Overcoming DEPRESSION (sutra)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (editors), Wisdom Quarterly; Helmuth Hecker, Sister Khema (trans.), Kosala Sutra: (What Cannot Be Got) The Kosalan (AN 5.49); Marshall Rosenberg (NVC)

From Buddhist Women at the Time of the Buddha (BPS, Wheel #292, 1982) translated from Pali by Helmuth Hecker and Sister Khema (accesstoinsight.org) edited by Wisdom Quarterly.
 

Future king (Dboo/Nick Dewolf)

At one time the Blessed One (the Buddha) was staying near Savatthi at Jeta Grove, in the monastery donated by Anathapindika.
 
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached, paid his respects, and sat down nearby. Because at that time Queen Mallika died, a certain man approached the king and whispered in his ear: "Your majesty, Queen Mallika has died."

At those words King Pasenadi was filled with grief and depression.

I'll be back for your wife (countryfried).

And with shoulders drooping, head down, he sat glum with nothing to say. The [Buddha] saw the king sitting there in that way and spoke to him in this way:
 
"Great king, there are these five circumstances not to be obtained by ascetic (shramana), Brahmin priest (brahmana), deva (fairy, light being), mara (obstructive spirit), brahma (divinity), or anyone in the world. What are the five?
 

A sweet, innocent child loves Death.

1. "That what by its very nature is to decay will not decay is a circumstance not to be obtained by an ascetic...or anyone in the world.

2. "That what by its very nature will fall ill (be diseased) will not fall ill is a circumstance not to be obtained by an ascetic...or anyone in the world.
 
3. "That what by its very nature will die will not die is a circumstance not to be obtained by an ascetic...or anyone in the world.

4. "That what by its very nature will be exhausted will not be exhausted is a circumstance not to be obtained by an ascetic...or anyone in the world.
 
5. "That what by its very nature will be destroyed (fall apart) will not come to destruction is a circumstance not to be obtained by an ascetic...or anyone in the world.
 

What about great queens? (MO)

"Great king, for an uninstructed ordinary person (worldling) what is of a nature to decay does decay, what is of a nature to fall ill does fall ill, what is of a nature to die does die, what is of a nature to be exhausted is exhausted, and what is of a nature to fall apart does fall apart.

"And when these things happen, one does not reflect, "It is not only for me that what is of a nature to decay does decay...that what is of a nature to fall apart does fall apart. But wherever there are beings coming and going, dying and being reborn [according to their karma] -- for all of those beings, what is of a nature to decay does decay...what is of a nature to fall apart does fall apart.

"And if I, when there is decay in what is of a nature to decay...when there is falling apart in what is of a nature to fall apart should grieve, pine, and lament, and crying beat the breast and so fall into delusion, food would not be enjoyed, my body would become haggard, work would not be done, and enemies (adversaries) would be pleased, while friends (fans) would be depressed.

Even "great kings," maharajas, suffer.

"Then when there is decay in what is of a nature to decay, disease in what is of a nature to become diseased, death in what is of a nature to die, exhaustion in what is of a nature to be exhausted, destruction in what is of a nature to be destroyed, one grieves, pines, and laments, and crying beats breast and so falls into delusion.
 
"This is called an 'uninstructed ordinary person (worldling).' Pierced by the poisoned dart of grief, one just torments oneself.

"Great king, for the instructed noble disciple what is of a nature to decay does decay...and what is of a nature to fall apart does fall apart...and when these things happen, one reflects, "It is not only for me that what is of a nature to decay does decay...that what is of a nature to fall apart does fall apart.

"But wherever there are beings coming and going, dying and being reborn -- for all of those beings, what is of a nature to decay does decay...what is of a nature to fall apart does fall apart.

Great African kings, pharaohs, still died.

"And if I -- when there is decay in what is of a nature to decay...when there is destruction in what is of a nature to come to destruction -- should grieve, pine, and lament, and crying beat the breast and so fall into delusion, food would not be enjoyed, my body would become haggard, work would not be done, and enemies would be pleased, while friends would be depressed.

"Then when there is decay in what is of a nature to decay, disease in what is of a nature to be diseased, death in what is of a nature to die, exhaustion in what is of a nature to be exhausted, destruction in what is of a nature to be destroyed, one does not grieve or pine or lament, one does not beat one's breast or fall into delusion.
 

Noble disciples like Sariputra

"This is called an instructed noble disciple. Drawn out is the poisoned dart of grief with which the uninstructed ordinary person brings about self torment. Freed of grief, freed from the dart, the noble disciple has been quenched completely."
 
"Great king, these are the five circumstances not to be obtained by an ascetic, Brahmin priest, deva, mara, brahma, or by anyone in the world."
 

"Do not grieve, nor lament.

Herein, what good is gained?

None at all, indeed,

And adversaries rejoice to see

One writhe in pain and grief.
 
But when misfortune shakes not the wise --

That one who knows well how to seek the good,
Then adversaries -- because of that -- are pained,

Seeing one's face as formerly, unstrained.
 
"Wherever and whatever good may be gotten, 

Be there, and just there try for that by study (suta),

Wisdom, and well-spoken words,

Unpracticed so far, and tradition, too.

 

But if one knows, "This good can be obtained
Neither by me nor any other too"
Then ungrieving one bears it all (and thinks),

"Now how to use my strength for present work*?"

*Work: (kammatthānā) this term, as a designation for meditation (self-development) exercises or bhāvanā, is found only in the Commentaries (tika). In the discourses (sutras), the word is only used in a concrete sense for "field of work, activity (action=kamma, karma), or occupation," as agriculture, trade, and so on.