AN 5.180 About Gavesī

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.

While traveling along a road the Buddha saw a large sal grove in a certain spot.

He left the road, went to the sal grove, and plunged deep into it. And at a certain spot he smiled.

Then Venerable Ānanda thought,

“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled?

Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

So Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,

“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled?

Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a city in this spot that was successful and prosperous, populous, full of people.

And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by that city.

He had a lay follower named Gavesī who had not fulfilled all the precepts.

And the five hundred lay followers who were taught and advised by Gavesī also had not fulfilled all the precepts.

Then Gavesī thought:

‘I’m the helper, leader, and adviser of these five hundred lay followers, yet neither I nor they have fulfilled the precepts.

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

So let me do better.’

Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:

‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who has fulfilled the precepts.’

Then those five hundred lay followers thought:

‘Master Gavesī is our helper, leader, and adviser,

and now he will fulfill the precepts.

Why don’t we do the same?’

Then those five hundred lay followers went to Gavesī and said to him:

‘From this day forth may Master Gavesī remember these five hundred lay followers as having fulfilled the precepts.’

Then Gavesī thought:

‘I’m the helper, leader, and adviser of these five hundred lay followers, and both I and they have fulfilled the precepts.

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

So let me do better.’

Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:

‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who is chaste, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex.’

Then those five hundred lay followers did the same. …

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Then Gavesī thought:

‘These five hundred lay followers …

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are chaste, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex.

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

So let me do better.’

Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:

‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who eats in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and from food at the wrong time.’

Then those five hundred lay followers did the same. …

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Then Gavesī thought:

‘These five hundred lay followers …

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eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and food at the wrong time.

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

So let me do better.’

Then the lay follower Gavesī went up to the blessed one Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha and said to him:

‘Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence?’

And he received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Not long after his ordination, the mendicant Gavesī, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

He understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.’

And the mendicant Gavesī became one of the perfected.

Then those five hundred lay followers thought:

‘Master Gavesī is our helper, leader, and adviser,

He has shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Why don’t we do the same?’

Then those five hundred lay followers went up to the blessed one Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha and said to him:

‘Sir, may we receive the going forth and ordination in the Buddha’s presence?’

And they did receive the going forth and ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Then the mendicant Gavesī thought:

‘I get the supreme bliss of freedom whenever I want, without trouble or difficulty.

Oh, may these five hundred mendicants do the same!’

Then those five hundred mendicants, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. They lived having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

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They understood: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’

And so, Ānanda, those five hundred mendicants headed by Gavesī, trying to go higher and higher, better and better, realized the supreme bliss of freedom.

So you should train like this:

‘Trying to go higher and higher, better and better, we will realize the supreme bliss of freedom.’

That’s how you should train.”

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Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ.

Addasā kho bhagavā addhānamaggappaṭipanno aññatarasmiṁ padese mahantaṁ sālavanaṁ;

disvāna maggā okkamma yena taṁ sālavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ sālavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi.

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:

“ko nu kho hetu ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya?

Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya?

Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese nagaraṁ ahosi iddhañceva phītañca bahujanaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ.

Taṁ kho panānanda, nagaraṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi.

Kassapassa kho panānanda, bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa gavesī nāma upāsako ahosi sīlesu aparipūrakārī.

Gavesinā kho, ānanda, upāsakena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭidesitāni samādapitāni ahesuṁ sīlesu aparipūrakārino.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā, ahañcamhi sīlesu aparipūrakārī, imāni ca pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu aparipūrakārino.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:

‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto sīlesu paripūrakāriṁ dhārethā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī sīlesu paripūrakārī bhavissati.

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:

‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino dhāretū’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā, ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī, imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:

‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto brahmacāriṁ dhāretha ārācāriṁ virataṁ methunā gāmadhammā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī brahmacārī bhavissati ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:

‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino dhāretu ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

Ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.

Ahañcamhi brahmacārī ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:

‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto ekabhattikaṁ dhāretha rattūparataṁ virataṁ vikālabhojanā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

‘ayyo kho gavesī bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī ekabhattiko bhavissati rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā.

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:

‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni ekabhattike dhāretu rattūparate virate vikālabhojanā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

Ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.

Ahañcamhi brahmacārī ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā.

Ahañcamhi ekabhattiko rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:

‘labheyyāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ labheyyaṁ upasampadan’ti.

Alattha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

Acirūpasampanno kho panānanda, gavesī bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsi.

Aññataro ca panānanda, gavesī bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosi.

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajissati.

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavocuṁ:

‘labheyyāma mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyāma upasampadan’ti.

Alabhiṁsu kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alabhiṁsu upasampadaṁ.

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa bhikkhuno etadahosi:

‘ahaṁ kho imassa anuttarassa vimuttisukhassa nikāmalābhī homi akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.

Aho vatimānipi pañca bhikkhusatāni imassa anuttarassa vimuttisukhassa nikāmalābhino assu akicchalābhino akasiralābhino’ti.

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca bhikkhusatāni vūpakaṭṭhā appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharantā nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—

brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihariṁsu.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññiṁsu.

Iti kho, ānanda, tāni pañca bhikkhusatāni gavesīpamukhāni uttaruttari paṇītapaṇītaṁ vāyamamānā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchākaṁsu.

Tasmātiha, ānanda, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

‘uttaruttari paṇītapaṇītaṁ vāyamamānā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchikarissāmā’ti.

Evañhi vo, ānanda, sikkhitabban”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Upāsakavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sārajjaṁ visārado nirayaṁ,

Veraṁ caṇḍālapañcamaṁ;

Pīti vaṇijjā rājāno,

Gihī ceva gavesināti.