Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

( i67 )
SECTION XXXVII.
BIRTH AND DEATH.
In days of old when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana
Vih^ra, near Srlvastt, preaching his law^ for the sake of
Devas and men, there was a certain rich. householder, a
Brahman, who had a son just twenty years old, who/ had
recently married a wife. And now seven days had passed
after the marriage, when the young pair agreed to go
together to the after-garden to look at the beautiful trees
and flowers. It was just the third month of spring-time
when they sallied forth, Amongst the other trees there
was one beautiful plum-tree in blossom, the flowers of
which were beyond their reach, but yet the bride longed
to have one. On this the young man assayed to climb
the tree to get his love a flower. Having reached a topmost
branch, lo ! it gave way beneath his weight, and he
fell to the ground and was killed. Then there was great
lamentation among the members of his family. The wails
and cries of his friends resounded on every side—and
after returning from his funeral obsequies—which were
conducted according to the rules of religion— ^the house
was again filled with the sounds of grief and lamentation.
On this the World-honoured, perceiviag the circumstances
of the case, came at once to the dwelling. On seeing him,
the father and mother and all the rest went forth and did
him reverence ; and on explaining the cause of their grief
the master addressed the householder and said, " Cease
1 The expression used here for "law," implies "the expanded law," or
" saddharma."