Malika

1. The origin is in Sàvatthi.

2. At that time king Pasenadi of Kosala was in the upper storey of rhe palace.

3. Then king Pasenadi of Koslala asked queen Mallika: "Mallika, is there anyone dear to you, more than your self?"

4. "Great king, there is no one dear to me, more than my self Is there anyone dear to you, more than your self?"

5. "Mallika, to me too, there is no one, more dear than, my self."

6. Then king Pasenadi of Kosala descended from the upper storey of his palace approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I was in the upper storey of the palace with queen Mallika, and I asked her, whether there was anyone dear to her more than her self and she said, great king, there is no one dear to me, more than my self and she aksed me, whether there was anyone dear to me, more than my self. I replied that to me too, there was no one, more dear than my self."

Then the Blessed One knowing the deep meaning, said this stanza that moment.

"Searching through out the directions, someone,
More dear than the self could not be found anywhere
The self, in general is dear to all,
Therefore those who love the self should not hurt others."