SN22:2 At Devadaha
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans where there was a town of the Sakyans named Devadaha.
Then a number of westward-bound bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Venerable sir, we wish to go to the western province in order to take up residence there." [n.9] Spk: They wanted to spend the three months of the rains residence there.
2"Have you taken leave of Sāriputta, bhikkhus?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Then take leave of Sāriputta, bhikkhus. Sāriputta is wise, he is one who helps his brothers in the holy life." [n.10] Spk here gives a long account of how Sāriputta assists his fellow monks with both their material needs (āmisānuggaha) and with the Dhamma (dhammānuggaha). For a translation, see Nyanaponika Thera, "Sāriputta: The Marshal of the Dhamma," in Nyanaponika and Hecker, Great Disciples of the Buddha, pp. 21–22. sn.iii.6
"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied.
3Now on that occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was sitting not far from the Blessed One in a cassia bush. [n.11] Eḷagalāgumbha. PED identifies eḷagalā as the plant Cassia tora. Spk: This bush grows where there is a constant supply of flowing water. People made a bower with four posts, over which they let the bush grow, forming a pavilion. Below this they made a seat by placing bricks down and strewing sand over them. It was a cool place during the day, with a fresh breeze blowing from the water. Then those bhikkhus, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's statement, rose from their seats and paid homage to the Blessed One. Then, keeping him on their right, they approached the Venerable Sāriputta.
They exchanged greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta and, when they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, they sat down to one side and said to him:
"Friend Sāriputta, we wish to go to the western province in order to take up residence there. We have taken leave of the Teacher."
4"Friends, there are wise khattiyas, wise brahmins, wise householders, and wise ascetics who question a bhikkhu when he has gone abroad [n.12] Spk: Gone abroad (nānāverajjagataṃ): Gone to a realm different from the realm of one king. A foreign realm (virajja) is another realm; for as a region different from one's own is called a foreign region (videsa), so a realm different from the one where one normally resides is called a foreign realm. That is what is meant by "abroad." —for wise people, friends, are inquisitive: ‘What does your teacher say, what does he teach?’
I hope that you venerable ones have learned the teachings well, grasped them well, attended to them well, reflected on them well, and penetrated them well with wisdom, so that when you answer you will state what has been said by the Blessed One and will not misrepresent him with what is contrary to fact; so that you will explain in accordance with the Dhamma, and no reasonable consequence of your assertion would give ground for criticism." [n.13] See II, n. 72.
5"We would come from far away, friend, to learn the meaning of this statement from the Venerable Sāriputta. It would be good indeed if the Venerable Sāriputta would clear up the meaning of this statement."
"Then listen and attend closely, friends, I will speak."
"Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Sāriputta said this: sn.iii.7
6"There are, friends, wise khattiyas, wise brahmins, wise householders, and wise ascetics who question a bhikkhu when he has gone abroad—for wise people, friends, are inquisitive: ‘What does your teacher say, what does he teach?’
Being asked thus, friends, you should answer: ‘Our teacher, friends, teaches the removal of desire and lust.’
7"When you have answered thus, friends, there may be wise khattiyas … wise ascetics who will question you further—for wise people, friends, are inquisitive: ‘In regard to what does your teacher teach the removal of desire and lust?’
Being asked thus, friends, you should answer: ‘Our teacher, friends, teaches the removal of desire and lust for form, the removal of desire and lust for feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness. ’
8"When you have answered thus, friends, there may be wise khattiyas … wise ascetics who will question you further—for wise people, friends, are inquisitive: ‘Having seen what danger does your teacher teach the removal of desire and lust for form, the removal of desire and lust for feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness?’
Being asked thus, friends, you should answer thus: ‘If, friends, one is not devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to form, [n.14] Spk says that all these terms should be understood as synonyms of craving (taṇhā). I deliberately translate pariḷāha in two ways: as "passion" when it is used as a synonym for craving (as here), and as "fever" (just below) when it is used to signify a severe degree of suffering. then with the change and alteration of form there arise in one sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
If, friends, one is not devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to feeling … perception … volitional formations, then with the change and alteration of feeling … perception … volitional formations, there arise in one sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
If, friends, one is not devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard toconsciousness, then with the change and alteration of consciousness there arise in one sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Having seen this danger, our teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust for form, the removal of desire and lust for feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness. ’ sn.iii.8
9"When you have answered thus, friends, there may be wise khattiyas … wise ascetics who will question you further—for wise people, friends, are inquisitive: ‘Having seen what benefit does your teacher teach the removal of desire and lust for form, the removal of desire and lust for feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness?’
Being asked thus, friends, you should answer thus: ‘If, friends, one is devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to form, then with the change and alteration of form sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair do not arise in one.
If one is devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to feeling … perception … volitional formations, then with the change and alteration of feeling … perception … volitional formations, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair do not arise in one.
If one is devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to consciousness, then with the change and alteration of consciousness sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair do not arise in one.
Having seen this benefit, our teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust for form, the removal of desire and lust for feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness.’
10"If, friends, [n.15] Spk: This passage is introduced to show the danger facing one who is not devoid of lust for the five aggregates, and the benefits won by one who is devoid of lust. one who enters and dwells amidst unwholesome states could dwell happily in this very life, without vexation, despair, and fever, and if, with the breakup of the body, after death, he could expect a good destination, then the Blessed One would not praise the abandoning of unwholesome states.
But because one who enters and dwells amidst unwholesome states dwells in suffering in this very life, with vexation, despair, and fever, and because he can expect a bad destination with the breakup of the body, after death, the Blessed One praises the abandoning of unwholesome states.
11"If, friends, one who enters and dwells amidst wholesome states would dwell in suffering in this very life, with vexation, sn.iii.9 despair, and fever, and if, with the breakup of the body, after death, he could expect a bad destination, then the Blessed One would not praise the acquisition of wholesome states.
But because one who enters and dwells amidst wholesome states dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, despair, and fever, and because he can expect a good destination with the breakup of the body, after death, the Blessed One praises the acquisition of wholesome states."
12This is what the Venerable Sāriputta said. Elated, those bhikkhus delighted in the Venerable Sāriputta's statement.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu vihārati devadahaṁ nāma sakyānaṁ nigamo.
Atha kho sambahulā pacchābhūmagamikā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
"Icchāma mayaṁ, bhante, pacchābhūmaṁ janapadaṁ gantuṁ, pacchābhūme janapade nivāsaṁ kappetun"ti.
2"Apalokito pana vo, bhikkhave, sāriputto?"ti.
"Na kho no, bhante, apalokito āyasmā sāriputto"ti.
"Apaloketha, bhikkhave, sāriputtaṁ. Sāriputto, bhikkhave, paṇḍito, bhikkhūnaṁ anuggāhako sabrahmacārīnan"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
3Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato avidūre aññatarasmiṁ eḷagalāgumbe nisinno hoti. Atha kho te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavocuṁ:
"Icchāma mayaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, pacchābhūmaṁ janapadaṁ gantuṁ, pacchābhūme janapade nivāsaṁ kappetuṁ. Apalokito no satthā"ti.
4"Santi hāvuso, nānāverajjagataṁ bhikkhuṁ pañhaṁ pucchitāro – khattiyapaṇḍitāpi brāhmaṇapaṇḍitāpi gahapatipaṇḍitāpi samaṇapaṇḍitāpi. Paṇḍitā hāvuso, manussā vīmaṁsakā: ‘kiṁvādī panāyasmantānaṁ satthā kimakkhāyī?’ti.
Kacci vo āyasmantānaṁ dhammā sussutā suggahitā sumanasikatā sūpadhāritā suppaṭividdhā paññāya, yathā byākaramānā āyasmanto vuttavādino ceva bhagavato assatha, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyātha, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyātha, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā?"ti.
5"Dūratopi kho mayaṁ, āvuso, āgaccheyyāma āyasmato sāriputtassa santike etassa bhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ. Sādhu vatāyasmantaṁyeva sāriputtaṁ paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho"ti.
"Tena hāvuso, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:
6"Santi hāvuso, nānāverajjagataṁ bhikkhuṁ pañhaṁ pucchitāro – khattiyapaṇḍitāpi … pe … samaṇapaṇḍitāpi. Paṇḍitā hāvuso, manussā vīmaṁsakā: ‘kiṁvādī panāyasmantānaṁ satthā kimakkhāyī?’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, āvuso, evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘chandarāgavinayakkhāyī kho no, āvuso, satthā’ti.
7Evaṁ byākatepi kho, āvuso, assuyeva uttariṁ pañhaṁ pucchitāro – khattiyapaṇḍitāpi … pe … samaṇapaṇḍitāpi. Paṇḍitā hāvuso, manussā vīmaṁsakā: ‘kismiṁ panāyasmantānaṁ chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā?’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, āvuso, evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘rūpe kho, āvuso, chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā, vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā’ti.
8Evaṁ byākatepi kho, āvuso, assuyeva uttariṁ pañhaṁ pucchitāro – khattiyapaṇḍitāpi … pe … samaṇapaṇḍitāpi. Paṇḍitā hāvuso, manussā vīmaṁsakā: ‘kiṁ panāyasmantānaṁ ādīnavaṁ disvā rūpe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā, vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā?’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, āvuso, evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘rūpe kho, āvuso, avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigātataṇhassa tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
Vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu avigatarāgassa … pe … avigātataṇhassa tesaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
Viññāṇe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigātataṇhassa tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
Idaṁ kho no, āvuso, ādīnavaṁ disvā rūpe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā, vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā’ti.
9Evaṁ byākatepi kho, āvuso, assuyeva uttariṁ pañhaṁ pucchitāro – khattiyapaṇḍitāpi brāhmaṇapaṇḍitāpi gahapatipaṇḍitāpi samaṇapaṇḍitāpi. Paṇḍitā hāvuso, manussā vīmaṁsakā: ‘kiṁ panāyasmantānaṁ ānisaṁsaṁ disvā rūpe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā, vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā?’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, āvuso, evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘rūpe kho, āvuso, vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigātataṇhassa tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
Vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigātataṇhassa tesaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
Viññāṇe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigātataṇhassa tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
Idaṁ kho no, āvuso, ānisaṁsaṁ disvā rūpe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā, vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu … viññāṇe chandarāgavinayakkhāyī satthā’ti.
10Akusale cāvuso, dhamme upasampajja vihārato diṭṭhe ceva dhamme sukho vihāro abhavissa avighāto anupāyāso apariḷāho, kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugati pāṭikaṅkhā, nayidaṁ bhagavā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānaṁ vaṇṇeyya.
Yasmā ca kho, āvuso, akusale dhamme upasampajja vihārato diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkho vihāro savighāto saupāyāso sapariḷāho, kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā, tasmā bhagavā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānaṁ vaṇṇeti.
11Kusale cāvuso, dhamme upasampajja vihārato diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkho vihāro abhavissa savighāto saupāyāso sapariḷāho, kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā, nayidaṁ bhagavā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadaṁ vaṇṇeyya.
Yasmā ca kho, āvuso, kusale dhamme upasampajja vihārato diṭṭhe ceva dhamme sukho vihāro avighāto anupāyāso apariḷāho, kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugati pāṭikaṅkhā, tasmā bhagavā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadaṁ vaṇṇetī"ti.
12Idamavocāyasmā sāriputto. Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Dutiyaṁ.