MN108: Gopakamoggallānasutta - With Moggallāna the Guardian
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
mn108:1.1So I have heard. At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. It was not long after the Buddha had become fully quenched.
mn108:2.1Now at that time King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, being suspicious of King Pajjota, was having Rājagaha fortified.As to the politics of the situation, Pajjota had established a formidable set of alliances by marriage. He had taken to wife Śivā, daughter of Ceṭaka of the Licchavīs. Prince Bodhi of the Bhaggas was Pajjota’s grandson via his mother Vāsuladattā, queen of the powerful King Udena of Kosambī (MN85:2.1). Meanwhile, Subāhu of Madhurā had married Pajjota’s sister (MN84). Pajjota therefore had allies in Avanti, Bhagga, Vaccha, and Sūrasena, all nations to the west of Magadha, as well as Vajjī, against which Magadha was preparing war to the north. He was also friendly enough with Ajātasattu’s father Bimbisāra to ask him for help in a time of illness (Khandaka 8 verse 11). The Vinaya relates how Pajjota’s illness was treated by Jīvaka, the doctor of the Buddha and of Bimbisāra. Jīvaka, knowing Pajjota would dislike the medicine, escaped his wrath by fleeing after administering the cure. But when the cure worked, Pajjota favored Jīvaka with a gift of fine cloth. Ajātasattu subsequently murdered Bimbisāra and threatened Pajjota’s allies in Vajjī. Racked by guilt, Ajātasattu saw enemies on all sides; he was even afraid of mendicants meditating in a hall (DN2:10.2). His fear of Pajjota was not idle, for Pajjota was known for the power of his elephants as much as for his temperamental character. However, we do not hear that any direct conflict flared up at that time. Roughly half a century later, the matter was settled when the Licchavī Śiśunāga, having usurped the throne of Magadha from the Haryaṅka dynasty founded by Bimbisāra, conquered Avanti, Kosala, and Vaccha.
mn108:3.1Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.
mn108:3.2Then it occurred to him, “It’s too early to wander for alms in Rājagaha. Why don’t I go to see the brahmin Moggallāna the Guardian at his place of work?”
mn108:4.1So that’s what he did. Moggallāna the Guardian saw Ānanda coming off in the distance and said to him, “Come, worthy Ānanda! Welcome, worthy Ānanda! It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here. Please, sir, sit down, this seat is ready.”
mn108:4.8Ānanda sat down on the seat spread out, while Moggallāna took a low seat and sat to one side. Then he said to Ānanda,
“Worthy Ānanda, is there even a single mendicant who has all the same qualities in each and every way as possessed by the worthy Gotama, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha?”
mn108:5.2“No, brahmin, there is not. For the Blessed One gave rise to the unarisen path, gave birth to the unborn path, and explained the unexplained path. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the expert on the path.This links back to the Buddha’s claim in the previous sutta that he is the one who shows the way (MN107:14.29). And now the disciples live following the path; they acquire it later.”
mn108:6.1But this conversation between Ānanda and Moggallāna the Guardian was left unfinished.
mn108:6.2For just then the brahmin Vassakāra, a minister of Magadha, while supervising the work at Rājagaha, approached Ānanda at Moggallāna’s place of work and exchanged greetings with him.Vassakāra must have returned from building Pāṭaliputta to the north on the Ganges, which would eventually become the capital of the expanded Magadhan empire (DN16:1.26.1).
Rājagaha is surrounded by hills, on which remnants of ancient fortifications can be seen.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda, “Worthy Ānanda, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”
mn108:6.5So Ānanda told him of the conversation that they were having when Vassakāra arrived. Vassakāra said:
mn108:7.1“Worthy Ānanda, is there even a single mendicant who was appointed by the worthy Gotama, saying: ‘This one will be your refuge when I have passed away,’ to whom you would now turn?”Accept reading paṭidhāveyyāthāti (BJT, PTS, Siamese and Khmer editions) against Mahāsaṅgīti’s paṭipādeyyāthāti. For this term, see MN38:23.4 and note there, and SN12.20 verse 5.
mn108:7.3“No, there is not.”The Buddha made this clear to Ānanda shortly before his death (DN16:2.24.3).
mn108:8.1“But is there even a single mendicant who has been elected to such a position by the Saṅgha and appointed by several senior mendicants?”The Vinaya sets up procedures whereby the Saṅgha can appoint officials to carry out necessary duties. For example, a monk might be in charge of assigning dwellings (Bhikkhu Saṅghadisesa 8). Such officials have authority within the roles prescribed to them under the Vinaya as implemented by the Saṅgha. However, they have no special authority outside of that role, and there is no provision for a general role of authority over the Saṅgha as a whole. The Saṅgha followed this precedent at the First Council, where Ānanda was appointed to recite the suttas, and Upāli to recite the Vinaya. Mahākassapa led the proceedings, but decisions were made by the Saṅgha in consensus.
mn108:8.3“No, there is not.”
mn108:9.1“But since you lack a refuge, worthy Ānanda, what’s the reason for your harmony?”The Buddha had, not long before, taught Vassakāra the eight principles of non-decline by which the Vajjis—as well as the Saṅgha—remained strong due to harmony. There, Vassakāra pointedly said that the Vajjis could only be defeated “by bribery or by sowing dissension” (DN16:1.5.5). Here he returns to the question of how harmony creates strength. We can imagine that this question was equally relevant in both weakening their enemies as well as strengthening the Magadhans, who cannot have been happy to live under their brutal and patricidal king.
mn108:9.2“We don’t lack a refuge, brahmin, we have a refuge. The teaching is our refuge.”As explained to Ānanda at DN16:4.7.2. As will become clear, the “teaching” here includes the Dhamma and Vinaya.
mn108:10.1“But worthy Ānanda, when asked whether there was even a single mendicant—either appointed by the Buddha, or elected by the Saṅgha and appointed by several senior mendicants—who serves as your refuge after the Buddha passed away, to whom you now turn, you replied, ‘No, there is not.’ But you say that the reason for your harmony is that you have the teaching as a refuge. How should I see the meaning of this statement?”
mn108:10.14“The Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha laid down training rules and recited the monastic code for the mendicants.This is the pātimokkha, which in early days had “over a hundred and fifty rules” and today, in the Pali, has 227 for monks (AN3.84). The story of how the Buddha came to lay down the first rule is related in the Vinaya (Bhikkhu Parajika 1 verse 69 - ). Before this, however, the joint recitation consisted of the verses known as Ovāda Pātimokkha (DN14:3.28.1). See too DN2:42.1 and note there. The primary purpose of the recitation was to create a unified community through shared allegiance to a particular code of ethics. On the day of the sabbath all of us who live in dependence on one village district gather together as one.The “sabbath” (uposatha) falls on the eighth and fourteenth or fifteenth days of the lunar cycle, that is, roughly each week. However the pātimokkha is recited only twice a month, leaving aside the eighth days. See the detailed account in the Vinaya (Khandaka 2).
A “village district” (gāmakhetta) is the village and surrounding farmlands. The Vinaya account specifies how to create a “boundary” (sīmā) within which all resident mendicants must attend. This may or may not correspond with the village district. But it seems reasonable to suppose that the common practice was, in fact, for mendicants from the same village district to join together. We invite one who transmits the code to recite it.The choice of the verb pavattati (“transmits, rolls forth”) is deliberate. It echoes the first sermon, where the Buddha “rolled forth” the wheel of the Dhamma. All mendicants are supposed to memorize the rules and be ready to recite them when called upon. The commentary explains the phrase as “arrives having rehearsed”. If anyone remembers an offense or transgression while they’re reciting, we make them act in line with the teachings and in line with the instructions.Offences should be confessed as soon as practicable, but if they have not been previously confessed due to lapse of memory and the like, the recitation may be interrupted to confess them. These days, mendicants normally confess before the recitation to avoid interruptions. It’s not the good fellows who make us act, it’s the teaching that makes us act.”The Saṅgha proceeds according to the guidelines of the Dhamma and Vinaya, rather than the authority of any individuals. This is again in accordance with some of the Buddha’s final words to Ānanda: “The teaching and training that I have taught and pointed out for you shall be your Teacher after my passing” (DN16:6.1.2).
mn108:11.1“Worthy Ānanda, is there even a single mendicant who you honor, respect, revere, venerate, and rely on?”
mn108:11.2“There is not, brahmin.”The Mahāsaṅgīti and BJT editions read natthi here (“there is not”). The PTS edition reads atthi (“there is”). The commentary is silent, and none of these editions record any variants. I suspect the PTS edition has amended the text to create a contrast between the “single mendicant” who is respected and the one who is taken as refuge. But the contrast per the MS and BJT editions, rather, is between respecting a “single mendicant”, and respecting “whoever” has the qualities that make them worthy of respect.
mn108:11.3“Worthy Ānanda, when asked whether there was even a single mendicant—either appointed by the Buddha, or elected by the Saṅgha and appointed by several senior mendicants—who serves as your refuge after the Buddha passed away, to whom you now turn, you replied, ‘No, there is not.’ And when asked whether there is even a single mendicant who you honor, respect, revere, venerate, and rely on, you replied, ‘There is not.’ How should I see the meaning of this statement?”
mn108:13.1“There are ten inspiring things explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.The ten things are ethics, learning, contentment, absorption, and the six direct knowledges. While all of these are taught often in the suttas, I do not think we find this exact set elsewhere. We honor anyone in whom these things are found. What ten?
mn108:14.1It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.
mn108:15.1They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.
mn108:16.1They’re content with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
mn108:17.1They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.
mn108:18.1They wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. They control the body as far as the realm of divinity.
mn108:19.1With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.
mn108:20.1They understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with their own mind. They understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’, and mind without greed as ‘mind without greed’. They understand mind with hate … mind without hate … mind with delusion … mind without delusion … constricted mind … scattered mind … expansive mind … unexpansive mind … mind that is not supreme … mind that is supreme … mind immersed in samādhi … mind not immersed in samādhi … freed mind … They understand unfreed mind as ‘unfreed mind’.
mn108:21.1They recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
mn108:22.1With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.
mn108:23.1They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.
mn108:23.2These are the ten inspiring things explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. We honor anyone in whom these things are found, and rely on them.”The suttas record many monks and nuns of such qualities.
mn108:24.1When he had spoken, Vassakāra addressed General Upananda,This Upananda does not appear elsewhere and the commentary is silent. “What do you think, general?Accept the punctuation in Mahāsaṅgīti rather than PTS. Do these venerables honor, respect, revere, and venerate those who are worthy?”
mn108:24.4“Indeed they do. For if these venerables were not to honor, respect, revere, and venerate them, then who exactly would they honor?”
mn108:25.1Then Vassakāra said to Ānanda, “Where are you staying at present?”
mn108:25.3“In the Bamboo Grove, brahmin.”
mn108:25.4“I hope the Bamboo Grove is delightful, quiet and still, far from the madding crowd, remote from human settlements, and fit for retreat?”
mn108:25.5“Indeed it is, brahmin. And it is like that owing to such protectors and guardians as yourself.”Ānanda graciously recognizes the protection offered by the Magadhan state. Even a morally compromised king such as Ajātasattu honored his duty to protect religious seekers (DN2:36.1).
mn108:25.6“Surely, worthy Ānanda, it is owing to the good fellows who meditate, making a habit of meditating.“Habit of meditating” is jhānasīlī. Throughout this passage, “meditation” renders jhāna. This is the only sutta that speaks of a kind of jhāna with hindrances. My choice to render the term differently in this passage was prefigured by the translator of the Chinese parallel, which here uses the character that normally renders vicāra (MA 145 at T i 655b23). For the good fellows do in fact meditate and make a habit of meditating.
mn108:25.8This one time, worthy Ānanda, worthy Gotama was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. So I went there to see him. And there he spoke about meditation in many ways. He meditated, and made a habit of meditating. And he praised all kinds of meditation.”
mn108:26.1“No, brahmin, the Buddha did not praise all kinds of meditation, nor did he dispraise all kinds of meditation. And what kind of meditation did he not praise? It’s when someone’s heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire, and they don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. Hiding sensual desire within, they meditate and concentrate and contemplate and ruminate. Their heart is overcome and mired in ill will … dullness and drowsiness … restlessness and remorse … doubt, and they don’t truly know and see the escape from doubt that has arisen. Hiding doubt within, they meditate and concentrate and contemplate and ruminate. The Buddha didn’t praise this kind of meditation.
mn108:27.1And what kind of meditation did he praise? It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. The Buddha praised this kind of meditation.”
mn108:28.1“Well, worthy Ānanda, it seems that worthy Gotama criticized the kind of meditation that deserves criticism and praised that deserving of praise.Normally, of course, when the Buddha teaches “meditation” he means the kind of meditation he praises, namely the four jhānas, or “absorptions”. Well, now, worthy Ānanda, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.”
mn108:28.4“Please, brahmin, go at your convenience.”
mn108:28.5Then Vassakāra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what Venerable Ānanda said, got up from his seat and left.
mn108:29.1Soon after he had left, Moggallāna the Guardian said to Ānanda, “Worthy Ānanda, you still haven’t answered my question.”
mn108:29.3“But brahmin, didn’t I say: ‘There is no single mendicant who has all the same qualities in each and every way as possessed by the worthy Gotama, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.The Chinese parallel differs here, emphasizing instead that there is no difference between the liberation of the Buddha and his arahant disciples (MA 145 at T i 655c27). For the Blessed One gave rise to the unarisen path, gave birth to the unborn path, and explained the unexplained path. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the expert on the path. And now the disciples live following the path; they acquire it later.’”Ānanda is clarifying that his original statement was complete, namely, this is the quality that distinguishes the Buddha from his followers.
The Pali lacks the normal ending, whereas the Chinese ends with Moggallāna inviting Ānanda for a meal
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe aciraparinibbute bhagavati.
Tena kho pana samayena rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto rājagahaṁ paṭisaṅkhārāpeti rañño pajjotassa āsaṅkamāno.
Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi: "atippago kho tāva rājagahe piṇḍāya carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ yena gopakamoggallānassa brāhmaṇassa kammanto, yena gopakamoggallāno brāhmaṇo tenupasaṅkameyyan"ti.
2Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena gopakamoggallānassa brāhmaṇassa kammanto, yena gopakamoggallāno brāhmaṇo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho gopakamoggallāno brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "etu kho bhavaṁ ānando. Svāgataṁ bhoto ānandassa. Cirassaṁ kho bhavaṁ ānando imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya. Nisīdatu bhavaṁ ānando, idamāsanaṁ paññattan"ti.
Nisīdi kho āyasmā ānando paññatte āsane. Gopakamoggallānopi kho brāhmaṇo aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho gopakamoggallāno brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
"atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi tehi dhammehi sabbenasabbaṁ sabbathāsabbaṁ samannāgato yehi dhammehi samannāgato so bhavaṁ gotamo ahosi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho"ti?
"Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi tehi dhammehi sabbenasabbaṁ sabbathāsabbaṁ samannāgato yehi dhammehi samannāgato so bhagavā ahosi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. So hi, brāhmaṇa, bhagavā anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā, asañjātassa maggassa sañjanetā, anakkhātassa maggassa akkhātā, maggaññū, maggavidū, maggakovido; maggānugā ca pana etarahi sāvakā viharanti pacchā samannāgatā"ti.
Ayañca hidaṁ āyasmato ānandassa gopakamoggallānena brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ antarākathā vippakatā ahosi.
3Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto rājagahe kammante anusaññāyamāno yena gopakamoggallānassa brāhmaṇassa kammanto, yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "kāya nuttha, bho ānanda, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā"ti?
"Idha maṁ, brāhmaṇa, gopakamoggallāno brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi tehi dhammehi sabbenasabbaṁ sabbathāsabbaṁ samannāgato yehi dhammehi samannāgato so bhavaṁ gotamo ahosi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho’ti. Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, gopakamoggallānaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi tehi dhammehi sabbenasabbaṁ sabbathāsabbaṁ samannāgato yehi dhammehi samannāgato so bhagavā ahosi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. So hi, brāhmaṇa, bhagavā anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā, asañjātassa maggassa sañjanetā, anakkhātassa maggassa akkhātā, maggaññū, maggavidū, maggakovido; maggānugā ca pana etarahi sāvakā viharanti pacchā samannāgatā’ti. Ayaṁ kho no, brāhmaṇa, gopakamoggallānena brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ antarākathā vippakatā. Atha tvaṁ anuppatto"ti.
4"Atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi tena bhotā gotamena ṭhapito: ‘Ayaṁ vo mamaccayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti, yaṁ tumhe etarahi paṭipādeyyāthā"ti?
"Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ṭhapito: ‘Ayaṁ vo mamaccayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti, yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi paṭipādeyyāmā"ti.
"Atthi pana, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi saṁghena sammato, sambahulehi therehi bhikkhūhi ṭhapito: ‘Ayaṁ no bhagavato accayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti, yaṁ tumhe etarahi paṭipādeyyāthā"ti?
"Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi saṁghena sammato, sambahulehi therehi bhikkhūhi ṭhapito: ‘Ayaṁ no bhagavato accayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti, yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi paṭipādeyyāmā"ti.
"Evaṁ appaṭisaraṇe ca pana, bho ānanda, ko hetu sāmaggiyā"ti?
"Na kho mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, appaṭisaraṇā; sappaṭisaraṇā mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa; dhammappaṭisaraṇā"ti.
5"‘Atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi tena bhotā gotamena ṭhapito — ayaṁ vo mamaccayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti, yaṁ tumhe etarahi paṭipādeyyāthā’ti — iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ṭhapito — ayaṁ vo mamaccayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti, yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi paṭipādeyyāmā’ti vadesi; ‘atthi pana, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi saṅghena sammato, sambahulehi therehi bhikkhūhi ṭhapito – ayaṁ no bhagavato accayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti, yaṁ tumhe etarahi paṭipādeyyāthā’ti — iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi saṅghena sammato, sambahulehi therehi bhikkhūhi ṭhapito — ayaṁ no bhagavato accayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti, yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi paṭipādeyyāmā’ti — vadesi; ‘evaṁ appaṭisaraṇe ca pana, bho ānanda, ko hetu sāmaggiyā’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Na kho mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, appaṭisaraṇā; sappaṭisaraṇā mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa; dhammappaṭisaraṇā’ti vadesi. Imassa pana, bho ānanda, bhāsitassa kathaṁ attho daṭṭhabbo"ti?
6"Atthi kho, brāhmaṇa, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ, pātimokkhaṁ uddiṭṭhaṁ. Te mayaṁ tadahuposathe yāvatikā ekaṁ gāmakhettaṁ upanissāya viharāma te sabbe ekajjhaṁ sannipatāma; sannipatitvā yassa taṁ pavattati taṁ ajjhesāma. Tasmiñce bhaññamāne hoti bhikkhussa āpatti hoti vītikkamo taṁ mayaṁ yathādhammaṁ yathānusiṭṭhaṁ kāremāti. Na kira no bhavanto kārenti; dhammo no kāreti".
7"Atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi yaṁ tumhe etarahi sakkarotha garuṁ karotha mānetha pūjetha; sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharathā"ti?
"Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi sakkaroma garuṁ karoma mānema pūjema; sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharāmā"ti.
8"‘Atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi tena bhotā gotamena ṭhapito — ayaṁ vo mamaccayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti yaṁ tumhe etarahi paṭipādeyyāthā’ti — iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ṭhapito — ayaṁ vo mamaccayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi paṭipādeyyāmā’ti vadesi; ‘atthi pana, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi saṅghena sammato, sambahulehi therehi bhikkhūhi ṭhapito — ayaṁ no bhagavato accayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti yaṁ tumhe etarahi paṭipādeyyāthā’ti — iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi saṅghena sammato, sambahulehi therehi bhikkhūhi ṭhapito — ayaṁ no bhagavato accayena paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavissatīti yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi paṭipādeyyāmā’ti vadesi; ‘atthi nu kho, bho ānanda, ekabhikkhupi yaṁ tumhe etarahi sakkarotha garuṁ karotha mānetha pūjetha; sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharathā’ti — iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi yaṁ mayaṁ etarahi sakkaroma garuṁ karoma mānema pūjema; sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharāmā’ti vadesi. Imassa pana, bho ānanda, bhāsitassa kathaṁ attho daṭṭhabbo"ti?
9"Atthi kho, brāhmaṇa, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dasa pasādanīyā dhammā akkhātā. Yasmiṁ no ime dhammā saṁvijjanti taṁ mayaṁ etarahi sakkaroma garuṁ karoma mānema pūjema; sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharāma. Katame dasa?
10Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno, aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. (1)
11Bahussuto hoti sutadharo sutasannicayo. Ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā, majjhekalyāṇā, pariyosānakalyāṇā, sātthaṁ, sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā. (2)
12Santuṭṭho hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārehi. (3)
13Catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī. (4)
14Anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti — ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti; āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gacchati, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karoti, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gacchati, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamati, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parimasati parimajjati, yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti. (5)
15Dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇāti — dibbe ca mānuse ca, ye dūre santike ca. (6)
16Parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti. Sarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘sarāgaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, vītarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vītarāgaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, sadosaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘sadosaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, vītadosaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vītadosaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, samohaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘samohaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, vītamohaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vītamohaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, saṅkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘saṅkhittaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, vikkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vikkhittaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, mahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ ‘mahaggataṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, amahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ ‘amahaggataṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, sauttaraṁ vā cittaṁ ‘sauttaraṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, anuttaraṁ vā cittaṁ ‘anuttaraṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, samāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘samāhitaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, asamāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘asamāhitaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘vimuttaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti, avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ ‘avimuttaṁ cittan’ti pajānāti. (7)
17Anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ — ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattārīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. (8)
18Dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti. (9)
19Āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. (10)
20Ime kho, brāhmaṇa, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dasa pasādanīyā dhammā akkhātā. Yasmiṁ no ime dhammā saṁvijjanti taṁ mayaṁ etarahi sakkaroma garuṁ karoma mānema pūjema; sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharāmā"ti.
21Evaṁ vutte, vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto upanandaṁ senāpatiṁ āmantesi: "taṁ kiṁ maññati bhavaṁ senāpati yadime bhonto sakkātabbaṁ sakkaronti, garuṁ kātabbaṁ garuṁ karonti, mānetabbaṁ mānenti, pūjetabbaṁ pūjenti"?
"Tagghime bhonto sakkātabbaṁ sakkaronti, garuṁ kātabbaṁ garuṁ karonti, mānetabbaṁ mānenti, pūjetabbaṁ pūjenti. Imañca hi te bhonto na sakkareyyuṁ na garuṁ kareyyuṁ na māneyyuṁ na pūjeyyuṁ; atha kiñcarahi te bhonto sakkareyyuṁ garuṁ kareyyuṁ māneyyuṁ pūjeyyuṁ, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā mānetvā pūjetvā upanissāya vihareyyun"ti?
22Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "kahaṁ pana bhavaṁ ānando etarahi viharatī"ti?
"Veḷuvane khohaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etarahi viharāmī"ti.
"Kacci pana, bho ānanda, veḷuvanaṁ ramaṇīyañceva appasaddañca appanigghosañca vijanavātaṁ manussarāhasseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppan"ti?
"Taggha, brāhmaṇa, veḷuvanaṁ ramaṇīyañceva appasaddañca appanigghosañca vijanavātaṁ manussarāhasseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppaṁ, yathā taṁ tumhādisehi rakkhakehi gopakehī"ti.
23"Taggha, bho ānanda, veḷuvanaṁ ramaṇīyañceva appasaddañca appanigghosañca vijanavātaṁ manussarāhasseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppaṁ, yathā taṁ bhavantehi jhāyīhi jhānasīlīhi. Jhāyino ceva bhavanto jhānasīlino ca.
24Ekamidāhaṁ, bho ānanda, samayaṁ so bhavaṁ gotamo vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha khvāhaṁ, bho ānanda, yena mahāvanaṁ kūṭāgārasālā yena so bhavaṁ gotamo tenupasaṅkamiṁ. Tatra ca pana so bhavaṁ gotamo anekapariyāyena jhānakathaṁ kathesi. Jhāyī ceva so bhavaṁ gotamo ahosi jhānasīlī ca. Sabbañca pana so bhavaṁ gotamo jhānaṁ vaṇṇesī"ti.
25"Na ca kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā sabbaṁ jhānaṁ vaṇṇesi, napi so bhagavā sabbaṁ jhānaṁ na vaṇṇesīti. Kathaṁ rūpañca, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṁ na vaṇṇesi? Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; so kāmarāgaṁyeva antaraṁ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. Byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; so byāpādaṁyeva antaraṁ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati thinamiddhaparetena, uppannassa ca thinamiddhassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; so thinamiddhaṁyeva antaraṁ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. Uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati uddhaccakukkuccaparetena, uppannassa ca uddhaccakukkuccassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; so uddhaccakukkuccaṁyeva antaraṁ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti; so vicikicchaṁyeva antaraṁ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. Evarūpaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṁ na vaṇṇesi.
26Kathaṁ rūpañca, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṁ vaṇṇesi? Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Evarūpaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṁ vaṇṇesī"ti.
27"Gārayhaṁ kira, bho ānanda, so bhavaṁ gotamo jhānaṁ garahi, pāsaṁsaṁ pasaṁsi. Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho ānanda, gacchāma; bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā"ti.
"Yassadāni tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, kālaṁ maññasī"ti.
Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto āyasmato ānandassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.
28Atha kho gopakamoggallāno brāhmaṇo acirapakkante vassakāre brāhmaṇe magadhamahāmatte āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "yaṁ no mayaṁ bhavantaṁ ānandaṁ apucchimhā taṁ no bhavaṁ ānando na byākāsī"ti.
"Nanu te, brāhmaṇa, avocumhā: ‘Natthi kho, brāhmaṇa, ekabhikkhupi tehi dhammehi sabbenasabbaṁ sabbathāsabbaṁ samannāgato yehi dhammehi samannāgato so bhagavā ahosi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. So hi, brāhmaṇa, bhagavā anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā, asañjātassa maggassa sañjanetā, anakkhātassa maggassa akkhātā, maggaññū, maggavidū, maggakovido. Maggānugā ca pana etarahi sāvakā viharanti pacchā samannāgatā’"ti.
Gopakamoggallānasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.