Dhammapada 4.3.p32

4.3.p32

Mahājano kathaṃ samuṭṭhāpesi ‘‘sākiyānaṃ maraṇaṃ ayuttaṃ, ‘evaṃ nāma koṭṭetvā koṭṭetvā sākiyā māretabbā’ti ananucchavikameta’’nti. Satthā taṃ kathaṃ sutvā, ‘‘bhikkhave, imasmiṃ attabhāve kiñcāpi sākiyānaṃ evaṃ maraṇaṃ ayuttaṃ, pubbe katapāpakammavasena pana yuttamevetehi laddha’’nti āha. ‘‘Kiṃ pana, bhante, ete pubbe akaṃsū’’ti? Sabbe ekato hutvā nadiyaṃ visaṃ pakkhipiṃsūti. Punekadivasaṃ dhammasabhāyaṃ bhikkhū kathaṃ samuṭṭhāpesuṃ – ‘‘viṭaṭūbho ettake sākiye māretvā āgacchanto attano manorathe matthakaṃ appatteyeva ettakaṃ janaṃ ādāya mahāsamudde macchakacchapabhakkho jāto’’ti. Satthā āgantvā ‘‘kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā’’ti pucchitvā ‘‘imāya nāmā’’ti vutte, ‘‘imesaṃ sattānaṃ manorathe matthakaṃ appatteyeva maccurājā suttaṃ gāmaṃ ajjhottharanto mahogho viya jīvitindriyaṃ chinditvā catūsu apāyasamuddesu nimujjāpetī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

The multitude began to discuss the incident. “The slaying of the Sākiyas was unjust. It was not right to say, ‘The Sākiyas must be killed,’ and to smite them and kill them.” The Teacher heard the discussion and said, “Monks, if you regard only this present existence, it was indeed unjust that the Sākiyas should die in such wise. What they received, however, was entirely just, considering the sin they committed in a previous state of existence.” “What was the sin they committed in a previous state of existence, Reverend Sir?” “In a previous state of existence they conspired together and threw poison into the river.”

Again one day in the Hall of Truth the monks began a discussion: “Viḍūḍabha slew all those Sākiyas, and then, before the desire of his own heart had been fulfilled, he and his numerous company were swept out to sea and became food for fishes and tortoises.” The Teacher came in and asked, “Monks, what is it you are gathered here now talking about?” When they told him, he said, “Monks, or ever the desire of these living beings be fulfilled, even as a mighty flood overwhelms a sleeping village, so the Prince of Death cuts short their lives and plunges them into the four oceans of suffering.” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,