10: The Book of the Tens
177. Jāṇussoṇī
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇī approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:
2"Master Gotama, we brahmins give gifts and perform the memorial rites for the dead [n.2169] Pāli: saddhāni; Skt śrāddhāni. SED sv śrāddha says: "A ceremony in honour and for the benefit of dead relatives observed with great strictness at various fixed periods and on occasions of rejoicing as well as mourning by the surviving relatives (these ceremonies are performed by the daily offering of water and on stated occasions by the offering of piṇḍas or balls of rice and meal to three paternal and three maternal forefathers, i.e., to father, grandfather, and great grandfather; it should be borne in mind that a śrāddha is not a funeral ceremony but a supplement to such a ceremony; it is an act of reverential homage to a deceased person performed by relatives, and is moreover supposed to supply the dead with strengthening nutriment after the performance of the previous funeral ceremonies has endowed them with ethereal bodies; indeed, until those anteyeṣṭi or ‘funeral rites’ have been performed, and until the succeeding first śrāddha has been celebrated the deceased relative is a preta or restless, wandering ghost, and has no real body … ; it is not until the first śrāddha has taken place that he attains a position among the pitṛs or Divine Fathers in their blissful abode called Pitṛ-loka, and the śrāddha is most desirable and efficacious when performed by a son … )." with the thought: ‘Let our gift be of benefit to our departed relatives and family members. Let our departed relatives and family members partake of our gift.’ Can our gift, Master Gotama, actually be of benefit to our departed relatives and family members? Can our departed relatives and family members actually partake of our gift?"
"On a right occasion, brahmin, it can be of benefit, not on a wrong occasion."
3"But, Master Gotama, what is a right occasion and what is a wrong occasion?"
"Here, brahmin, someone destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, indulges in idle chatter; he is full of longing, has a mind of ill will, and holds wrong view. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in hell. [n.2170] It is presumably the passages on the ten unwholesome and wholesome courses of kamma that explain the inclusion of this sutta in the Tens. He sustains himself and subsists there on the food of the hell-beings. This is a wrong occasion, when the gift is not of benefit to one living there.
4"Someone else destroys life … and holds wrong view. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the animal realm. He sustains himself and subsists there on the food of animals. This, too, is a wrong occasion, when the gift is not of benefit to one living there.
5"Still another abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from divisive speech, from harsh speech, from idle chatter; he is without longing, of good will, and holds right view. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with human beings. He sustains himself and subsists there on the food of human beings. This, too, is a wrong occasion, when the gift is not of benefit to one living there.
6"Still another abstains from the destruction of life … and holds right view. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas. He sustains himself and subsists there on the food of devas. This, too, is a wrong occasion, when the gift is not of benefit to one living there.
7"Still another destroys life … and holds wrong view. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the sphere of afflicted spirits. He sustains himself and subsists there on the food of afflicted spirits, or else he sustains himself there on what his friends, companions, relatives, or family members in this world offer to him. This is a right occasion, when the gift is of benefit to one living there."
8"But, Master Gotama, who partakes of the gift if that deceased relative or family member has not been reborn in that place?"
"Other departed relatives or family members who have been reborn [n.2171] Ce anuppannā should be corrected to upapannā, the reading in Be and Ee and clearly required by the context. in that place partake of the gift."
9"But, Master Gotama, who partakes of the gift if neither that deceased relative or family member nor any others have been reborn in that place?"
"Over this long stretch of time in saṁsāra, brahmin, it is impossible and inconceivable for that place to be devoid of one's departed relatives and family members. Further, for the donor too it is not fruitless."
10"Does Master Gotama posit the value of giving even on the wrong occasion?" [n.2172] Aṭṭhānepi bhavaṁ gotamo parikappaṁ vadati. Mp: "(By this) he asks: ‘When it is the wrong occasion (for sharing the merit of giving), does Master Gotama proclaim the fruitfulness of giving to that relative?’ For the brahmin held the belief that the donor does not gain any fruit of a gift given thus. But the Blessed One, having acknowledged his question, shows: ‘The donor gains the fruit of his gift wherever he is reborn, in any place where he is sustained by his meritorious fruits.’"
"Brahmin, I posit the value of giving even on the wrong occasion.
"Here, brahmin, someone destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, indulges in idle chatter; he is full of longing, has a mind of ill will, and holds wrong view. He gives an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink; clothing and a vehicle; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with elephants. There he gains food and drink, garlands and various ornaments.
11"Since he here destroyed life … and held wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with elephants. But since he gave an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink … he there gains food and drink, garlands and various ornaments.
12"Someone else destroys life … and holds wrong view. He gives an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink … and lighting. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with horses … cattle … dogs. There he gains food and drink, garlands and various ornaments.
13"Since he here destroyed life … … and held wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with horses … cattle … dogs. But since he gave an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink … he there gains food and drink, garlands and various ornaments.
14"Still another abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from divisive speech, from harsh speech, from idle chatter; he is without longing, of good will, and holds right view. He gives an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink; clothing and a vehicle; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with human beings. There he gains the five objects of human sensual pleasure.
15"Since he here abstained from the destruction of life … and held right view, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with human beings. And since he gave an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink … he there gains the five objects of human sensual pleasure.
16"Still another abstains from the destruction of life … and holds right view. He gives an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink … and lighting. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas. There he gains the five objects of celestial sensual pleasure.
17"Since he here abstained from the destruction of life … and held right view, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas. And since he gave an ascetic or a brahmin food and drink … he there gains the five objects of celestial sensual pleasure. That is why I said: ‘Further, for the donor too it is not fruitless.’"
18"It's astounding and amazing, Master Gotama, that there is reason to give gifts and perform the memorial rites for the dead, since for the donor too it is not fruitless."
"So it is, brahmin! So it is, brahmin! For the donor too it is not fruitless."
19"Excellent, Master Gotama! … Let Master Gotama accept me as a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life."
1Atha kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
2"Mayamassu, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā nāma. Dānāni dema, saddhāni karoma: ‘idaṁ dānaṁ petānaṁ ñātisālohitānaṁ upakappatu, idaṁ dānaṁ petā ñātisālohitā paribhuñjantū’ti. Kacci taṁ, bho gotama, dānaṁ petānaṁ ñātisālohitānaṁ upakappati; kacci te petā ñātisālohitā taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjantī"ti?
"Ṭhāne kho, brāhmaṇa, upakappati, no aṭṭhāne"ti.
3"Katamaṁ pana, bho gotama, ṭhānaṁ, katamaṁ aṭṭhānan"ti?
"Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti, pisuṇavāco hoti, pharusavāco hoti, samphappalāpī hoti, abhijjhālu hoti, byāpannacitto hoti, micchādiṭṭhiko hoti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā nirayaṁ upapajjati. Yo nerayikānaṁ sattānaṁ āhāro, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ yattha ṭhitassa taṁ dānaṁ na upakappati.
4Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātī … pe … micchādiṭṭhiko hoti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tiracchānayoniṁ upapajjati. Yo tiracchānayonikānaṁ sattānaṁ āhāro, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ yattha ṭhitassa taṁ dānaṁ na upakappati.
5Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti, anabhijjhālu hoti, abyāpannacitto hoti, sammādiṭṭhiko hoti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manussānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Yo manussānaṁ āhāro, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ yattha ṭhitassa taṁ dānaṁ na upakappati.
6Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … sammādiṭṭhiko hoti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Yo devānaṁ āhāro, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati. Idampi, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ yattha ṭhitassa taṁ dānaṁ upakappati.
7Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti … pe … micchādiṭṭhiko hoti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā pettivisayaṁ upapajjati. Yo pettivesayikānaṁ sattānaṁ āhāro, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati, yaṁ vā panassa ito anuppavecchanti mittāmaccā vā ñātisālohitā vā, tena so tattha yāpeti, tena so tattha tiṭṭhati. Idaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ yattha ṭhitassa taṁ dānaṁ upakappatī"ti.
8"Sace pana, bho gotama, so peto ñātisālohito taṁ ṭhānaṁ anupapanno hoti, ko taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjatī"ti?
"Aññepissa, brāhmaṇa, petā ñātisālohitā taṁ ṭhānaṁ upapannā honti, te taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjantī"ti.
9"Sace pana, bho gotama, so ceva peto ñātisālohito taṁ ṭhānaṁ anupapanno hoti aññepissa ñātisālohitā petā taṁ ṭhānaṁ anupapannā honti, ko taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjatī"ti?
"Aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ taṁ ṭhānaṁ vivittaṁ assa iminā dīghena addhunā yadidaṁ petehi ñātisālohitehi. Api ca, brāhmaṇa, dāyakopi anipphalo"ti.
10"Aṭṭhānepi bhavaṁ gotamo parikappaṁ vadatī"ti?
"Aṭṭhānepi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, parikappaṁ vadāmi.
Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti, pisuṇavāco hoti, pharusavāco hoti, samphappalāpī hoti, abhijjhālu hoti, byāpannacitto hoti, micchādiṭṭhiko hoti; so dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā hatthīnaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. So tattha lābhī hoti annassa pānassa mālānānālaṅkārassa.
11Yaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, idha pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko, tena so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā hatthīnaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Yañca kho so dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ, tena so tattha lābhī hoti annassa pānassa mālānānālaṅkārassa.
12Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti … pe … micchādiṭṭhiko hoti. So dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā assānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati … pe … gunnaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati … pe … kukkurānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. So tattha lābhī hoti annassa pānassa mālānānālaṅkārassa.
13Yaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, idha pāṇātipātī … pe … micchādiṭṭhiko, tena so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā kukkurānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Yañca kho so dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ, tena so tattha lābhī hoti annassa pānassa mālānānālaṅkārassa.
14Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … sammādiṭṭhiko hoti. So dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manussānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. So tattha lābhī hoti mānusakānaṁ pañcannaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ.
15Yaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, idha pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … sammādiṭṭhiko, tena so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manussānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Yañca kho so dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ, tena so tattha lābhī hoti mānusakānaṁ pañcannaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ.
16Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … sammādiṭṭhiko hoti. So dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. So tattha lābhī hoti dibbānaṁ pañcannaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ.
17Yaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, idha pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … sammādiṭṭhiko, tena so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Yañca kho so dātā hoti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ, tena so tattha lābhī hoti dibbānaṁ pañcannaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ. Api ca, brāhmaṇa, dāyakopi anipphalo"ti.
18"Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yāvañcidaṁ, bho gotama, alameva dānāni dātuṁ, alaṁ saddhāni kātuṁ, yatra hi nāma dāyakopi anipphalo"ti.
"Evametaṁ, brāhmaṇa, dāyakopi hi, brāhmaṇa, anipphalo"ti.
19"Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.
Ekādasamaṁ.
Jāṇussoṇivaggo dutiyo.