16.4 The Story about the Licchavis
Licchavīvatthu
Dhp 214
Burlingame: The Licchavi Princes and the Courtezan
As the Buddha and the bhikkhus went for alms in Vesālī they saw the Licchavī princes dressed like gods going out with a courtesan; later they fought over her, and many were killed and wounded, and the Buddha explained the matter to the bhikkhus with a verse.
Keywords: Jealousy, Courtesans
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“From delight there arises grief,”
It seems that on a certain festival day, the Licchavi princes, adorned with adornments of the greatest possible variety, departed from the city to go to the pleasure garden. As the Teacher entered the city for alms, he saw them and addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, just look at those Licchavi princes! Those of you who have never seen the Devas of the Thirty-Three, take a look at those princes!” So saying, the Teacher entered the city.
On the way to the pleasure garden the princes saw a certain courtesan and took her with them. Becoming jealous of each other over the courtesan, they fell to fighting with each other and set flowing as it were a river of blood. Men laid them on beds, lifted them up, and carried them off. After the Teacher had eaten his meal, he departed from the city.
When the bhikkhus saw the Licchavi princes thus borne along, they said to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, early in the morning the Licchavi princes departed from the city adorned and beautified like gods. Now, however, all because of a single woman, they have come to this sad plight. The Teacher said: “Bhikkhus, whether grief or fear arises, it arises solely because of delight.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:
214. Ratiyā jāyatī soko, ratiyā jāyatī bhayaṁ,
ratiyā vippamuttassa natthi soko, kuto bhayaṁ?
From delight there arises grief,
from delight there arises fear,
for one who is free from delight
there is no grief, how is there fear?
At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.