Dhammapada 4.4.p4

4.4.p4

Punadivase bhikkhū gāmaṃ paviṭṭhā āsanasālaṃ apaṭijaggitaṃ, āsanāni apaññattāni, pānīyaṃ anuṭṭhapitaṃ disvā, ‘‘kahaṃ patipūjikā’’ti āhaṃsu. ‘‘Bhante, kahaṃ tumhe taṃ dakkhissatha, hiyyo ayyesu bhuñjitvā gatesu sāyanhasamaye matā’’ti. Taṃ sutvā puthujjanā bhikkhū tassā upakāraṃ sarantā assūni sandhāretuṃ nāsakkhiṃsu. Khīṇāsavānaṃ dhammasaṃvego udapādi. Te bhattakiccaṃ katvā vihāraṃ gantvā satthāraṃ vanditvā pucchiṃsu – ‘‘bhante, patipūjikā nāma upāsikā uṭṭhāya samuṭṭhāya nānappakārāni puññāni katvā sāmikameva patthesi, sā idāni matā, kahaṃ nu kho nibbattā’’ti? ‘‘Attano sāmikasseva santike, bhikkhave’’ti. ‘‘Natthi, bhante, sāmikassa santike’’ti. ‘‘Na sā, bhikkhave, etaṃ sāmikaṃ pattheti, tāvatiṃsabhavane tassā mālabhārīdevaputto nāma sāmiko, sā tassa pupphapilandhanaṭṭhānato cavitvā puna gantvā tasseva santike nibbattā’’ti. ‘‘Evaṃ kira, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Āma, bhikkhave’’ti. ‘‘Aho parittaṃ, bhante, sattānaṃ jīvitaṃ, pātova amhe parivisitvā sāyaṃ uppannabyādhinā matā’’ti. Satthā ‘‘āma, bhikkhave, parittaṃ sattānaṃ jīvitaṃ nāma, teneva ime satte vatthukāmehi ceva kilesakāmehi ca atitte eva antako attano vase vattetvā kandante paridevante gahetvā gacchatī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

On the following day the monks, on entering the village, found the Hall of Assembly uncared for, no seats provided, no water supplied for drinking. “Where is Husband-honorer?” said they. “Reverend Sirs, how could you expect to see her? Yesterday at eventide, after your reverences had eaten and departed, she died.” Thereupon monks who had not yet attained the Fruit of Conversion, remembering her kindly services to them, were unable to restrain their tears; while monks who had attained Arahatship were overcome with religious emotion.

After eating their breakfast, they went to the monastery and asked the Teacher, “Reverend Sir, Husband-honorer, busy and active, performed all manner of works of merit and yearned only for her husband. Now she is dead. Where was she reborn?” “Monks, she was reborn with her own husband.” “But, Reverend Sir, she is not with her husband.” “Monks, she yearned not for that husband. Her husband was the god Garland-wearer in the World of the Thirty-three. She passed from that state of existence while decking him with flowers. Now she has returned to where she was before and has been reborn with him.” “Reverend Sir, is what you say true?” “Yes, monks, what I say is true.” “Oh, how short, Reverend Sir, is the life of creatures in this world! Early in the morning she served us with food, and in the evening she sickened and died.” The Teacher replied, “Yes, monks, the life of creatures in this world is indeed short. Therefore, while creatures in this world yet yearn for the things of earth and have not yet satisfied their desires for sensual pleasures, death overpowers them and carries them off wailing and weeping.” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,