11.6 The Story about Queen Mallikā

Dhp 151

Burlingame: Queen Mallikā and Her Dog

Compare: Vv-a 3.8 BG: At Vv-a 3.8, Dhammapāla refers to the Story of Mallikā in the Dhammapada-vaṇṇanā. He then gives a brief outline of the story, which is to the effect that after the death of the Buddha, Mallikā the wife of Bandhula went in state and did honor to his relics. The Dhammapada Commentary contains no such story about Mallikā the wife of Bandhula, or about Mallikā the wife of Pasenadi. It seems probable that Dhammapāla here gives a wrong reference. For references in the Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā to Mallikā the wife of Bandhula, see 1.349, 1.412; to Mallikā the wife of Pasenadi, 1.382, 2.1-19, 3.119-123, 3.183-189. Cf. Jātaka, 3.405, Khp-a 1292°, and Mil 291^17-19.

King Pasenadi’s wife Queen Mallikā died and was eventually reborn in Tusita Heaven; later the Buddha went on almsround, was invited by the king, and sat in his chariot hall, where he explained to the king that he shouldn’t grieve, for all beings must die, and there he spoke a verse.

Keywords: Animals, Death, Grief, Offerings, Decay

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“Royal chariots will decay,” [29.340] this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Queen Mallikā.

It seems that one day Queen Mallikā entered the bathhouse, and having bathed her face, bent over and began to bathe her leg. Now her pet dog entered the bath-house with her, and when he saw her standing there with body thus bent over, he began to misbehave with her and she let him continue. The king looked out of a window on the upper floor of the palace and saw her. On her return he said to her: “Perish, vile woman; why did you do such a thing as that?” – “Why, your majesty, what have I done?” – “You have behaved most wrongly with a dog.” – “It is not true, your majesty.” – “I saw you with my own eyes. I will not believe anything you say. Perish, vile woman.” – “Great king, it is a remarkable fact that whoever enters that bath-house is perceived in two forms to whoever looks out of that window.” – “You utter falsehood.” – “If you will not believe me, enter the bath-house yourself, and I will look out of that window.” {3.120}

The king was such a fool as to believe what she said, and entered the bath-house. The queen stood at the window and looked out. Suddenly she cried out to him: “You foolish king, what do you mean by misbehaving with a she-goat?” – “Dear wife, I am doing no such thing.” The queen replied: “I saw you with my own eyes; I will not believe you.” When the king heard her reply, he said: “It must be true that whoever enters this bath-house is perceived in two forms.” Therefore he believed the explanation she gave him. [29.341]

Mallikā thought to herself: “I have deceived this king, because he is such a fool. I have committed a great wrong. Moreover I have accused him falsely. The Teacher will come to know of this wrong of mine, and likewise the two Chief Disciples, and the eighty Great Disciples. Oh, what a grievous wrong have I committed!”

According to tradition it was Mallikā who was associated with the king in the presentation to the Teacher of the Gifts beyond Compare. BG: See story 13.10. On this occasion gifts valued at 140 million of treasure were bestowed upon the Teacher, and the Realised One was presented with four priceless gifts; namely, a white parasol, a couch whereon to rest, a stand, and a stool for the feet.

When Mallikā died, forgetful at the moment of death of those mighty gifts, but with full recollection of the wicked deed she had committed, she was reborn in the Avīci Hell.

Now Queen Mallikā was greatly beloved by the king. Therefore when she died, the king was completely overcome with grief. When he had duly performed the funeral rites over her body, he said to himself: “I will ask the Teacher where she has been reborn.” Accordingly he went to the Teacher.

The Teacher so contrived that he should not remember the reason why he had come to him. {3.121} After listening to the pleasing discourse of the Teacher he returned to his home. As soon, however, as he entered the house, he remembered why he had gone to visit the Teacher. He thought to himself: “Assuredly it was my intention, when I set out, to ask the Teacher where Mallikā had been reborn. But as soon as I entered the Teacher’s presence, I forgot all about it. Tomorrow I shall not fail to ask him.”

On the following day, therefore, he visited the Teacher again. But for seven days in succession the Teacher so contrived that he should not remember why he had come. As for Mallikā, after she had been tormented for seven days in Niraya Hell, she came out thence, and was reborn in the Tusita Realm.

Now why was it that the Teacher caused the king to forget his question for seven days in succession? Tradition tells us that Mallikā was greatly beloved by the king, the very joy of his heart. Therefore had the king learned that she had been reborn in Niraya Hell, he would have said to himself: “If a woman endowed with faith so perfect has been reborn in Niraya Hell after presenting offerings so abundant, what chance is there for me?” He would therefore have adopted wrong views, would have discontinued the constant offerings of food to the five hundred [29.342] bhikkhus, and would finally have been reborn in Niraya Hell himself. For this reason the Teacher caused the king to forget his question for seven days in succession.

On the eighth day the Teacher set out alone on an almsround, and went to the door of the king’s residence. When the king heard that the Teacher was come, he went forth and took his bowl and began to mount up to the terrace of the palace. But the Teacher made as if he desired to sit down in the chariot-hall. Therefore the king provided him with a seat in the chariot-hall and reverently served him with food both hard and soft. Having so done, he worshipped him and sat down. “Venerable Sir,” he said, “when I visited you, this thought was in my mind: ‘I will ask the Teacher where Mallikā my queen has been reborn.’ venerable Sir, tell me where she was reborn.” – “In the Tusita Realm, great king.”

“Venerable Sir,” said the king, “had Queen Mallikā not been reborn in the Tusita Realm, who else could ever have been reborn there? Venerable Sir, there never lived a woman like her; wherever she sat, wherever she stood, {3.122} these words were ever on her lips: ‘Tomorrow I will give this to the Realised One; tomorrow I will do this for the Realised One.’ She cared for nothing else but to make provision of offerings. Venerable Sir, ever since she went to the other world, my own person has been non-existent.” The Teacher said: “Great king, do not grieve; this is the immutable law of all living beings.”

Then the Teacher asked the king: “Great king, whose chariot is this?” – “My grandfather’s, venerable Sir.” – “Whose is this?” – “My father’s, venerable Sir.” – “But whose chariot is this?” – “My own, venerable Sir.” When the king had thus answered his questions, the Teacher said: “Great king, just as your father’s chariot has outlasted your grandfather’s chariot, so also has your own chariot outlasted your father’s chariot. Thus does decay draw nigh unto this worthless chaff. But even more does decay wear away this body. Great king, the Dhamma of the Great Man alone does not wear away, but of living beings there are none that do not wear away.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

151. Jīranti ve rājarathā sucittā,
atho sarīram-pi jaraṁ upeti,
satañ-ca Dhammo na jaraṁ upeti,
santo have sabbhi pavedayanti.

Royal chariots will decay,
and the body also decays,
but the Dhamma does not decay,
the good pass it on to the good.