AN 5.49

Kosalasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

The King of Kosala

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

Tena kho pana samayena mallikā devī kālaṅkatā hoti. Atha kho aññataro puriso yena rājā pasenadi kosalo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa upakaṇṇake āroceti: “mallikā devī, deva, kālaṅkatā”ti. Evaṁ vutte, rājā pasenadi kosalo dukkhī dummano pattakkhandho adhomukho pajjhāyanto appaṭibhāno nisīdi.

Then a man went up to the king and whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, Queen Mallikā has passed away.” When this was said, King Pasenadi was miserable and sad. He sat with his shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say.

Atha kho bhagavā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ dukkhiṁ dummanaṁ pattakkhandhaṁ adhomukhaṁ pajjhāyantaṁ appaṭibhānaṁ viditvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavoca: “pañcimāni, mahārāja, alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ. Katamāni pañca? ‘Jarādhammaṁ mā jīrī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ …pe… na socanāya paridevanāya …pe… kammaṁ daḷhaṁ kinti karomi dānī”ti.

Knowing this, the Buddha said to him, “Great king, there are five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world. What five? That someone liable to old age should not grow old. … Sorrowing and lamenting doesn’t do even a little bit of good … ‘The deed is powerful. What can I do now?’”