Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde. Tena kho pana samayena visākhāya migāramātuyā nattā kālaṅkatā hoti piyā manāpā. Atha kho visākhā migāramātā allavatthā allakesā divā divassa yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho visākhaṁ migāramātaraṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in the Eastern Park, at Migāramātā‘s mansion. At that time, |Migāramātā Visākhā’s::one of the foremost laywomen and devoted supporters of the Buddha, also known as Migāramātā (Migāra’s mother) from a significant event in her life when she skillfully guided her father-in-law, Migāra, towards the Dhamma [visākha + migāramātar]| pleasing and beloved granddaughter had passed away. Then, Visākhā, with wet clothes and hair, approached the Blessed One during the day; having approached, she paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As she was seated to one side, the Blessed One addressed her:
“Handa kuto nu tvaṁ, visākhe, āgacchasi allavatthā allakesā idhūpasaṅkantā divā divassā”ti?
“Visākhā, where have you come from, arriving here during the day with wet clothes and hair?”
“Nattā me, bhante, piyā manāpā kālaṅkatā. Tenāhaṁ allavatthā allakesā idhūpasaṅkantā divā divassā”ti.
“My granddaughter, who was dear and pleasing to me, has passed away, venerable sir. That is why I have come here during the day with wet clothes and hair.”
“Iccheyyāsi tvaṁ, visākhe, yāvatikā sāvatthiyā manussā tāvatike putte ca nattāro cā”ti?
“Would you, Visākhā, wish to have as many sons and grandsons as there are people in Sāvatthi?”
“Iccheyyāhaṁ, bhagavā, yāvatikā sāvatthiyā manussā tāvatike putte ca nattāro cā”ti.
“I would, Blessed One, wish to have as many sons and grandsons as there are people in Sāvatthi.”
“Kīvabahukā pana, visākhe, sāvatthiyā manussā devasikaṁ kālaṁ karontī”ti?
“How many people die daily in Sāvatthi, Visākhā?”
“Dasapi, bhante, sāvatthiyā manussā devasikaṁ kālaṁ karonti; navapi, bhante … aṭṭhapi, bhante … sattapi, bhante … chapi, bhante … pañcapi, bhante … cattāropi, bhante … tīṇipi, bhante … dvepi, bhante, sāvatthiyā manussā devasikaṁ kālaṁ karonti. Ekopi, bhante, sāvatthiyā manusso devasikaṁ kālaṁ karoti. Avivittā, bhante, sāvatthi manussehi kālaṁ karontehī”ti.
“Ten even, venerable sir, people in Sāvatthi die daily; nine even, venerable sir; eight even, venerable sir; seven even, venerable sir; six even, venerable sir; five even, venerable sir; four even, venerable sir; three even, venerable sir; two even, venerable sir; one even, venerable sir. Sāvatthi is never free from people dying, venerable sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, visākhe, api nu tvaṁ kadāci karahaci anallavatthā vā bhaveyyāsi anallakesā vā”ti?
“What do you think, Visākhā, would you ever be without wet clothes and hair?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante. Alaṁ me, bhante, tāva bahukehi puttehi ca nattārehi cā”ti.
“No, venerable sir. It is enough for me to have just a few sons and grandsons.”
“Yesaṁ kho, visākhe, sataṁ piyāni, sataṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ navuti piyāni, navuti tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ asīti piyāni, asīti tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ sattati piyāni, sattati tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ saṭṭhi piyāni, saṭṭhi tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ paññāsaṁ piyāni, paññāsaṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ cattārīsaṁ piyāni, cattārīsaṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni, yesaṁ tiṁsaṁ piyāni, tiṁsaṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ vīsati piyāni, vīsati tesaṁ dukkhāni, yesaṁ dasa piyāni, dasa tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ nava piyāni, nava tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ aṭṭha piyāni, aṭṭha tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ satta piyāni, satta tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ cha piyāni, cha tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ pañca piyāni, pañca tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ cattāri piyāni, cattāri tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ tīṇi piyāni, tīṇi tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ dve piyāni, dve tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ ekaṁ piyaṁ, ekaṁ tesaṁ dukkhaṁ; yesaṁ natthi piyaṁ, natthi tesaṁ dukkhaṁ, asokā te virajā anupāyāsāti vadāmī”ti.
“Visākhā, for those who have a hundred dear ones, they have a hundred sufferings; for those who have ninety dear ones, they have ninety sufferings; for those who have eighty dear ones, they have eighty sufferings; for those who have seventy dear ones, they have seventy sufferings; for those who have sixty dear ones, they have sixty sufferings; for those who have fifty dear ones, they have fifty sufferings; for those who have forty dear ones, they have forty sufferings; for those who have thirty dear ones, they have thirty sufferings; for those who have twenty dear ones, they have twenty sufferings; for those who have ten dear ones, they have ten sufferings; for those who have nine dear ones, they have nine sufferings; for those who have eight dear ones, they have eight sufferings; for those who have seven dear ones, they have seven sufferings; for those who have six dear ones, they have six sufferings; for those who have five dear ones, they have five sufferings; for those who have four dear ones, they have four sufferings; for those who have three dear ones, they have three sufferings; for those who have two dear ones, they have two sufferings; for those who have one dear one, they have one suffering; for those who have no dear one, they have no suffering. They are sorrow-free, untainted, and unafflicted, I say.”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Ye keci sokā paridevitā vā,
Dukkhā va lokasmimanekarūpā;
Piyaṁ paṭiccappabhavanti ete,
Piye asante na bhavanti ete.
“Whatever sorrows and lamentations there are,
various kinds of suffering in the world;
these arise because of what is dear,
without what is dear, they do not occur.
Tasmā hi te sukhino vītasokā,
Yesaṁ piyaṁ natthi kuhiñci loke;
Tasmā asokaṁ virajaṁ patthayāno,
Piyaṁ na kayirātha kuhiñci loke”ti.
Therefore, those who are free from attachment,
who have no dear ones anywhere in the world;
aspiring to be sorrow-free and untainted,
should not hold anything dear in the world.”