When the Buddha learns that the bhikkhus had been discussing the worldly affairs of two kings, he reminds them that for those who have gone forth in faith, only two modes of gathering are proper—either engaging in a Dhamma discussion or maintaining noble silence.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: “ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo”ti? Ayañcarahi tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ antarākathā hoti vippakatā.
Now at that time, a number of bhikkhus, having returned from their alms round after the meal, were seated together in the assembly hall when |this conversation::this discussion, lit. this in-between talk [ayamantarākathā]| arose among them: “Friends, who among these two kings is wealthier, has more possessions, a greater treasury, a wider realm, a larger fleet [of horses, elephants, etc.], greater military strength, greater supernormal powers, and superior majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?” And this discussion among the bhikkhus was left unfinished.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā sannipatitā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?
For the Blessed One, having emerged from |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]| in the late afternoon, approached the assembly hall, and sat down on the prepared seat. Once he was seated, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, for what topic of conversation are you now seated together here? And what was the discussion among you that was left unfinished?”
“Idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: ‘ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo’ti? Ayaṁ kho no, bhante, antarākathā vippakatā, atha bhagavā anuppatto”ti.
“Here, venerable sir, after we had returned from our alms round following the meal, we were seated together in the assembly hall when this conversation arose among us: ‘Friends, who among these two kings is wealthier, has more possessions, a greater treasury, a wider realm, a larger fleet [of horses, elephants, etc.], greater military strength, greater supernormal powers, and superior majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?’ And this was the discussion, venerable sir, that was left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived.”
“Na khvetaṁ, bhikkhave, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitānaṁ yaṁ tumhe evarūpiṁ kathaṁ katheyyātha. Sannipatitānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dvayaṁ karaṇīyaṁ— dhammī vā kathā ariyo vā tuṇhībhāvo”ti.
“It is not proper for you, bhikkhus, sons of good families who have gone forth out of |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| from the household life into homelessness, to engage in such a discussion. When you are gathered together, bhikkhus, two things are proper—either a |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| discussion or noble silence.”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Yañca kāmasukhaṁ loke,
yañcidaṁ diviyaṁ sukhaṁ;
Taṇhakkhayasukhassete,
kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasin”ti.
Whatever |sensual happiness::comfort of sense pleasures, enjoyment of sense desire [kāmasukha]| there is in the world,
And whatever divine happiness there is—
They are not worth a sixteenth part,
of the happiness of the |wearing away of craving::depletion of desire, extinction of longing [taṇhakkhaya]|.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
Now at that time, a number of bhikkhus, having returned from their alms round after the meal, were seated together in the assembly hall when |this conversation::this discussion, lit. this in-between talk [ayamantarākathā]| arose among them: “Friends, who among these two kings is wealthier, has more possessions, a greater treasury, a wider realm, a larger fleet [of horses, elephants, etc.], greater military strength, greater supernormal powers, and superior majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?” And this discussion among the bhikkhus was left unfinished.
For the Blessed One, having emerged from |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]| in the late afternoon, approached the assembly hall, and sat down on the prepared seat. Once he was seated, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, for what topic of conversation are you now seated together here? And what was the discussion among you that was left unfinished?”
“Here, venerable sir, after we had returned from our alms round following the meal, we were seated together in the assembly hall when this conversation arose among us: ‘Friends, who among these two kings is wealthier, has more possessions, a greater treasury, a wider realm, a larger fleet [of horses, elephants, etc.], greater military strength, greater supernormal powers, and superior majesty: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?’ And this was the discussion, venerable sir, that was left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived.”
“It is not proper for you, bhikkhus, sons of good families who have gone forth out of |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| from the household life into homelessness, to engage in such a discussion. When you are gathered together, bhikkhus, two things are proper—either a |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| discussion or noble silence.”
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
Whatever |sensual happiness::comfort of sense pleasures, enjoyment of sense desire [kāmasukha]| there is in the world,
And whatever divine happiness there is—
They are not worth a sixteenth part,
of the happiness of the |wearing away of craving::depletion of desire, extinction of longing [taṇhakkhaya]|.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: “ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo”ti? Ayañcarahi tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ antarākathā hoti vippakatā.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā sannipatitā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?
“Idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: ‘ko nu kho, āvuso, imesaṁ dvinnaṁ rājūnaṁ mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānubhāvataro vā rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro, rājā vā pasenadi kosalo’ti? Ayaṁ kho no, bhante, antarākathā vippakatā, atha bhagavā anuppatto”ti.
“Na khvetaṁ, bhikkhave, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitānaṁ yaṁ tumhe evarūpiṁ kathaṁ katheyyātha. Sannipatitānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dvayaṁ karaṇīyaṁ— dhammī vā kathā ariyo vā tuṇhībhāvo”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
“Yañca kāmasukhaṁ loke,
yañcidaṁ diviyaṁ sukhaṁ;
Taṇhakkhayasukhassete,
kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasin”ti.