mn40:1.1So I have heard.This sutta deals with a similar topic to the previous, with differences in phrasing and content. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Aṅgas, near the Aṅgan town named Assapura. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

mn40:1.5“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

mn40:2.1“Mendicants, people label you as ascetics. And when they ask you what you are, you claim to be ascetics.

mn40:2.3Given this label and this claim, you should train like this: ‘We will practice in the way that is proper for an ascetic. That way our label will be accurate and our claim correct. The services of those whose robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick we enjoy shall be very fruitful and beneficial for them. And our going forth will not be wasted, but will be fruitful and fertile.’

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mn40:3.1And how does a mendicant not practice in the way that is proper for an ascetic?These are forms of “misapprehension of precepts and observances” which do not in and of themselves signify spiritual purity.

mn40:3.2Any mendicant who has not given up covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong viewCompare the “corruptions of the mind” at MN7:3.1. is not practicing in the way that is proper for an ascetic, I say. And that is due to not giving up these stains, defects, and dregs of an ascetic, these grounds for rebirth in places of loss, to be experienced in bad places.

I say that such a mendicant’s going forth may be compared to the kind of weapon called ‘deadborn’—double-edged, whetted with yellow arsenic—that has been covered and wrapped in an outer robe.“Deadborn” (mataja) is explained by the commentary as meaning forged from iron filings recovered from the corpse of a dead heron, which was force-fed them for that purpose. It sounds bizarre, and I have not been able to trace this practice elsewhere, but people do a lot of bizarre things.
Pītanisita may mean “sharpened with a wet (pīta) stone” per the commentary, or else “sharpened with yellow arsenic” (pīta). Arthaśāstra 2.14.48 describes how metals may be rubbed with yellow arsenic (here = haritāla) to disguise them. This fits the context, where a supposed monk wrapped in the ocher robe is like the metal, outwardly shiny yellow, but inside is deadly.

mn40:5.1I say that you don’t deserve the label ‘outer robe wearer’ just because you wear an outer robe. You don’t deserve the label ‘naked ascetic’ just because you go naked. You don’t deserve the label ‘dust and dirt wearer’ just because you’re caked in dust and dirt.Wearers of dust and dirt are mentioned at DN8:14.10 and DN25:8.16, along with several other items on this list; see too Dhammapada 141 and the description of the Bodhisatta at MN12:46.1. Some ascetics, such as Jains, did not bathe. You don’t deserve the label ‘water immerser’ just because you immerse yourself in water. You don’t deserve the label ‘tree root dweller’ just because you stay at the root of a tree. You don’t deserve the label ‘open air dweller’ just because you stay in the open air. You don’t deserve the label ‘stander’ just because you continually stand. You don’t deserve the label ‘interval eater’ just because you eat food at set intervals. You don’t deserve the label ‘reciter’ just because you recite hymns. You don’t deserve the label ‘matted-hair ascetic’ just because you have matted hair.Such “matted-hair ascetics” are apparently the “forest hermits” (vānaprastha) whose lifestyle Kauṭilya describes as “celibacy, sleeping on the ground, wearing matted hair and antelope skin, offering daily fire sacrifice, bathing, venerating gods, ancestors, and guests, and eating forest produce” (Arthaśāstra 1.3.11, Olivelle’s translation).

mn40:6.1Imagine that just by wearing an outer robe someone with covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view could give up these things. If that were the case, your friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would make you an outer robe wearer as soon as you were born. They’d encourage you: ‘Please, dearest, wear an outer robe! By doing so you will give up covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view.’Bhadramukha is used here by family for a child. Elsewhere, by lay people addressing monks (MN81:21.12); by a laywoman addressing a deity (AN7.53); by a king of his grown son (SN3.7); and, with the addition of the familiar tāta, by a brahmin wife to her husband (MN100:3.5). The term is of Sanskritic form and is found commonly in the Avadāna literature. Turning to later Sanskrit sources, Nāṭyaśāstra 19.12 says it should be used when addressing inferiors, while Sāhityadarpaṇa 6.154 says it is used when addressing a prince (see SN3.7 above). The early Pali usage, however, suggests it was an affectionate and respectful term of somewhat elevated usage, but not restricted by status. Since bhadda by itself is a common form of address in the sense “my dear”, I think the suffix -mukha has its intensive sense here, “dearest”, rather than “dear face”. But sometimes I see someone with these bad qualities who is an outer robe wearer. That’s why I say that you don’t deserve the label ‘outer robe wearer’ just because you wear an outer robe.

mn40:6.4Imagine that just by going naked … wearing dust and dirt … immersing in water … staying at the root of a tree … staying in the open air … standing continually … eating at set intervals … reciting hymns … having matted hair someone with covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view could give up these things. If that were the case, your friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would make you a matted-hair ascetic as soon as you were born. They’d encourage you: ‘Please, dearest, become a matted-hair ascetic! By doing so you will give up covetousness, ill will, irritability, hostility, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view.’ But sometimes I see someone with these bad qualities who is a matted-hair ascetic. That’s why I say that you don’t deserve the label ‘matted-hair ascetic’ just because you have matted hair.

mn40:7.1And how does a mendicant practice in the way that is proper for an ascetic?

mn40:7.2Any mendicant who has given up covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view is practicing in the way that is proper for an ascetic, I say. And that is due to giving up these stains, defects, and dregs of an ascetic, these grounds for rebirth in places of loss, to be experienced in bad places.

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mn40:8.1They see themselves purified from all these bad, unskillful qualities. Seeing this, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi.

mn40:9.1They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

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mn40:10-12.1They meditate spreading a heart full of compassion …They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing … They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth.

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In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

mn40:13.1Suppose there was a lotus pond with clear, sweet, cool water, clean, with smooth banks, delightful. Then along comes a person—whether from the east, west, north, or south—struggling in the oppressive heat, weary, thirsty, and parched. No matter what direction they come from, when they arrive at that lotus pond they would alleviate their thirst and heat exhaustion.In such cases pariḷāha refers to “heat exhaustion” rather than “fever”.

mn40:13.4In the same way, suppose someone has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness—whether from a family of aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, or menials—and has arrived at the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. Having developed love, compassion, rejoicing, and equanimity in this way they gain inner peace. Because of that inner peace they are practicing the way proper for an ascetic, I say.

mn40:14.1And suppose someone has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness—whether from a family of aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, or workers—and they 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. They’re an ascetic because of the ending of defilements.”

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mn40:14.4That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā aṅgesu viharati assapuraṁ nāma aṅgānaṁ nigamo. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Samaṇā samaṇāti vo, bhikkhave, jano sañjānāti. Tumhe ca pana ‘ke tumhe’ti puṭṭhā samānā ‘samaṇāmhā’ti paṭijānātha.

Tesaṁ vo, bhikkhave, evaṁsamaññānaṁ sataṁ evaṁpaṭiññānaṁ sataṁ: ‘yā samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadā taṁ paṭipajjissāma; evaṁ no ayaṁ amhākaṁ samaññā ca saccā bhavissati paṭiññā ca bhūtā; yesañca mayaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjāma, tesaṁ te kārā amhesu mahapphalā bhavissanti mahānisaṁsā, amhākañcevāyaṁ pabbajjā avañjhā bhavissati saphalā saudrayā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ.

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3Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti?

Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhālussa abhijjhā appahīnā hoti, byāpannacittassa byāpādo appahīno hoti, kodhanassa kodho appahīno hoti, upanāhissa upanāho appahīno hoti, makkhissa makkho appahīno hoti, paḷāsissa paḷāso appahīno hoti, issukissa issā appahīnā hoti, maccharissa macchariyaṁ appahīnaṁ hoti, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ appahīnaṁ hoti, māyāvissa māyā appahīnā hoti, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā appahīnā hoti, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi appahīnā hoti — imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, samaṇamalānaṁ samaṇadosānaṁ samaṇakasaṭānaṁ āpāyikānaṁ ṭhānānaṁ duggativedaniyānaṁ appahānā ‘Na samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, matajaṁ nāma āvudhajātaṁ ubhatodhāraṁ pītanisitaṁ. Tadassa saṅghāṭiyā sampārutaṁ sampaliveṭhitaṁ. Tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imassa bhikkhuno pabbajjaṁ vadāmi.

4Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅghāṭikassa saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, acelakassa acelakamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, rajojallikassa rajojallikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, udakorohakassa udakorohaṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlikassa rukkhamūlikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, abbhokāsikassa abbhokāsikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ubbhaṭṭhakassa ubbhaṭṭhakamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pariyāyabhattikassa pariyāyabhattikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, mantajjhāyakassa mantajjhāyakamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jaṭilakassa jaṭādhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

5Saṅghāṭikassa ce, bhikkhave, saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyetha, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyetha, kodhanassa kodho pahīyetha, upanāhissa upanāho pahīyetha, makkhissa makkho pahīyetha, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīyetha, issukissa issā pahīyetha, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīyetha, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīyetha, māyāvissa māyā pahīyetha, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyetha, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyetha, tamenaṁ mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā jātameva naṁ saṅghāṭikaṁ kareyyuṁ, saṅghāṭikattameva samādapeyyuṁ: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhadramukha, saṅghāṭiko hohi, saṅghāṭikassa te sato saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyissati, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyissati, kodhanassa kodho pahīyissati, upanāhissa upanāho pahīyissati, makkhissa makkho pahīyissati, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīyissati, issukissa issā pahīyissati, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīyissati, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīyissati, māyāvissa māyā pahīyissati, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyissati, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyissatī’ti. Yasmā ca kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅghāṭikampi idhekaccaṁ passāmi abhijjhāluṁ byāpannacittaṁ kodhanaṁ upanāhiṁ makkhiṁ paḷāsiṁ issukiṁ macchariṁ saṭhaṁ māyāviṁ pāpicchaṁ micchādiṭṭhikaṁ, tasmā na saṅghāṭikassa saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

6Acelakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … rajojallikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … udakorohakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … rukkhamūlikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … abbhokāsikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … ubbhaṭṭhakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … pariyāyabhattikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … mantajjhāyakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … jaṭilakassa ce, bhikkhave, jaṭādhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyetha, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyetha, kodhanassa kodho pahīyetha, upanāhissa upanāho pahīyetha, makkhissa makkho pahīyetha, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīyetha, issukissa issā pahīyetha, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīyetha, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīyetha, māyāvissa māyā pahīyetha, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyetha, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyetha, tamenaṁ mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā jātameva naṁ jaṭilakaṁ kareyyuṁ, jaṭilakattameva samādapeyyuṁ: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhadramukha, jaṭilako hohi, jaṭilakassa te sato jaṭādhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyissati byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyissati, kodhanassa kodho pahīyissati … pe … pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyissati micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyissatī’ti. Yasmā ca kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, jaṭilakampi idhekaccaṁ passāmi abhijjhāluṁ byāpannacittaṁ kodhanaṁ upanāhiṁ makkhiṁ palāsiṁ issukiṁ macchariṁ saṭhaṁ māyāviṁ pāpicchaṁ micchādiṭṭhiṁ, tasmā na jaṭilakassa jaṭādhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

7Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti?

Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīnā hoti, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīno hoti, kodhanassa kodho pahīno hoti, upanāhissa upanāho pahīno hoti, makkhissa makkho pahīno hoti, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīno hoti, issukissa issā pahīnā hoti, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, māyāvissa māyā pahīnā hoti, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīnā hoti, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīnā hoti — imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, samaṇamalānaṁ samaṇadosānaṁ samaṇakasaṭānaṁ āpāyikānaṁ ṭhānānaṁ duggativedaniyānaṁ pahānā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

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So sabbehi imehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi visuddhamattānaṁ samanupassati . Tassa sabbehi imehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi visuddhamattānaṁ samanupassato pāmojjaṁ jāyati, pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

8So mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.

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Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe … muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ.

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Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pokkharaṇī acchodakā sātodakā sītodakā setakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā. Puratthimāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipāsito. So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ āgamma vineyya udakapipāsaṁ vineyya ghammapariḷāhaṁ … pe … pacchimāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya … pe … uttarāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya … pe … dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya. Yato kuto cepi naṁ puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto, kilanto tasito pipāsito. So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ āgamma vineyya udakapipāsaṁ, vineyya ghammapariḷāhaṁ.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, khattiyakulā cepi agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca tathāgatappaveditaṁ dhammavinayaṁ āgamma, evaṁ mettaṁ karuṇaṁ muditaṁ upekkhaṁ bhāvetvā labhati ajjhattaṁ vūpasamaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vūpasamā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi. Brāhmaṇakulā cepi … pe … vessakulā cepi … pe … suddakulā cepi … pe … yasmā kasmā cepi kulā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca tathāgatappaveditaṁ dhammavinayaṁ āgamma, evaṁ mettaṁ karuṇaṁ muditaṁ upekkhaṁ bhāvetvā labhati ajjhattaṁ vūpasamaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vūpasamā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

9Khattiyakulā cepi agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti. So ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hoti. Brāhmaṇakulā cepi … pe … vessakulā cepi … suddakulā cepi … yasmā kasmā cepi kulā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī"ti.

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10Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Cūḷaassapurasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.

Mahāyamakavaggo niṭṭhito catuttho.