go back to your family. Return to your husband.” Joyful at heart, she paid obeisance to the Teacher and returned to her husband’s house. “Why have you returned?” he asked. “I was directed to return by Him that is Possessed of the Ten Forces,” she replied. “The Far-seeing One must have seen some reason,” thought Bandhula and acquiesced.