SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 3 Connected Discourses With King Pasenadi of Kosala – Kosalasaṁyutta > SN 3.20 Childless (2nd)

Linked Discourses 3.20 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.20

2. Childless – 2. Dutiyavagga

SN 3.20 Childless (2nd) – Dutiyaaputtakasutta

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha in the middle of the day … The Buddha said to him,

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo divā divassa yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“So, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?

“Sir, here in Sāvatthī a financier householder has passed away.

“Idha, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ seṭṭhi gahapati kālaṅkato.

Since he died childless, I have come after transferring his fortune to the royal compound.

Tamahaṁ aputtakaṁ sāpateyyaṁ rājantepuraṁ atiharitvā āgacchāmi.

There was ten million in gold, not to mention the silver.

Sataṁ, bhante, satasahassāni hiraññasseva, ko pana vādo rūpiyassa.

And yet that financier ate meals of

Tassa kho pana, bhante, seṭṭhissa gahapatissa evarūpo bhattabhogo ahosi—

rough gruel with pickles.

kaṇājakaṁ bhuñjati bilaṅgadutiyaṁ.

He wore clothes consisting of

Evarūpo vatthabhogo ahosi—

three pieces of sunn hemp.

sāṇaṁ dhāreti tipakkhavasanaṁ.

He traveled around in a vehicle that was

Evarūpo yānabhogo ahosi—

a dilapidated little cart, holding a leaf as sunshade.”

jajjararathakena yāti paṇṇachattakena dhāriyamānenā”ti.

“That’s so true, great king! That’s so true!

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.

Once upon a time, great king, that financier householder provided almsfood on behalf of a Buddha awakened for themselves named Tagarasikhī.

Bhūtapubbaṁ so, mahārāja, seṭṭhi gahapati taggarasikhiṁ nāma paccekasambuddhaṁ piṇḍapātena paṭipādesi.

He instructed: ‘Give alms to that ascetic,’ before getting up from his seat and leaving.

‘Detha samaṇassa piṇḍan’ti vatvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

But after giving he regretted it:

Datvā ca pana pacchā vippaṭisārī ahosi:

‘It would have been better to feed the bondservants or workers with that almsfood.’

‘varametaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ dāsā vā kammakarā vā bhuñjeyyun’ti.

What’s more, he murdered his brother’s only child for the sake of his fortune.

Bhātu ca pana ekaputtakaṁ sāpateyyassa kāraṇā jīvitā voropesi.

Because that financier provided Tagarasikhī with almsfood, as a result of that deed he was reborn seven times in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Yaṁ kho so, mahārāja, seṭṭhi gahapati taggarasikhiṁ paccekasambuddhaṁ piṇḍapātena paṭipādesi, tassa kammassa vipākena sattakkhattuṁ sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajji.

And as a residual result of that same deed he held the position of financier seven times right here in Sāvatthī.

Tasseva kammassa vipākāvasesena imissāyeva sāvatthiyā sattakkhattuṁ seṭṭhittaṁ kāresi.

But because that financier regretted giving alms,

Yaṁ kho so, mahārāja, seṭṭhi gahapati datvā pacchā vippaṭisārī ahosi:

as a result of that deed his mind didn’t tend to enjoy nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation.

‘varametaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ dāsā vā kammakarā vā bhuñjeyyun’ti, tassa kammassa vipākena nāssuḷārāya bhattabhogāya cittaṁ namati, nāssuḷārāya vatthabhogāya cittaṁ namati, nāssuḷārāya yānabhogāya cittaṁ namati, nāssuḷārānaṁ pañcannaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ bhogāya cittaṁ namati.

And because that financier murdered his brother’s only child for the sake of his fortune, as a result of that deed he burned in hell for many years, for many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years.

Yaṁ kho so, mahārāja, seṭṭhi gahapati bhātu ca pana ekaputtakaṁ sāpateyyassa kāraṇā jīvitā voropesi, tassa kammassa vipākena bahūni vassāni bahūni vassasatāni bahūni vassasahassāni bahūni vassasatasahassāni niraye paccittha.

And as a residual result of that same deed, he is childless for the seventh time, his fortune ending up in the royal treasury.

Tasseva kammassa vipākāvasesena idaṁ sattamaṁ aputtakaṁ sāpateyyaṁ rājakosaṁ paveseti.

Now the old merit of that financier has been used up, and he hasn’t accumulated new merit.

Tassa kho, mahārāja, seṭṭhissa gahapatissa purāṇañca puññaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ, navañca puññaṁ anupacitaṁ.

Today, great king, that financier burns in the Great Hell of Screams.”

Ajja pana, mahārāja, seṭṭhi gahapati mahāroruve niraye paccatī”ti.

“Really, sir, that financier has been reborn in the Great Hell of Screams?”

“Evaṁ, bhante, seṭṭhi gahapati mahāroruvaṁ nirayaṁ upapanno”ti.

“Yes he has, great king.”

“Evaṁ, mahārāja, seṭṭhi gahapati mahāroruvaṁ nirayaṁ upapanno”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. …

Idamavoca …pe….

“Grain, wealth, silver, and gold,

“Dhaññaṁ dhanaṁ rajataṁ jātarūpaṁ,

or whatever other possessions there are;

Pariggahaṁ vāpi yadatthi kiñci;

bondservants, workers, employees,

Dāsā kammakarā pessā,

and those dependent for their livelihood:

Ye cassa anujīvino.

you must go on without taking these;

Sabbaṁ nādāya gantabbaṁ,

all of them are left behind.

sabbaṁ nikkhippagāminaṁ;

But the deeds you do

Yañca karoti kāyena,

by body, speech, and mind—

vācāya uda cetasā.

that’s what you can call your own.

Tañhi tassa sakaṁ hoti,

That’s what you take when you go.

taṁva ādāya gacchati;

That’s what goes with you,

Taṁvassa anugaṁ hoti,

like a shadow that never leaves.

chāyāva anapāyinī.

That’s why you should do good,

Tasmā kareyya kalyāṇaṁ,

investing in the future life.

nicayaṁ samparāyikaṁ;

The good deeds of sentient beings

Puññāni paralokasmiṁ,

support them in the next world.”

patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Jaṭilā pañca rājāno,

Doṇapākakurena ca;

Saṅgāmena dve vuttāni,

Mallikā dve appamādena ca;