Samsara Is Long To The Ignorant
The Story of a Certain Person
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 1
The Story of a Certain Person
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 1
Long is the night to the sleepless; long is the league to the weary. Long is worldly existence to fools who know not the Sublime Truth.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to a certain young man and King Pasenadi of Kosala.
One day, while out in the city, King Pasenadi caught sight of a beautiful young woman standing at the window of her house and instantly fell in love with her. Learning that she was married, he summoned her husband and made him serve at the palace.
Later, the king sent the husband on an impossible errand: he was to travel a yojana (twelve miles) from Savatthi, bring back Kumudu lotus flowers and a red earth called arunavati from the land of the nagas, and return to Savatthi that same evening in time for the king's bath. The king meant to kill him if he failed, and take his wife for himself.
The young man hurriedly took a food packet from his wife and set out. On the way he shared his food with a traveller and threw some rice into the river for the fish.
Then he called out to the guardian spirits and nagas of the river, telling them of the king's command, and sharing with them the merit of the good deeds he had done that day, asking them to help him obtain the lotus and the red earth. The king of the nagas heard him, took the form of an old man, and brought him both.
That evening, fearing the young man might return in time, King Pasenadi had the city gates closed early. Finding them shut, the young man placed the red earth on the city wall and stuck the flowers into it.
He then announced loudly to the citizens that he had completed the king's errand in time, and that the king meant to kill him without any just cause. After that, he went to the Jetavana Monastery to take shelter in its peaceful atmosphere.
Meanwhile, King Pasenadi, consumed by desire, could not sleep, and kept planning how he would be rid of the husband in the morning. Around midnight he heard eerie, mournful voices, and was terrified.
Early the next morning, on the advice of Queen Mallika, he went to the Jetavana Monastery to consult the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the voices belonged to four beings who had been sons of rich men in the time of Kassapa Buddha, now suffering in Lohakumbhi Niraya for committing sexual misconduct with other men's wives.
Realizing the wickedness of his intended deed and the severity of its punishment, the king resolved then and there never again to covet another man's wife, reflecting that it was this very desire that had tormented him and kept him awake.
King Pasenadi then said to the Buddha that he now knew how long the night is for one who cannot sleep.
The young man, who was close at hand, came forward and said that, having travelled the full distance of a yojana the day before, he too now knew how long a yojana is to one who is weary.
The Story of a Certain Person
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 1
Long is the night to the sleepless; long is the league to the weary. Long is worldly existence to fools who know not the Sublime Truth.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to a certain young man and King Pasenadi of Kosala.
One day, while out in the city, King Pasenadi caught sight of a beautiful young woman standing at the window of her house and instantly fell in love with her. Learning that she was married, he summoned her husband and made him serve at the palace.
Later, the king sent the husband on an impossible errand: he was to travel a yojana (twelve miles) from Savatthi, bring back Kumudu lotus flowers and a red earth called arunavati from the land of the nagas, and return to Savatthi that same evening in time for the king's bath. The king meant to kill him if he failed, and take his wife for himself.
The young man hurriedly took a food packet from his wife and set out. On the way he shared his food with a traveller and threw some rice into the river for the fish.
Then he called out to the guardian spirits and nagas of the river, telling them of the king's command, and sharing with them the merit of the good deeds he had done that day, asking them to help him obtain the lotus and the red earth. The king of the nagas heard him, took the form of an old man, and brought him both.
That evening, fearing the young man might return in time, King Pasenadi had the city gates closed early. Finding them shut, the young man placed the red earth on the city wall and stuck the flowers into it.
He then announced loudly to the citizens that he had completed the king's errand in time, and that the king meant to kill him without any just cause. After that, he went to the Jetavana Monastery to take shelter in its peaceful atmosphere.
Meanwhile, King Pasenadi, consumed by desire, could not sleep, and kept planning how he would be rid of the husband in the morning. Around midnight he heard eerie, mournful voices, and was terrified.
Early the next morning, on the advice of Queen Mallika, he went to the Jetavana Monastery to consult the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the voices belonged to four beings who had been sons of rich men in the time of Kassapa Buddha, now suffering in Lohakumbhi Niraya for committing sexual misconduct with other men's wives.
Realizing the wickedness of his intended deed and the severity of its punishment, the king resolved then and there never again to covet another man's wife, reflecting that it was this very desire that had tormented him and kept him awake.
King Pasenadi then said to the Buddha that he now knew how long the night is for one who cannot sleep.
The young man, who was close at hand, came forward and said that, having travelled the full distance of a yojana the day before, he too now knew how long a yojana is to one who is weary.