[176] 8. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park (Pubbārāma), in the mansion of Migāra's mother. Now on that occasion a granddaughter of Visākhā, Migāra's mother — dear and beloved — had died. Then Visākhā, Migāra's mother, with wet clothes and wet hair, approached the Blessed One in the middle of the day; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she sat down at one side. As she sat at one side, the Blessed One said this to Visākhā, Migāra's mother: "Well now, Visākhā! Where have you come from, that you arrive here with wet clothes and wet hair in the middle of the day?"
"Venerable sir, my dear and beloved granddaughter has died. That is why I have come here with wet clothes and wet hair in the middle of the day."
"Visākhā, would you wish for as many children and grandchildren as there are people in Sāvatthī?"
"I would wish, venerable sir, Blessed One, for as many children and grandchildren as there are people in Sāvatthī."
"But how many people in Sāvatthī, Visākhā, die in a day?"
"Ten people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; nine people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; eight people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; seven people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; six people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; five people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; four people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; three people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; two people in Sāvatthī die in a day, venerable sir; one person in Sāvatthī dies in a day, venerable sir. Sāvatthī, venerable sir, is never without people dying."
"What do you think, Visākhā? Would you then ever, at some time or other, be with wet clothes or with wet hair?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir! Enough for me, venerable sir, with so many children and grandchildren!"
"Visākhā, those who hold a hundred dear have a hundred sufferings (dukkha); those who hold ninety dear have ninety sufferings; those who hold eighty dear have eighty sufferings; those who hold seventy dear have seventy sufferings; those who hold sixty dear have sixty sufferings; those who hold fifty dear have fifty sufferings; those who hold forty dear have forty sufferings; those who hold thirty dear have thirty sufferings; those who hold twenty dear have twenty sufferings; those who hold ten dear have ten sufferings; those who hold nine dear have nine sufferings; those who hold eight dear have eight sufferings; those who hold seven dear have seven sufferings; those who hold six dear have six sufferings; those who hold five dear have five sufferings; those who hold four dear have four sufferings; those who hold three dear have three sufferings; those who hold two dear have two sufferings; those who hold one dear have one suffering; those who hold nothing dear have no suffering. They, I say, are sorrowless (asoka), stainless, and free from despair (anupāyāsa)."
Then the Blessed One, understanding the meaning of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
Whatever sorrows or lamentations (parideva) there are,
and sufferings of many forms in the world,
these come to be in dependence on what is dear;
when what is dear is not found, these do not come to be.
Therefore indeed those are happy and rid of sorrow
who hold nothing dear anywhere in the world.
Therefore, aspiring to the sorrowless, the stainless,
let one hold nothing dear anywhere in the world.
The eighth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.