Thus have I heard:
One time, the Budha was staying at Anaathapindidas Ashrama in Jetavana of Shraavastii.
At that time, in the city of Shraavastii, there was an elder who had just lost his only son. He loved and cherished his son deeply and could not let go of his grief. When his son died, he became distraught and wandered around aimlessly, unable to stay in one place.
Whenever he saw someone, he would ask,
“Have you seen my son?”
Gradually, the man made his way to the Jetavana monastery, where he approached Bhagavaan and stood to one side. He said to Bhagavaan,
“Sramana Gautama, have you seen my son?”
Bhagavaan said to the elder,
“Why do you look so distressed, with your faculties in disarray?”
The elder replied to Gautama, “How could it be otherwise? I had only one son, and he has passed away. I loved and cherished him deeply, and he was always by my side. My grief for him has driven me to madness. Now I ask you, Sramana, have you seen my son?”
Bhagavaan said, “Indeed, elder, as you have asked, birth, old age, sickness, and death are the natural laws of the world. The pain of separation from loved ones and the pain of encountering the disliked are inevitable. How could you not grieve when your son has left you?”
Hearing Bhagavaan’s words, the man was not comforted. He left and, as he walked, encountered someone and said,
“The Sramana Gautama said, ‘Separation from loved ones brings happiness.’ Is what the Sramana said true?”
The person replied, “How can separation from loved ones bring happiness?”
At that time, not far from Shraavastii, there was a group of people gambling. The man thought, “These men are wise and knowledgeable; they understand everything. I will ask them about this matter.” He went to the gambling site and asked the group, “The Sramana Gautama told me, ‘The pain of separation from loved ones and the pain of encountering the disliked bring happiness.’ What do you all think of this?”
The gamblers replied to him, “How can separation from loved ones bring happiness? To say it brings happiness is not correct.”
At that time, the man thought, “The Tathaagata’s words are indeed true and never false. How can separation from loved ones bring happiness? This cannot be.”
At that time, the man entered Shraavastii and stood outside the palace gates, proclaiming, “The Sramana Gautama teaches that ‘separation from loved ones and encountering the disliked bring happiness.'” This statement spread throughout Shraavastii and even reached the inner palace.
At that time, King Prasenajit and Queen Mallikaa were together in a high tower, enjoying themselves. King Prasenajit said to Queen Mallikaa, “The Sramana Gautama has indeed said, ‘Separation from loved ones and encountering the disliked bring happiness.’“
The queen replied, “I have not heard such a teaching from the Tathaagata. But if the Tathaagata has taught this, it must be true.”
King Prasenajit said, “Just as a teacher instructs a disciple, saying, ‘Do this, abandon that,’ and the disciple replies, ‘Yes, master,’ so too, Mallikaa, even though the Sramana Gautama has said this, you should say, ‘It is so, without error or falsehood.’ But now, leave quickly; there is no need to stand before me.”
At that time, Queen Mallikaa said to the Brahmin Jambuka, “Go now to the Jetavana monastery, approach the Tathaagata, and on my behalf, bow at his feet. Then explain this matter fully to Bhagavaan, saying, ‘In Shraavastii and the inner palace, there is a rumor that the Sramana Gautama teaches that separation from loved ones and encountering the disliked bring happiness. Does Bhagavaan truly teach this?’ If Bhagavaan has said this, listen carefully and report back to me.”
At that time, the Brahmin Jambuka, following the queen’s instructions, went to the Jetavana monastery. He approached Bhagavaan, exchanged greetings, and sat to one side.
The Brahmin said to Bhagavaan, “Queen Mallikaa bows at your feet and inquires whether the Tathaagata is in good health, strong, and free from fatigue as he guides the blind and deluded.” He continued, “In Shraavastii, there is a widespread rumor that the Sramana Gautama teaches, ‘Separation from loved ones and encountering the disliked bring happiness.’ Does Bhagavaan truly teach this?”
Bhagavaan said to the Brahmin Jambuka, “In Shraavastii, there was an elder who lost his only son. Grieving for his son, he became deranged, wandering aimlessly and asking everyone, ‘Have you seen my son?’
Brahmin, the pain of separation from loved ones and the pain of encountering the disliked bring no happiness. In the past, in Shraavastii, there was an old woman who died, and her family became deranged, unable to recognize directions. There was also an old man who died, and his siblings also passed away. Seeing these changes, they became deranged and lost their senses.
Brahmin, in the past, there was a man in Shraavastii who had just married a woman of unparalleled beauty. Not long after, he fell into poverty. Seeing this, the woman’s parents thought, ‘We will take our daughter back and marry her to someone else.’ The man overheard this and, hiding a sharp knife in his clothes, went to the woman’s home.
At that time, the woman was spinning outside the wall. The man went to her parents’ house and asked, ‘Where is my wife?’ Her mother replied, ‘Your wife is spinning in the shade outside the wall.’ The man went to his wife and asked, ‘Is it true that your parents want to take you away and marry you to someone else?’ She replied, ‘It is true, but I do not wish to hear such words.’ The man then drew his knife, killed his wife, and stabbed himself in the stomach, saying, ‘We will both die together.’
Brahmin, from this example, you should understand that the pain of separation from loved ones and the pain of encountering the disliked bring only sorrow and cannot be described as happiness.”
The Brahmin Jambuka said to Bhagavaan, “Indeed, Bhagavaan, these afflictions are truly painful and bring no happiness. In the past, I too lost a son, and day and night I grieved, unable to let go. I became deranged, wandering aimlessly and asking everyone, ‘Have you seen my son?’ What the Sramana Gautama has said is true. I have many state affairs to attend to and must now take my leave.”
Bhagavaan said, “Now is the time.”
The Brahmin Jambuka rose from his seat, circumambulated Bhagavaan three times, and left. He returned to Queen Mallikaa and reported the entire matter to her.
At that time, Queen Mallikaa went to King Prasenajit and said, “I wish to ask you something, and I hope you will answer truthfully. Tell me, my king, do you think of Prince Viruudhaka?”
The king replied, “I think of him often. My love and concern for him never leave my mind.”
The queen asked, “If something were to happen to the prince, my king, would you feel sorrow?”
The king replied, “Yes, my queen, as you have said.”
The queen said, “My king, you should know that separation from loved ones brings sorrow. Tell me, do you think of Prince Ilaa?”
The king replied, “I love and respect him deeply.”
The queen asked, “My king, if something were to happen to the prince, would you feel sorrow?”
The king replied, “I would feel great sorrow.”
The queen said, “From this, you should understand that separation from loved ones brings no happiness. Tell me, my king, do you think of the noble lady Saaradhaa?”
The king replied, “I love and respect her deeply.”
The queen asked, “My king, if something were to happen to Lady Saaradhaa, would you feel sorrow?”
The king replied, “I would feel great sorrow.”
The queen said, “My king, you should know that separation from loved ones is suffering.”
The queen asked, “Do you think of me?”
The king replied, “I love and think of you.”
The queen asked, “If something were to happen to me, would you feel sorrow?”
The king replied, “If something were to happen to you, I would feel sorrow.”
The queen said, “My king, from this, you should understand that separation from loved ones and encountering the disliked bring no happiness.”
The queen said, “Tell me, my king, do you think of the people of Kaashii and Koshala?”
The king replied, “I care deeply for the people of Kaashii and Koshala.”
The queen asked, “If something were to happen to the people of Kaashii and Koshala, would you feel sorrow?”
The king replied, “If something were to happen to the people of Kaashii and Koshala, I would not survive, let alone feel sorrow. This is because I depend on the strength of the people of Kaashii and Koshala to sustain myself. From this, you should understand that my very life would be at risk, so how could I not feel sorrow?”
The queen said, “From this, you should understand that separation from loved ones brings suffering and no happiness.”
At that time, King Prasenajit knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and faced Bhagavaan, saying, “How extraordinary! How extraordinary! The Bhagavaan teaches such a profound truth. If the Sramana Gautama were here, I could discuss this with him.” He then said to the queen, “From now on, I will regard you even more highly than before, and you shall wear garments equal to mine.”
At that time, Bhagavaan, hearing the discussion between Queen Mallikaa and the king, said to the Bhikshus, “Queen Mallikaa is exceedingly wise. If King Prasenajit were to ask me this question, I would answer him in the same way as the queen did.” Bhagavaan further said to the Bhikshus, “Among my female disciples, the foremost in firm faith and realization is Queen Mallikaa.”
When the bhikshus heard what the Budha said, they followed it with joy.