Seµµhi na½ d³ratova ±gacchanta½ disv± “ki½ nu kho k±raºa½ bhavissati, may± esa m±raºatth±ya kumbhak±rassa santika½ pahito, so d±ni puna idhev±gacchat²”ti ±gacchanta½yeva na½ “ki½, t±ta, kumbhak±rassa santika½ na gatos²”ti ±ha. “¾ma, t±ta, na gatomh²”ti. “Kasm±, t±t±”ti? So attano nivattak±raºañca kaniµµhabh±tikassa tattha gatak±raºañca ±rocesi. Seµµhi tassa vacanassa sutak±lato paµµh±ya mah±pathaviy± ajjhotthaµo viya hutv± “ki½ n±meta½ tva½ vadas²”ti vipphandacitto vegena kumbhak±rassa santika½ gantv± aññesa½ santike akathan²yabh±vena “pekkha, bho, pekkha, bho”ti ±ha. “Ki½ pekkh±pesi tva½”? Niµµhita½ eta½ kammanti. So tatova nivattitv± geha½ agam±si. Tato paµµh±ya cassa cetasikarogo uppajji.

So tasmi½ k±le tena saddhi½ abhuñjitv± ±sa½ bhinditv± “yena kenaci up±yena mama puttassa sattuno antarameva passitu½ vaµµat²”ti eka½ paººa½ likhitv± ghosakakum±ra½ pakkositv± “tva½ ima½ paººa½ ±d±ya asukag±me n±ma amh±ka½ kammantiko atthi, tassa santika½ gantv± ima½ paººa½ datv± ‘imasmi½ kira paººe s±sana½ s²gha½ karoh²’ti vada. Antar±magge amh±ka½ sah±yako g±makaseµµhi n±ma eko seµµhi atthi, tassa ghara½ gantv± bhatta½ bhuñjitv± gaccheyy±s²”ti ca mukhas±sana½ ad±si. So seµµhi½ vanditv± paººa½ gahetv± nikkhanto antar±magge g±makaseµµhissa vasanaµµh±na½ gantv± tassa geha½ pucchitv± ta½ bahidv±rakoµµhake nis²ditv± massuparikamma½ karonta½ vanditv± aµµh±si. “Kuto ±gacchasi, t±t±”ti ca vutte “kosambiseµµhino puttomhi, t±t±”ti ±ha. So “amh±ka½ sah±yaseµµhino putto”ti haµµhatuµµho ahosi.

Tasmi½ ca khaºe tassa seµµhino dh²t±ya ek± d±s² seµµhidh²tu pupph±ni ±haritu½ gacchati. Atha na½ seµµhi ±ha– “tva½, amma, eta½ kamma½ µhapetv± ghosakakum±rassa p±de dhovitv± sayana½ attharitv± deh²”ti. S± tath± katv± ±paºa½ gantv± seµµhidh²tu pupph±ni ±hari. Seµµhidh²t± ta½ disv± “tva½ ajja cira½ bahi papañces²”ti tass± kujjhitv± “ki½ te ettaka½ k±la½ ettha katan”ti ±ha. “M± kathesi, ayye, may± evar³po nadiµµhapubbo, tuyha½ kira pitu sah±yakaseµµhino putto eko, na sakk± tassa r³pasampatti½ kathetu½. Seµµhi ma½ pupph±na½ atth±ya gacchanti½ ‘tassa kum±rassa p±de dhovitv± sayana½ attharitv± deh²’ti ±ha, ten±ha½ bahi cira½ papañcesin”ti. S±pi kho seµµhidh²t± tassa kum±rassa catutthe attabh±ve gharas±min² ahosi, tasm± tass± vacanassa sutak±lato paµµh±ya neva attano µhitabh±va½ na nisinnabh±va½ aññ±si. S± tameva d±si½ gahetv± tassa nipannaµµh±na½ gantv± ta½ nidd±yam±na½ oloketv± dussante paººa½ disv± “ki½ nu kho eta½ paººan”ti kum±ra½ anuµµh±petv±va paººa½ gahetv± v±cetv± “aya½ attano maraºapaººa½ sayameva gahetv± ±gacchat²”ti ta½ paººa½ ph±letv± tasmi½ appabuddheyeva “may± tava santika½ putto pesito, sah±yakassa me g±makaseµµhissa vayappatt± d±rik± atthi, tva½ s²gha½ amh±ka½ ±º±pavattiµµh±ne upp±da½ dhana½ gaºhitv± sabbasatena mama puttassa g±makaseµµhino dh²tara½ gahetv± maªgala½ karohi. Maªgale ca niµµhite ‘imin± me vidh±nena katan’ti mayha½ s±sana½ pesehi. Aha½ tava idha kattabba½ j±niss±m²”ti paººa½ likhitv± tameva lañchana½ datv± paµhama½ baddhaniy±meneva dussante bandhi.

Sopi kho kum±ro ta½divasa½ tattha vasitv± punadivase seµµhi½ ±pucchitv± kammantikassa g±ma½ gantv± paººa½ ad±si Kammantiko paººa½ v±cetv± g±mike sannip±tetv± “tumheva ma½ na gaºetha, mama s±m² attano jeµµhaputtassa sabbasatena d±rika½ ±netu½ mayha½ santika½ pesesi, vegena imasmi½ µh±ne upp±da½ sampiº¹eth±”ti sabba½ maªgalasakk±ra½ sajjetv± g±makaseµµhissa s±sana½ pesetv± sampaµicch±petv± sabbasatena maªgalakiriya½ niµµh±petv± kosambiseµµhissa paººa½ pahiºi “may± tumhehi pahitapaººe s±sana½ sutv± idañcidañca katan”ti.

Seµµhi ta½ s±sana½ sutv± aggida¹¹ho viya “id±ni naµµhomh²”ti cintanavasena lohitapakkhandikaroga½ patv± “yena kenaci ta½ up±yena pakkositv± mama santakassa ass±mika½ kariss±m²”ti “maªgalassa niµµhitak±lato paµµh±ya kasm± mayha½ putto bahi hoti, s²gha½ ±gacchat³”ti s±sana½ pesesi. S±sana½ sutv± kum±re gantu½ ±raddhe seµµhidh²t± cintesi– “aya½ b±lo ma½ niss±ya ima½ sampatti½ alatthanti na j±n±ti, ya½kiñci katv± imassa gamanapaµib±hanup±yo k±tu½ vaµµat²”ti. Tato na½ ±ha– “kum±ra, m± ativegena gacch±hi, kulag±ma½ gacchantena n±ma attano parivaccha½ katv± gantu½ vaµµat²”ti.

Kosambakaseµµhipi tassa cir±yanabh±va½ ñatv± puna s±sana½ pahiºi “kasm± me putto cir±yati, aha½ lohitapakkhandikaroga½ patto, j²vantameva ma½ ±gantv± daµµhu½ vaµµat²”ti. Tasmi½ k±le seµµhidh²t± tassa ±rocesi– “na eso tava pit±, tva½ pana ‘pit±’ti sañña½ karosi Esa tava m±raºatth±ya kammantikassa paººa½ pahiºi, aha½ ta½ paººa½ apanetv± añña½ s±sana½ likhitv± tava eta½ sampatti½ upp±dayi½. Esa ta½ ‘aputta½ kariss±m²’ti pakkosati, etassa k±lakiriya½ ±gameh²”ti. Athassa dharam±nakasseva k±lakatabh±va½ sutv± kosambinagara½ agam±si. Seµµhidh²t±pi tassa bahiyeva sañña½ ad±si “tva½ pavisanto sakalagehe tava ±rakkha½ µhapentova pavis±h²”ti. Sayampi seµµhiputtena saddhimeva pavisitv± ubho hatthe ukkhipitv± rodant² viya hutv± andhak±raµµh±ne nipannakassa seµµhissa santika½ gantv± s²seneva hadaya½ pahari. So dubbalat±ya teneva pah±rena k±lamak±si.

Kum±ropi pitu sar²rakicca½ katv± “tumhe mah±seµµhissa ma½ sakaputtoti vadath±”ti p±dam³lik±na½ lañja½ ad±si. Tato sattame divase r±j± “seµµhiµµh±n±raha½ eka½ laddhu½ vaµµat²”ti “seµµhissa saputtakaniputtakabh±va½ j±n±th±”ti pesesi. Seµµhip±dam³lik± rañño seµµhissa saputtabh±va½ kathayi½su. R±j± “s±dh³”ti sampaµicchitv± tassa seµµhiµµh±na½ ad±si. So ghosakaseµµhi n±ma j±to. Atha na½ bhariy± ±ha– “ayyaputta, tvampi avaj±to, ahampi duggatakule nibbatt±. Pubbe katakusalavasena pana evar³pa½ sampatti½ alabhimha, adhun±pi kusala½ kariss±m±”ti. So “s±dhu bhadde”ti sampaµicchitv± devasika½ sahassa½ vissajjetv± d±na½ paµµhapesi.

Tasmi½ samaye t±sa½ dvinna½ jan±na½ khujjuttar± devalokato cavitv± ghosakaseµµhissa gehe dh±tiy± kucchismi½ paµisandhi½ gaºhi. S± j±tak±le khujj± ahos²ti khujjuttar±tevass± n±ma½ aka½su. S±m±vat²pi devalokato cavitv± bhaddavatiyaraµµhe bhaddiyanagare bhaddavatiyaseµµhissa gehe paµisandhi½ gaºhi, s±m±tiss± n±ma½ aka½su. Aparabh±ge tasmi½ nagare ch±takabhaya½ uppajji, manuss± ch±takabhayabh²t± yena v± tena v± gacchanti. Tad± aya½ bhaddavatiyaseµµhi bhariy±ya saddhi½ mantesi– “bhadde imasmi½ ch±takabhayassa anto na paññ±yati, kosambinagare amh±ka½ sah±yakassa ghosakaseµµhissa santika½ gacch±ma, na so amhe disv± pamajjissat²”ti. Tassa kira so seµµhi adiµµhasah±yako ahosi, tasm± evam±ha. So sesajana½ nivatt±petv± bhariyañca dh²tarañca gaºhitv± kosambinagarassa magga½ paµipajji. Te tayopi antar±magge mah±dukkha½ anubhavant± anupubbena kosambi½ patv± ek±ya s±l±ya niv±sa½ aka½su.

Ghosakaseµµhipi kho attano gharadv±re kapaºaddhikavanibbakay±cak±na½ mah±d±na½ d±pesi. Ath±ya½ bhaddavatiyaseµµhi cintesi– “na sakk± amhehi imin±va kapaºavesena sah±yakassa att±na½ dassetu½, sar²re p±katike j±te sunivatth± sup±rut± seµµhi½ passiss±m±”ti. Te ubhopi dh²tara½ ghosakaseµµhissa d±nagga½ pahiºi½su. S± attano bhatta½ ±haraºatth±ya bh±jana½ gahetv± d±nagga½ gantv± ekasmi½ ok±se lajjam±nar³p± aµµh±si. Ta½ disv± d±nakammiko cintesi– “sesajan± sammukhasammukhaµµh±ne kevaµµ± macchavilope viya mah±sadda½ katv± gaºhitv± gacchanti, aya½ pana d±rik± kuladh²t± bhavissati, upadhisampad±piss± atth²”ti.

Tato na½ ±ha– “tva½, amma, kasm± sesajano viya gaºhitv± na gacchas²”ti? T±ta, evar³pa½ samb±dhaµµh±na½ kinti katv± pavis±m²ti. Amma, kati pana jan± tumheti? Tayo jan±, t±t±ti. So tayo bhattapiº¹e ad±si. S± ta½ bhatta½ m±t±pit³na½ ad±si, pit± d²gharatta½ ch±takatt± atireka½ bhuñjitv± k±lamak±si. S± punadivase gantv± dveyeva bhattapiº¹e gaºhi. Ta½divasa½ seµµhibhariy± bhattena ca kilantat±ya seµµhino ca maraºasokena rattibh±gasamanantare k±lamak±si. S± punadivase seµµhidh²t± ekameva bhattapiº¹a½ gaºhi. D±nakammiko tass± kiriya½ upadh±retv±, “amma, tay± paµhamadivase tayo piº¹± gahit±, punadivase dve, ajja ekameva gaºhasi. Ki½ nu kho k±raºan”ti pucchi. S± ta½ k±raºa½ kathesi. Katarag±mav±sino pana, amma, tumheti. S± tampi k±raºa½ nippadesato kathesi. “Amma, eva½ sante tva½ amh±ka½ seµµhidh²t± n±ma ahosi, mayhañca aññ± d±rik± natthi, tva½ ito paµµh±ya mama dh²t±, amm±”ti ta½ dh²tara½ katv± gaºhi.

S± uµµh±ya samuµµh±ya d±nagge mah±sadda½ sutv± “kasm± aya½, t±ta, ucc±saddamah±saddo”ti ±ha. Amma, mah±janassa antare n±ma appasadda½ k±tu½ na sakk±ti. Ahamettha up±ya½ j±n±mi, t±t±ti. Ki½ k±tu½ vaµµati, amm±ti? Samant± vati½ katv± dve dv±r±ni yojetv± anto bh±jan±ni µhap±petv± ekena dv±rena pavisitv± bhatta½ gaºhitv± ekena dv±rena nikkhamana½ karotha, t±t±ti. S±dhu, amm±ti punadivasato paµµh±ya tath± k±resi. Tato paµµh±ya d±nagga½ padumassara½ viya sannisinnasadda½ ahosi.

Tato ghosakaseµµhi pubbe d±naggasmi½ ucc±saddamah±sadda½ sutv± tad± ta½ asuºanto d±nakammika½ pakkos±petv± pucchi– “tva½ ajja d±na½ na d±pes²”ti. Dinna½ ayy±ti. Atha kasm± pubbe viya d±nagge saddo na suyyat²ti? ¾ma, ayya, ek± me dh²t± atthi, aha½ t±ya kathita-up±ye µhatv± d±nagga½ nissaddamak±sinti. Tava dh²t± n±ma natthi, kuto te dh²t± laddh±ti? So vañcetu½ asakkuºeyyabh±vena seµµhissa sabba½ dh²tu ±gamanavidh±na½ kathesi. Kasm± pana bho tva½ evar³pa½ bh±riya½ kammamak±si? Tva½ ettaka½ addh±na½ mama dh²tara½ attano santike vasam±na½ n±rocesi vegena ta½ amh±ka½ geha½ ±º±peh²ti. So tassa vacana½ sutv± ak±mako ±º±pesi. Tato paµµh±ya seµµhi ta½ dh²tuµµh±ne µhapetv± “dh²tu sakk±ra½ karom²”ti attano sam±naj±tikehi kulehi dh²tu sam±navay±ni pañca kum±rikasat±ni tass± pariv±ramak±si.

Athekadivasa½ udeno r±j± nagare anusañcaranto ta½ s±m±vati½ t±hi kum±r²hi pariv±rita½ k²¼am±na½ disv± “kass±ya½ d±rik±”ti pucchitv± “ghosakaseµµhissa dh²t±”ti sutv± sass±mika-ass±mikabh±va½ pucchi. Tato ass±mikabh±ve kathite “gacchatha seµµhino kathetha ‘tumh±ka½ dh²tara½ r±j± icchat²”’ti. Ta½ sutv± seµµhi “amh±ka½ aññ± d±rik± natthi, ekadh²tika½ sapattiv±se d±tu½ na sakkom±”ti. R±j± ta½ katha½ sutv± seµµhi½ ca seµµhibhariyañca bahi katv± sakalageha½ lañch±pesi. S±m±vat² bahi k²¼itv± ±gacchant² m±t±pitaro bahi nisinnake disv± “ammat±t±, kasm± idha nisinnatth±”ti? Te ta½ k±raºa½ kathayi½su. Ammat±t±, kasm± tumhe ima½ paµivacana½ na j±n±tha “mama dh²t± sapattiv±se vasant² ekik± vasitu½ na sakkhissati, sacass± pariv±r± pañcasat± kum±riyo vas±petha, eva½ vasissat²”ti. Id±ni eva½ kath±petha, t±t±ti. “S±dhu, amma, maya½ tava citta½ na j±nimh±”ti vatv± te tath± kathayi½su. R±j± uttaritara½ pas²ditv± “sahassampi hotu, sabb± ±neth±”ti ±ha. Atha na½ bhaddakena nakkhattamuhuttakena pañcam±tug±masatapariv±ra½ r±jageha½ nayi½su. R±j± t± pañcasat±pi tass±yeva pariv±ra½ katv± abhiseka½ katv± visu½ ekasmi½ p±s±de vas±pesi.