Reading guide
A rematch resolved by mercy, not further violence
Where SN 3.14 ended in Pasenadi's defeat and a comment on how victory breeds enmity, this discourse could easily have closed on Pasenadi's own triumphant vindication; instead the narrative pivots on his choice to release his captured enemy rather than press his total advantage.
A family relationship revealed at the decisive moment
This discourse is the first to disclose that Ajātasattu is Pasenadi's own nephew — a detail withheld at SN 3.14 and introduced here specifically as the king's own stated reason for mercy, family bond overriding the logic of total victory.
A king's reasoning laid out step by step
Pasenadi's internal reasoning is reported almost verbatim: he never betrayed Ajātasattu, though Ajātasattu betrayed him; Ajātasattu is nonetheless his nephew; having already vanquished his entire army, why not release him with just his life? — a chain of thought the discourse lets the reader follow rather than merely reporting its conclusion.
Verses that generalize beyond this one act of mercy
Unlike SN 3.14's verse, which spoke directly to victory and defeat, this discourse's closing verses barely mention Pasenadi's specific mercy at all, instead developing a broader teaching on how plundering, once it ripens, returns to the one who did it — applicable to Ajātasattu's aggression rather than commenting on Pasenadi's response.
A chain of creators: killer, conqueror, abuser, bully
The final stanza's structure names four parallel consequences — a killer creates a killer, a conqueror creates a conqueror, an abuser creates abuse, a bully creates a bully — describing not punishment imposed from outside but a self-perpetuating cycle each violent act sets in motion.
Key terms
The text
§1Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to attack King Pasenadi of Kosala. When King Pasenadi heard of this, he mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to defend it against Ajātasattu. Then the two kings met in battle. And in that battle Pasenadi defeated Ajātasattu and captured him alive. Then King Pasenadi thought, “Even though I’ve never betrayed this King Ajātasattu, he betrayed me. Still, he is my nephew. Now that I’ve vanquished all of Ajātasattu’s elephant troops, cavalry, chariots, and infantry, why don’t I let him loose with just his life?”
§2And that’s what he did.
§3Then several mendicants … told the Buddha what had happened.
§4Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:
§5“A man goes on plundering as long as it serves his ends. But as soon as others plunder him, the plunderer is plundered. For the fool thinks they’re on solid ground, so long as their wickedness has not ripened. But as soon as that wickedness ripens, they fall into suffering. A killer creates a killer; a conqueror creates a conqueror; an abuser creates abuse, and a bully creates a bully. And so as deeds unfold the plunderer is plundered.”
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