Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
Now at that time, a group of bhikkhus, having returned from their alms-round after the meal, were seated together in the assembly hall when |this conversation::this discussion, lit. this in-between talk [ayamantarākathā]| arose among them: “Friends, who among these two kings is wealthier, has more possessions, a greater treasury, a wider realm, a larger fleet [of horses, elephants, etc.], greater military strength, greater supernormal powers, and superior majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?” And this discussion among the bhikkhus was left unfinished.
For the Blessed One, having emerged from |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]| in the late afternoon, approached the assembly hall, and sat down on the prepared seat. Once he was seated, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, for what topic of conversation are you now seated together here? And what was the discussion among you that was left unfinished?”
“Here, venerable sir, after we had returned from our alms-round following the meal, we were seated together in the assembly hall when this conversation arose among us: ‘Friends, who among these two kings is wealthier, has more possessions, a greater treasury, a wider realm, a larger fleet [of horses, elephants, etc.], greater military strength, greater supernormal powers, and superior majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?’ And this was the discussion that was left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived.”
“It is not proper for you, bhikkhus, sons of good families who have gone forth out of |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| from the household life into homelessness, to engage in such a discussion. When you are gathered together, bhikkhus, two things are proper—either a |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| discussion or noble silence.”
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
Whatever |sensual happiness::comfort of sense pleasures, enjoyment of sense desire [kāmasukha]| there is in the world,
And whatever divine happiness there is—
They are not worth a sixteenth part,
of the happiness of the |wearing away of craving::depletion of desire, extinction of longing [taṇhakkhaya]|.