Buddhist Dhammapadha how the Buddha consoled a sad prince Abhaya

Chapter XIII - LOKA VAGGA - The World

THE WISE ARE NOT ATTACHED TO THE WORLD

THE WISE ARE NOT ATTACHED TO THE WORLD

Etha passath' imam lokam cittam raja rathupamam
Yattha bala visidanti natthi sango vijanatam. [171]

Come, behold this world ¹ which is like unto an ornamented royal chariot, wherein fools flounder, but for the wise there is no attachment. [171]

XIII: 04 How the Buddha consoled a sad prince (Abhaya)

On one occasion, Prince Abhaya triumphantly returned after suppressing a rebellion at the frontier. King Bimbisara was so pleased with him that for seven days, Abhaya was given the glory and honour of a ruler, together with a dancing girl to entertain him. On the last day, while the dancer was entertaining the prince and his company in the garden, she had a severe stroke. She collapsed and died on the spot. The prince was shocked and very much distressed. Sorrowfully, he went for solace to the Buddha who said, 'O prince, the tears you have shed all through the round of rebirths cannot be measured. This world of component things^* is the place where fools flounder.'

Notes:

This body, composed of the five Aggregates.

* Khandhas. According to the Buddha this so-called being is composed of five, groups viz: Rupa matter, Vedana feeling, Sanna perception, Samkhara mental states, and Vinnana consciousness. These are the five psycho-physical component parts that constitute an individual. Matter is composed of forces and qualities. Mind too is composed of mental states (cetasikas). They are fifty-two in number. Of them Vedana and Sann a are treated as two distinct groups. The remaining fifty are collectively called Samkhara.