[144] 8. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa (the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground). Now on that occasion in Rājagaha two factions were infatuated with a certain courtesan, their minds bound to her; and having taken to quarreling, taken to strife, and fallen into dispute, they attacked one another with fists, attacked one another with clods, attacked one another with sticks, and attacked one another with knives; and there they met with death and with suffering (dukkha) tantamount to death.
Then a number of bhikkhus, having dressed in the morning and taken bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. Having walked for alms in Rājagaha, when they had returned from the alms round after the meal, they approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, in Rājagaha two factions, infatuated with a certain courtesan, their minds bound to her, having taken to quarreling, taken to strife, and fallen into dispute, attack one another with fists, attack one another with clods, attack one another with sticks, and attack one another with knives; and there they meet with death and with suffering tantamount to death."
Then the Blessed One, having understood the meaning of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"What has been attained and what is yet to be attained —
both of these are strewn with dust
for the afflicted one who trains along.
"Those for whom the training is the essence — for whom rules and vows (sīlabbata), livelihood, the holy life (brahmacariya), and service are the essence — this is one extreme.
"And those who speak thus: 'There is no fault in sensual pleasures' — this is the second extreme.
"Thus these two extremes make the charnel grounds grow, and the charnel grounds make views (diṭṭhi) grow.
"Not having directly known these two extremes, some hold back and some overreach.
"But those who have directly known them, who were not therein and did not conceive thereby — for them there is no round (vaṭṭa) whereby they might be described."
The Eighth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.