A deity engages the Buddha in verse on with ghaṭīkāra, exploring a teaching on suffering, liberation, and the law of kamma.

SN 1.50 With Ghaṭīkāra

“Avihaṁ upapannāse,
vimuttā satta bhikkhavo;
Rāgadosaparikkhīṇā,
tiṇṇā loke visattikan”ti.

“Ke ca te ataruṁ paṅkaṁ,
maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ;
Ke hitvā mānusaṁ dehaṁ,
dibbayogaṁ upaccagun”ti.

“Upako palagaṇḍo ca,
pukkusāti ca te tayo;
Bhaddiyo khaṇḍadevo ca,
bāhuraggi ca siṅgiyo;
Te hitvā mānusaṁ dehaṁ,
dibbayogaṁ upaccagun”ti.

“Kusalī bhāsasī tesaṁ,
mārapāsappahāyinaṁ;
Kassa te dhammamaññāya,
acchiduṁ bhavabandhanan”ti.

“Na aññatra bhagavatā,
nāññatra tava sāsanā;
Yassa te dhammamaññāya,
acchiduṁ bhavabandhanaṁ.

Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
Taṁ te dhammaṁ idhaññāya,
acchiduṁ bhavabandhanan”ti.

“Gambhīraṁ bhāsasī vācaṁ,
dubbijānaṁ sudubbudhaṁ;
Kassa tvaṁ dhammamaññāya,
vācaṁ bhāsasi īdisan”ti.

“Kumbhakāro pure āsiṁ,
vekaḷiṅge ghaṭīkaro;
Mātāpettibharo āsiṁ,
kassapassa upāsako.

Virato methunā dhammā,
brahmacārī nirāmiso;
Ahuvā te sagāmeyyo,
ahuvā te pure sakhā.

Sohamete pajānāmi,
vimutte satta bhikkhavo;
Rāgadosaparikkhīṇe,
tiṇṇe loke visattikan”ti.

“Evametaṁ tadā āsi,
yathā bhāsasi bhaggava;
Kumbhakāro pure āsi,
vekaḷiṅge ghaṭīkaro;
Mātāpettibharo āsi,
kassapassa upāsako.

Virato methunā dhammā,
brahmacārī nirāmiso;
Ahuvā me sagāmeyyo,
ahuvā me pure sakhā”ti.

“Evametaṁ purāṇānaṁ,
sahāyānaṁ ahu saṅgamo;
Ubhinnaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ,
sarīrantimadhārinan”ti.

Ādittavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ādittaṁ kiṁdadaṁ annaṁ,
ekamūlaanomiyaṁ;
Accharāvanaropajetaṁ,
maccharena ghaṭīkaroti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Avihaṁ upapannāse,

“Seven mendicants reborn in Aviha

vimuttā satta bhikkhavo;

have been freed.

Rāgadosaparikkhīṇā,

With the complete ending of greed and hate,

tiṇṇā loke visattikan”ti.

they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”

“Ke ca te ataruṁ paṅkaṁ,

“Who are those who’ve crossed the bog,

maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ;

Death’s dominion so hard to pass?

Ke hitvā mānusaṁ dehaṁ,

Who, after leaving behind the human body,

dibbayogaṁ upaccagun”ti.

have risen above celestial yokes?”

“Upako palagaṇḍo ca,

“Upaka and Palagaṇḍa,

pukkusāti ca te tayo;

and Pukkusāti, these three;

Bhaddiyo khaṇḍadevo ca,

Bhaddiya and Bhaddadeva,

bāhuraggi ca siṅgiyo;

and Bāhudanti and Piṅgiya.

Te hitvā mānusaṁ dehaṁ,

They, after leaving behind the human body,

dibbayogaṁ upaccagun”ti.

have risen above celestial yokes.”

“Kusalī bhāsasī tesaṁ,

“You speak well of them,

mārapāsappahāyinaṁ;

who have let go the snares of Māra.

Kassa te dhammamaññāya,

Whose teaching did they understand

acchiduṁ bhavabandhanan”ti.

to cut the bonds of rebirth?”

“Na aññatra bhagavatā,

“None other than the Blessed One!

nāññatra tava sāsanā;

None other than your instruction!

Yassa te dhammamaññāya,

It was your teaching that they understood

acchiduṁ bhavabandhanaṁ.

to cut the bonds of rebirth.

Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,

Where name and form

asesaṁ uparujjhati;

cease with no residue left behind;

Taṁ te dhammaṁ idhaññāya,

understanding this teaching,

acchiduṁ bhavabandhanan”ti.

they cut the bonds of rebirth.”

“Gambhīraṁ bhāsasī vācaṁ,

“The words you say are deep,

dubbijānaṁ sudubbudhaṁ;

hard to understand, so very hard to wake up to.

Kassa tvaṁ dhammamaññāya,

Whose teaching did you understand

vācaṁ bhāsasi īdisan”ti.

that you can say such things?”

“Kumbhakāro pure āsiṁ,

“In the past I was a potter

vekaḷiṅge ghaṭīkaro;

in Vebhaliṅga called Ghaṭīkāra.

Mātāpettibharo āsiṁ,

I took care of my parents

kassapassa upāsako.

as a lay follower of Buddha Kassapa.

Virato methunā dhammā,

I refrained from sexual intercourse,

brahmacārī nirāmiso;

I was chaste, spiritual.

Ahuvā te sagāmeyyo,

We lived in the same village;

ahuvā te pure sakhā.

in the past I was your comrade.

Sohamete pajānāmi,

I am the one who understands

vimutte satta bhikkhavo;

that these seven mendicants have been freed.

Rāgadosaparikkhīṇe,

With the complete ending of greed and hate,

tiṇṇe loke visattikan”ti.

they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”

“Evametaṁ tadā āsi,

“That’s exactly how it was,

yathā bhāsasi bhaggava;

just as you say, Bhaggava.

Kumbhakāro pure āsi,

In the past you were a potter

vekaḷiṅge ghaṭīkaro;

in Vebhaliṅga called Ghaṭīkāra.

Mātāpettibharo āsi,

You took care of your parents

kassapassa upāsako.

as a lay follower of Buddha Kassapa.

Virato methunā dhammā,

You refrained from sexual intercourse,

brahmacārī nirāmiso;

you were chaste, spiritual.

Ahuvā me sagāmeyyo,

We lived in the same village;

ahuvā me pure sakhā”ti.

in the past you were my comrade.”

“Evametaṁ purāṇānaṁ,

That’s how it was

sahāyānaṁ ahu saṅgamo;

when those friends of old met again.

Ubhinnaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ,

Both of them were evolved,

sarīrantimadhārinan”ti.

bearing their final body.

Ādittavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ādittaṁ kiṁdadaṁ annaṁ,

ekamūlaanomiyaṁ;

Accharāvanaropajetaṁ,

maccharena ghaṭīkaroti.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Aversion

Aversion

A rejecting mental quality rooted in perception, where one instinctively turns away from or resists unpleasant experiences or objects; it manifests as a tendency to push away discomfort, obstructing patience and acceptance.

Also known as: animosity, hate, hostility, fault-finding mindset, upset
Pāli: dosa, paṭighasaññā, vera
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Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Last updated on July 27, 2026