This is as I heard from the Blessed One. At one time, the Blessed One was staying in the province of Sāvatthī, in Prince Jeta’s park, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. One day, the monk Saṇgāmaji, came to the province of Sāvatthī, to see the Blessed One. His former wife (his wife from the lay life) heard, “Master Saṇgāmaji, has arrived in the province of Sāvatthī. ” She took her child, and went to Prince Jeta’s park.
At that time, the monk Saṇgāmaji was sitting at the root of a tree, to rest during the middle of the day. Then the former wife went to him, and told him, “Monk, now I have a little son, look after me and my child.” When she had said this, the monk Saṇgāmaji, remained silent.
For the second time, the former wife told him, “Monk, now I have a little son, look after me and my child.” When she had said this, the monk Saṇgāmaji, remained silent.
For the third time, the former wife told him, “Monk, now I have a little son, look after me and my child.” When she had said this, the monk Saṇgāmaji, remained silent.
Then his former wife put the child down in front of the monk Saṇgāmaji, and left, saying, “Monk, this is your son, now you must look after him.”
At that time, the monk Saṇgāmaji, neither looked at the child, nor spoke to him. Then his former wife went a short distance, and looked back. She saw that the monk Saṇgāmaji, was neither looking at the child, nor speaking to him. She thought, “Eh, this monk does not even love his son!” She returned, took the child, and left.
The Blessed One—with his divine eye, purified and surpassing the human eye—saw that discourteous behaviour of the former wife, of the monk Saṇgāmaji.
Then, on realizing the unshaken nature of the mind of a liberated monk, the Blessed One spoke the following inspired verse,
He had no pleasure in her coming, no grief when she had left. The monk Saṇgāmaji, is freed from the ties of desire, hate, delusion, conceit, and views. Him, I call a Brāhmin.
