Dhammapada 8.3.p2

8.3.p2

Rājagahe kira ekā seṭṭhidhītā soḷasavassuddesikā abhirūpā ahosi dassanīyā pāsādikā. Tasmiñca vaye ṭhitā nāriyo purisajjhāsayā honti purisalolā. Atha naṃ mātāpitaro sattabhūmikassa pāsādassa uparimatale sirigabbhe nivāsāpesuṃ. Ekamevassā dāsiṃ paricārikaṃ adaṃsu. Athekaṃ kulaputtaṃ corakammaṃ karontaṃ gahetvā pacchābāhaṃ bandhitvā catukke catukke kasāhi paharitvā āghātanaṃ nayiṃsu. Seṭṭhidhītā mahājanassa saddaṃ sutvā ‘‘kiṃ nu kho eta’’nti pāsādatale ṭhatvā olokentī taṃ disvā paṭibaddhacittā hutvā taṃ patthayamānā āhāraṃ paṭikkhipitvā mañcake nipajji. Atha naṃ mātā pucchi – ‘‘kiṃ idaṃ, ammā’’ti? ‘‘Sace etaṃ ‘coro’ti gahetvā niyyamānaṃ purisaṃ labhissāmi, jīvissāmi. No ce labhissāmi, jīvitaṃ me natthi, idheva marissāmī’’ti. ‘‘Amma, mā evaṃ kari, amhākaṃ jātiyā ca gottena ca bhogena ca sadisaṃ aññaṃ sāmikaṃ labhissasī’’ti. ‘‘Mayhaṃ aññena kiccaṃ natthi, imaṃ alabhamānā marissāmī’’ti. Mātā dhītaraṃ saññāpetuṃ asakkontī pituno ārocesi. Sopi naṃ saññāpetuṃ asakkonto ‘‘kiṃ sakkā kātu’’nti cintetvā taṃ coraṃ gahetvā gacchantassa rājapurisassa sahassabhaṇḍikaṃ pesesi – ‘‘imaṃ gahetvā etaṃ purisaṃ mayhaṃ dehī’’ti. So ‘‘sādhū’’ti kahāpaṇe gahetvā taṃ muñcitvā aññaṃ māretvā ‘‘mārito, deva, coro’’ti rañño ārocesi. Seṭṭhipi tassa dhītaraṃ adāsi.

A rich merchant of Rājagaha, it seems, had an only daughter who was about sixteen years of age, and she was exceedingly beautiful and fair to see. (When women reach this age, they burn and long for men.) Her mother and father lodged her on the topmost floor of a seven-storied palace in an apartment of royal splendor, and gave her only a single slave-woman to wait upon her.

Now one day a young man of station was caught in the act of robbery. They bound his hands behind his back and led him to the place of execution, scourging him with lashes at every cross-roads. The merchant’s daughter heard the shouts of the crowd, said to herself, “What is that?” looked down from the top of the palace, and saw him.

Straightway she fell in love with him. So great, in fact, was her longing for him that she took to her bed and refused to eat. Her mother asked her, “What does this mean, my dear daughter?” “If I can have that young man who was caught in the act of committing robbery and who was led through the streets, life will be worth living; if not, life is not worth living; I shall die here and now.” “Do not act in this manner, my dear daughter; you shall have some one else for your husband, some one who is our equal in birth and family and wealth.” “I will have no one else; if I cannot have this man I shall die.”

The mother, unable to pacify her daughter, told the father; but the father likewise was unable to pacify his daughter. “What is to be done?” thought he. He sent a thousand pieces of money to the king’s officer who had captured the robber and who was accompanying him to the place of execution, saying, “Take this money and send the robber to me.” “Very well!” said the king’s officer. He took the

money, released the robber, had another man put to death, and sent word to the king, "The robber has been executed, your majesty."

The merchant gave his daughter in marriage to the robber. She resolved to win the favor of her husband; and from that time on, adorned with all her adornments, she prepared her husband's meals with her own hand. After a few days the robber thought to himself, "When can I kill this woman, take her jewels and sell them, and so be able to take my meals in a certain tavern? This is the way!"