[183] Then, Ānanda, this occurred to Queen Subhaddā: 'The faculties of King Mahāsudassana are clear and pure; the complexion of his skin is bright. Oh, let not King Mahāsudassana pass away!' And she said to King Mahāsudassana: 'Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand cities, with the royal capital Kusāvatī foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand palaces, with the Dhamma Palace foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand peaked chambers (kūṭāgāra), with the Great Array Chamber foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand couches, made of gold, made of silver, made of ivory, made of masāragalla gem, spread with long-fleeced woollen covers, spread with white woollen covers, spread with flower-embroidered coverlets, spread with choice coverlets of kadali-deer hide, with canopies above and red bolsters at both ends. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand elephants, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the royal elephant Uposatha foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand horses, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the royal steed Valāhaka foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand chariots, upholstered with lion hide, upholstered with tiger hide, upholstered with leopard hide, upholstered with pale woollen cloth, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the chariot Vejayanta foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand jewels, with the jewel-treasure foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand women, with the woman-treasure foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand householders, with the householder-treasure foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand vassal khattiyas, with the commander-treasure foremost. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand milch-cows, streaming with milk at the milking, with bronze milk-pails. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand koṭis of cloths — of fine linen, of fine cotton, of fine silk, of fine wool. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand servings of rice, whereby an offering of food was presented evening and morning. Arouse desire for these, sire; take an interest in life!'
When this was said, Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana said to Queen Subhaddā: 'For a long time, my queen, you have addressed me with what is wished for, dear, and agreeable; yet now, in my final hour, you address me with what is unwished for, undear, and disagreeable.'
'Then how, sire, should I address you?'
'Address me thus, my queen: "There is alteration, separation, and becoming otherwise with regard to all things dear and agreeable. Do not, sire, pass away with concern; painful is the death of one who dies with concern, and censured is the death of one who dies with concern. Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand cities, with the royal capital Kusāvatī foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand palaces … take none. Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand peaked chambers … take none. Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand couches, made of gold, made of silver, made of ivory, made of masāragalla gem, spread with long-fleeced woollen covers, spread with white woollen covers, spread with flower-embroidered coverlets, spread with choice coverlets of kadali-deer hide, with canopies above and red bolsters at both ends. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand elephants, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the royal elephant Uposatha foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand horses, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the royal steed Valāhaka foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand chariots, upholstered with lion hide, upholstered with tiger hide, upholstered with leopard hide, upholstered with pale woollen cloth, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the chariot Vejayanta foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand jewels, with the jewel-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand women, with Queen Subhaddā foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand householders, with the householder-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand vassal khattiyas, with the commander-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand milch-cows, streaming with milk at the milking, with bronze milk-pails. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand koṭis of cloths — of fine linen, of fine cotton, of fine silk, of fine wool. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand servings of rice, whereby an offering of food was presented evening and morning. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life!"'
When this was said, Ānanda, Queen Subhaddā wept and shed tears. Then, Ānanda, Queen Subhaddā, having wiped away her tears, said to King Mahāsudassana: 'Sire, there is alteration, separation, and becoming otherwise with regard to all things dear and agreeable. Do not, sire, pass away with concern; painful is the death of one who dies with concern, and censured is the death of one who dies with concern. Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand cities, with the royal capital Kusāvatī foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand palaces, with the Dhamma Palace foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand peaked chambers, with the Great Array Chamber foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand couches, made of gold, made of silver, made of ivory, made of masāragalla gem, spread with long-fleeced woollen covers, spread with white woollen covers, spread with flower-embroidered coverlets, spread with choice coverlets of kadali-deer hide, with canopies above and red bolsters at both ends. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand elephants, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the royal elephant Uposatha foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand horses, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the royal steed Valāhaka foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand chariots, upholstered with lion hide, upholstered with tiger hide, upholstered with leopard hide, upholstered with pale woollen cloth, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the chariot Vejayanta foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand jewels, with the jewel-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand women, with the woman-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand householders, with the householder-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand vassal khattiyas, with the commander-treasure foremost. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand milch-cows, streaming with milk at the milking, with bronze milk-pails. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand koṭis of cloths — of fine linen, of fine cotton, of fine silk, of fine wool. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life! Sire, these are your eighty-four thousand servings of rice, whereby an offering of food was presented evening and morning. Give up desire for these, sire; take no interest in life!'
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.