Kapilavatthunidānaṁ.
At |Kapilavatthu::name of the capital city of the Sakyans, the birthplace of the Buddha [kapilavatthu]|.
Tena kho pana samayena saraṇāni sakko kālaṅkato hoti. So bhagavatā byākato: “sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo”ti.
Now at that time |Saraṇāni::also rendered as Sarakāni; lit. refuge [saraṇāni]| the Sakyan had passed away. He was declared by the Blessed One: “He is a |stream-enterer::A stream-enterer is an individual who has attained the first stage of awakening, having completely abandoned the three fetters: 1) personal existence view - identity view, belief in a self, 2) doubt or perplexity regarding suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering, and 3) adherence to rules and observances as a means of liberation [sotāpanna]|, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as his destination.”
Tatra sudaṁ sambahulā sakkā saṅgamma samāgamma ujjhāyanti khīyanti vipācenti: “acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Ettha dāni ko na sotāpanno bhavissati. Yatra hi nāma saraṇāni sakko kālaṅkato; so bhagavatā byākato: ‘sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’ti. Saraṇāni sakko sikkhādubbalyamāpādi, majjapānaṁ apāyī”ti.
Thereupon, many Sakyans, having gathered and assembled, grumbled, complained, and objected: “It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvelous! Now who here will not be a stream-enterer? When Saraṇāni the Sakyan has passed away, he was declared by the Blessed One: ‘He is a stream-enterer, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as his destination.’ Saraṇāni the Sakyan |failed to fulfill the training::was incapable of practicing [sikkhādubbalyamāpādi]| and drank intoxicating liquor!”
Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idha, bhante, saraṇāni sakko kālaṅkato. So bhagavatā byākato: ‘sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’ti. Tatra sudaṁ, bhante, sambahulā sakkā saṅgamma samāgamma ujjhāyanti khīyanti vipācenti— acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho. Ettha dāni ko na sotāpanno bhavissati. Yatra hi nāma saraṇāni sakko kālaṅkato; so bhagavatā byākato: ‘sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’ti. Saraṇāni sakko sikkhādubbalyamāpādi, majjapānaṁ apāyī”ti.
Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, Saraṇāni the Sakyan has passed away. He was declared by the Blessed One: ‘He is a stream-enterer, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as his destination.’ Thereupon, venerable sir, many Sakyans, having gathered and assembled, grumbled, complained, and objected: ‘It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvelous! Now who here will not be a stream-enterer? When Saraṇāni the Sakyan has passed away, he was declared by the Blessed One: “He is a stream-enterer, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as his destination.” Saraṇāni the Sakyan failed to fulfill the training and drank intoxicating liquor!’”
“Yo so, mahānāma, dīgharattaṁ upāsako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, so kathaṁ vinipātaṁ gaccheyya. Yañhi taṁ, mahānāma, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘dīgharattaṁ upāsako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato’ti, saraṇāni sakkaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Saraṇāni, mahānāma, sakko dīgharattaṁ upāsako buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato. So kathaṁ vinipātaṁ gaccheyya.
“Mahānāma, when a lay follower has for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, and 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]|, how could he go to a state of suffering? If one speaking rightly, Mahānāma, were to say of anyone: ‘He is a lay follower who has for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha,’ it is of Saraṇāni the Sakyan that one speaking rightly would say this. Saraṇāni the Sakyan, Mahānāma, was a lay follower who had for a long time gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. How could he go to a state of suffering?
Idha, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… hāsapañño javanapañño vimuttiyā ca samannāgato. So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.
Here, Mahānāma, some person is endowed with |perfect clarity::unshakable confidence that arises through direct experience, by personally seeing the benefits in one’s own practice [aveccappasāda]| in the Buddha thus: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is the Teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.’ In the Dhamma ... in the Saṅgha ... He has |joyful wisdom::playful understanding, intelligent sense of humor; lit. laughing wisdom [hāsapañña]|, swift wisdom, and is endowed with |liberation::release, deliverance, freedom, emancipation [vimutti]|. Through the |wearing away of the taints::gradual exhaustion and elimination of the mental defilements or deep-seated afflictions such as sensual desire, craving for existence, views, and ignorance [āsava + khaya]|, he realizes for himself through |direct knowledge::experiential understanding [abhiññāya]| the taintless |liberation of mind::emancipated by mind/heart, samādhi obtained from fruition [cetovimutti]| and |liberation by wisdom::emancipation by insight [paññāvimutti]| and in this very life, having attained it, he abides in it. This person too, Mahānāma, is freed from |hell::a place of intense suffering, lit. no good fortune [niraya]|, freed from the animal realm, freed from the ghost realm, and freed from the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.
Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… hāsapañño javanapañño na ca vimuttiyā samannāgato. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.
Here again, Mahānāma, some person is endowed with perfect clarity in the Buddha thus: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is the Teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.’ In the Dhamma ... in the Saṅgha ... He has joyful wisdom, swift wisdom, but is not endowed with liberation. With the complete exhaustion of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously, and there he will attain |final Nibbāna::complete cooling, full quenching, total emancipation, dying one’s final death [parinibbāyi]| without ever returning from that world. This person too, Mahānāma, is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the ghost realm, and freed from the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.
Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… na hāsapañño na javanapañño na ca vimuttiyā samannāgato. So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.
Here again, Mahānāma, some person is endowed with perfect clarity in the Buddha thus: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is the Teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.’ In the Dhamma ... in the Saṅgha ... He does not have joyful wisdom, does not have swift wisdom, and is not endowed with liberation. With the complete exhaustion of three fetters and the weakening of |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|, |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|, and |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|, he becomes a |once-returner::the second stage of awakening where one has completely exhausted the fetters of 1.) personal existence view, 2.) doubt or perplexity regarding suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering, and 3.) adherence to rules and observances as a means of liberation; as well as made significant progress in overcoming the fetters of 4] sensual desire and 5] ill will. [sakadāgāmī]|, who, after returning to this world only once more, will make an end of suffering. This person too, Mahānāma, is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the ghost realm, and freed from the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.
Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti; dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… na hāsapañño na javanapañño na ca vimuttiyā samannāgato. So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇoti. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.
Here again, Mahānāma, some person is endowed with perfect clarity in the Buddha thus: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is the Teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.’ In the Dhamma ... in the Saṅgha ... He does not have joyful wisdom, does not have swift wisdom, and is not endowed with liberation. With the complete exhaustion of three fetters, he is a stream-enterer, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as his destination. This person too, Mahānāma, is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the ghost realm, and freed from the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.
Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo na heva kho buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti … na dhamme …pe… na saṅghe …pe… na hāsapañño na javanapañño na ca vimuttiyā samannāgato. Api cassa ime dhammā honti— saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ. Tathāgatappaveditā cassa dhammā paññāya mattaso nijjhānaṁ khamanti. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo agantā nirayaṁ agantā tiracchānayoniṁ agantā pettivisayaṁ agantā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ.
Here again, Mahānāma, some person is not endowed with perfect clarity in the Buddha ... nor in the Dhamma ... nor in the Saṅgha ... he does not have joyful wisdom, does not have swift wisdom, and is not endowed with liberation. Yet he has these qualities: the faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of collectedness, the faculty of wisdom. And the teachings proclaimed by the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]| are accepted by him after being pondered to a certain degree with wisdom. This person too, Mahānāma, is one who will not go to hell, who will not go to the animal realm, who will not go to the ghost realm, who will not go to the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.
Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo na heva kho buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti … na dhamme …pe… na saṅghe …pe… na hāsapañño na javanapañño na ca vimuttiyā samannāgato, api cassa ime dhammā honti saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ. Tathāgate cassa saddhāmattaṁ hoti pemamattaṁ. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo agantā nirayaṁ agantā tiracchānayoniṁ agantā pettivisayaṁ agantā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ.
Here again, Mahānāma, some person is not endowed with perfect clarity in the Buddha ... nor in the Dhamma ... nor in the Saṅgha ... he does not have joyful wisdom, does not have swift wisdom, and is not endowed with liberation. Yet he has these qualities: the faculty of faith ... the faculty of wisdom. He has mere faith and mere affection for the Tathāgata. This person too, Mahānāma, is one who will not go to hell, who will not go to the animal realm, who will not go to the ghost realm, who will not go to the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.
Ime cepi, mahānāma, mahāsālā subhāsitaṁ dubbhāsitaṁ ājāneyyuṁ, ime cāhaṁ mahāsāle byākareyyaṁ: ‘sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā’ti; kimaṅgaṁ pana saraṇāniṁ sakkaṁ. Saraṇāni, mahānāma, sakko maraṇakāle sikkhaṁ samādiyī”ti.
Mahānāma, even if these great |sal trees::tall, majestic hardwood trees known for their strength, durability, and grandeur; Shorea robusta [sālā]| could understand what is well-spoken and poorly spoken, I would declare these great sal trees to be stream-enterers, not liable to states of suffering, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as their destination; how much more so Saraṇāni the Sakyan? Saraṇāni the Sakyan, Mahānāma, undertook the training at the time of his death.”