KingsRājasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Now at that time, after the meal, on return from almsround, several mendicants sat together in the assembly hall and this discussion came up among them:Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: “Which of these two kings has greater wealth, riches, treasury, dominion, vehicles, forces, might, and power: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?”“ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo”ti? At that point the conversation among those mendicants was left unfinished.Ayañcarahi tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ antarākathā hoti vippakatā.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, sat down on the seat spread out,Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. and addressed the mendicants:Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”“kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā sannipatitā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?

So the mendicants told him what they had been talking about when the Buddha arrived. The Buddha said,“Idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

“Mendicants, it is not appropriate for you gentlemen who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness to talk about such things.“Na khvetaṁ, bhikkhave, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitānaṁ yaṁ tumhe evarūpiṁ kathaṁ katheyyātha. When you’re sitting together you should do one of two things:Sannipatitānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dvayaṁ karaṇīyaṁ— discuss the teachings or keep noble silence.”dhammī vā kathā ariyo vā tuṇhībhāvo”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Neither the pleasures of the senses,“Yañca kāmasukhaṁ loke, nor even divine happiness,yañcidaṁ diviyaṁ sukhaṁ; is worth even a sixteenth partTaṇhakkhayasukhassete, of the happiness of craving’s end.”kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasin”ti.