SN 3.15 Battle (2nd)

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to attack King Pasenadi of Kosala.

When King Pasenadi heard of this,

​

he mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to defend it against Ajātasattu.

Then the two kings met in battle.

And in that battle Pasenadi defeated Ajātasattu and captured him alive.

Then King Pasenadi thought,

“Even though I’ve never betrayed this King Ajātasattu, he betrayed me. Still, he is my nephew.

Now that I’ve vanquished all of Ajātasattu’s elephant troops, cavalry, chariots, and infantry, why don’t I let him loose with just his life?”

And that’s what he did.

Then several mendicants …

told the Buddha what had happened.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:

“A man goes on plundering

as long as it serves his ends.

But as soon as others plunder him,

the plunderer is plundered.

For the fool thinks they’re on solid ground,

so long as their wickedness has not ripened.

But as soon as that wickedness ripens,

they fall into suffering.

A killer creates a killer;

a conqueror creates a conqueror;

an abuser creates abuse,

and a bully creates a bully.

And so as deeds unfold

the plunderer is plundered.”

Atha kho rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ abbhuyyāsi yena kāsi.

Assosi kho rājā pasenadi kosalo:

“rājā kira māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā mamaṁ abbhuyyāto yena kāsī”ti.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā rājānaṁ māgadhaṁ ajātasattuṁ vedehiputtaṁ paccuyyāsi yena kāsi.

Atha kho rājā ca māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto rājā ca pasenadi kosalo saṅgāmesuṁ.

Tasmiṁ kho pana saṅgāme rājā pasenadi kosalo rājānaṁ māgadhaṁ ajātasattuṁ vedehiputtaṁ parājesi, jīvaggāhañca naṁ aggahesi.

Atha kho rañño pasenadissa kosalassa etadahosi:

“kiñcāpi kho myāyaṁ rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto adubbhantassa dubbhati, atha ca pana me bhāgineyyo hoti.

Yannūnāhaṁ rañño māgadhassa ajātasattuno vedehiputtassa sabbaṁ hatthikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ assakāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ rathakāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ pattikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā jīvantameva naṁ osajjeyyan”ti.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo rañño māgadhassa ajātasattuno vedehiputtassa sabbaṁ hatthikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ assakāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ rathakāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ pattikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā jīvantameva naṁ osajji.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu.

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Idha, bhante, rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ abbhuyyāsi yena kāsi.

Assosi kho, bhante, rājā pasenadi kosalo:

‘rājā kira māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā mamaṁ abbhuyyāto yena kāsī’ti.

Atha kho, bhante, rājā pasenadi kosalo caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā rājānaṁ māgadhaṁ ajātasattuṁ vedehiputtaṁ paccuyyāsi yena kāsi.

Atha kho, bhante, rājā ca māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto rājā ca pasenadi kosalo saṅgāmesuṁ.

Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhante, saṅgāme rājā pasenadi kosalo rājānaṁ māgadhaṁ ajātasattuṁ vedehiputtaṁ parājesi, jīvaggāhañca naṁ aggahesi.

Atha kho, bhante, rañño pasenadissa kosalassa etadahosi:

‘kiñcāpi kho myāyaṁ rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto adubbhantassa dubbhati, atha ca pana me bhāgineyyo hoti.

Yannūnāhaṁ rañño māgadhassa ajātasattuno vedehiputtassa sabbaṁ hatthikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ assakāyaṁ sabbaṁ rathakāyaṁ sabbaṁ pattikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā jīvantameva naṁ osajjeyyan’”ti.

“Atha kho, bhante, rājā pasenadi kosalo rañño māgadhassa ajātasattuno vedehiputtassa sabbaṁ hatthikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ assakāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ rathakāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā sabbaṁ pattikāyaṁ pariyādiyitvā jīvantameva naṁ osajjī”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

“Vilumpateva puriso,

yāvassa upakappati;

Yadā caññe vilumpanti,

so vilutto viluppati.

Ṭhānañhi maññati bālo,

yāva pāpaṁ na paccati;

Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ,

atha dukkhaṁ nigacchati.

Hantā labhati hantāraṁ,

jetāraṁ labhate jayaṁ;

Akkosako ca akkosaṁ,

rosetārañca rosako;

Atha kammavivaṭṭena,

so vilutto viluppatī”ti.