[50] On one occasion the Venerable Nārada was dwelling at Pāṭaliputta, in the Kukkuṭārāma. Now on that occasion King Muṇḍa's Queen Bhaddā, who was dear to him and beloved, had died. Since the death of Queen Bhaddā, dear and beloved, he neither bathed nor anointed himself, nor ate his meals, nor attended to his affairs, but day and night remained swooning in infatuation over Queen Bhaddā's body.
Then King Muṇḍa addressed Piyaka the keeper of the treasury: "Well then, dear Piyaka, place Queen Bhaddā's body in an iron vat filled with oil and cover it over with another iron vat, so that we may see Queen Bhaddā's body for a longer time." "Yes, sire," Piyaka the keeper of the treasury replied to King Muṇḍa; and he placed Queen Bhaddā's body in an iron vat filled with oil and covered it over with another iron vat.
Then it occurred to Piyaka the keeper of the treasury: "This King Muṇḍa's Queen Bhaddā, dear and beloved, has died; and since the death of Queen Bhaddā, dear and beloved, he neither bathes nor anoints himself, nor eats his meals, nor attends to his affairs, but day and night remains swooning in infatuation over Queen Bhaddā's body. What ascetic or brahmin might King Muṇḍa attend upon, so that having heard his Dhamma he might abandon the dart of sorrow?" Then it occurred to Piyaka the keeper of the treasury: "This Venerable Nārada is dwelling at Pāṭaliputta, in the Kukkuṭārāma; and such a fair report of fame has spread abroad concerning the Venerable Nārada: 'He is wise, competent, intelligent, of great learning, a brilliant speaker of fine eloquence, both venerable in years and an arahant.' Suppose King Muṇḍa were to attend upon the Venerable Nārada; perhaps, having heard the Venerable Nārada's Dhamma, he would abandon the dart of sorrow."
Then Piyaka the keeper of the treasury approached King Muṇḍa and said to him: "Sire, this Venerable Nārada is dwelling at Pāṭaliputta, in the Kukkuṭārāma; and such a fair report of fame has spread abroad concerning the Venerable Nārada: 'He is wise, competent, intelligent, of great learning, a brilliant speaker of fine eloquence, both venerable in years and an arahant.' If your Majesty would attend upon the Venerable Nārada, then perhaps, having heard the Venerable Nārada's Dhamma, your Majesty would abandon the dart of sorrow."
"Well then, dear Piyaka, inform the Venerable Nārada. For how could one such as I presume to approach unannounced an ascetic or brahmin dwelling within the realm?"
"Yes, sire," Piyaka the keeper of the treasury replied to King Muṇḍa. He approached the Venerable Nārada, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Piyaka the keeper of the treasury said to the Venerable Nārada: "Venerable sir, this King Muṇḍa's Queen Bhaddā, dear and beloved, has died; and since the death of Queen Bhaddā, dear and beloved, he neither bathes nor anoints himself, nor eats his meals, nor attends to his affairs, but day and night remains swooning in infatuation over Queen Bhaddā's body. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Nārada would teach the Dhamma to King Muṇḍa in such a way that, having heard the Venerable Nārada's Dhamma, King Muṇḍa might abandon the dart of sorrow."
"Then, Piyaka, let King Muṇḍa come at whatever time he thinks fit."
Then Piyaka the keeper of the treasury rose from his seat, paid homage to the Venerable Nārada, circumambulated him keeping his right side towards him, approached King Muṇḍa, and said to him: "Sire, the Venerable Nārada has granted the opportunity. Your Majesty may go at whatever time you think fit."
"Well then, dear Piyaka, have the finest carriages harnessed."
"Yes, sire," Piyaka the keeper of the treasury replied to King Muṇḍa; and having had the finest carriages harnessed, he said to King Muṇḍa: "Sire, the finest carriages are harnessed for you. Your Majesty may go at whatever time you think fit."
Then King Muṇḍa mounted a fine carriage and, with the finest carriages and with great royal pomp, set out for the Kukkuṭārāma to see the Venerable Nārada. Having gone by carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages, he descended from the carriage and entered the park on foot. Then King Muṇḍa approached the Venerable Nārada, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. As King Muṇḍa sat to one side, the Venerable Nārada said to him:
"Great king, there are these five situations that cannot be obtained by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva or by Māra or by Brahmā, or by anyone in the world. What five? 'May what is subject to aging not age!' — this is a situation that cannot be obtained by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva or by Māra or by Brahmā, or by anyone in the world. 'May what is subject to illness not fall ill!' … 'May what is subject to death (maraṇa) not die!' … 'May what is subject to destruction not be destroyed!' … 'May what is subject to loss not be lost!' — this is a situation that cannot be obtained by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva or by Māra or by Brahmā, or by anyone in the world.
"Great king, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to aging ages. When what is subject to aging has aged, he does not reflect thus: 'It is not for me alone that what is subject to aging ages; rather, for all beings, so far as there is coming and going, passing away and reappearing, what is subject to aging ages. And if, when what is subject to aging has aged, I were to sorrow, grow weary, lament, beat my breast and wail, and fall into confusion, my food would give me no pleasure, unsightliness would come upon my body, my affairs would come to a standstill, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would be dejected.' So, when what is subject to aging has aged, he sorrows, grows weary, laments, beats his breast and wails, and falls into confusion. This one, great king, is called an uninstructed worldling who, pierced by the poisoned dart of sorrow, torments only himself.
"Again, great king, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to illness falls ill … what is subject to death dies … what is subject to destruction is destroyed … what is subject to loss is lost. When what is subject to loss has been lost, he does not reflect thus: 'It is not for me alone that what is subject to loss is lost; rather, for all beings, so far as there is coming and going, passing away and reappearing, what is subject to loss is lost. And if, when what is subject to loss has been lost, I were to sorrow, grow weary, lament, beat my breast and wail, and fall into confusion, my food would give me no pleasure, unsightliness would come upon my body, my affairs would come to a standstill, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would be dejected.' So, when what is subject to loss has been lost, he sorrows, grows weary, laments, beats his breast and wails, and falls into confusion. This one, great king, is called an uninstructed worldling who, pierced by the poisoned dart of sorrow, torments only himself.
"But, great king, for the instructed noble disciple, what is subject to aging ages. When what is subject to aging has aged, he reflects thus: 'It is not for me alone that what is subject to aging ages; rather, for all beings, so far as there is coming and going, passing away and reappearing, what is subject to aging ages. And if, when what is subject to aging has aged, I were to sorrow, grow weary, lament, beat my breast and wail, and fall into confusion, my food would give me no pleasure, unsightliness would come upon my body, my affairs would come to a standstill, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would be dejected.' So, when what is subject to aging has aged, he does not sorrow, does not grow weary, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, and does not fall into confusion. This one, great king, is called an instructed noble disciple who has drawn out the poisoned dart of sorrow, pierced by which the uninstructed worldling torments only himself. Sorrowless, dart-free, the noble disciple utterly quenches himself.
"Again, great king, for the instructed noble disciple, what is subject to illness falls ill … what is subject to death dies … what is subject to destruction is destroyed … what is subject to loss is lost. When what is subject to loss has been lost, he reflects thus: 'It is not for me alone that what is subject to loss is lost; rather, for all beings, so far as there is coming and going, passing away and reappearing, what is subject to loss is lost. And if, when what is subject to loss has been lost, I were to sorrow, grow weary, lament, beat my breast and wail, and fall into confusion, my food would give me no pleasure, unsightliness would come upon my body, my affairs would come to a standstill, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would be dejected.' So, when what is subject to loss has been lost, he does not sorrow, does not grow weary, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, and does not fall into confusion. This one, great king, is called an instructed noble disciple who has drawn out the poisoned dart of sorrow, pierced by which the uninstructed worldling torments only himself. Sorrowless, dart-free, the noble disciple utterly quenches himself.
"These, great king, are the five situations that cannot be obtained by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva or by Māra or by Brahmā, or by anyone in the world."
Not by sorrowing, not by lamenting,
is any good gained here, even a little;
knowing one to be sorrowing and pained,
one's adversaries become elated.
But when the wise one, who knows how to determine what is good,
does not tremble amid adversities,
his adversaries become pained,
seeing his face unchanged, as of old.
By recitation, by counsel, by well-spoken words,
by generosity, or by family tradition —
in whatever way, wherever, one may gain one's good,
just so, right there, one should exert oneself.
But if one should understand, 'This good
cannot be obtained by me or by any other,'
one should endure it without sorrowing, thinking:
'The kamma is firm — what can I do now?'
When this was said, King Muṇḍa said to the Venerable Nārada: "Venerable sir, what is the name of this exposition of the Dhamma?" "Great king, this exposition of the Dhamma is named the Drawing Out of Sorrow's Dart (Sokasallaharaṇa)." "Indeed, venerable sir, it is the drawing out of sorrow's dart! Indeed, venerable sir, the drawing out of sorrow's dart! For having heard this exposition of the Dhamma, my dart of sorrow has been abandoned."
Then King Muṇḍa addressed Piyaka the keeper of the treasury: "Well then, dear Piyaka, cremate Queen Bhaddā's body and build a stūpa for her. From this day forward we shall bathe and anoint ourselves, eat our meals, and apply ourselves to our affairs."
The Fifth Chapter: On King Muṇḍa (Muṇḍarājavagga).
Its summary (uddāna):
Ādiya and Sappurisa, Iṭṭhā, Manāpadāyī with Abhisanda,
Sampadā and Dhana, Ṭhāna, Kosala, and the one with Nārada.
The First Set of Fifty is finished.
THE SECOND SET OF FIFTY
The First Chapter: On the Hindrances (Nīvaraṇavagga)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.