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A Daughter

Перевод: Бхиккху Суджато

sn / sn3

Linked Discourses 3.16 · 2. Childless

At Sāvatthī.

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

Then a man went up to the king and whispered in his ear,

“Your Majesty, Queen Mallikā has given birth to a daughter.”

When this was said, King Pasenadi was disappointed. ^[1]

Then, knowing that King Pasenadi was disappointed, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:

“Well, some women are better than men,

O ruler of the people. ^[2]

Wise and virtuous, a devoted wife ^[3]

whose mother-in-law is her queen. ^[4]

And when she has a son,

he becomes a hero, O lord of the land.

The son of such a blessed lady

may even rule the realm.” ^[5]

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[1] He had hoped for a son. The girl was probably princess Vajirī, for whom the king expresses his love at MN 87:24.1. This event must have been several years before the war between Kosala and Magadha, for the commentaries say she was married to Ajātasattu upon cessation of hostilities.

[2] Read posā, which the commentary glosses posehi, i.e. ablative plural in comparative sense, “than men”.

[3] Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 6.4.17 gives a rite for those who wish to have a daughter who lives a full life and is an astute scholar (paṇḍitā).

[4] The compound sassudeva is attributive, “(she who has) mother-in-law as queen”. There is a subtle intertextual tragedy here, for her future mother-in-law was her aunt, who died because of the actions of her future husband Ajātasattu.

[5] According to tradition this did turn out to be the case, as her son with Ajātasattu was Udāyibhadda, fondly recalled by the king at DN 2:12.3. But like his father, he ascended the throne by regicide (Mahāvaṁsa 4.1).