Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.
Atha kho sambahulā sakkā upāsakā tadahuposathe yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho sakke upāsake bhagavā etadavoca:
Then on the sabbath several Sakyan lay followers went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them:
“api nu tumhe, sakkā, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasathā”ti?
“Sakyans, do you observe the sabbath with its eight factors?”
“Appekadā mayaṁ, bhante, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasāma, appekadā na upavasāmā”ti.
“Sir, sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t.”
“Tesaṁ vo, sakkā, alābhā tesaṁ dulladdhaṁ, ye tumhe evaṁ sokasabhaye jīvite maraṇasabhaye jīvite appekadā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasatha, appekadā na upavasatha.
“That’s your loss, Sakyans, it’s your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don’t.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
What do you think, Sakyans?
idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ aḍḍhakahāpaṇaṁ nibbiseyya.
Take a man who earns half a dollar for an honest day’s work.
Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
“What do you think, Sakyans?
idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ kahāpaṇaṁ nibbiseyya.
Take a man who earns a dollar for an honest day’s work.
Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
“What do you think, Sakyans?
idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ dve kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
Take a man who, for an honest day’s work, earns two dollars …
tayo kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
three dollars …
cattāro kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
four dollars …
pañca kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
five dollars …
cha kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
six dollars …
satta kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
seven dollars …
aṭṭha kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
eight dollars …
nava kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
nine dollars …
dasa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
ten dollars …
vīsa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
twenty dollars …
tiṁsa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
thirty dollars …
cattārīsaṁ kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
forty dollars …
paññāsaṁ kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
fifty dollars …
kahāpaṇasataṁ nibbiseyya.
a hundred dollars.
Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
“What do you think, Sakyans?
api nu so puriso divase divase kahāpaṇasataṁ kahāpaṇasahassaṁ nibbisamāno laddhaṁ laddhaṁ nikkhipanto vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ adhigaccheyyā”ti?
Suppose that man earned a hundred or a thousand dollars every day and saved it all up. If he lived for a hundred years, would he not accumulate a large mass of wealth?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
“What do you think, Sakyans?
api nu so puriso bhogahetu bhoganidānaṁ bhogādhikaraṇaṁ ekaṁ vā rattiṁ ekaṁ vā divasaṁ upaḍḍhaṁ vā rattiṁ upaḍḍhaṁ vā divasaṁ ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyyā”ti?
Would that man, on account of that wealth, experience perfect happiness for a single day or night, or even half a day or night?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Why is that?”
“Kāmā hi, bhante, aniccā tucchā musā mosadhammā”ti.
“Because sensual pleasures, sir, are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive.”
“Idha pana vo, sakkā, mama sāvako dasa vassāni appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya.
“But take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for ten years, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience perfect happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years.
So ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer.
Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa vassāni.
Let alone ten years,
Idha mama sāvako nava vassāni …
take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for nine years …
aṭṭha vassāni …
eight years …
satta vassāni …
seven years …
cha vassāni …
six years …
pañca vassāni …
five years …
cattāri vassāni …
four years …
tīṇi vassāni …
three years …
dve vassāni …
two years …
ekaṁ vassaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
one year …
Tiṭṭhatu, sakkā, ekaṁ vassaṁ.
Idha mama sāvako dasa māse appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
ten months …
Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa māsā.
Idha mama sāvako nava māse …
nine months …
aṭṭha māse …
eight months …
satta māse …
seven months …
cha māse …
six months …
pañca māse …
five months …
cattāro māse …
four months …
tayo māse …
three months …
dve māse …
two months …
ekaṁ māsaṁ …
one month …
aḍḍhamāsaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
a fortnight …
Tiṭṭhatu, sakkā, aḍḍhamāso.
Idha mama sāvako dasa rattindive appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
ten days …
Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa rattindivā.
Idha mama sāvako nava rattindive …
nine days …
aṭṭha rattindive …
eight days …
satta rattindive …
seven days …
cha rattindive …
six days …
pañca rattindive …
five days …
cattāro rattindive …
four days …
tayo rattindive …
three days …
dve rattindive …
two days …
ekaṁ rattindivaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Let alone two days, take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for one day, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience perfect happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer.
Tesaṁ vo, sakkā, alābhā tesaṁ dulladdhaṁ, ye tumhe evaṁ sokasabhaye jīvite maraṇasabhaye jīvite appekadā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasatha, appekadā na upavasathā”ti.
It’s your loss, Sakyans, it’s your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don’t.”
“Ete mayaṁ, bhante, ajjatagge aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasissāmā”ti.
“Well, sir, from this day forth we will observe the sabbath with its eight factors.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.
Then on the sabbath several Sakyan lay followers went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them:
“Sakyans, do you observe the sabbath with its eight factors?”
“Sir, sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t.”
“That’s your loss, Sakyans, it’s your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don’t.
What do you think, Sakyans?
Take a man who earns half a dollar for an honest day’s work.
Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think, Sakyans?
Take a man who earns a dollar for an honest day’s work.
Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think, Sakyans?
Take a man who, for an honest day’s work, earns two dollars …
three dollars …
four dollars …
five dollars …
six dollars …
seven dollars …
eight dollars …
nine dollars …
ten dollars …
twenty dollars …
thirty dollars …
forty dollars …
fifty dollars …
a hundred dollars.
Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think, Sakyans?
Suppose that man earned a hundred or a thousand dollars every day and saved it all up. If he lived for a hundred years, would he not accumulate a large mass of wealth?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think, Sakyans?
Would that man, on account of that wealth, experience perfect happiness for a single day or night, or even half a day or night?”
“No, sir.”
“Why is that?”
“Because sensual pleasures, sir, are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive.”
“But take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for ten years, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience perfect happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years.
And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer.
Let alone ten years,
take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for nine years …
eight years …
seven years …
six years …
five years …
four years …
three years …
two years …
one year …
ten months …
nine months …
eight months …
seven months …
six months …
five months …
four months …
three months …
two months …
one month …
a fortnight …
ten days …
nine days …
eight days …
seven days …
six days …
five days …
four days …
three days …
two days …
Let alone two days, take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for one day, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience perfect happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer.
It’s your loss, Sakyans, it’s your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don’t.”
“Well, sir, from this day forth we will observe the sabbath with its eight factors.”
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.
Atha kho sambahulā sakkā upāsakā tadahuposathe yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho sakke upāsake bhagavā etadavoca:
“api nu tumhe, sakkā, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasathā”ti?
“Appekadā mayaṁ, bhante, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasāma, appekadā na upavasāmā”ti.
“Tesaṁ vo, sakkā, alābhā tesaṁ dulladdhaṁ, ye tumhe evaṁ sokasabhaye jīvite maraṇasabhaye jīvite appekadā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasatha, appekadā na upavasatha.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ aḍḍhakahāpaṇaṁ nibbiseyya.
Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ kahāpaṇaṁ nibbiseyya.
Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ dve kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
tayo kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
cattāro kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
pañca kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
cha kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
satta kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
aṭṭha kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
nava kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
dasa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
vīsa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
tiṁsa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
cattārīsaṁ kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
paññāsaṁ kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya …
kahāpaṇasataṁ nibbiseyya.
Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
api nu so puriso divase divase kahāpaṇasataṁ kahāpaṇasahassaṁ nibbisamāno laddhaṁ laddhaṁ nikkhipanto vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ adhigaccheyyā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā,
api nu so puriso bhogahetu bhoganidānaṁ bhogādhikaraṇaṁ ekaṁ vā rattiṁ ekaṁ vā divasaṁ upaḍḍhaṁ vā rattiṁ upaḍḍhaṁ vā divasaṁ ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Kāmā hi, bhante, aniccā tucchā musā mosadhammā”ti.
“Idha pana vo, sakkā, mama sāvako dasa vassāni appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya.
So ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa vassāni.
Idha mama sāvako nava vassāni …
aṭṭha vassāni …
satta vassāni …
cha vassāni …
pañca vassāni …
cattāri vassāni …
tīṇi vassāni …
dve vassāni …
ekaṁ vassaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Tiṭṭhatu, sakkā, ekaṁ vassaṁ.
Idha mama sāvako dasa māse appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa māsā.
Idha mama sāvako nava māse …
aṭṭha māse …
satta māse …
cha māse …
pañca māse …
cattāro māse …
tayo māse …
dve māse …
ekaṁ māsaṁ …
aḍḍhamāsaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Tiṭṭhatu, sakkā, aḍḍhamāso.
Idha mama sāvako dasa rattindive appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa rattindivā.
Idha mama sāvako nava rattindive …
aṭṭha rattindive …
satta rattindive …
cha rattindive …
pañca rattindive …
cattāro rattindive …
tayo rattindive …
dve rattindive …
ekaṁ rattindivaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno.
Tesaṁ vo, sakkā, alābhā tesaṁ dulladdhaṁ, ye tumhe evaṁ sokasabhaye jīvite maraṇasabhaye jīvite appekadā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasatha, appekadā na upavasathā”ti.
“Ete mayaṁ, bhante, ajjatagge aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasissāmā”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.