At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala was upstairs in the royal longhouse together with Queen Mallikā. Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo mallikāya deviyā saddhiṁ uparipāsādavaragato hoti.

Then the king said to the queen, Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo mallikaṁ deviṁ etadavoca: “Mallikā, is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?” “atthi nu kho te, mallike, kocañño attanā piyataro”ti?

“No, great king, there isn’t. “Natthi kho me, mahārāja, kocañño attanā piyataro. But is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?” Tuyhaṁ pana, mahārāja, atthañño koci attanā piyataro”ti?

“For me also, Mallikā, there’s no-one.” “Mayhampi kho, mallike, natthañño koci attanā piyataro”ti.

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala came downstairs from the stilt longhouse, went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo pāsādā orohitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idhāhaṁ, bhante, mallikāya deviyā saddhiṁ uparipāsādavaragato mallikaṁ deviṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘atthi nu kho te, mallike, kocañño attanā piyataro’ti? Evaṁ vutte, bhante, mallikā devī maṁ etadavoca: ‘natthi kho me, mahārāja, kocañño attanā piyataro. Tuyhaṁ pana, mahārāja, atthañño koci attanā piyataro’ti? Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, mallikaṁ deviṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘mayhampi kho, mallike, natthañño koci attanā piyataro’”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha spoke this verse: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“Having explored every quarter with the mind, “Sabbā disā anuparigamma cetasā, one finds no-one dearer than oneself. Nevajjhagā piyataramattanā kvaci; Likewise for others, each holds themselves dear; Evaṁ piyo puthu attā paresaṁ, so one who desires self-knowledge would harm no other.” Tasmā na hiṁse paramattakāmo”ti.