22.4 The Story about Khema

Dhp 309-310

Burlingame: The Man Whom Women Loved

One of the merchant Anāthapiṇḍika’s nephews, Khema, was so handsome all the women fell in love with him, and he was frequently caught in adultery; the king didn’t punish Khema, due to his affection for his father, so his father took his son to the Buddha who taught him in some verses the destiny of those who dally with other men’s wives.

Keywords: Rich Men, Adultery, Kings, Past Lives, Previous Buddhas

“There are four states,” [30.193] this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Khema, a rich man’s son, nephew of Anāthapiṇḍika.

Khema is said to have been an exceedingly handsome youth. All the women who saw him became so overmastered with desire that they were unable to control themselves. Khema was given to running after other men’s wives. One night the king’s men took him prisoner and brought him before the king. Thought the king: “I feel shame for the elder rich man.” So without saying a word to him, he let him go. But for all that, Khema did not abandon his wicked ways. {3.482}

A second time and a third time the king’s men took him prisoner and brought him before the king, and each time the king just let him go. When the elder rich man heard what had happened, he went to the Teacher with his son, made him tell his story, and said to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, teach the Dhamma to this youth.” Thereupon the Teacher aroused his conscience and showed him the wrong involved in running after other men’s wives by pronouncing the following verses:

309. Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto,
āpajjatī paradārūpasevī:
apuññalābhaṁ, nanikāmaseyyaṁ,
nindaṁ tatīyaṁ, Nirayaṁ catutthaṁ.

There are four states the man who is heedless,
the man who consorts with other men’s wives,
undergoes: demerit, a rough bed, blame,
and rebirth in Niraya Hell as fourth.

310. Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā,
bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā,
rājā ca daṇḍaṁ garukaṁ paṇeti,
tasmā naro paradāraṁ na seve.

Gaining demerit, a bad destiny,
and only the very small delight of
a scared man with a scared woman, and kings
who apply heavy punishment – a man
should not consort with another man’s wife. {3.483}

At the end of the teaching Khema was established in the fruition of Stream-entry.

What was his former deed? It is said that in the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa he was a champion wrestler, and that one day he planted two colored banners on the golden shrine of the Buddha, and made the following aspiration: “May all the women who look upon me, except my kinswomen and blood-relatives, fall in love with me.” This was his former deed. By reason of this, in the various places where he was reborn, other men’s wives who saw him were unable to control themselves.