[52] 2. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion, when many bhikkhus, having returned from the almsround after their meal, were sitting assembled together in the attendance hall, this conversation arose among them: "Which of these two kings, friends, has the greater wealth, the greater possessions, the greater treasury, the greater realm, the greater vehicles, the greater forces, the greater power, or the greater majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, or King Pasenadi of Kosala?" And this conversation among those bhikkhus was left unfinished.
Then in the evening the Blessed One, having emerged from seclusion, approached the attendance hall; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared for him. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "For what talk, bhikkhus, are you now sitting assembled together here? And what was the conversation among you that was left unfinished?"
"Here, venerable sir, when we, having returned from the almsround after our meal, were sitting assembled together in the attendance hall, this conversation arose among us: 'Which of these two kings, friends, has the greater wealth, the greater possessions, the greater treasury, the greater realm, the greater vehicles, the greater forces, the greater power, or the greater majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, or King Pasenadi of Kosala?' This, venerable sir, was the conversation among us that was left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived."
"Bhikkhus, it is not fitting for you, clansmen who out of faith (saddhā) have gone forth from the household life into homelessness, that you should talk such talk. When you have assembled, bhikkhus, there are two things to be done: either talk on the Dhamma or the noble silence."
Then the Blessed One, having understood the significance of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"Whatever sensual happiness there is in the world,
and whatever heavenly happiness there is —
these are not worth a sixteenth part
of the happiness of the destruction of craving (taṇhā)."
The second [sutta].
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.