Dhammapada 8.3.p4

8.3.p4

Atha naṃ so pabbatapādaṃ gatakāle āha – ‘‘bhadde, ito paraṃ ubhova janā gamissāma, sesajanaṃ yānakena saddhiṃ nivattāpetvā balikammabhājanaṃ sayaṃ ukkhipitvā gaṇhāhī’’ti. Sā tathā akāsi. Coro taṃ gahetvā corapapātapabbataṃ abhiruhi. Tassa hi ekena passena manussā abhiruhanti, ekaṃ passaṃ chinnapapātaṃ. Pabbatamatthake ṭhitā tena passena core pātenti. Te khaṇḍākhaṇḍaṃ hutvā bhūmiyaṃ patanti. Tasmā ‘‘corapapāto’’ti vuccati. Sā tassa pabbatassa matthake ṭhatvā ‘‘balikammaṃ te, sāmi, karohī’’ti āha. So tuṇhī ahosi. Puna tāya ‘‘kasmā, sāmi, tuṇhībhūtosī’’ti vutte taṃ āha – ‘‘na mayhaṃ balikammenattho, vañcetvā pana taṃ ādāya āgatomhī’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ kāraṇā, sāmī’’ti? ‘‘Taṃ māretvā tava ābharaṇāni gahetvā palāyanatthāyā’’ti. Sā maraṇabhayatajjitā āha – ‘‘sāmi, ahañca ābharaṇāni ca tava santakāneva, kasmā evaṃ vadesī’’ti? So, ‘‘mā evaṃ karohī’’ti, punappunaṃ yāciyamānopi ‘‘māremi evā’’ti āha. ‘‘Evaṃ sante kiṃ te mama maraṇena? Imāni ābharaṇāni gahetvā mayhaṃ jīvitaṃ dehi, ito paṭṭhāya maṃ ‘matā’ti dhārehi, dāsī vā te hutvā kammaṃ karissāmī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

The robber took her in his arms and climbed the mountain to the top of Robbers' Cliff. (One side of this mountain men can climb; but the other side is a precipitous cliff, from the top of which robbers are flung, being dashed to pieces before they reach the bottom; therefore it is called "Robbers' Cliff.") Standing on the top of the mountain, she said, "Husband, present the offering." Her husband made no reply. Again she spoke, "Husband, why do you remain silent?" Then he said to her, "I have no use for the offering; I deceived you in bringing you here with an offering." "Then why did you bring me here, husband?" "To kill you, seize your jewels, and escape." Terrified with the fear of death, she said to him, "Husband, both my jewels and my person belong to you; why do you speak thus?" Over and over again she pleaded with him, "Do not do this;" but his only reply was, "I will kill you." "After all, what will you gain by killing me? Take these jewels and spare my life; henceforth regard me as your mother, or else let me be your slave-woman and work for you." So saying, she recited the following Stanza,