Deep Commentary

This verse was spoken at Jetavana Monastery regarding the lay disciple Visakha. When her beloved granddaughter Dattā passed away, Visakha was overcome with profound grief. Observing her weeping, the Buddha inquired about her sorrow. Upon learning of her loss, the Buddha asked how many people die in Savatthi daily. When Visakha realized that if she were to grieve for every lost loved one, she would spend her life in perpetual mourning, she understood the nature of suffering born from attachment. The Buddha taught that grief and fear arise solely from clinging to affection. This narrative serves as a universal lesson: true love for the departed is not expressed through sorrowful lamentation, which only binds the spirit of the deceased, but through calm remembrance, prayer, and the cultivation of merits to aid their peaceful transition. Attachment is the root of rebirth and suffering; only by transcending it can one find true liberation from fear.