Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bāhiyo dārucīriyo suppārake paṭivasati samuddatīre sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “ye kho keci loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro”ti.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now, at that time, Bāhiya of the |Bark Cloth::dressed in bark strips [dārucīriya]| was living in |Suppāraka::an ancient western seaport, modern-day Nala Sopara [suppāraka]|, by the seashore. He was honored, respected, revered, worshipped, and esteemed. He was a recipient of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines. Then, while Bāhiya was alone in seclusion, the following |reflection::contemplation, train of thought [parivitakka]| arose in his mind: “Whoever in the world are |Arahants::fully awakened ones, free from all mental defilements; worthy of offerings and veneration; also an epithet of the Buddha [arahant]| or have entered the |path to Arahantship::way of practice to the full awakening [arahattamagga]|, I am one of them.”
Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa purāṇasālohitā devatā anukampikā atthakāmā bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bāhiyo dārucīriyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ etadavoca: “neva kho tvaṁ, bāhiya, arahā, nāpi arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno. Sāpi te paṭipadā natthi yāya tvaṁ arahā vā assa arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno”ti.
Then, a deity, |who was a former blood-relative::who was previously a family member [purāṇasālohita]| of Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth, who was compassionate and |benevolent towards::sympathetic to, desiring good for [atthakāma]| Bāhiya’s welfare, |perceiving Bāhiya’s reflection::understanding Bāhiya’s train of thought, reading another’s state of mind [cetoparivitakkamaññāya]| |with mind::with intention [cetasā]|, approached him. Having approached him, the deity said: “Bāhiya, you are neither an Arahant nor have you attained the path to Arahantship. Nor do you even have the |way of practice::path of progress [paṭipada]| by which you could become an Arahant or attain the path of Arahantship.”
“Atha ke carahi sadevake loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā”ti?
“Then who, in the world with its gods, are Arahants or have attained the path to Arahantship?”
“Atthi, bāhiya, uttaresu janapadesu sāvatthī nāma nagaraṁ. Tattha so bhagavā etarahi viharati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. So hi, bāhiya, bhagavā arahā ceva arahattāya ca dhammaṁ desetī”ti.
“There is, Bāhiya, in the northern country, a city called Sāvatthi. There, at present, dwells the Blessed One, the Arahant, the |perfectly Awakened One::fully enlightened being [sammāsambuddha]|. Indeed, Bāhiya, that Blessed One is both an Arahant and teaches the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| for the sake of arahantship.”
Atha kho bāhiyo dārucīriyo tāya devatāya saṁvejito tāvadeva suppārakamhā pakkāmi. Sabbattha ekarattiparivāsena yena sāvatthī jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo tenupasaṅkami. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū abbhokāse caṅkamanti. Atha kho bāhiyo dārucīriyo yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca: “kahaṁ nu kho, bhante, etarahi bhagavā viharati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho? Dassanakāmamhā mayaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhan”ti.
Then, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth, |stirred::inspired [saṃvejita]| by that deity, immediately departed from Suppāraka. Traveling with a one-night stay in each place, he went to Sāvatthi, to Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. At that time, several bhikkhus were walking back and forth in the open air. Bāhiya approached those bhikkhus, and having approached them, he said: “Venerable sirs, where is the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One, dwelling at present? We wish to see that Blessed One, the arahant, the perfectly Awakened One.”
“Antaragharaṁ paviṭṭho kho, bāhiya, bhagavā piṇḍāyā”ti.
The bhikkhus replied: “Bāhiya, the Blessed One has gone among the houses |for alms::to collect alms food [piṇḍāya]|.”
Atha kho bāhiyo dārucīriyo taramānarūpo jetavanā nikkhamitvā sāvatthiṁ pavisitvā addasa bhagavantaṁ sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya carantaṁ pāsādikaṁ pasādanīyaṁ santindriyaṁ santamānasaṁ uttamadamathasamathamanuppattaṁ dantaṁ guttaṁ yatindriyaṁ nāgaṁ. Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato pāde sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “desetu me, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ; desetu sugato dhammaṁ, yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.
Then, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth, hurrying quickly, left Jeta’s Grove and entered Sāvatthi. There, he saw the Blessed One walking on his alms around, |graceful::pleasing, elegant [pāsādika]| and |inspiring confidence::worthy of faith [pasādanīya]|, |calm::at peace [santindriya]| and with a peaceful mind, having arrived at the highest self-mastery and |tranquility::serenity, equilibrium of mind [samatha]|, |tamed::trained, mastered [danta]|, guarded, |restrained in senses::mentally controlled [yatindriya]| — a |noble person::a great man, epithet of an arahant, epithet of the Buddha [nāga]|. After seeing him, Bāhiya approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near to him, he prostrated with his head at the Blessed One’s feet and said: “Venerable sir, may the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! May the Accomplished One teach me the Dhamma so that it would be for my benefit and |happiness::ease, comfort, contentedness [sukhāya]| for a long time.”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ etadavoca: “akālo kho tāva, bāhiya, antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhā piṇḍāyā”ti.
When this was said, the Blessed One replied to Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth: “Bāhiya, this is an |inappropriate time::unsuitable time [akāla]|, as we have entered among the houses for alms.”
Dutiyampi kho bāhiyo dārucīriyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “dujjānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhante, bhagavato vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ, mayhaṁ vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ. Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ; desetu sugato dhammaṁ, yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.
For a second time, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is |difficult to know::not easy to understand [dujjāna]| the danger to the Blessed One’s life, or to the danger to my life. May the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! May the Accomplished One teach me the Dhamma so that it would be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”
Dutiyampi kho bhagavā bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ etadavoca: “akālo kho tāva, bāhiya, antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhā piṇḍāyā”ti.
For a second time, the Blessed One replied to Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth: “Bāhiya, this is an inappropriate time, as we have entered among the houses for alms.”
Tatiyampi kho bāhiyo dārucīriyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “dujjānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhante, bhagavato vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ, mayhaṁ vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ. Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ; desetu sugato dhammaṁ, yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.
For a third time, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is difficult to know the danger to the Blessed One’s life, or to the danger to my life. May the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! May the Accomplished One teach me the Dhamma so that it would be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”
“Tasmātiha te, bāhiya, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
“In that case, Bāhiya, you |should train::should practice [sikkhitabba]| thus:
‘diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati,
sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati,
mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati,
viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissatī’ti.
‘In what is |seen::observed, looked at [diṭṭha]|, there will merely be the seen,
In what is |heard::to be told, to be informed of [suta]|, there will merely be the heard,
In what is |sensed::noticed, smelled, tasted, felt or thought [muta]|, there will merely be the sensed,
In what is |cognized::become aware of, known or understood [viññāta]|, there will merely be the cognized.’
Evañhi te, bāhiya, sikkhitabbaṁ. Yato kho te, bāhiya, diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati, tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tena. Yato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tena; tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tattha. Yato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tattha, tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena. Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.
In this way, Bāhiya, you should train. When for you, Bāhiya, in what is seen, there will merely be the seen, in what is heard, there will merely be the heard, in what is sensed, there will merely be the sensed, in what is cognized, there will merely be the cognized, then, Bāhiya, you will not be ‘by that.’ When you are not ‘by that,’ then, Bāhiya, you will not be ‘in that.’ When you are not ‘in that,’ then, Bāhiya, you will be |neither here::without holding on to a frame of reference of ‘here’, of this world [nevidha]|, |nor there::without holding on to a frame of reference of ‘there’, of another world [na + huraṃ]|, |nor in-between the two::without holding on to a frame of reference of progress, of transit, of moving from ‘here’ to ‘there’ [na + ubhayamantarena]|. Just this is the end |of suffering::mild suffering, intense suffering, discomfort, pain, disease, unpleasantness, stress, discontentment, dissatisfaction [dukkhassa]|.”
Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa bhagavato imāya saṅkhittāya dhammadesanāya tāvadeva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.
Then, through the Blessed One’s concise teaching of the Dhamma, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth’s mind was |immediately::right then, that very day [tāvadeva]| |liberated::released, became free [vimucci]| from the |mental defilements::mental outflows, discharges, taints [āsava]|, |without any clinging remaining::not holding onto anything, not grasping at anything, not taking possession of anything [anupādāya]|.
Atha kho bhagavā bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ iminā saṅkhittena ovādena ovaditvā pakkāmi. Atha kho acirapakkantassa bhagavato bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ gāvī taruṇavacchā adhipatitvā jīvitā voropesi.
After giving this concise |advise::instruction, encouragement [ovāda]| to Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth, the Blessed One departed. Soon after the Blessed One had left, a cow with a young calf charged at Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth and killed him.
Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ nagaramhā nikkhamitvā addasa bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ kālaṅkataṁ; disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi: “gaṇhatha, bhikkhave, bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa sarīrakaṁ; mañcakaṁ āropetvā nīharitvā jhāpetha; thūpañcassa karotha. Sabrahmacārī vo, bhikkhave, kālaṅkato”ti.
Then the Blessed One, having walked for alms in Sāvatthi, after the meal, while returning from alms round from the city together with several bhikkhus, saw Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth lying dead. Having seen, he addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, take Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth’s |dead body::corpse [sarīraka]|, place it on a |cot::small bed, straw mattress [mañcaka]|, carry it away, and |cremate::set fire to [jhāpeti]| it. Then make a |stupa::mound-like structure containing relics, shrine [thūpa]| for him. Bhikkhus, your |spiritual companion::fellow practitioner [sabrahmacārī]| has died.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa sarīrakaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā nīharitvā jhāpetvā thūpañcassa katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “daḍḍhaṁ, bhante, bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa sarīraṁ, thūpo cassa kato. Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?
“Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. Having replied in agreement, they took Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth’s dead body, placed it on a cot, carried it away, cremated it, and made a stupa for him. Then they approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near to the Blessed One, they paid homage to him and sat down to one side. Having sat down to one side, the bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth’s dead body has been burned, and a stupa has been made for him. What is his |destination::going, passing on, path, course, trajectory [gati]|? What is his |future existence::future destination [abhisamparāya]|?”
“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, bāhiyo dārucīriyo paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ; na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ vihesesi. Parinibbuto, bhikkhave, bāhiyo dārucīriyo”ti.
The Blessed One replied: “Bhikkhus, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth was |wise::astute, intelligent, learned, skilled [paṇḍita]|. He |practiced::followed [paccapādi]| |in accordance with the teaching::in line with the training guidelines of the Buddha’s teachings that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhammassānudhamma]| and did not |pester::annoy, trouble [vihesesi]| me with the |technical points of the teaching::reasons or basis of the teaching [dhammādhikaraṇa]|. Bhikkhus, Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth has attained |final Nibbāna::complete cooling, full quenching, total emancipation, dying one’s final death [parinibbuta]|.”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Yattha āpo ca pathavī,
tejo vāyo na gādhati;
Na tattha sukkā jotanti,
ādicco nappakāsati;
Na tattha candimā bhāti,
tamo tattha na vijjati.
“Where water, earth,
fire and wind |find no footing::find no support [na + gādhati]|;
Where the stars do not shine,
the sun does not manifest;
The moon does not illuminate,
And yet there, |darkness::ignorance, gloom, turbidity [tamas]| is not found.
Yadā ca attanāvedi,
muni monena brāhmaṇo;
Atha rūpā arūpā ca,
sukhadukkhā pamuccatī”ti.
When the |sage::seer, hermit, monk [munī]|, the brahmin,
realizes this for himself through |silence::wisdom, sagacity [mona]|;
Then he is freed from both |form::material or fine-material existence [rūpa]| and |formless::immaterial phenomena [arūpa]| [existences],
and from |pleasure and pain::ease and discomfort, happiness and sorrow [sukhadukkha]|.”