mn145:1.1So I have heard.This sutta recurs at SN35.88, with slight differences in the opening and closing. In addition to two discourse parallels in Chinese, the popularity of this narrative is attested by its appearance in later texts such as the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya and the Divyāvadāna, as well as in artworks (see Anālayo, Comparative Study, vol. ii, p. 828). At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

mn145:1.3Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Puṇṇa came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha,This Puṇṇa is to be distinguished from the Koliyan ascetic of MN57 and the son of Mantāṇī of MN23. His only other appearance is his Theragāthā verse at Theragatha 1 verse 70.

“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

mn145:2.2“Well then, Puṇṇa, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

mn145:2.3“Yes, sir,” replied Puṇṇa. The Buddha said this:

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mn145:3.1“Puṇṇa, there are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, this gives rise to relishing. Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say.

mn145:3.5There are sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, this gives rise to relishing. Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say.

mn145:4.1There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, relishing ceases. When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say.

mn145:4.5There are sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, relishing ceases. When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say.

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mn145:5.1Puṇṇa, now that I’ve given you this brief advice, what country will you live in?”

mn145:5.2“Sir, there’s a country named Sunāparanta. I shall live there.”The commentary says that Puṇṇa was in fact born in Sunāparanta, specifically the trading port of Suppāraka, which is modern Nallasopara north of Mumbai on India’s west coast. Sunāparanta is otherwise known as Aparanta (“Far West”, Bv 29:17.2). Puṇṇa’s choice was far-sighted, as from the time of Ashoka, Suppāraka became a major trading center with ports in India and lands west as far as Mesopotamia, Egypt, Eastern Africa, and Rome. A fabulous tale of such trading voyages is told in Jataka 463.

mn145:5.3“The people of Sunāparanta are wild and rough, Puṇṇa. If they abuse and insult you, what will you think of them?”

mn145:5.6“If they abuse and insult me, I will think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t hit me with their fists.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

mn145:5.10“But if they do hit you with their fists, what will you think of them then?”

mn145:5.11“If they hit me with their fists, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t throw stones at me.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

mn145:5.15“But if they do throw stones at you, what will you think of them then?”

mn145:5.16“If they throw stones at me, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t beat me with a club.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

mn145:5.20“But if they do beat you with a club, what will you think of them then?”

mn145:5.21“If they beat me with a club, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t stab me with a knife.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

mn145:5.25“But if they do stab you with a knife, what will you think of them then?”

mn145:5.26“If they stab me with a knife, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t take my life with a sharp knife.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

mn145:5.30“But if they do take your life with a sharp knife, what will you think of them then?”

mn145:5.31“If they take my life with a sharp knife, I’ll think: ‘There are disciples of the Buddha who looked for a suicide weapon because they were horrified, repelled, and disgusted with the body and with life. And I have found this without looking!’This is in reference to the notorious story of Migalaṇḍika in Bu Pj 3, told more briefly in SN54.9. Several monks, meditating improperly on the unattractiveness of the body, sought suicide as the way out. In response, the Buddha taught mindfulness of breathing, which is “peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation”.
The idiomatic phrase satthahāraka is difficult. The obvious reading is to take sattha as “knife”, the meaning it has in the preceding sentence. However, that yields the sense “knife-bringer”, “assassin”, whereas the use of idaṁ in MN145:5.32 shows it must be neuter, i.e. it is a thing not a person. Richard Gombrich suggests we read sattha here as equivalent to Sanskrit śvasita, “breathing, life” (see Brahmali’s note on Bu Pj 3 verse 2 - ), yielding the sense “life-taker”, “breath-stealer”, “deadly weapon”. This agrees with the Vinaya commentary, which explains, “What does it take? Life.” (Kiṃ harati? Jīvitaṁ). Since this idiom is only used in the context of suicide, I call it “suicide weapon”, and the verbal form “commit suicide”. That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

mn145:6.1“Good, good Puṇṇa! Having such self-control and peacefulness, you will be quite capable of living in Sunāparanta. Now, Puṇṇa, go at your convenience.”

mn145:7.1And then Puṇṇa welcomed and agreed with the Buddha’s words. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sunāparanta. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Sunāparanta, and stayed there. Within that rainy season he confirmed around five hundred male and five hundred female lay followers. And within that same rainy season he realized the three knowledges. Some time later he became fully extinguished.The parallel passage at SN35.88 verse 18 - , says rather that he passed away in that same rainy season.

mn145:8.1Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, the gentleman named Puṇṇa, who was advised in brief by the Buddha, has passed away. Where has he been reborn in his next life?”

mn145:8.4“Mendicants, Puṇṇa was astute. He practiced in line with the teachings, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Puṇṇa has become fully quenched.”

mn145:8.6That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"sādhu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā saṁkhittena ovādena ovadatu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan"ti.

"Tena hi, puṇṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

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2"Santi kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. ‘Nandīsamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

3Santi kho, puṇṇa, sotaviññeyyā saddā … ghānaviññeyyā gandhā … jivhāviññeyyā rasā … kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā … manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. ‘Nandīsamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

4Santi ca kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati. ‘Nandīnirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

5Santi ca kho, puṇṇa, sotaviññeyyā saddā … ghānaviññeyyā gandhā … jivhāviññeyyā rasā … kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā … manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati. ‘Nandīnirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

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6Iminā ca tvaṁ, puṇṇa, mayā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito katarasmiṁ janapade viharissasī"ti?

"Imināhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito, atthi sunāparanto nāma janapado, tatthāhaṁ viharissāmī"ti.

7"Caṇḍā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā; pharusā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā. Sace taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tattha te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī"ti?

"Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime pāṇinā pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī"ti.

8"Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī"ti?

"Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī"ti.

9"Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī"ti?

"Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime daṇḍena pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī"ti.

10"Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā daṇḍena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī"ti?

"Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā daṇḍena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime satthena pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī"ti.

11"Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā satthena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī"ti?

"Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā satthena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ maṁ nayime tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī"ti.

12"Sace pana taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī"ti?

"Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘santi kho bhagavato sāvakā kāye ca jīvite ca aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti. Taṁ me idaṁ apariyiṭṭhaṁyeva satthahārakaṁ laddhan’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī"ti.

"Sādhu sādhu, puṇṇa. Sakkhissasi kho tvaṁ, puṇṇa, iminā damūpasamena samannāgato sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharituṁ. Yassadāni tvaṁ, puṇṇa, kālaṁ maññasī"ti.

13Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sunāparanto janapado tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sunāparanto janapado tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā puṇṇo sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharati. Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭivedesi, tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsikasatāni paṭivedesi, tenevantaravassena tisso vijjā sacchākāsi. Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo aparena samayena parinibbāyi.

14Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "yo so, bhante, puṇṇo nāma kulaputto bhagavatā saṁkhittena ovādena ovadito so kālaṅkato. Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo"ti?

"Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ viheṭhesi. Parinibbuto, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto"ti.

15Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Puṇṇovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.