SN 3.8

CDB i 170

Mallikaa Sutta: Mallikaa

translated from the Pali by

Maurice O'Connell Walshe

The Pali title of this sutta is based on the PTS (Feer) edition.

[ The Blessed One was at Saavatthii ]

At this time King Pasenadi of Kosala was on the upper terrace of the palace with Queen Mallikaa. And the king asked her: "Mallikaa, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?" [1]

"Your Majesty, there is no one dearer to me than myself. And you, sire, is anyone dearer to you than yourself?"

"Nor is there anyone dearer to me, Mallikaa, than myself."

Then the king went down from the palace and visited the Blessed One [ and told him the whole story. ] And the Blessed One, understanding, thereupon uttered this verse:

Though in thought we range throughout the world, We'll nowhere find a thing more dear than self. So, since others hold the self so dear, He who loves himself should injure none.

Notes

1 .: Attaa . Used in everyday speech this word most often simply means "myself, yourself," etc. with absolutely no "metaphysical" implications — a point frequently overlooked by those who wish at all costs to prove that Buddhism teaches the existence of some kind of "self." Here we have the Buddhist equivalent of "Do as you would be done by." Cf. Dhp 157 .

You may copy, reformat, reprint, republish, and redistribute this work in any medium whatsoever, provided that: (1) you only make such copies, etc. available free of charge and, in the case of reprinting, only in quantities of no more than 50 copies; (2) you clearly indicate that any derivatives of this work (including translations) are derived from this source document; and (3) you include the full text of this license in any copies or derivatives of this work. Otherwise, all rights reserved. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. From Samyutta Nikaya: An Anthology (WH 318-321) , by M. O'C. Walshe (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1985). Transcribed from the print edition in 2007 by a volunteer, under the auspices of the Access to Insight Dhamma Transcription Project and by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society. Minor revisions were made in accordance with the ATI style sheet. Pali diacritics are represented using the Velthuis convention. Last revised for Access to Insight on 30 November 2013.

How to cite this document (a suggested style): "Mallikaa Sutta: Mallikaa" (SN 3.8), translated from the Pali by Maurice O'Connell Walshe. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition) , 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.008.wlsh.html .