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- Samyutta Nikaya III.14
- Sangama Sutta
- A Battle (1)
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
Staying at Savatthi. Then King Ajatasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, raising
a fourfold army, marched toward Kasi against King
Pasenadi Kosala. King Pasenadi heard, "King Ajatasattu of Magadha, the son of
Queen Videha, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching toward Kasi against
me." So King Pasenadi, raising a fourfold army, launched a counter-attack toward Kasi
against King Ajatasattu. Then King Ajatasattu & King Pasenadi fought a battle, and in
that battle King Ajatasattu defeated King Pasenadi. King Pasenadi, defeated, marched back
to his capital at Savatthi.
Then in the early morning, a large number of monks, having put on their robes and
carrying their bowls & outer robes, went into Savatthi for alms. Having gone for alms
in Savatthi, after the meal, returning from their alms round, they went to the Blessed One
and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there,
they said to the Blessed One: "Just now, lord, King Ajatasattu of Magadha, the son of
Queen Videha, raising a fourfold army, marched toward Kasi against King Pasenadi Kosala.
King Pasenadi heard, 'King Ajatasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, they say, has
raised a fourfold army and is marching toward Kasi against me.' So King Pasenadi, raising
a fourfold army, launched a counter-attack toward Kasi against King Ajatasattu. Then King
Ajatasattu & King Pasenadi fought a battle, and in that battle King Ajatasattu
defeated King Pasenadi. King Pasenadi, defeated, marched back to his capital at
Savatthi."
"Monks, King Ajatasattu has evil friends, evil comrades, evil companions, whereas
King Pasenadi has fine friends, fine comrades, fine companions. Yet for now, King Pasenadi
will lie down tonight in pain, defeated."
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher,
said further:
Winning gives birth to hostility.
Losing, one lies down in pain.
The calmed lie down with ease,
having set
winning & losing
aside.
See also: SN III.15; Mv.X.2.3-20; Dhp 69.