This is as I heard from the Blessed One. Those days the Blessed One was living in the province of Sāvatthī, at the Eastern Monastery, called the Palace of Migāra’s mother. On that occasion, Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, had some dealings with King Pasenadi of Kosala that he did not settle as she had wished. So in the middle of the day she went to the Blessed One and having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As she was sitting there the Blessed One asked her, “Visākhā, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”
“Just now, Bhante, I had some dealings with King Pasenadi of Kosala that he did not settle as I had wished.”
Then, on realizing the pain of ordinary life, the Blessed One spoke the following inspired verses:
“Whatever is under others’ control, all that, is painful. All noble achievements are joy. Everybody who seeks fairness is stressed. It is extremely hard to be liberated from ordinary ties.”
