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4. Now on that occasion some gamblers were playing with dice not far from the Blessed One. Then the householder went to those gamblers and said: “Just now, sirs, [107] I went to the recluse Gotama, and after paying homage to him, I sat down at one side. When I had done so, the recluse Gotama said to me: ‘Householder, your faculties are not those of one in control of his own mind.’...(repeat the entire conversation as above)...‘Venerable sir, happiness and joy are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear.’ Then, displeased with the recluse Gotama’s words, disapproving of them, I rose from my seat and left.”

“So it is, householder, so it is! Happiness and joy are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear.”

Then the householder left thinking: “I agree with the gamblers.”

5. Eventually this story reached the king’s palace. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala told Queen Mallikā: “This is what has been said by the recluse Gotama, Mallikā: ‘Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear.’”

“If that has been said by the Blessed One, sire, then it is so.”

“No matter what the recluse Gotama says, Mallikā applauds it thus: ‘If that has been said by the Blessed One, sire, then it is so.’ Just as a pupil applauds whatever his teacher says to him, saying: ‘So it is, teacher, so it is!’; so too, Mallikā, no matter what the recluse Gotama says, you applaud it thus: ‘If that [108] has been said by the Blessed One, sire, then it is so.’ Be off, Mallikā, away with you!”

6. Then Queen Mallikā addressed the brahmin Nāḷijangha: “Come, brahmin, go to the Blessed One and pay homage in my name with your head at his feet, and ask whether he is free from illness and affliction and is healthy, strong, and abiding in comfort, saying: ‘Venerable sir, Queen Mallikā pays homage with her head at the Blessed One’s feet and asks whether the Blessed One is free from illness…and abiding in comfort.’ Then say this: ‘Venerable sir, have these words been uttered by the Blessed One: “Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear”?’ Learn well what the Blessed One replies and report it to me; for Tathāgatas do not speak untruth.”

“Yes, madam,” he replied, and he went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side and said: “Master Gotama, Queen Mallikā pays homage with her head at Master Gotama’s feet and asks whether he is free from illness…and abiding in comfort. And she says this: ‘Venerable sir, have these words been spoken by the Blessed One: “Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear”?’”

7. “So it is, brahmin, so it is! Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear.

8. “It can be understood from this, brahmin, how sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear. Once in this same Sāvatthī there was a certain woman whose mother died. Owing to her mother’s death, she went mad, lost her mind, and wandered from street to street and from crossroad to crossroad, saying: ‘Have you seen my mother? Have you seen my mother?’ [109]

9–14. “And it can also be understood from this how sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are dear. Once in this same Sāvatthī there was a certain woman whose father died…whose brother died…whose sister died…whose son died…whose daughter died…whose husband died. Owing to her husband’s death, she went mad, lost her mind, and wandered from street to street and from crossroad to crossroad, saying: ‘Have you seen my husband? Have you seen my husband?’

15–21. “And it can also be understood from this how sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are born from those who are dear, arise from those who are