Neither for one’s own, nor for another’s
sake
one should wish for children, wealth, estate,
nor success desire by means unjust,
thus virtuous, and wise, righteous one would be.
Explanation: Not for one’s own benefit nor for that of others, does he desire children, wealth or kingdom. Nor does he desire self-glory. Thus he is realistic, penetrative and well behaved.
The Story of Venerable Dhammika (Verse 84)
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Dhammika.
Dhammika lived in Savatthi with his wife. One day, he told his pregnant wife that he wished to become a monk; his wife pleaded with him to wait until after the birth of their child. When the child was born, he again requested his wife to let him go; again, she pleaded with him to wait until the child could walk. Then Dhammika thought to himself, “It will be useless for me to ask my wife for her approval to join the Sangha; I shall work for my own liberation” Having made a firm decision, he left his house to become a monk. He took a meditation topic from the Buddha and practiced meditation ardently and diligently and soon became an arahat.
Some years later, he visited his house in order to teach the Dhamma to his son and his wife. His son entered the Sangha and he too attained arahatship. The wife then thought, “Now that both my husband and my son have left the house, I had better leave it, too.” With this thought she left the house and became a nun; eventually, she too attained arahatship.
At the congregation of the monks, the Buddha was told how Dhammika became a monk and attained arahatship, and how through him his son and his wife also attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, “Monks, a wise man does not wish for wealth and prosperity by doing evil, whether it is for his own sake or for the sake of others. He only works for his own liberation from the round of rebirths (samsara) by comprehending the teachings and living according to the dhamma.”