Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesali in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then, when the night had advanced, Cūḷakokanada, Pajjunna’s younger daughter, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Great Wood, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, she paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Here came Kokanada, Pajjunna’s daughter,
Beautiful as the gleam of lightning.
Venerating the Buddha and the Dhamma,
She spoke these verses full of meaning.

“Though the Dhamma is of such a nature
That I might analyse it in many ways,
I will state its meaning briefly
To the extent I have learnt it by heart.

“One should do no evil in all the world,
Not by speech, mind, or body.
Having abandoned sense pleasures,
Mindful and clearly comprehending,
One should not pursue a course
That is painful and harmful.”