Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Nālanda::name of a town near Rājagaha [nāḷandā]| in Pāvārika’s mango grove.
Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the |headman::head of the village, chieftain [gāmaṇi]| Asibandhakaputta approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the headman Asibandhakaputta said to the Blessed One:
“brāhmaṇā, bhante, pacchā bhūmakā kāmaṇḍalukā sevālamālikā udakorohakā aggiparicārakā. Te mataṁ kālaṅkataṁ uyyāpenti nāma saññāpenti nāma saggaṁ nāma okkāmenti. Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pahoti tathā kātuṁ yathā sabbo loko kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?
“Venerable sir, the brahmins of the western region — those who carry around water-pitchers, wear garlands of water plants, |perform ritual bathing::lit. who descends into water [udakorohaka]|, and |worship the sacred fire::lit. those walking around the fire [aggiparicāraka]| — are said to lift up a dead person, to guide him along, and to send him to the |heavenly world::a blissful realm, celestial world [sagga]|. But, venerable sir, since the Blessed One is an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One, could not the Blessed One act in such a way that the entire world, on the breaking up of the body after death, might be reborn in a good destination, in the heavenly world?”
“Tena hi, gāmaṇi, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsīti.
“Well then, headman, I will ask you a question in this regard. Answer as you see fit.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassa puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko. Tamenaṁ mahājanakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?
What do you think, headman? Suppose there is a man here |who kills living beings::who destroys life [pāṇātipātī]|, |takes what is not given::steals [adinnādāyī]|, |engages in sexual misconduct::is adulterous [kāmesumicchācārī]|, |speaks falsely::who lies [musāvādī]|, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, chatters frivolously, |harbors intense craving::is greedy, covetous, with yearning, desiring, mentally obsessed [abhijjhālu]|, |has a malicious mind::evil-minded, hateful [byāpannacitta]|, and |holds wrong view::holds on to false beliefs, false concepts, incorrect opinions [micchādiṭṭhika]|. Then suppose a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that man—after the breaking up of the body, after death—be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso mahatiṁ puthusilaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ummujja, bho puthusile, uplava, bho puthusile, thalamuplava, bho puthusile’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu sā puthusilā mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā ummujjeyya vā uplaveyya vā thalaṁ vā uplaveyyā”ti?
“Suppose, headman, a man were to throw a large boulder into a deep pool of water. Then a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around it, imploring it, praising it, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating it, saying: ‘Rise up, good boulder! Float up, good boulder! Float to the shore, good boulder!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that boulder rise up, float up, or float to the shore?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko. Kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.
“So too, headman, consider the man who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, chatters frivolously, harbors intense craving, has a malicious mind, and holds wrong view. Even if a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world!’—yet, with the breaking up of the body, after death, that man would be |reborn in a state of loss::in a state of misery [apāya]|, in a bad destination, in a |realm of downfall::realm of misery [vinipāta]|, in hell.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassa puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhiko. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?
What do you think, headman? Suppose there is a man here who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from frivolous chatter, is without intense craving, has a non-malicious mind, and holds right view. Then suppose a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that man—on the breaking up of the body, after death—be reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso sappikumbhaṁ vā telakumbhaṁ vā gambhīre udakarahade ogāhetvā bhindeyya. Tatra yāssa sakkharā vā kaṭhalā vā sā adhogāmī assa; yañca khvassa tatra sappi vā telaṁ vā taṁ uddhaṁ gāmi assa. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘osīda, bho sappitela, saṁsīda, bho sappitela, adho gaccha, bho sappitelā’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu taṁ sappitelaṁ mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā osīdeyya vā saṁsīdeyya vā adho vā gaccheyyā”ti?
“Suppose, headman, a man were to submerge a pot of |ghee::clarified butter [sappi]| or a pot of oil in a deep pool of water and break it. Any shards or chips there would sink downwards, but the ghee or oil there would rise upwards. Then a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around it, imploring it, praising it, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating it, saying: ‘Sink, good ghee and oil! Submerge, good ghee and oil! Go down, good ghee and oil!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that ghee and oil sink, submerge, or go downwards?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato, samphappalāpā paṭivirato, anabhijjhālu, abyāpannacitto, sammādiṭṭhiko, kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti.
“So too, headman, consider the man who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from frivolous chatter, is without intense craving, has a non-malicious mind, and holds right view. Even if a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell!’—yet, with the breaking up of the body, after death, that man would be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.”
Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
When this was said, the headman Asibandhakaputta said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, |reveal::uncover [vivarati]| what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms — even so, venerable sir, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| has been |explained::illustrated [pakāsita]| by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who, from this day forward, has gone to refuge for life.”
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Nālanda::name of a town near Rājagaha [nāḷandā]| in Pāvārika’s mango grove.
Then the |headman::head of the village, chieftain [gāmaṇi]| Asibandhakaputta approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the headman Asibandhakaputta said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, the brahmins of the western region — those who carry around water-pitchers, wear garlands of water plants, |perform ritual bathing::lit. who descends into water [udakorohaka]|, and |worship the sacred fire::lit. those walking around the fire [aggiparicāraka]| — are said to lift up a dead person, to guide him along, and to send him to the |heavenly world::a blissful realm, celestial world [sagga]|. But, venerable sir, since the Blessed One is an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One, could not the Blessed One act in such a way that the entire world, on the breaking up of the body after death, might be reborn in a good destination, in the heavenly world?”
“Well then, headman, I will ask you a question in this regard. Answer as you see fit.
What do you think, headman? Suppose there is a man here |who kills living beings::who destroys life [pāṇātipātī]|, |takes what is not given::steals [adinnādāyī]|, |engages in sexual misconduct::is adulterous [kāmesumicchācārī]|, |speaks falsely::who lies [musāvādī]|, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, chatters frivolously, |harbors intense craving::is greedy, covetous, with yearning, desiring, mentally obsessed [abhijjhālu]|, |has a malicious mind::evil-minded, hateful [byāpannacitta]|, and |holds wrong view::holds on to false beliefs, false concepts, incorrect opinions [micchādiṭṭhika]|. Then suppose a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that man—after the breaking up of the body, after death—be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Suppose, headman, a man were to throw a large boulder into a deep pool of water. Then a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around it, imploring it, praising it, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating it, saying: ‘Rise up, good boulder! Float up, good boulder! Float to the shore, good boulder!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that boulder rise up, float up, or float to the shore?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“So too, headman, consider the man who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, chatters frivolously, harbors intense craving, has a malicious mind, and holds wrong view. Even if a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world!’—yet, with the breaking up of the body, after death, that man would be |reborn in a state of loss::in a state of misery [apāya]|, in a bad destination, in a |realm of downfall::realm of misery [vinipāta]|, in hell.
What do you think, headman? Suppose there is a man here who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from frivolous chatter, is without intense craving, has a non-malicious mind, and holds right view. Then suppose a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that man—on the breaking up of the body, after death—be reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Suppose, headman, a man were to submerge a pot of |ghee::clarified butter [sappi]| or a pot of oil in a deep pool of water and break it. Any shards or chips there would sink downwards, but the ghee or oil there would rise upwards. Then a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around it, imploring it, praising it, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating it, saying: ‘Sink, good ghee and oil! Submerge, good ghee and oil! Go down, good ghee and oil!’ What do you think, headman? Because of that great crowd’s imploring, praising, or reverential circumambulation, would that ghee and oil sink, submerge, or go downwards?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“So too, headman, consider the man who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from frivolous chatter, is without intense craving, has a non-malicious mind, and holds right view. Even if a great multitude of people were to gather and assemble around him, imploring him, praising him, bowing with hands in reverence, and circumambulating him, saying: ‘May this man, on the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of loss, in a bad destination, in a realm of downfall, in hell!’—yet, with the breaking up of the body, after death, that man would be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.”
When this was said, the headman Asibandhakaputta said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, |reveal::uncover [vivarati]| what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms — even so, venerable sir, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| has been |explained::illustrated [pakāsita]| by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who, from this day forward, has gone to refuge for life.”
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.
Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“brāhmaṇā, bhante, pacchā bhūmakā kāmaṇḍalukā sevālamālikā udakorohakā aggiparicārakā. Te mataṁ kālaṅkataṁ uyyāpenti nāma saññāpenti nāma saggaṁ nāma okkāmenti. Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pahoti tathā kātuṁ yathā sabbo loko kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?
“Tena hi, gāmaṇi, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsīti.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassa puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko. Tamenaṁ mahājanakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso mahatiṁ puthusilaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ummujja, bho puthusile, uplava, bho puthusile, thalamuplava, bho puthusile’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu sā puthusilā mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā ummujjeyya vā uplaveyya vā thalaṁ vā uplaveyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko. Kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassa puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhiko. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso sappikumbhaṁ vā telakumbhaṁ vā gambhīre udakarahade ogāhetvā bhindeyya. Tatra yāssa sakkharā vā kaṭhalā vā sā adhogāmī assa; yañca khvassa tatra sappi vā telaṁ vā taṁ uddhaṁ gāmi assa. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘osīda, bho sappitela, saṁsīda, bho sappitela, adho gaccha, bho sappitelā’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu taṁ sappitelaṁ mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā osīdeyya vā saṁsīdeyya vā adho vā gaccheyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato, samphappalāpā paṭivirato, anabhijjhālu, abyāpannacitto, sammādiṭṭhiko, kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti.
Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.