32.7 （七）文荼

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Venerable Narada was staying in the bamboo grove of a householder in the country of Vārāṇasī.

At that time, King Mandhātu's chief queen passed away. The king loved and cherished her deeply, never leaving her out of his mind. Then a man came to the king and said, "Great King, you should know that the chief queen has now passed away."

When the king heard that his queen had passed away, he was immediately filled with sorrow. He told the man who had come, "Quickly carry the dead body of the queen to the sesame oil and let me see it."

At that time, the man received the king's order and went to place the queen's body in the sesame oil.

At that time, the king heard that his queen had passed away and was extremely sorrowful. He did not eat or drink, did not uphold the Dharma, and did not attend to royal affairs.

At that time, there was a person named Good Thought who always held a sword for the great king. He said to the great king, "Great King, you should know that there is a śramaṇa named Nārada in this country who has attained arahantship, has great supernatural powers, is knowledgeable and wise, is skilled in all matters, has eloquent courage and wisdom, and always speaks with a smile. I wish that the King would go there to listen to his Dharma teachings. If the King hears the Dharma, he will no longer be sorrowful, worried, or distressed."

The king replied, "Excellent! Excellent! You have spoken well. Now, Good Thought, go first and speak to that śramaṇa. The reason is that when a wheel-turning sage king wishes to go somewhere, he should first send someone. It is not right to go without first sending a message."

At that time, Good Thought replied, "As the great king commands." He then accepted the king's instructions and went to the elder's bamboo grove, where he approached Nārada, bowed his head at his feet, and stood to one side.

At that time, Good Thought said to Venerable Nārada, "Venerable one, you should know that the king's queen has now passed away. Because of this suffering, she has not eaten or drunk, and she has also neglected the affairs of the kingdom. She now wishes to come and pay her respects to your countenance. I only pray that you will kindly teach the Dharma to the king, so that he may be free from further sorrow and suffering."

Nārada replied, "If she wishes to come, now is the right time."

At that time, Good Thought, having received the instruction, bowed her head at his feet and then withdrew. She went to the king and said, "I have already informed the śramaṇa. The king should know."

At that time, he immediately ordered Good Thought, "Quickly prepare the jeweled carriage with feathered wheels. I now wish to go and meet the śramaṇa."

At that time, Good Thought immediately prepared the jeweled carriage with feathered wheels and said to the king, "The carriage is ready. The king may know the time."

At that time, the king rode in the jeweled carriage with feathered wheels, left the city and went to where Nārada was. He walked into the bamboo grove of the elder. According to the law of the king, he removed the five ornaments and put them aside. He went to where Nārada was, bowed his head at his feet, and sat to one side.

At that time, Nārada told the king, "Great King, you should know that the Dharma of dreams and illusions arises from sorrow and worry. The Dharma of bubbles and snowballs also arises from sorrow and worry. One should not give rise to sorrow and worry because of the Dharma of flowers. Why is this so? Now there are five things that are most unattainable, as spoken by the Tathāgata. What are the five? First, things that should end, wanting them not to end - this is unattainable. Second, things that should cease, wanting them not to cease - this is unattainable. Third, the law of aging, wanting to avoid aging - this is unattainable. Fourth, the law of sickness, wanting to avoid sickness - this is unattainable. Fifth, the law of death, wanting to avoid death - this is unattainable. These are called, Great King, the five things that are most unattainable, as spoken by the Tathāgata."

At that time, Nārada spoke this verse:

One does not attain blessings through sorrow and distress. If
one has sorrow and distress, external conditions can take advantage
If the wise contemplate this, external enemies will have sorrow
but will not be able to take advantage. With proper
deportment and etiquette, one should be generous without stinginess. One
should seek this means to attain great benefits. If it
cannot be attained, I and the people will have no
sorrow and no suffering. How does one know the retribution of practice?

Moreover, Your Majesty should know that when something that should be lost is lost, one is already sorrowful, worried, suffering, and distressed, with pain that is indescribable. What I love has been lost today. This is called losing what should be lost, and giving rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress, with pain that is indescribable. This is called, Your Majesty! the first thorn of sorrow, which stains the mind. Ordinary people have this, but do not know where birth, old age, sickness, and death come from.

Moreover, one hears that what the noble disciples should lose is lost. At that time, that person does not give rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress. One should study like this: What I have lost is not unique to me alone. Others also have this. If I give rise to sorrow and worry about it, this is not appropriate. It may cause my relatives to be sorrowful and worried, and my enemies to rejoice. Food will not be digested, and I will become ill. The body will be hot. Because of this, I will die. At that time, one can remove the thorn of sorrow and fear, and be free from birth, old age, sickness, and death. There will be no more calamities, suffering, and afflictions.

Moreover, Your Majesty should know that when something that should be extinguished is extinguished, one is already sorrowful, worried, suffering, and distressed, with pain that is indescribable. What I love has been extinguished today. This is called extinguishing what should be extinguished, and giving rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress, with pain that is indescribable. This is called, Your Majesty! the second thorn of sorrow, which stains the mind. Ordinary people have this, but do not know where birth, old age, sickness, and death come from.

Moreover, one hears that what the noble disciples should extinguish is extinguished. At that time, that person does not give rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress. One should study like this: What I have extinguished is not unique to me alone. Others also have this. If I give rise to sorrow and worry about it, this is not appropriate. It may cause my relatives to be sorrowful and worried, and my enemies to rejoice. Food will not be digested, and I will become ill. The body will be hot. Because of this, I will die. At that time, one can remove the thorn of sorrow and fear, and be free from birth, old age, sickness, and death. There will be no more calamities, suffering, and afflictions.

Moreover, Your Majesty should know that when something that should grow old grows old, one is already sorrowful, worried, suffering, and distressed, with pain that is indescribable. What I love has grown old today. This is called growing old what should grow old, and giving rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress, with pain that is indescribable. This is called, Your Majesty! the third thorn of sorrow and worry, which stains the mind. Ordinary people have this, but do not know where birth, old age, sickness, and death come from.

Moreover, one hears that what the noble disciples should grow old is grown old. At that time, that person does not give rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress. One should study like this: What I have grown old is not unique to me alone. Others also have this. If I give rise to sorrow about it, this is not appropriate. It may cause my relatives to be sorrowful and worried, and my enemies to rejoice. Food will not be digested, and I will become ill. The body will be hot. Because of this, I will die. At that time, one can remove the thorn of sorrow and fear, and be free from birth, old age, sickness, and death. There will be no more calamities, suffering, and afflictions.

Next, Your Majesty should know that when something that should be sick is sick, one is already sorrowful, worried, suffering, and distressed, with pain that is indescribable. What I love is sick today. This is called being sick what should be sick, and giving rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress, with pain that is indescribable. This is called, Your Majesty! the fourth thorn of sorrow and worry, which stains the mind. Ordinary people have this, but do not know where birth, old age, sickness, and death come from.

Moreover, one hears that what the noble disciples should be sick is sick. This is called that person not giving rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress. One should study like this: What I am sick is not unique to me alone. Others also have this. If I give rise to sorrow and worry about it, this is not appropriate. It may cause my relatives to be sorrowful and worried, and my enemies to rejoice. Food will not be digested, and I will become ill. The body will be hot. Because of this, I will die. At that time, one can remove the thorn of sorrow and fear, and be free from birth, old age, sickness, and death. There will be no more calamities, suffering, and afflictions.

Furthermore, Your Majesty should know that when something that should die dies, it is called a dead thing. One gives rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress, with pain that is indescribable. This is called, Your Majesty! the fifth thorn of sorrow and worry, which stains the mind. Ordinary people have this, but do not know where birth, old age, sickness, and death come from.

Moreover, one hears that what the noble disciples should die is dead. At that time, that person does not give rise to sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress. One should study like this: What I am dead is not unique to me alone. Others also have this. If I give rise to sorrow and worry about it, this is not appropriate. It may cause my relatives to be sorrowful and worried, and my enemies to rejoice. Food will not be digested, and I will become ill. The body will be hot. Because of this, I will die. At that time, one can remove the thorn of sorrow and fear, and be free from birth, old age, sickness, and death. There will be no more calamities, suffering, and afflictions.

At that time, the great king said to Venerable Narada: "What is the name of this Dharma? How should it be practiced?"

Narada said: "This sutra is called 'Eliminating the Afflictions of Sorrow'. One should remember to practice it."

The king replied: "Indeed, as you have said, it removes sorrow and worry. Because, having heard this Dharma, all my sorrows and sufferings are forever eliminated today. If the Venerable has any instructions, please come to the palace often. I will provide for you and let the people of the country enjoy endless blessings. I only wish that the Venerable will widely expound this Dharma, preserving it for the world, so that the four groups of followers will be at ease for a long time. I now take refuge in the Venerable Narada."

Narada said: "Great King! Do not take refuge in me, but take refuge in the Buddha."

The king asked: "Where is the Buddha now?"

Narada said: "Great King, you should know that in the great country of Kapilavastu, a prince of the Sakya clan was born to a wheel-turning sage king. His name is Siddhattha. He left home to study the path and has now attained Buddhahood. He is called Sakyamuni. You should take refuge in him."

The king asked again: "Where is he now? How far is it from here?"

Narada said: "The Tathāgata has already entered nirvana."

The king said: "How quickly the Tathāgata entered nirvana! If he were still alive, I would travel many tens of thousands of yojanas to visit him."

At that time, he immediately rose from his seat, knelt on one knee with palms joined, and said: "I take refuge in the Tathāgata, the Dharma, and the Sangha of monks. For as long as I live, I will listen and be an upasaka. I will no longer take life. The affairs of the country are many. I now wish to return to the palace."

Narada said: "Now is the right time." At that time, the king rose from his seat, bowed at the feet, circumambulated three times, and departed.

At that time, King Mendhaka heard what Narada said and joyfully accepted it.