UD 3.8  Piṇḍapātika sutta - Alms-gatherer

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ karerimaṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

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, a number of bhikkhus, having returned from their alms round after the meal, were seated and assembled together in the round pavilion by the |karira tree::Known by the botanical name Capparis decidua, it is a hardy, densely branching shrub or small tree well-adapted to arid and desert regions, [kareri]|. Then this discussion arose among them:

“Piṇḍapātiko, āvuso, bhikkhu piṇḍāya caranto labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike cakkhunā rūpe passituṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike sotena sadde sotuṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike ghānena gandhe ghāyituṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike jivhāya rase sāyituṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike kāyena phoṭṭhabbe phusituṁ. Piṇḍapātiko, āvuso, bhikkhu sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito piṇḍāya carati. Handāvuso, mayampi piṇḍapātikā homa. Mayampi lacchāma kālena kālaṁ manāpike cakkhunā rūpe passituṁ, mayampi lacchāma kālena kālaṁ manāpike sotena sadde sotuṁ, mayampi lacchāma kālena kālaṁ manāpike ghānena gandhe ghāyituṁ, mayampi lacchāma kālena kālaṁ manāpike jivhāya rase sāyituṁ, mayampi lacchāma kālena kālaṁ manāpike kāyena phoṭṭhabbe phusituṁ; mayampi sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā apacitā piṇḍāya carissāmā”ti. Ayañcarahi tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ antarākathā hoti vippakatā.

“Friends, a bhikkhu who lives on alms—when he goes on his alms round—sometimes gains the chance to see |pleasing::attractive, likeable [manāpika]| sights with the eye, sometimes to hear pleasing sounds with the ear, sometimes to smell pleasing fragrances with the nose, sometimes to taste pleasant flavors with the tongue, and sometimes to experience pleasing touches with the body. Friends, a bhikkhu on alms round wanders respected, esteemed, honored, worshipped, and revered. Come then, friends, let us also become alms-gatherers! We too shall from time to time see pleasing sights with the eye, from time to time hear pleasing sounds with the ear, from time to time smell pleasing fragrances with the nose, from time to time taste pleasant flavors with the tongue, and from time to time experience pleasing touches with the body. We, too, will wander respected, esteemed, honored, worshipped, and revered.” And this discussion among the bhikkhus was left unfinished.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena karerimaṇḍalamāḷo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?

For the Blessed One, having emerged from |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]| in the late afternoon, approached the assembly hall, and sat down on the prepared seat. Once he was seated, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, for what topic of conversation are you now seated together here? And what was the discussion among you that was left unfinished?”

“Idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ karerimaṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

“Here, venerable sir, as we were seated and assembled together in the round pavilion by the karira tree, after returning from our alms round after the meal, this discussion arose among us:

‘Piṇḍapātiko, āvuso, bhikkhu piṇḍāya caranto labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike cakkhunā rūpe passituṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike sotena sadde sotuṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike ghānena gandhe ghāyituṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike jivhāya rase sāyituṁ, labhati kālena kālaṁ manāpike kāyena phoṭṭhabbe phusituṁ. Piṇḍapātiko, āvuso, bhikkhu sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito piṇḍāya carati. Handāvuso, mayampi piṇḍapātikā homa. Mayampi lacchāma kālena kālaṁ manāpike cakkhunā rūpe passituṁ …pe… kāyena phoṭṭhabbe phusituṁ. Mayampi sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā apacitā piṇḍāya carissāmā’ti. Ayaṁ kho no, bhante, antarākathā vippakatā, atha bhagavā anuppatto”ti.

‘Friends, a bhikkhu who lives on alms—when he goes on his alms round—sometimes gains the chance to see pleasing sights with the eye, sometimes to hear pleasing sounds with the ear, sometimes to smell pleasing fragrances with the nose, sometimes to taste pleasant flavors with the tongue, and sometimes to experience pleasing touches with the body. Friends, a bhikkhu on alms round wanders respected, esteemed, honored, worshipped, and revered. Come then, friends, let us also become alms-gatherers! We too shall from time to time see pleasing sights with the eye, from time to time hear pleasing sounds with the ear, from time to time smell pleasing fragrances with the nose, from time to time taste pleasant flavors with the tongue, and from time to time experience pleasing touches with the body. We, too, will wander respected, esteemed, honored, worshipped, and revered.’ And this was the discussion, venerable sir, that was left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived.”

“Na khvetaṁ, bhikkhave, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitānaṁ yaṁ tumhe evarūpiṁ kathaṁ katheyyātha. Sannipatitānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dvayaṁ karaṇīyaṁ—dhammī vā kathā ariyo vā tuṇhībhāvo”ti.

“It is not proper for you, bhikkhus, sons of good families who have gone forth out of |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| from the household life into homelessness, to engage in such a discussion. When you are gathered together, bhikkhus, two things are proper—either a |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| discussion or noble silence.”

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:

“Piṇḍapātikassa bhikkhuno,
Attabharassa anaññaposino;
Devā pihayanti tādino,
No ce saddasilokanissito”ti.

“The alms-gathering bhikkhu,
who is self-supported, not dependent on another;
Even the gods envy such a |steadfast one::unmoved, unaffected [tādī]|,
if he is not attached to reputation and fame.”