Ud 8.8

Visākhāsutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde. Tena kho pana samayena visākhāya migāramātuyā nattā kālaṅkatā hoti piyā manāpā. Atha kho visākhā migāramātā allavatthā allakesā divā divassa yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho visākhaṁ migāramātaraṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

With Visākhā

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery. Now at that time the dear and beloved granddaughter of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, had just passed away. Then, in the middle of the day, Visākhā with wet clothes and hair went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down. The Buddha said to her,

“Handa kuto nu tvaṁ, visākhe, āgacchasi allavatthā allakesā idhūpasaṅkantā divā divassā”ti? “Nattā me, bhante, piyā manāpā kālaṅkatā. Tenāhaṁ allavatthā allakesā idhūpasaṅkantā divā divassā”ti. “Iccheyyāsi tvaṁ, visākhe, yāvatikā sāvatthiyā manussā tāvatike putte ca nattāro cā”ti? “Iccheyyāhaṁ, bhagavā, yāvatikā sāvatthiyā manussā tāvatike putte ca nattāro cā”ti.

“So, Visākhā, where are you coming from in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair?” “Sir, my beloved granddaughter has just passed away. That’s why I came here in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair.” “Visākhā, would you like as many children and grandchildren as there are people in the whole of Sāvatthī?” “I would, sir.”

“Kīvabahukā pana, visākhe, sāvatthiyā manussā devasikaṁ kālaṁ karontī”ti? “Dasapi, bhante, sāvatthiyā manussā devasikaṁ kālaṁ karonti; navapi, bhante … aṭṭhapi, bhante … sattapi, bhante … chapi, bhante … pañcapi, bhante … cattāropi, bhante … tīṇipi, bhante … dvepi, bhante, sāvatthiyā manussā devasikaṁ kālaṁ karonti. Ekopi, bhante, sāvatthiyā manusso devasikaṁ kālaṁ karoti. Avivittā, bhante, sāvatthi manussehi kālaṁ karontehī”ti.

“But Visākhā, how many people pass away each day in Sāvatthī?” “Every day, sir, there are ten people passing away in Sāvatthī. Or else there are nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, or at least one person who passes away every day in Sāvatthī. Sāvatthī is never without someone passing away.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, visākhe, api nu tvaṁ kadāci karahaci anallavatthā vā bhaveyyāsi anallakesā vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante. Alaṁ me, bhante, tāva bahukehi puttehi ca nattārehi cā”ti.

“What do you think, Visākhā? Would there ever be a time when your clothes and hair were not wet?” “No, sir. Enough, sir, with so many children and grandchildren.”

“Yesaṁ kho, visākhe, sataṁ piyāni, sataṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ navuti piyāni, navuti tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ asīti piyāni, asīti tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ sattati piyāni, sattati tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ saṭṭhi piyāni, saṭṭhi tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ paññāsaṁ piyāni, paññāsaṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ cattārīsaṁ piyāni, cattārīsaṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni, yesaṁ tiṁsaṁ piyāni, tiṁsaṁ tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ vīsati piyāni, vīsati tesaṁ dukkhāni, yesaṁ dasa piyāni, dasa tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ nava piyāni, nava tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ aṭṭha piyāni, aṭṭha tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ satta piyāni, satta tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ cha piyāni, cha tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ pañca piyāni, pañca tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ cattāri piyāni, cattāri tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ tīṇi piyāni, tīṇi tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ dve piyāni, dve tesaṁ dukkhāni; yesaṁ ekaṁ piyaṁ, ekaṁ tesaṁ dukkhaṁ; yesaṁ natthi piyaṁ, natthi tesaṁ dukkhaṁ, asokā te virajā anupāyāsāti vadāmī”ti.

“Those who have a hundred loved ones, Visākhā, have a hundred sufferings. Those who have ninety loved ones, or eighty, seventy, sixty, fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, or one loved one have one suffering. Those who have no loved ones have no suffering. They are free of sorrow, stains, and anguish I say.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Ye keci sokā paridevitā vā, Dukkhā va lokasmimanekarūpā; Piyaṁ paṭiccappabhavanti ete, Piye asante na bhavanti ete.

“All the sorrows and lamentations and the countless forms of suffering in the world occur because of those that we love; without loved ones they do not occur.

Tasmā hi te sukhino vītasokā, Yesaṁ piyaṁ natthi kuhiñci loke; Tasmā asokaṁ virajaṁ patthayāno, Piyaṁ na kayirātha kuhiñci loke”ti.

That’s why those who have no loved ones at all in the world are happy and free of grief. So aspiring to the sorrowless and stainless, have no loved ones in the world at all.”