MN36: Mahāsaccaka Sutta - The Greater Discourse to Saccaka
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Hall with the Peaked Roof.
Now on that occasion, when it was morning, the Blessed One had finished dressing and had taken his bowl and outer robe, desiring to go into Vesālī for alms.
Then, as Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son was walking and wandering for exercise, he came to the Hall with the Peaked Roof in the Great Wood.[n.380] MA: Saccaka approached with the intention of refuting the Buddha’s doctrine, which he failed to do in his earlier encounter with the Buddha (in MN 35). But this time he came alone, thinking that if he were to suffer defeat no one would know about it. He intended to refute the Buddha with his question about sleeping during the day, which he does not ask until close to the end of the sutta (¶40). The venerable Ānanda saw him coming in the distance and said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, here comes Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son, a debater and a clever speaker regarded by many as a saint. He wants to discredit the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. It would be good if the Blessed One would sit down for a while out of compassion."[n.381] MA: Ānanda says this out of compassion for Saccaka, thinking that if he gets to see the Buddha and to hear the Dhamma, it will lead to his welfare and happiness for a long time. The Blessed One sat down on the seat made ready. Then Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son went up to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side and said to the Blessed One:
2"Master Gotama, there are some recluses and brahmins who abide pursuing development of body, but not development of mind.[n.382] It will become clear from ¶3 that Saccaka identifies "development of body" (kāyabhāvanā) with the practice of self-mortification. Because he does not see the Buddhist bhikkhus engaged in self-mortification, he maintains that they do not pursue development of the body. But the Buddha (according to MA) understands "development of body" as insight meditation, "development of mind" (cittabhāvanā ) as serenity meditation. They are touched by bodily painful feeling. In the past, when one was touched by bodily painful feeling, one's thighs would become rigid, one's heart would burst, hot blood would gush from one's mouth, and one would go mad, go out of one's mind. So then the mind was subservient to the body, the body wielded mastery over it. Why is that? Because the mind was not developed. But there are some recluses and brahmins who abide pursuing development of mind, but not development of body. They are touched by mental painful feeling. In the past, when one was touched by mental painful feeling, one's thighs would become rigid, one's heart would burst, hot blood would gush from one's mouth, and one would go mad, go out of one's mind. So then the body was subservient to the mind, the mind wielded mastery over it. Why is that? Because the body was not developed. Master Gotama, it has occurred to me: ‘Surely Master Gotama's disciples abide pursuing development of mind, but not development of body.’"
3"But, Aggivessana, what have you learned about development of body?"
"Well, there are, for example, Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Sankicca, Makkhali Gosāla.[n.383] These are the three mentors of the Ājīvakas; the last was a contemporary of the Buddha, the former two are near legendary figures whose identities remain obscure. The Bodhisatta had adopted their practices during his period of asceticism — see MN 12.45 — but subsequently rejected them as unconducive to enlightenment. They go naked, rejecting conventions, licking their hands, not coming when asked, not stopping when asked; they do not accept food brought or food specially made or an invitation to a meal; they receive nothing from a pot, from a bowl, across a threshold, across a stick, across a pestle, from two eating together, from a pregnant woman, from a woman giving suck, from a woman in the midst of men, from where food is advertised to be distributed, from where a dog is waiting, from where flies are buzzing; they accept no fish or meat, they drink no liquor, wine, or fermented brew. They keep to one house, to one morsel; they keep to two houses, to two morsels … they keep to seven houses, to seven morsels. They live on one saucerful a day, on two saucerfuls a day … on seven saucerfuls a day. They take food once a day, once every two days … once every seven days; thus even up to once every fortnight, they dwell pursuing the practice of taking food at stated intervals."
4"But do they subsist on so little, Aggivessana?"
"No, Master Gotama, sometimes they consume excellent hard food, eat excellent soft food, taste excellent delicacies, drink excellent drinks. Thereby they again regain their strength, fortify themselves, and become fat."
5"What they earlier abandoned, Aggivessana, they later gather together again. That is how there is increase and decrease of this body. But what have you learned about development of mind?"
When Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son was asked by the Blessed One about development of mind, he was unable to answer.
6Then the Blessed One told him: "What you have just spoken of as development of body, Aggivessana, is not development of body according to the Dhamma in the Noble One's Discipline. Since you do not know what development of body is, how could you know what development of mind is? Nevertheless, Aggivessana, as to how one is undeveloped in body and undeveloped in mind, and developed in body and developed in mind, listen and attend closely to what I shall say." — "Yes, sir," Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son replied. The Blessed One said this:
7"How, Aggivessana, is one undeveloped in body and undeveloped in mind? Here, Aggivessana, pleasant feeling arises in an untaught ordinary person. Touched by that pleasant feeling, he lusts after pleasure and continues to lust after pleasure. That pleasant feeling of his ceases. With the cessation of the pleasant feeling, painful feeling arises. Touched by that painful feeling, he sorrows, grieves, and laments, he weeps beating his breast and becomes distraught. When that pleasant feeling has arisen in him, it invades his mind and remains because body is not developed. And when that painful feeling has arisen in him, it invades his mind and remains because mind is not developed. Anyone in whom, in this double manner, arisen pleasant feeling invades his mind and remains because body is not developed, and arisen painful feeling invades his mind and remains because mind is not developed, is thus undeveloped in body because mind is not developed, is thus undeveloped in body and undeveloped in mind.
8"And how, Aggivessana, is one developed in body and developed in mind? Here, Aggivessana, pleasant feeling arises in a well-taught noble disciple. Touched by that pleasant feeling, he does not lust after pleasure or continue to lust after pleasure. That pleasant feeling of his ceases. With the cessation of the pleasant feeling, painful feeling arises. Touched by that painful feeling, he does not sorrow, grieve, and lament, he does not weep beating his breast and become distraught. When that pleasant feeling has arisen in him, it does not invade his mind and remain because body is developed. And when that painful feeling has arisen in him, it does not invade his mind and remain because mind is developed. Anyone in whom, in this double manner, arisen pleasant feeling does not invade his mind and remain because body is developed, and arisen painful feeling does not invade his mind and remain because mind is developed, is thus developed in body and developed in mind."[n.384] MA explains that "development of body" here is insight, and "development of mind" concentration. When the noble disciple experiences pleasant feeling, he does not become overwhelmed by it because, through his development of insight, he understands the feeling to be impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not self; and when he experiences painful feeling, he does not become overwhelmed by it because, through his development of concentration, he is able to escape from it by entering into one of the meditative absorptions.
9"I have confidence in Master Gotama thus: ‘Master Gotama is developed in body and developed in mind.’"
"Surely, Aggivessana, your words are offensive and discourteous, but still I will answer you. Since I shaved off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and went forth from the home life into homelessness, it has not been possible for arisen pleasant feeling to invade my mind and remain or for arisen painful feeling to invade my mind and remain."
10"Has there never arisen in Master Gotama a feeling so pleasant that it could invade his mind and remain? Has there never arisen in Master Gotama a feeling so painful that it could invade his mind and remain?"
11"Why not, Aggivessana?[n.385] Now the Buddha will answer Saccaka's questions by showing first the extremely painful feelings he experienced during his course of ascetic practices, and thereafter the extremely pleasant feelings he experienced during his meditative attainments preceding his enlightenment. Here, Aggivessana, before my enlightenment, while I was still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, I thought: ‘Household life is crowded and dusty; life gone forth is wide open. It is not easy, while living in a home, to lead the holy life utterly perfect and pure as a polished shell. Suppose I shave off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness.’
"Later, while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, though my mother and father wished otherwise and wept with tearful faces, I shaved off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and went forth from the home life into homelessness.
"Having gone forth, Aggivessana, in search of what is wholesome, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace, I went to Āḷāra Kālāma and said to him: ‘Friend Kālāma, I want to lead the holy life in this Dhamma and Discipline.’ Āḷāra Kālāma replied: ‘The venerable one may stay here. This Dhamma is such that a wise man can soon enter upon and abide in it, realising for himself through direct knowledge his own teacher's doctrine.’ I soon quickly learned that Dhamma. As far as mere lip-reciting and rehearsal of his teaching went, I could speak with knowledge and assurance, and I claimed, ‘I know and see’ — and there were others who did likewise. "I considered Aggivessana: ‘It is not through mere faith alone that Āḷāra Kālāma declares: "By realising for myself with direct knowledge, I enter upon and abide in this Dhamma." Certainly Āḷāra Kālāma abides knowing and seeing this Dhamma.’
12Then I went to Āḷāra Kālāma and asked him: ‘Friend Kālāma, in what way do you declare that by realising for yourself with direct knowledge you enter upon and abide in this Dhamma?’ In reply he declared the base of nothingness.[n.a] MA: He taught him the seven attainments (of serenity meditation) ending in the base of nothingness, the third of the four immaterial attainments. Though these attainments are spiritually exalted, they are still mundane and not in themselves directly conducive to Nibbāna.
"I considered: ‘Not only Āḷāra Kālāma has faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. I too have faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. Suppose I endeavour to realise the Dhamma that Āḷāra Kālāma declares he enters upon and abides in by realising for himself with direct knowledge?’ "I soon quickly entered upon and abided in that Dhamma by realising for myself with direct knowledge.
13Then I went to Āḷāra Kālāma and asked him:
‘Friend Kālāma, is it in this way that you declare that you enter upon and abide in this Dhamma by realising for yourself with direct knowledge?’
‘That is the way, friend.’
‘It is in this way, friend, that I also enter upon and abide in this Dhamma by realising for myself with direct knowledge. ’
‘It is a gain for us, friend, it is a great gain for us that we have such a venerable one for our companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma that I declare I enter upon and abide in by realising for myself with direct knowledge is the Dhamma that you enter upon and abide in by realising for yourself with direct knowledge. And the Dhamma that you enter upon and abide in by realising for yourself with direct knowledge is the Dhamma that I declare I enter upon and abide in by realising for myself with direct knowledge. So you know the Dhamma that I know and I know the Dhamma that you know. As I am, so are you; as you are, so am I. Come, friend, let us now lead this community together.’
"Thus Āḷāra Kālāma, my teacher, placed me, his pupil, on an equal footing with himself and awarded me the highest honour. But it occurred to me: ‘This Dhamma does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna, but only to reappearance in the base of nothingness. [n.387] That is, it leads to rebirth in the plane of existence called the base of nothingness, the objective counterpart of the seventh meditative attainment. Here the lifespan is supposed to be 60,000 aeons, but when that has elapsed one must pass away and return to a lower world. Thus one who attains this is still not free from birth and death but is caught in the trap of Māra (MA). Horner misses the point that rebirth is the issue by translating "only as far as reaching the plane of no-thing" (MLS 1:209). Not being satisfied with that Dhamma, disappointed with it, I left.
14"Still in search, Aggivessana, of what is wholesome, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace, I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and said to him: ‘Friend, I want to lead the holy life in this Dhamma and Discipline.ʹ[n.c] Both Horner in MLS and Ñm in Ms err in their translations of the account of the Bodhisatta's meeting with Uddaka Rāmaputta by assuming that Uddaka is identical with Rāma. However, as his name indicates, Uddaka was the son (putta) of Rāma, who must have already passed away before the Bodhisatta arrived on the scene. It should be noted that all references to Rāma are in the past tense and the third person, and that Uddaka in the end places the Bodhisatta in the position of teacher. Though the text does not allow for definite conclusions, this suggests that he himself had not yet reached the fourth immaterial attainment. Uddaka Rāmaputta replied: ‘The venerable one may stay here. This Dhamma is such that a wise man can soon enter upon and abide in it, himself realising through direct knowledge his own teacher's doctrine.’ I soon quickly learned that Dhamma. As far as mere lip-reciting and rehearsal of his teaching went, I could speak with knowledge and assurance, and I claimed, ‘I know and see’ — and there were others who did likewise."I considered Aggivessana: ‘It was not through mere faith alone that Rāma declared: "By realising for myself with direct knowledge, I enter upon and abide in this Dhamma." Certainly Rāma abided knowing and seeing this Dhamma.’
Then I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and asked him: ‘Friend, in what way did Rāma declare that by realising for himself with direct knowledge he entered upon and abided in this Dhamma?ʹ In reply Uddaka Rāmaputta declared the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
"I considered: ‘Not only Rāma had faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. I too have faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. Suppose I endeavour to realise the Dhamma that Rāma declared he entered upon and abided in by realising for himself with direct knowledge.’"I soon quickly entered upon and abided in that Dhamma by realising for myself with direct knowledge.
15Then I went to Uddaka Rāmaputta and asked him: ‘Friend, was it in this way that Rāma declared that he entered upon and abided in this Dhamma by realising for himself with direct knowledge?’
‘That is the way, friend.’
‘It is in this way, friend, that I also enter upon and abide in this Dhamma by realising for myself with direct knowledge.’
‘It is a gain for us, friend, it is a great gain for us that we have such a venerable one for our companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma that Rāma declared he entered upon and abided in by realising for himself with direct knowledge is the Dhamma that you enter upon and abide in by realising for yourself with direct knowledge. And the Dhamma that you enter upon and abide in by realising for yourself with direct knowledge is the Dhamma that Rāma declared he entered upon and abided in by realising for himself with direct knowledge. So you know the Dhamma that Rāma knew and Rāma knew the Dhamma that you know. As Rāma was, so are you; as you are, so was Rāma. Come, friend, now lead this community.’
"Thus Uddaka Rāmaputta, my companion in the holy life, placed me in the position of a teacher and accorded me the highest honour. But it occurred to me: ‘This Dhamma does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna, but only to reappearance in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.’ Not being satisfied with that Dhamma, disappointed with it, I left.
16"Still in search, Aggivessana, of what is wholesome, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace, I wandered by stages through the Magadhan country until eventually I arrived at Uruvelā, at Senānigama. There I saw an agreeable piece of ground, a delightful grove with a clear-flowing river with pleasant, smooth banks and nearby a village for alms resort. I considered: ‘This is an agreeable piece of ground, this is a delightful grove with a clear-flowing river with pleasant, smooth banks and nearby a village for alms resort. This will serve for the striving of a clansman intent on striving.’ And I sat down there thinking: ‘This will serve for striving.ʹ[n.e] MN 36, which includes the account of the Bodhisatta's meetings with Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta, continues from this point with the story of the extreme ascetic practices that brought him to the verge of death and his subsequent discovery of the middle way that led to enlightenment.
17"Now these three similes occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before. Suppose there were a wet sappy piece of wood lying in water, and a man came with an upper fire-stick, thinking: ‘I shall light a fire, I shall produce heat.’ What do you think, Aggivessana? Could the man light a fire and produce heat by taking the upper fire-stick and rubbing it against the wet sappy piece of wood lying in the water?"
"No, Master Gotama. Why not? Because it is a wet sappy piece of wood, and it is lying in water. Eventually the man would reap only weariness and disappointment."
"So too, Aggivessana, as to those recluses and brahmins who still do not live bodily withdrawn from sensual pleasures, and whose sensual desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and fever for sensual pleasures has not been fully abandoned and suppressed internally, even if those good recluses and brahmins feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision and supreme enlightenment; and even if those good recluses and brahmins do not feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision and supreme enlightenment. This was the first simile that occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before.
18"Again, Aggivessana, a second simile occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before. Suppose there were a wet sappy piece of wood lying on dry land far from water, and a man came with an upper fire-stick, thinking: ‘I shall light a fire, I shall produce heat.’ What do you think, Aggivessana? Could the man light a fire and produce heat by taking the upper fire-stick and rubbing it against the wet sappy piece of wood lying on dry land far from water?"
"No, Master Gotama. Why not? Because it is a wet sappy piece of wood, even though it is lying on dry land far from water. Eventually the man would reap only weariness and disappointment."
"So too, Aggivessana, as to those recluses and brahmins who live bodily withdrawn from sensual pleasures,[n.386] PTS is certainly mistaken in reading here avūpakaṭṭho, "not withdrawn." In the first edition I translated this passage on the basis of BBS, which has kāyena c’eva cittena ca. But PTS and SBJ omit cittena, and it seems difficult to understand how these ascetics can be described as "mentally withdrawn" from sensual pleasures when they have not stilled sensual desire within themselves. I therefore follow PTS and SBJ. but whose sensual desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and fever for sensual pleasures has not been fully abandoned and suppressed internally, even if those good recluses and brahmins feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision and supreme enlightenment; and even if those good recluses and brahmins do not feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision and supreme enlightenment. This was the second simile that occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before.
19"Again, Aggivessana, a third simile occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before. Suppose there were a dry sapless piece of wood lying on dry land far from water, and a man came with an upper fire-stick, thinking: ‘I shall light a fire, I shall produce heat.’ What do you think, Aggivessana? Could the man light a fire and produce heat by rubbing it against the dry sapless piece of wood lying on dry land far from water?"
"Yes, Master Gotama. Why so? Because it is a dry sapless piece of wood, and it is lying on dry land far from water."
"So too, Aggivessana, as to those recluses and brahmins who live bodily withdrawn from sensual pleasures, and whose sensual desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and fever for sensual pleasures has been fully abandoned and suppressed internally, even if those good recluses and brahmins feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, they are capable of knowledge and vision and supreme enlightenment; and even if those good recluses and brahmins do not feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, they are capable of knowledge and vision and supreme nlightenment.[n.387] It is puzzling that in the following paragraphs the Bodhisatta is shown engaging in self-mortification after he had here come to the conclusion that such practices are useless for the attainment of enlightenment. This dissonant juxtaposition of ideas raises a suspicion that the narrative sequence of the sutta has become jumbled. The appropriate place for the simile of the fire-sticks, it seems, would be at the end of the Bodhisatta's period of ascetic experimentation, when he has acquired a sound basis for rejecting self-mortification. Nevertheless, MA accepts the sequence as given and raises the question why the Bodhisatta undertook the practice of austerities if he could have attained Buddhahood without doing so. It answers: He did so, first, in order to show his own exertion to the world, because the quality of invincible energy gave him joy; and second, out of compassion for later generations, by inspiring them to strive with the same determination that he applied to the attainment of enlightenment. This was the third simile that occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before. These are the three similes that occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before.
20"I thought: ‘Suppose, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, I beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind.’ So, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, I beat down, constrained, and crushed mind with mind. While I did so, sweat ran from my armpits. Just as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head or shoulders and beat him down, constrain him, and crush him, so too, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, I beat down, constrained, and crushed mind with mind, and sweat ran from my armpits. But although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful striving. But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.[n.388] This sentence, repeated at the end of each of the following sections as well, answers the second of the two questions posed by Saccaka in ¶10.
21"I thought: ‘Suppose I practise the breathingless meditation. ’ So I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth and nose. While I did so, there was a loud sound of winds coming out from my earholes. Just as there is a loud sound when a smith's bellows are blown, so too, while I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my nose and ears, there was a loud sound of winds coming out from my earholes. But although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful striving. But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
22"I thought: ‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’ So I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears. While I did so, violent winds cut through my head. Just as if a strong man were to crush my head with the tip of a sharp sword, so too, while I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears, violent winds cut through my head. But although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful striving. But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
23"I thought: ‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’ So I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears. While I did so, there were violent pains in my head. Just as if a strong man were tightening a tough leather strap around my head as a headband, so too, while I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears, there were violent pains in my head. But although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful striving. But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
24"I thought: ‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’ So I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears. While I did so, violent winds carved up my belly. Just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to carve up an ox's belly with a sharp butcher's knife, so too, while I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears, violent winds carved up my belly. But although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful striving. But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
25"I thought: ‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’ So I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears. While I did so, there was a violent burning in my body. Just as if two strong men were to seize a weaker man by both arms and roast him over a pit of hot coals, so too, while I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose, and ears, there was a violent burning in my body. But although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful striving. But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
"Now when deities saw me, some said: ‘The recluse Gotama is dead.’ Other deities said: ‘The recluse Gotama is not dead, he is dying.’ And other deities said: ‘The recluse Gotama is not dead nor dying; he is an arahant, for such is the way arahants abide.’
26"I thought: ‘Suppose I practise entirely cutting off food.’ Then deities came to me and said: ‘Good sir, do not practise entirely cutting off food. If you do so, we shall infuse heavenly food into the pores of your skin and you will live on that.’ I considered: ‘If I claim to be completely fasting while these deities infuse heavenly food into the pores of my skin and I live on that, then I shall be lying.’ So I dismissed those deities, saying: ‘There is no need.’
27"I thought: ‘Suppose I take very little food, a handful each time, whether of bean soup or lentil soup or vetch soup or pea soup.’ So I took very little food, a handful each time, whether of bean soup or lentil soup or vetch soup or pea soup. While I did so, my body reached a state of extreme emaciation. Because of eating so little my limbs became like the jointed segments of vine stems or bamboo stems. Because of eating so little my backside became like a camel's hoof. Because of eating so little the projections on my spine stood forth like corded beads. Because of eating so little my ribs jutted out as gaunt as the crazy rafters of an old roofless barn. Because of eating so little the gleam of my eyes sank far down in their sockets, looking like the gleam of water that has sunk far down in a deep well. Because of eating so little my scalp shrivelled and withered as a green bitter gourd shrivels and withers in the wind and sun.
28Because of eating so little my belly skin adhered to my backbone; thus if I touched my belly skin I encountered my backbone and if I touched my backbone I encountered my belly skin. Because of eating so little, if I defecated or urinated, I fell over on my face there. Because of eating so little, if I tried to ease my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell from my body as I rubbed.
"Now when people saw me, some said: ‘The recluse Gotama is black.’ Other people said: ‘The recluse Gotama is not black, he is brown.’ Other people said: ‘The recluse Gotama is neither black nor brown, he is golden-skinned.’ So much had the clear, bright colour of my skin deteriorated through eating so little.
29"I thought: ‘Whatever recluses or brahmins in the past have experienced painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, this is the utmost, there is none beyond this. And whatever recluses and brahmins in the future will experience painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, this is the utmost, there is none beyond this. And whatever recluses and brahmins at present experience painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion, this is the utmost, there is none beyond this. But by this racking practice of austerities I have not attained any superhuman states, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Could there be another path to enlightenment?’
"I considered: ‘I recall that when my father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.[n.389] MA: During the Bodhisatta's boyhood as a prince, on one occasion his father led a ceremonial ploughing at a traditional festival of the Sakyans. The prince was brought to the festival and a place was prepared for him under a rose-apple tree. When his attendants left him to watch the ploughing ceremony, the prince, finding himself all alone, spontaneously sat up in the meditation posture and attained the first jhāna through mindfulness of breathing. When the attendants returned and found the boy seated in meditation, they reported this to the king, who came and bowed down in veneration to his son. Could that be the path to enlightenment?’ Then, following on that memory, came the realisation: ‘That is indeed the path to enlightenment.’
"I thought: ‘Why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states?’ I thought: ‘I am not afraid of that pleasure since it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states.’[n.390] This passage marks a change in the Bodhisatta's evaluation of pleasure; now it is no longer regarded as something to be feared and banished by the practice of austerities, but, when born of seclusion and detachment, is seen as a valuable accompaniment of the higher stages along the path to enlightenment. See MN 139.9 on the twofold division of pleasure.
30"I considered: ‘It is not easy to attain that pleasure with a body so excessively emaciated. Suppose I ate some solid food — some boiled rice and porridge.’ And I ate some solid food — some boiled rice and porridge. Now at that time five bhikkhus were waiting upon me, thinking: ‘If our recluse Gotama achieves some higher state, he will inform us.’ But when I ate the boiled rice and porridge, the five bhikkhus were disgusted and left me, thinking: ‘The recluse Gotama now lives luxuriously; he has given up his striving and reverted to luxury.’
31"Now when I had eaten solid food and regained my strength, then quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.[n.391] This sentence answers the first of the two questions posed by Saccaka in ¶10.
32"With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, I entered upon and abided in the second jhāna … With the fading away as well of rapture … I entered upon and abided in the third jhāna … With the abandoning of pleasure and pain … I entered upon and abided in the fourth jhāna … But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
33"When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons of world-contraction and expansion: ‘There I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away from there, I reappeared elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away from there, I reappeared here.’ Thus with their aspects and particulars I recollected my manifold past lives.
34"This was the first true knowledge attained by me in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and true knowledge arose, darkness was banished and light arose, as happens in one who abides diligent, ardent, and resolute. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
35"When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings.[n.f] Explained in detail at Vsm XIII, 72–101. With the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate. I understood how beings pass on according to their actions thus: ‘These worthy beings who were ill conducted in body, speech, and mind, revilers of noble ones, wrong in their views, giving effect to wrong view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, even in hell; but these worthy beings who were well conducted in body, speech, and mind, not revilers of noble ones, right in their views, giving effect to right view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared in a good destination, even in the heavenly world.’ Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and I understood how beings pass on according to their actions.
36"This was the second true knowledge attained by me in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and true knowledge arose, darkness was banished and light arose, as happens in one who abides diligent, ardent, and resolute. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
37"When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints. I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is suffering’; … ‘This is the origin of suffering’; … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’; … ‘These are the taints’; … ‘This is the origin of the taints’; … ‘This is the cessation of the taints’; … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.’
38"When I knew and saw thus, my mind was liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it was liberated there came the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ I directly knew: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’
39"This was the third true knowledge attained by me in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and true knowledge arose, darkness was banished and light arose, as happens in one who abides diligent, ardent, and resolute. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
40"Aggivessana, I recall teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds, and even then each person thinks of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is teaching the Dhamma especially for me.’ But it should not be so regarded; the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma to others only to give them knowledge. When the talk is finished, Aggivessana, then I steady my mind internally, quieten it, bring it to singleness, and concentrate it on that same sign of concentration as before, in which I constantly abide."[n.392] MA explains the "sign of concentration" (samādhinimitta) here as the fruition attainment of emptiness (suññataphalasamāpatti). See also MN122.
"This is a matter about which Master Gotama can be trusted, as an accomplished and fully enlightened one should be. But does Master Gotama recall sleeping during the day?"[n.393] This was the question that Saccaka originally intended to ask the Buddha. MA explains that though arahants have eliminated all sloth and torpor, they still need to sleep in order to dispel the physical tiredness intrinsic to the body.
41"I recall, Aggivessana, in the last month of the hot season, on returning from my almsround, after my meal I lay out my outer robe folded in four, and lying down on my right side, I fall asleep mindful and fully aware."
"Some recluses and brahmins call that abiding in delusion, Master Gotama."
"It is not in such a way that one is deluded or undeluded, Aggivessana. As to how one is deluded or undeluded, listen and attend closely to what I shall say." — "Yes, sir," Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son replied. The Blessed One said this:
42"Him I call deluded, Aggivessana, who has not abandoned the taints that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and lead to future birth, ageing, and death; for it is with the non-abandoning of the taints that one is deluded. Him I call undeluded who has abandoned the taints that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and lead to future birth, ageing, and death; for it is with the abandoning of the taints that one is undeluded. The Tathāgata, Aggivessana, has abandoned the taints that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and lead to future birth, ageing, and death; he has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, done away with them so that they are no longer subject to future arising. Just as a palm tree whose crown is cut off is incapable of further growth, so too, the Tathāgata has abandoned the taints that defile … done away with them so that they are no longer subject to future arising."
43When this was said, Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son said: "It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous how when Master Gotama is spoken to offensively again and again, assailed by discourteous courses of speech, the colour of his skin brightens and the colour of his face clears, as is to be expected of one who is accomplished and fully enlightened. I recall, Master Gotama, engaging Pūraṇa Kassapa in debate, and then he prevaricated, led the talk aside, and showed anger, hate, and bitterness. But when Master Gotama is spoken to offensively again and again, assaulted by discourteous courses of speech, the colour of his skin brightens and the colour of his face clears, as is to be expected of one who is accomplished and fully enlightened. I recall, Master Gotama, engaging Makkhali Gosāla … Ajita Kesakambalin … Pakudha Kaccāyana … Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta … the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta in debate, and then he prevaricated, led the talk aside, and showed anger, hate, and bitterness. But when Master Gotama is spoken to offensively again and again, assailed by discourteous courses of speech, the colour of his skin brightens and the colour of his face clears, as is to be expected of one who is accomplished and fully enlightened. And now, Master Gotama, we depart. We are busy and have much to do." "Now is the time, Aggivessana, to do as you think fit."
44Then Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's words, got up from his seat and departed.[n.394] MA explains that even though Saccaka did not reach any attainment or even become established in the Three Refuges, the Buddha taught him two long suttas in order to deposit in him a mental impression (vāsānā) that would come to maturity in the future. For he foresaw that at a later time, after the Dispensation became established in Sri Lanka, Saccaka would be reborn there and would attain arahantship as the great arahant, Kāḷa Buddharakkhita Thera.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.
Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sunivattho hoti pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pavisitukāmo.
Atha kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno yena mahāvanaṁ kūṭāgārasālā tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā ānando saccakaṁ nigaṇṭhaputtaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Ayaṁ, bhante, saccako nigaṇṭhaputto āgacchati bhassappavādako paṇḍitavādo sādhusammato bahujanassa. Eso kho, bhante, avaṇṇakāmo buddhassa, avaṇṇakāmo dhammassa, avaṇṇakāmo saṁghassa. Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā muhuttaṁ nisīdatu anukampaṁ upādāyā"ti. Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Atha kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
2"Santi, bho gotama, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāyabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti, no cittabhāvanaṁ. Phusanti hi te, bho gotama, sārīrikaṁ dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bho gotama, sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭhassa sato ūrukkhambhopi nāma bhavissati, hadayampi nāma phalissati, uṇhampi lohitaṁ mukhato uggamissati, ummādampi pāpuṇissati cittakkhepaṁ. Tassa kho etaṁ, bho gotama, kāyanvayaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kāyassa vasena vattati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhāvitattā cittassa. Santi pana, bho gotama, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā cittabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti, no kāyabhāvanaṁ. Phusanti hi te, bho gotama, cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bho gotama, cetasikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭhassa sato ūrukkhambhopi nāma bhavissati, hadayampi nāma phalissati, uṇhampi lohitaṁ mukhato uggamissati, ummādampi pāpuṇissati cittakkhepaṁ. Tassa kho eso, bho gotama, cittanvayo kāyo hoti, cittassa vasena vattati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhāvitattā kāyassa. Tassa mayhaṁ, bho gotama, evaṁ hoti: ‘addhā bhoto gotamassa sāvakā cittabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti, no kāyabhāvanan’"ti.
3"Kinti pana te, aggivessana, kāyabhāvanā sutā"ti?
"Seyyathidaṁ — nando vaccho, kiso saṅkicco, makkhali gosālo — etehi, bho gotama, acelakā muttācārā hatthāpalekhanā naehibhaddantikā natiṭṭhabhaddantikā na abhihaṭaṁ na uddissakataṁ na nimantanaṁ sādiyanti, te na kumbhimukhā paṭiggaṇhanti na kaḷopimukhā paṭiggaṇhanti na eḷakamantaraṁ na daṇḍamantaraṁ na musalamantaraṁ na dvinnaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ na gabbhiniyā na pāyamānāya na purisantaragatāya na saṅkittīsu na yattha sā upaṭṭhito hoti na yattha makkhikā saṇḍasaṇḍacārinī, na macchaṁ na maṁsaṁ na suraṁ na merayaṁ na thusodakaṁ pivanti. Te ekāgārikā vā honti ekālopikā, dvāgārikā vā honti dvālopikā … pe … sattāgārikā vā honti sattālopikā. Ekissāpi dattiyā yāpenti, dvīhipi dattīhi yāpenti … pe … sattahipi dattīhi yāpenti. Ekāhikampi āhāraṁ āhārenti, dvīhikampi āhāraṁ āhārenti … pe … sattāhikampi āhāraṁ āhārenti. Iti evarūpaṁ addhamāsikampi pariyāyabhattabhojanānuyogamanuyuttā viharantī"ti.
4"Kiṁ pana te, aggivessana, tāvatakeneva yāpentī"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama. Appekadā, bho gotama, uḷārāni uḷārāni khādanīyāni khādanti, uḷārāni uḷārāni bhojanāni bhuñjanti, uḷārāni uḷārāni sāyanīyāni sāyanti, uḷārāni uḷārāni pānāni pivanti. Te imaṁ kāyaṁ balaṁ gāhenti nāma, brūhenti nāma, medenti nāmā"ti.
5"Yaṁ kho te, aggivessana, purimaṁ pahāya pacchā upacinanti, evaṁ imassa kāyassa ācayāpacayo hoti. Kinti pana te, aggivessana, cittabhāvanā sutā"ti?
Cittabhāvanāya kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavatā puṭṭho samāno na sampāyāsi.
6Atha kho bhagavā saccakaṁ nigaṇṭhaputtaṁ etadavoca: "yāpi kho te esā, aggivessana, purimā kāyabhāvanā bhāsitā sāpi ariyassa vinaye no dhammikā kāyabhāvanā. Kāyabhāvanampi kho tvaṁ, aggivessana, na aññāsi, kuto pana tvaṁ cittabhāvanaṁ jānissasi? Api ca, aggivessana, yathā abhāvitakāyo ca hoti abhāvitacitto ca, bhāvitakāyo ca hoti bhāvitacitto ca. Taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī"ti. "Evaṁ, bho"ti kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:
7"Kathañca, aggivessana, abhāvitakāyo ca hoti abhāvitacitto ca? Idha, aggivessana, assutavato puthujjanassa uppajjati sukhā vedanā. So sukhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno sukhasārāgī ca hoti sukhasārāgitañca āpajjati. Tassa sā sukhā vedanā nirujjhati. Sukhāya vedanāya nirodhā uppajjati dukkhā vedanā. So dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. Tassa kho esā, aggivessana, uppannāpi sukhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati abhāvitattā kāyassa, uppannāpi dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati abhāvitattā cittassa. Yassa kassaci, aggivessana, evaṁ ubhatopakkhaṁ uppannāpi sukhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati abhāvitattā kāyassa, uppannāpi dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati abhāvitattā cittassa, evaṁ kho, aggivessana, abhāvitakāyo ca hoti abhāvitacitto ca.
8Kathañca, aggivessana, bhāvitakāyo ca hoti bhāvitacitto ca? Idha, aggivessana, sutavato ariyasāvakassa uppajjati sukhā vedanā. So sukhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno na sukhasārāgī ca hoti, na sukhasārāgitañca āpajjati. Tassa sā sukhā vedanā nirujjhati. Sukhāya vedanāya nirodhā uppajjati dukkhā vedanā. So dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno na socati na kilamati na paridevati na urattāḷiṁ kandati na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Tassa kho esā, aggivessana, uppannāpi sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati bhāvitattā kāyassa, uppannāpi dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati bhāvitattā cittassa. Yassa kassaci, aggivessana, evaṁ ubhatopakkhaṁ uppannāpi sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati bhāvitattā kāyassa, uppannāpi dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati bhāvitattā cittassa. Evaṁ kho, aggivessana, bhāvitakāyo ca hoti bhāvitacitto cā"ti.
9"Evaṁ pasanno ahaṁ bhoto gotamassa. Bhavañhi gotamo bhāvitakāyo ca hoti bhāvitacitto cā"ti.
"Addhā kho te ayaṁ, aggivessana, āsajja upanīya vācā bhāsitā, api ca te ahaṁ byākarissāmi. Yato kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito, taṁ vata me uppannā vā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, uppannā vā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī"ti.
10"Na hi nūna bhoto gotamassa uppajjati tathārūpā sukhā vedanā yathārūpā uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭheyya; na hi nūna bhoto gotamassa uppajjati tathārūpā dukkhā vedanā yathārūpā uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭheyyā"ti.
11"Kiñhi no siyā, aggivessana? Idha me, aggivessana, pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajāpatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. Nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.
So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, aparena samayena daharova samāno, susukāḷakeso bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato paṭhamena vayasā, akāmakānaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ assumukhānaṁ rudantānaṁ, kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajiṁ.
So evaṁ pabbajito samāno kiṁkusalagavesī anuttaraṁ santivarapadaṁ pariyesamāno yena āḷāro kālāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā āḷāraṁ kālāmaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘icchāmahaṁ, āvuso kālāma, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye brahmacariyaṁ caritun’ti. Evaṁ vutte, aggivessana, āḷāro kālāmo maṁ etadavoca: ‘viharatāyasmā, tādiso ayaṁ dhammo yattha viññū puriso nacirasseva sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, nacirasseva khippameva taṁ dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇiṁ. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, tāvatakeneva oṭṭhapahatamattena lapitalāpanamattena ñāṇavādañca vadāmi theravādañca, ‘jānāmi passāmī’ti ca paṭijānāmi, ahañceva aññe ca. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘Na kho āḷāro kālāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ kevalaṁ saddhāmattakena sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedeti, addhā āḷāro kālāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ viharatī’ti.
12Atha khvāhaṁ, aggivessana, yena āḷāro kālāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā āḷāraṁ kālāmaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘kittāvatā no, āvuso kālāma, imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedesī’ti?
Evaṁ vutte, aggivessana, āḷāro kālāmo ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ pavedesi. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘Na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi saddhā, mayhampatthi saddhā; na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi vīriyaṁ, mayhampatthi vīriyaṁ; na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi sati, mayhampatthi sati; na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi samādhi, mayhampatthi samādhi; na kho āḷārasseva kālāmassa atthi paññā, mayhampatthi paññā; yannūnāhaṁ yaṁ dhammaṁ āḷāro kālāmo sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedeti tassa dhammassa sacchikiriyāya padaheyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, nacirasseva khippameva taṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
13Atha khvāhaṁ, aggivessana, yena āḷāro kālāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā āḷāraṁ kālāmaṁ etadavocaṁ:
‘ettāvatā no, āvuso kālāma, imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedesī’ti?
‘Ettāvatā kho ahaṁ, āvuso, imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedemī’ti.
‘Ahampi kho, āvuso, ettāvatā imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmī’ti.
‘Lābhā no, āvuso, suladdhaṁ no, āvuso, ye mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ tādisaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ passāma. Iti yāhaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedemi taṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharasi; yaṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharasi tamahaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedemi. Iti yāhaṁ dhammaṁ jānāmi taṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ jānāsi; yaṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ jānāsi tamahaṁ dhammaṁ jānāmi. Iti yādiso ahaṁ tādiso tuvaṁ, yādiso tuvaṁ tādiso ahaṁ. Ehi dāni, āvuso, ubhova santā imaṁ gaṇaṁ pariharāmā’ti.
Iti kho, aggivessana, āḷāro kālāmo ācariyo me samāno attano antevāsiṁ maṁ samānaṁ attanā samasamaṁ ṭhapesi, uḷārāya ca maṁ pūjāya pūjesi. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘nāyaṁ dhammo nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati, yāvadeva ākiñcaññāyatanūpapattiyā’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, taṁ dhammaṁ analaṅkaritvā tasmā dhammā nibbijja apakkamiṁ.
14So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, kiṁkusalagavesī anuttaraṁ santivarapadaṁ pariyesamāno yena udako rāmaputto tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā udakaṁ rāmaputtaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘icchāmahaṁ, āvuso, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye brahmacariyaṁ caritun’ti. Evaṁ vutte, aggivessana, udako rāmaputto maṁ etadavoca: ‘viharatāyasmā, tādiso ayaṁ dhammo yattha viññū puriso nacirasseva sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, nacirasseva khippameva taṁ dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇiṁ. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, tāvatakeneva oṭṭhapahatamattena lapitalāpanamattena ñāṇavādañca vadāmi theravādañca, ‘jānāmi passāmī’ti ca paṭijānāmi, ahañceva aññe ca. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘Na kho rāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ kevalaṁ saddhāmattakena sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedesi. Addhā rāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ vihāsī’ti.
Atha khvāhaṁ, aggivessana, yena udako rāmaputto tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā udakaṁ rāmaputtaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘kittāvatā no āvuso rāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedesī’ti?
Evaṁ vutte, aggivessana, udako rāmaputto nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ pavedesi. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘Na kho rāmasseva ahosi saddhā, mayhampatthi saddhā; na kho rāmasseva ahosi vīriyaṁ, mayhampatthi vīriyaṁ; na kho rāmasseva ahosi sati, mayhampatthi sati; na kho rāmasseva ahosi samādhi, mayhampatthi samādhi; na kho rāmasseva ahosi paññā, mayhampatthi paññā; yannūnāhaṁ yaṁ dhammaṁ rāmo sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmīti pavedesi tassa dhammassa sacchikiriyāya padaheyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, nacirasseva khippameva taṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
15Atha khvāhaṁ, aggivessana, yena udako rāmaputto tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā udakaṁ rāmaputtaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘ettāvatā no āvuso rāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedesī’ti?
‘Ettāvatā kho āvuso rāmo imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedesī’ti.
‘Ahampi kho, āvuso, ettāvatā imaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmī’ti.
‘Lābhā no, āvuso, suladdhaṁ no, āvuso, ye mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ tādisaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ passāma. Iti yaṁ dhammaṁ rāmo sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedesi, taṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharasi; yaṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharasi, taṁ dhammaṁ rāmo sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja pavedesi. Iti yaṁ dhammaṁ rāmo abhiññāsi taṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ jānāsi; yaṁ tvaṁ dhammaṁ jānāsi taṁ dhammaṁ rāmo abhiññāsi. Iti yādiso rāmo ahosi tādiso tuvaṁ; yādiso tuvaṁ tādiso rāmo ahosi. Ehi dāni, āvuso, tuvaṁ imaṁ gaṇaṁ pariharā’ti.
Iti kho, aggivessana, udako rāmaputto sabrahmacārī me samāno ācariyaṭṭhāne ca maṁ ṭhapesi, uḷārāya ca maṁ pūjāya pūjesi. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘nāyaṁ dhammo nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati, yāvadeva nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpapattiyā’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, taṁ dhammaṁ analaṅkaritvā tasmā dhammā nibbijja apakkamiṁ.
16So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, kiṅkusalagavesī anuttaraṁ santivarapadaṁ pariyesamāno magadhesu anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena uruvelā senānigamo tadavasariṁ. Tatthaddasaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ bhūmibhāgaṁ, pāsādikañca vanasaṇḍaṁ, nadiñca sandantiṁ setakaṁ supatitthaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ, samantā ca gocaragāmaṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘ramaṇīyo vata bho bhūmibhāgo, pāsādiko ca vanasaṇḍo, nadī ca sandati setakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā, samantā ca gocaragāmo. Alaṁ vatidaṁ kulaputtassa padhānatthikassa padhānāyā’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, tattheva nisīdiṁ ‘alamidaṁ padhānāyā’ti.
17Apissumaṁ, aggivessana, tisso upamā paṭibhaṁsu anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ udake nikkhittaṁ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya: ‘aggiṁ abhinibbattessāmi, tejo pātukarissāmī’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, aggivessana, api nu so puriso amuṁ allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ, udake nikkhittaṁ, uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya abhimanthento aggiṁ abhinibbatteyya, tejo pātukareyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama". "Taṁ kissa hetu"? "Aduñhi, bho gotama, allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ, tañca pana udake nikkhittaṁ. Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā"ti.
"Evameva kho, aggivessana, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā kāyena ceva cittena ca kāmehi avūpakaṭṭhā viharanti, yo ca nesaṁ kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapipāsā kāmapariḷāho, so ca ajjhattaṁ na suppahīno hoti, na suppaṭippassaddho, opakkamikā cepi te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, abhabbāva te ñāṇāya dassanāya anuttarāya sambodhāya. No cepi te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, abhabbāva te ñāṇāya dassanāya anuttarāya sambodhāya. Ayaṁ kho maṁ, aggivessana, paṭhamā upamā paṭibhāsi anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā.
18Aparāpi kho maṁ, aggivessana, dutiyā upamā paṭibhāsi anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ, ārakā udakā thale nikkhittaṁ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya: ‘aggiṁ abhinibbattessāmi, tejo pātukarissāmī’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, aggivessana, api nu so puriso amuṁ allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ, ārakā udakā thale nikkhittaṁ, uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya abhimanthento aggiṁ abhinibbatteyya tejo pātukareyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama". "Taṁ kissa hetu"? "Aduñhi, bho gotama, allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ, kiñcāpi ārakā udakā thale nikkhittaṁ. Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā"ti.
"Evameva kho, aggivessana, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā kāyena ceva cittena ca kāmehi vūpakaṭṭhā viharanti, yo ca nesaṁ kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapipāsā kāmapariḷāho so ca ajjhattaṁ na suppahīno hoti, na suppaṭippassaddho, opakkamikā cepi te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, abhabbāva te ñāṇāya dassanāya anuttarāya sambodhāya. No cepi te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, abhabbāva te ñāṇāya dassanāya anuttarāya sambodhāya. Ayaṁ kho maṁ, aggivessana, dutiyā upamā paṭibhāsi anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā.
19Aparāpi kho maṁ, aggivessana, tatiyā upamā paṭibhāsi anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, sukkhaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ koḷāpaṁ, ārakā udakā thale nikkhittaṁ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya: ‘aggiṁ abhinibbattessāmi, tejo pātukarissāmī’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, aggivessana, api nu so puriso amuṁ sukkhaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ koḷāpaṁ, ārakā udakā thale nikkhittaṁ, uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya abhimanthento aggiṁ abhinibbatteyya, tejo pātukareyyā"ti?
"Evaṁ, bho gotama". "Taṁ kissa hetu"? "Aduñhi, bho gotama, sukkhaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ koḷāpaṁ, tañca pana ārakā udakā thale nikkhittan"ti.
"Evameva kho, aggivessana, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā kāyena ceva cittena ca kāmehi vūpakaṭṭhā viharanti, yo ca nesaṁ kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapipāsā kāmapariḷāho, so ca ajjhattaṁ suppahīno hoti suppaṭippassaddho, opakkamikā cepi te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, bhabbāva te ñāṇāya dassanāya anuttarāya sambodhāya. No cepi te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, bhabbāva te ñāṇāya dassanāya anuttarāya sambodhāya. Ayaṁ kho maṁ, aggivessana, tatiyā upamā paṭibhāsi anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā. Imā kho maṁ, aggivessana, tisso upamā paṭibhaṁsu anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā.
20Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ dantebhi dantamādhāya, jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca, cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇheyyaṁ abhinippīḷeyyaṁ abhisantāpeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, dantebhi dantamādhāya, jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca, cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhāmi abhinippīḷemi abhisantāpemi. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, dantebhi dantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhato abhinippīḷayato abhisantāpayato kacchehi sedā muccanti. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, balavā puriso dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ sīse vā gahetvā khandhe vā gahetvā abhiniggaṇheyya abhinippīḷeyya abhisantāpeyya; evameva kho me, aggivessana, dantebhi dantamādhāya, jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca, cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhato abhinippīḷayato abhisantāpayato kacchehi sedā muccanti. Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, aggivessana, vīriyaṁ hoti asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, sāraddho ca pana me kāyo hoti appaṭippassaddho teneva dukkhappadhānena padhānābhitunnassa sato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
21Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ appāṇakaṁyeva jhānaṁ jhāyeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca assāsapassāse uparundhiṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu kaṇṇasotehi vātānaṁ nikkhamantānaṁ adhimatto saddo hoti. Seyyathāpi nāma kammāragaggariyā dhamamānāya adhimatto saddo hoti; evameva kho me, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu kaṇṇasotehi vātānaṁ nikkhamantānaṁ adhimatto saddo hoti. Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, aggivessana, vīriyaṁ hoti asallīnaṁ upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā. Sāraddho ca pana me kāyo hoti appaṭippassaddho teneva dukkhappadhānena padhānābhitunnassa sato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
22Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ appāṇakaṁyeva jhānaṁ jhāyeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāse uparundhiṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, aggivessana, vīriyaṁ hoti asallīnaṁ upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā. Sāraddho ca pana me kāyo hoti appaṭippassaddho teneva dukkhappadhānena padhānābhitunnassa sato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
23Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ appāṇakaṁyeva jhānaṁ jhāyeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāse uparundhiṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā honti. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā honti. Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, aggivessana, vīriyaṁ hoti asallīnaṁ upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā. Sāraddho ca pana me kāyo hoti appaṭippassaddho teneva dukkhappadhānena padhānābhitunnassa sato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
24Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ appāṇakaṁyeva jhānaṁ jhāyeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāse uparundhiṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, aggivessana, vīriyaṁ hoti asallīnaṁ upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā. Sāraddho ca pana me kāyo hoti appaṭippassaddho teneva dukkhappadhānena padhānābhitunnassa sato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
25Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ appāṇakaṁyeva jhānaṁ jhāyeyyan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāse uparundhiṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho hoti. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca kaṇṇato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho hoti. Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, aggivessana, vīriyaṁ hoti asallīnaṁ upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā. Sāraddho ca pana me kāyo hoti appaṭippassaddho teneva dukkhappadhānena padhānābhitunnassa sato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā dukkhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
Apissu maṁ, aggivessana, devatā disvā evamāhaṁsu: ‘kālaṅkato samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ekaccā devatā evamāhaṁsu: ‘Na kālaṅkato samaṇo gotamo, api ca kālaṁ karotī’ti. Ekaccā devatā evamāhaṁsu: ‘Na kālaṅkato samaṇo gotamo, napi kālaṁ karoti, arahaṁ samaṇo gotamo, vihāro tveva so arahato evarūpo hotī’ti.
26Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ sabbaso āhārupacchedāya paṭipajjeyyan’ti. Atha kho maṁ, aggivessana, devatā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ: ‘mā kho tvaṁ, mārisa, sabbaso āhārupacchedāya paṭipajji. Sace kho tvaṁ, mārisa, sabbaso āhārupacchedāya paṭipajjissasi, tassa te mayaṁ dibbaṁ ojaṁ lomakūpehi ajjhohāressāma, tāya tvaṁ yāpessasī’ti. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘ahañceva kho pana sabbaso ajajjitaṁ paṭijāneyyaṁ, imā ca me devatā dibbaṁ ojaṁ lomakūpehi ajjhohāreyyuṁ, tāya cāhaṁ yāpeyyaṁ, taṁ mamassa musā’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, tā devatā paccācikkhāmi, ‘halan’ti vadāmi.
27Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘yannūnāhaṁ thokaṁ thokaṁ āhāraṁ āhāreyyaṁ, pasataṁ pasataṁ, yadi vā muggayūsaṁ, yadi vā kulatthayūsaṁ, yadi vā kaḷāyayūsaṁ, yadi vā hareṇukayūsan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, thokaṁ thokaṁ āhāraṁ āhāresiṁ, pasataṁ pasataṁ, yadi vā muggayūsaṁ, yadi vā kulatthayūsaṁ, yadi vā kaḷāyayūsaṁ, yadi vā hareṇukayūsaṁ. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, thokaṁ thokaṁ āhāraṁ āhārayato, pasataṁ pasataṁ, yadi vā muggayūsaṁ, yadi vā kulatthayūsaṁ, yadi vā kaḷāyayūsaṁ, yadi vā hareṇukayūsaṁ, adhimattakasimānaṁ patto kāyo hoti. Seyyathāpi nāma āsītikapabbāni vā kāḷapabbāni vā; evamevassu me aṅgapaccaṅgāni bhavanti tāyevappāhāratāya. Seyyathāpi nāma oṭṭhapadaṁ; evamevassu me ānisadaṁ hoti tāyevappāhāratāya. Seyyathāpi nāma vaṭṭanāvaḷī; evamevassu me piṭṭhikaṇṭako uṇṇatāvanato hoti tāyevappāhāratāya. Seyyathāpi nāma jarasālāya gopānasiyo oluggaviluggā bhavanti; evamevassu me phāsuḷiyo oluggaviluggā bhavanti tāyevappāhāratāya. Seyyathāpi nāma gambhīre udapāne udakatārakā gambhīragatā okkhāyikā dissanti; evamevassu me akkhikūpesu akkhitārakā gambhīragatā okkhāyikā dissanti tāyevappāhāratāya. Seyyathāpi nāma tittakālābu āmakacchinno vātātapena samphuṭito hoti sammilāto; evamevassu me sīsacchavi samphuṭitā hoti sammilātā tāyevappāhāratāya.
28So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, udaracchaviṁ parimasissāmīti piṭṭhikaṇṭakaṁyeva pariggaṇhāmi, piṭṭhikaṇṭakaṁ parimasissāmīti udaracchaviṁyeva pariggaṇhāmi, yāvassu me, aggivessana, udaracchavi piṭṭhikaṇṭakaṁ allīnā hoti tāyevappāhāratāya. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, vaccaṁ vā muttaṁ vā karissāmīti tattheva avakujjo papatāmi tāyevappāhāratāya. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, imameva kāyaṁ assāsento pāṇinā gattāni anumajjāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, pāṇinā gattāni anumajjato pūtimūlāni lomāni kāyasmā papatanti tāyevappāhāratāya.
Apissu maṁ, aggivessana, manussā disvā evamāhaṁsu: ‘kāḷo samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ekacce manussā evamāhaṁsu: ‘Na kāḷo samaṇo gotamo, sāmo samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ekacce manussā evamāhaṁsu: ‘Na kāḷo samaṇo gotamo, napi sāmo, maṅguracchavi samaṇo gotamo’ti. Yāvassu me, aggivessana, tāva parisuddho chavivaṇṇo pariyodāto upahato hoti tāyevappāhāratāya.
29Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayiṁsu, etāvaparamaṁ, nayito bhiyyo. Yepi hi keci anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayissanti, etāvaparamaṁ, nayito bhiyyo. Yepi hi keci etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, etāvaparamaṁ, nayito bhiyyo. Na kho panāhaṁ imāya kaṭukāya dukkarakārikāya adhigacchāmi uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ. Siyā nu kho añño maggo bodhāyā’ti?
Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ pitu sakkassa kammante sītāya jambucchāyāya nisinno vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharitā. Siyā nu kho eso maggo bodhāyā’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, satānusāri viññāṇaṁ ahosi: ‘eseva maggo bodhāyā’ti.
Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ tassa sukhassa bhāyāmi, yaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehī’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘Na kho ahaṁ tassa sukhassa bhāyāmi, yaṁ taṁ sukhaṁ aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehī’ti.
30Tassa mayhaṁ, aggivessana, etadahosi: ‘Na kho taṁ sukaraṁ sukhaṁ adhigantuṁ evaṁ adhimattakasimānaṁ pattakāyena, yannūnāhaṁ oḷārikaṁ āhāraṁ āhāreyyaṁ odanakummāsan’ti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, oḷārikaṁ āhāraṁ āhāresiṁ odanakummāsaṁ. Tena kho pana maṁ, aggivessana, samayena pañca bhikkhū paccupaṭṭhitā honti: ‘Yaṁ kho samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ adhigamissati, taṁ no ārocessatī’ti. Yato kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, oḷārikaṁ āhāraṁ āhāresiṁ odanakummāsaṁ, atha me te pañca bhikkhū nibbijja pakkamiṁsu: ‘bāhulliko samaṇo gotamo, padhānavibbhanto, āvatto bāhullāyā’ti.
31So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, oḷārikaṁ āhāraṁ āhāretvā, balaṁ gahetvā, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
32Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati. Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihāsiṁ, sato ca sampajāno. Sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedesiṁ yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati. Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā, adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
ḍ
33So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi, seyyathidaṁ — ekampi jātiṁ … pe … iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi.
34Ayaṁ kho me, aggivessana, rattiyā paṭhame yāme paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno; yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
35So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passāmi cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāmi … pe …
36ayaṁ kho me, aggivessana, rattiyā majjhime yāme dutiyā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno; yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
37So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. ‘Ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘Ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ.
38Tassa me evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ ahosi. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsiṁ.
39Ayaṁ kho me, aggivessana, rattiyā pacchime yāme tatiyā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno; yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
40Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, aggivessana, anekasatāya parisāya dhammaṁ desetā. Apissu maṁ ekameko evaṁ maññati: ‘mamevārabbha samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ desetī’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, aggivessana, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; yāvadeva viññāpanatthāya tathāgato paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti. So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, tassāyeva kathāya pariyosāne, tasmiṁyeva purimasmiṁ samādhinimitte ajjhattameva cittaṁ saṇṭhapemi sannisādemi ekodiṁ karomi samādahāmi, yena sudaṁ niccakappaṁ viharāmī"ti.
"Okappaniyametaṁ bhoto gotamassa yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Abhijānāti kho pana bhavaṁ gotamo divā supitā"ti?
41"Abhijānāmahaṁ, aggivessana, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā dakkhiṇena passena sato sampajāno niddaṁ okkamitā"ti.
"Etaṁ kho, bho gotama, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammohavihārasmiṁ vadantī"ti?
"Na kho, aggivessana, ettāvatā sammūḷho vā hoti asammūḷho vā. Api ca, aggivessana, yathā sammūḷho ca hoti asammūḷho ca, taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī"ti. "Evaṁ, bho"ti kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:
42"Yassa kassaci, aggivessana, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā appahīnā, tamahaṁ ‘sammūḷho’ti vadāmi. Āsavānañhi, aggivessana, appahānā sammūḷho hoti. Yassa kassaci, aggivessana, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā pahīnā, tamahaṁ ‘asammūḷho’ti vadāmi. Āsavānañhi, aggivessana, pahānā asammūḷho hoti. Tathāgatassa kho, aggivessana, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, tālo matthakacchinno abhabbo puna virūḷhiyā; evameva kho, aggivessana, tathāgatassa ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā"ti.
43Evaṁ vutte, saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yāvañcidaṁ bhoto gotamassa evaṁ āsajja āsajja vuccamānassa, upanītehi vacanappathehi samudācariyamānassa, chavivaṇṇo ceva pariyodāyati, mukhavaṇṇo ca vippasīdati, yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Abhijānāmahaṁ, bho gotama, pūraṇaṁ kassapaṁ vādena vādaṁ samārabhitā. Sopi mayā vādena vādaṁ samāraddho aññenaññaṁ paṭicari, bahiddhā kathaṁ apanāmesi, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātvākāsi. Bhoto pana gotamassa evaṁ āsajja āsajja vuccamānassa, upanītehi vacanappathehi samudācariyamānassa, chavivaṇṇo ceva pariyodāyati, mukhavaṇṇo ca vippasīdati, yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Abhijānāmahaṁ, bho gotama, makkhaliṁ gosālaṁ … pe … ajitaṁ kesakambalaṁ … pakudhaṁ kaccāyanaṁ … sañjayaṁ belaṭṭhaputtaṁ … nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ vādena vādaṁ samārabhitā. Sopi mayā vādena vādaṁ samāraddho aññenaññaṁ paṭicari, bahiddhā kathaṁ apanāmesi, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātvākāsi. Bhoto pana gotamassa evaṁ āsajja āsajja vuccamānassa, upanītehi vacanappathehi samudācariyamānassa, chavivaṇṇo ceva pariyodāyati, mukhavaṇṇo ca vippasīdati, yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho gotama, gacchāma. Bahukiccā mayaṁ, bahukaraṇīyā"ti. "Yassadāni tvaṁ, aggivessana, kālaṁ maññasī"ti.
44Atha kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.
Mahāsaccakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.