7/30/2019 12 Uragapetavatthu

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12. Uragapetavatthu

(Khuddakanikaya petavatthu - 1. Uragavagga)

85.Just as a snake casts its decaying slough from its body, even so a sentient being abandons hisuseless body when he becomes dead and lifeless.

86.That dead man, bound for his destination having been consumed by flames (on cremation), doesnot know that his relatives are weeping. So I will not weep for my son, (said the brahmana father

of the deceased man).

87.He comes without being asked to come; and he goes away without being permitted to go. Itavails not to weep for him who thus comes and goes (in the rounds of existences against his

volition).

88.That dead man, bound for his destination having been consumed by flames (on cremation), doesnot know that his relatives are weeping. So I will not weep for my son, (said the brahmana

mother of the deceased).

89. If one weeps (for him) one would get emaciated (with grief). What avails me if I weep? It willonly give deep sorrow to my relatives, friends and acquaintances.

90.That dead man, bound for his destination having been consumed by flames (on cremation), doesnot know that his relatives are weeping. So I will not weep for my brother, (said the younger

sister).

91.A child cries for the moon (travelling in the sky) saying: "Give me the wheel of my chariot!" Onewho mourns for the dead is verily like that child.

92.That dead man, bound for his destination having been consumed by flames (on cremation), doesnot know that his relatives are weeping. So I will not weep for my husband, (said the wife of the

deceased).

93.Brahmana! A broken pot cannot be joined together. One who grieves for the dead is like onetrying to join the broken pieces of the pot.

94.That dead man, bound for his destination having been consumed by flames (on cremation), doesnot know that his relatives are weeping. So I will not weep for my master, (said the maid-servant

of the deceased).

Uraga Jtaka (No. 354).-The Bodhisatta was once a brahmin in Benares. His householdconsisted of himself, his wife, a son, a daughter, a daughter-in-law and a female slave. They

lived happily together, and on the Bodhisatta's advice kept their thoughts constantly fixed on

the inevitableness of death. One day, while burning some rubbish in the field, the son was

bitten by a snake and died. The father laid his body under a tree, and having sent word to his

house that all the others should come with perfumes and flowers, when bringing his meal, be

went on with his work. After the meal they made a funeral pyre and burnt the body, but not

one of them wept a single tear. By virtue of their piety, Sakka's throne was heated and he

appeared to them in disguise. He questioned them separately as to whether their lack of any

show of grief for the dead meant that they did not love him. Being convinced that their

composure was due to their practice of the thought of death, he revealed his identity, and

filled their house with the seven kinds of treasures. The story was related to a landowner of

Svatthi who, when his son died, gave himself up to despair. The Buddha visited him and

consoled him (J.iii.162ff).

This story is referred to in the Dhammapada Commentary DhA.iii.277.