1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Vajjian country at Ukkācelā on the banks of the river Ganges. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus." — "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this:

2"Bhikkhus, there was once a foolish Magadhan cowherd who, in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, without examining the near shore or the further shore of the river Ganges, drove his cattle across to the other shore in the Videhan country at a place that had no ford. Then the cattle bunched together in mid-stream in the river Ganges, and they met with calamity and disaster. Why was that? Because that foolish Magadhan cowherd, in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, without examining the near shore or the further shore of the river Ganges, drove his cattle across to the other shore in the Videhan country at a place that had no ford.

"So too, bhikkhus, as to those recluses and brahmins who are unskilled in this world and the other world, unskilled in Māra's realm and what is outside Māra's realm, unskilled in the realm of Death and what is outside the realm of Death — it will lead to the harm and suffering for a long time of those who think they should listen to them and place faith in them.

3"Bhikkhus, there was once a wise Magadhan cowherd who, in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, after examining the near shore and the further shore of the river Ganges, drove his cattle across to the other shore in the Videhan country at a place that had a ford. He made the bulls, the fathers and leaders of the herd, enter first, and they breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore. He made the strong cattle and the cattle to be tamed enter next, and they too breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore. He made the heifers and young oxen enter next, and they too breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore. He made the calves and the feeble cattle enter next, and they too breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore. At the time there was a tender calf just born, and being urged on by its mother's lowing, it too breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore. Why was that? Because that wise Magadhan cowherd, in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, after examining the near shore and the further shore of the river Ganges, drove his cattle across to the other shore in the Videhan country at a place that had a ford.

"So too, bhikkhus, as to those recluses and brahmins who are skilled in this world and the other world, skilled in Māra's realm and what is outside Māra's realm, skilled in the realm of Death and what is outside the realm of Death — it will lead to the welfare and happiness for a long time of those who think they should listen to them and place faith in them.

4"Bhikkhus, just as the bulls, the fathers and leaders of the herd, breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore, so too, those bhikkhus who are arahants with taints destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and are completely liberated through final knowledge — by breasting Māra's stream they have gotten safely across to the further shore.

5"Just as the strong cattle and the cattle to be tamed breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore, so too, those bhikkhus who, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, will reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world — by breasting Māra's stream they will get safely across to the further shore.

6"Just as the heifers and young oxen breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore, so too, those bhikkhus who, with the destruction of three fetters and with the attenuation of lust, hate, and delusion, are once-returners, returning once to this world to make an end of suffering — by breasting Māra's stream they too will get safely across to the further shore.

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7"Just as the calves and the feeble cattle breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore, so too, those bhikkhus who, with the destruction of three fetters, are stream-enterers, no longer subject to perdition, bound for deliverance, headed for enlightenment — by breasting Māra's stream they too will get safely across to the further shore.

8"Just as that tender calf just born, being urged on by its mother's lowing, also breasted the stream of the Ganges and got safely across to the further shore, so too, those bhikkhus who are Dhamma-followers and faith-followers — by breasting Māra's stream they too will get safely across to the further shore.[n.368] See These are two classes of individuals standing on the path of stream-entry. “Dhamma-followers” (dhammānusārin) are disciples in whom the faculty of wisdom (paññindriya) is predominant and who develop the noble path with wisdom in the lead; when they attain the fruit they are called “attained-to-view” (diṭṭ). “Faith-followers” (saddhānusārin) are disciples in whom the faculty of faith (saddhindriya) is predominant and who develop the noble path with faith in the lead; when they attain the fruit they are called “liberated-by-faith” (saddhāvimutta). See MN 70.20, 21; also Pug 1:35–36/15 and Vsm XXI, 75.

9"Bhikkhus, I am skilled in this world and in the other world, skilled in Māra's realm and in what is outside Māra's realm, skilled in the realm of Death and in what is outside the realm of Death. It will lead to the welfare and happiness for a long time of those who think they should listen to me and place faith in me."

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10That is what the Blessed One said. When the Sublime One had said that, the Teacher said further:

11"Both this world and the world beyond
Are well described by the one who knows,
And what is still in Māra's reach
And what is out of reach of Death.

12Knowing directly all the world,
The Enlightened One who understands
Opened the door to the deathless state
By which the safety of Nibbāna may be reached;

13For Māra's stream is breasted now,
Its current blocked, its reeds removed;
Rejoice then, bhikkhus, mightily
And set your hearts where safety lies."

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1"Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vajjīsu viharati ukkacelāyaṁ gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti. "Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, māgadhako gopālako duppaññajātiko, vassānaṁ pacchime māse saradasamaye, asamavekkhitvā gaṅgāya nadiyā orimaṁ tīraṁ, asamavekkhitvā pārimaṁ tīraṁ, atittheneva gāvo patāresi uttaraṁ tīraṁ suvidehānaṁ. Atha kho, bhikkhave, gāvo majjhegaṅgāya nadiyā sote āmaṇḍaliyaṁ karitvā tattheva anayabyasanaṁ āpajjiṁsu. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, māgadhako gopālako duppaññajātiko, vassānaṁ pacchime māse saradasamaye, asamavekkhitvā gaṅgāya nadiyā orimaṁ tīraṁ, asamavekkhitvā pārimaṁ tīraṁ, atittheneva gāvo patāresi uttaraṁ tīraṁ suvidehānaṁ.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā akusalā imassa lokassa akusalā parassa lokassa, akusalā māradheyyassa akusalā amāradheyyassa, akusalā maccudheyyassa akusalā amaccudheyyassa, tesaṁ ye sotabbaṁ saddahātabbaṁ maññissanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya.

3Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, māgadhako gopālako sappaññajātiko, vassānaṁ pacchime māse saradasamaye, samavekkhitvā gaṅgāya nadiyā orimaṁ tīraṁ, samavekkhitvā pārimaṁ tīraṁ, tittheneva gāvo patāresi uttaraṁ tīraṁ suvidehānaṁ. So paṭhamaṁ patāresi ye te usabhā gopitaro gopariṇāyakā. Te tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu. Athāpare patāresi balavagāvo dammagāvo. Tepi tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu. Athāpare patāresi vacchatare vacchatariyo. Tepi tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu. Athāpare patāresi vacchake kisābalake. Tepi tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, vacchako taruṇako tāvadeva jātako mātugoravakena vuyhamāno, sopi tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamāsi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, māgadhako gopālako sappaññajātiko, vassānaṁ pacchime māse saradasamaye, samavekkhitvā gaṅgāya nadiyā orimaṁ tīraṁ, samavekkhitvā pārimaṁ tīraṁ, tittheneva gāvo patāresi uttaraṁ tīraṁ suvidehānaṁ.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā kusalā imassa lokassa kusalā parassa lokassa, kusalā māradheyyassa kusalā amāradheyyassa, kusalā maccudheyyassa kusalā amaccudheyyassa, tesaṁ ye sotabbaṁ saddahātabbaṁ maññissanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya.

4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye te usabhā gopitaro gopariṇāyakā te tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, te tiriyaṁ mārassa sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṅgatā.

5Seyyathāpi te, bhikkhave, balavagāvo dammagāvo tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyino anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā, tepi tiriyaṁ mārassa sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gamissanti.

6Seyyathāpi te, bhikkhave, vacchatarā vacchatariyo tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmino sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karissanti, tepi tiriyaṁ mārassa sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gamissanti.

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7Seyyathāpi te, bhikkhave, vacchakā kisābalakā tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamaṁsu; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyanā, tepi tiriyaṁ mārassa sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gamissanti.

8Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, vacchako taruṇako tāvadeva jātako mātugoravakena vuyhamāno tiriyaṁ gaṅgāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ agamāsi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū dhammānusārino saddhānusārino, tepi tiriyaṁ mārassa sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gamissanti.

9Ahaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, kusalo imassa lokassa kusalo parassa lokassa, kusalo māradheyyassa kusalo amāradheyyassa, kusalo maccudheyyassa kusalo amaccudheyyassa. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, ye sotabbaṁ saddahātabbaṁ maññissanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.

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10Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvā sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

11"Ayaṁ loko paro loko,
jānatā suppakāsito;
Yañca mārena sampattaṁ,
appattaṁ yañca maccunā.

12Sabbaṁ lokaṁ abhiññāya,
sambuddhena pajānatā;
Vivaṭaṁ amatadvāraṁ,
khemaṁ nibbānapattiyā.

13Chinnaṁ pāpimato sotaṁ,
Viddhastaṁ vinaḷīkataṁ;
Pāmojjabahulā hotha,
Khemaṁ pattattha bhikkhavo"ti.

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Cūḷagopālakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.