中阿含經
Chinese title:中阿含經
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12. CHAPTER ON BRAHMINS
(Latter Part)
157. DISCOURSE AT THE YELLOW-REED GARDEN[1]
Thus have I heard:
At one time the Buddha was journeying through Verañjā[02], staying in the Yellow-Reed Garden[03].
At that time the brahmin of Verañjā was advanced in years and greatly aged. His lifespan was nearing its end, his life was almost exhausted, and he had reached the age of one hundred and twenty. He walked with the aid of a staff. Late one afternoon, that brahmin leisurely made his way to where the Buddha was. After they had exchanged greetings, he stood before the Buddha leaning upon his staff and said:
“Gautama, I have heard that when the ascetic Gautama was still young, exceedingly youthful, and had only recently gone forth to train in the Way, even when renowned and virtuous ascetics and brahmins came to him in person, he neither paid homage to them nor honored them, neither rose to greet them nor invited them to sit. Gautama, such conduct is wholly improper.”
The Blessed One replied:
“Brahmin, I have never seen among devas, Māra, Brahmā, ascetics, or brahmins—among beings from the human realm up to the heavens—anyone whose arrival would cause the Tathagata to pay homage to him, honor him, rise to greet him, or invite him to sit. Brahmin, if anyone were to come wishing the Tathagata to pay homage to him, honor him, rise to greet him, and invite him to sit, that person’s head would certainly split into seven pieces.”
The brahmin said again:
“Gautama is without flavor[04].”
The Blessed One said:
“Brahmin, there is a reason why I am without flavor, but not in the sense in which you speak. Whatever flavor there may be in forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangible objects has been cut off by the Tathagata, completely extinguished, and uprooted, never to arise again. This is the reason why I am without flavor, but not in the sense in which you speak.”
The brahmin said again:
“Gautama is without fear[05].”
The Blessed One replied:
“Brahmin, there is a reason why I am without fear, but not in the sense in which you speak. Whatever fear there may be concerning forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangible objects has been cut off by the Tathagata, completely extinguished, and uprooted, never to arise again. This is the reason why the Tathagata is without fear, but not in the sense in which you speak.”
The brahmin said again:
“Gautama does not enter a womb[06].”
The Blessed One replied:
“There is a reason why I do not take rebirth, but not in the sense in which you speak. If any ascetic or brahmin has cut off, completely extinguished, and uprooted all future entry into a womb, so that it will never arise again, I say that he does not take rebirth. The Tathagata has forever cut off, utterly extinguished, and uprooted all future entry into a womb, so that it will never arise again. Therefore, I do not take rebirth. This is the reason why I do not take rebirth, but not in the sense in which you speak.
“Brahmin, among these beings who have arisen from ignorance, are intoxicated with ignorance, obscured by ignorance, and enclosed within the eggshell of ignorance, I was the first to contemplate the Dharma; among those beings, I am foremost.
“It is just as when a hen lays ten or twelve eggs and constantly attends to them, constantly incubates them, constantly warms them, and constantly protects them. After some time, even if the hen leaves them unattended, a chick within may peck with its beak or strike with its claws, break through the shell, and emerge safely. Among the other chicks, it is the foremost. I am likewise. Among these beings who have arisen from ignorance, are intoxicated with ignorance, obscured by ignorance, and enclosed within the eggshell of ignorance, I was the first to contemplate the Dharma; among those beings, I am foremost.
“Brahmin, carrying dry grass, I went to the Bodhi tree. I scattered the grass beneath the tree, spread out my sitting mat, and sat down cross-legged. I resolved to sit upright and vowed not to rise until all the taints had been completely exhausted. Then I sat upright until all the taints were completely exhausted. Having seated myself upright, secluded from sensual desire and secluded from evil and unwholesome states, with applied thought and sustained thought, and with the joy and bliss born of seclusion, I attained and dwelt in the first dhyana. That is to say, at that time I attained the first higher state of mind and obtained bliss here and now. I attained it easily and without difficulty, dwelt blissfully, without fear, secure and joyful, proceeding toward nirvana.
“Furthermore, Brahmin, with the cessation of applied thought and sustained thought, inwardly tranquil and unified in mind, without applied thought or sustained thought, and with the joy and bliss born of concentration, I attained and dwelt in the second dhyana. That is to say, at that time I attained the second higher state of mind and obtained bliss here and now. I attained it easily and without difficulty, dwelt blissfully, without fear, secure and joyful, proceeding toward nirvana.
“Furthermore, Brahmin, with the fading away of joy and desire, I dwelt in equanimity, free from seeking, established in right mindfulness and right knowledge, experiencing bodily bliss—that of which the noble ones say, ‘One who has noble equanimity and mindfulness dwells in bliss.’ Thus I attained and dwelt in the third dhyana. That is to say, at that time I attained the third higher state of mind and obtained bliss here and now. I attained it easily and without difficulty, dwelt blissfully, without fear, secure and joyful, proceeding toward nirvana.
“Furthermore, Brahmin, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the prior disappearance of joy and sorrow, neither painful nor pleasant, with purity of mindfulness through equanimity, I attained and dwelt in the fourth dhyana. That is to say, at that time I attained the fourth higher state of mind and obtained bliss here and now. I attained it easily and without difficulty, dwelt blissfully, without fear, secure and joyful, proceeding toward nirvana.
“Furthermore, Brahmin, when I had attained such concentration, my mind was purified, stainless, free from affliction, pliant, well established, and had reached imperturbability. I trained in and attained the superknowledge of recollecting former lives. I remembered the immeasurable former lives through which I had passed, together with the deeds performed and the circumstances of each existence.
That is to say, I recollected one life, a hundred lives, a thousand lives, eons of formation, eons of dissolution, and immeasurable eons of formation and dissolution: ‘Those beings had such names and underwent such experiences in the past. I was born there, of such a clan, with such a name and such a birth; I consumed such food and drink, remained there for such a length of time, and ended my lifespan in such a manner.
Dying here, I was born there; dying there, I was born here. Here I was born, of such a clan, with such a name and such a birth; I consumed such food and drink, experienced such suffering and happiness, had such longevity, remained there for such a length of time, and ended my life in such a manner.’ At that time, during the first watch of the night, I attained this first clear knowledge. Through heedfulness, dwelling blissfully in seclusion, and practicing diligently, ignorance ceased and knowledge of the Dharma arose; darkness dispersed and clear knowledge was accomplished; ignorance was destroyed and wisdom arose.
Thus I attained the clear knowledge that is the superknowledge of recollecting former lives.
“Furthermore, Brahmin, when I had attained such concentration of mind—purified, undefiled, free from affliction, pliant, well established, and having reached imperturbability—I trained in and realized the knowledge of the destruction of the taints. I knew as it truly is: ‘This is suffering’; I knew as it truly is: ‘This is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, and this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.’ I knew as it truly is: ‘These are the taints’;
I knew as it truly is: ‘This is the origin of the taints, this is the cessation of the taints, and this is the path leading to the cessation of the taints.’ Knowing thus and seeing thus, my mind was liberated from the taint of sensual desire, liberated from the taint of existence, and liberated from the taint of ignorance.
When liberated, I knew that it was liberated, and I knew as it truly is: ‘Birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, and there will be no further rebirth.’ At that time, during the last watch of the night, I attained this third true knowledge. Because I was heedful, dwelling happily in seclusion and cultivating with diligence, unknowing ceased and knowledge arose; darkness vanished and illumination was accomplished; ignorance was destroyed and true knowledge arose.
Thus did I attain the true knowledge of the destruction of the taints.
“Furthermore, Brahmin, if anyone, teaching rightly, should teach the Dharma of non-delusion, then among beings born into the world, among all beings, he would be supreme and would not be overwhelmed by suffering or pleasure. You should know that the one who rightly teaches in this way is none other than I. Why is this? Because I teach the Dharma of non-delusion; among beings born into the world, among all those beings, I am supreme and am not overwhelmed by suffering or pleasure.”
On hearing this, the Brahmin of Verañjā immediately laid down his staff, bowed his head, paid homage at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed the Blessed One:
“The Blessed One is foremost; the Blessed One is truly great; the Blessed One is supreme; the Blessed One is unsurpassed; the Blessed One is perfectly enlightened; the Blessed One has no equal; the Blessed One has none who can compare with him; the Blessed One is unobstructed; the Blessed One is one who creates no obstruction! Blessed One, I now take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One accept me as a lay disciple from this day forth, for the rest of my life. I vow to take refuge until the end of my life.”
Thus spoke the Buddha. After the Brahmin of Verañjā and the bhikkhus had heard the Buddha’s teaching, they rejoiced and respectfully put it into practice.
Notes:
[01] Chinese version, fascicle 40. Pāli, A. 8. 11. Verañjā. Separate Chinese translation, No. 75.
[02] Bệ-lan-nhã 鞞 籣 若. Pāli: Verañjā, the name of a village.
[03] Hoàng lô 黃 蘆. Pāli: naḷerupucimanda-mūla, beneath the Nelerupucimanda tree; it is not known what kind of tree this was.
[04] Pāli: arasarūpo bhavaṃ gotamo, Venerable Gotama is without savor or substance. No. 75: This ascetic Gotama is indolent.
[05] Chinese: Cù-đàm vô khủng bố 瞿 曇 無 恐 怖; the same appears in No. 75. Pāli: nibbhogo bhavaṃ Gotamo, Venerable Gotama is one who does not know how to enjoy things. Nibbhoga means “not making use of or enjoying”; all the Chinese versions read it as nibbhaya, “fearless.”
[06] Pāli: apagabbho bhavaṃ Gotamo.
158. THE DISCOURSE TO DOṆA[1]
Thus have I heard:
At one time the Buddha was journeying in the country of Śrāvastī, in Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
Then, late in the afternoon, the Brahmin Doṇa leisurely approached the Buddha. After they had exchanged greetings, he sat down to one side.
The Blessed One asked:
“Doṇa, if someone were to ask, ‘Are you a Brahmin?’ would you declare yourself to be a Brahmin?”
The Brahmin Doṇa replied:
“Gotama, if anyone is worthy of being called a Brahmin, that person must have been born of parents whose lineage is pure, with an unbroken family line extending back through seven generations on both the mother’s and the father’s sides, generation after generation free from reproach. He must be widely learned, a preserver of mantras, and thoroughly versed in reciting the four collections of scriptures. He must have mastered etymology, phonology, exegesis, and, as the fifth, grammar.
Gotama, I myself am one worthy of being called a Brahmin. Why is this? Because I was born of parents whose lineage is pure; extending back through seven generations on both the mother’s and the father’s sides, my family line is unbroken and generation after generation free from reproach.
I am widely learned, a preserver of mantras, thoroughly versed in the four collections of scriptures, and have mastered etymology, phonology, exegesis, and grammar.”
The Blessed One said:
“Doṇa, I shall now ask you a question. Answer according to your understanding. Doṇa, in ancient times there were Brahmins who, when their bodies broke up and their lives ended, had recited the scriptures, transmitted the scriptures, and chanted the scriptures. They were, first, Dạ-tra; second, Bà-ma; third, Bà-ma-đề-bà; fourth, Tỳ-xa-mật-đa-la; fifth, Dạ-bà-đà-kiền-ni; sixth, Ứng-nghi-la-bà; seventh, Bà-tư-tra; eighth, Ca-diếp; ninth, Bà-la-bà; and tenth, Bà-hòa[02]. They also proclaimed five classes of Brahmins: Brahmins equal to Brahmā, Brahmins equal to the devas, Brahmins who do not transgress the bounds, Brahmins who transgress the bounds, and, fifth, Caṇḍāla Brahmins[03]. Doṇa, to which of these five classes of Brahmins do you belong?”
Doṇa replied:
“Gotama, you have stated this matter only in brief and have not explained it extensively, so I do not understand it. May the ascetic Gotama kindly explain it to me.”
The Blessed One replied:
“Doṇa, listen closely, reflect carefully, and remember well. I shall explain it extensively for you.”
Doṇa said:
“Yes, Gotama.”
Doṇa assented and listened. The Buddha explained:
“Doṇa, what is a Brahmin equal to Brahmā? Such a Brahmin is born of parents whose lineage is pure, extending back through seven generations on both the mother’s and the father’s sides, with an unbroken family line, generation after generation free from reproach. For forty-eight years he practices the celibate holy life of a student[04] in order to master the sacred texts and train in reciting the scriptures.
After mastering the sacred texts and training in reciting the scriptures, he seeks wealth to make offerings to his revered teacher, doing so in accordance with the Dharma and not contrary to the Dharma. What is contrary to the Dharma? He does not farm, engage in trade, teach books, practice calculation, work as an accountant, engrave seals, serve as a scribe, compose literary works, publicly recite scriptures, chant poetry, wield blades or staffs, or serve a king.
He seeks alms in accordance with the Dharma; having sought and obtained wealth, with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness, he pervades one direction, accomplishing and dwelling in it. In the same way, he pervades the second, third, and fourth directions, the four intermediate directions, above and below. Throughout every direction, with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness, free from enmity, resentment, anger, and contention—vast, expansive, immeasurable, and well cultivated—he pervades the entire world, accomplishing and dwelling in it.
He does likewise with compassion and sympathetic joy. With a mind accompanied by equanimity, free from enmity, resentment, anger, and contention—vast, expansive, immeasurable, and well cultivated—he pervades the entire world, accomplishing and dwelling in it. Doṇa, this is called a Brahmin equal to Brahmā.”
“Dona, what is a brahmin who is equal to the devas? There is a brahmin whose birth through his parents is pure; going back as far as seven generations, his parental lineage has not been broken and has been free from evil in every generation. For forty-eight years, he practices the celibate life of a youth in order to master the scriptures and learn to recite the canonical texts.
After mastering the scriptures and learning to recite the canonical texts, he seeks wealth to make offerings to his honored teacher, doing so in accordance with Dharma and not contrary to Dharma. What does it mean to do so in accordance with Dharma? He does not farm, engage in trade, study books, practice mathematics, perform calculations, make engravings, produce manuscripts, compose literary works, read scriptures, chant poetry, wield blades or staves, or serve a king.[05] He makes his request in accordance with Dharma, seeking wealth to make offerings to his honored teacher.
After giving away his wealth, he practices wholesome bodily conduct, wholesome verbal conduct, and wholesome mental conduct. Having accomplished wholesome bodily, verbal, and mental conduct, by virtue of these causes and conditions, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he will certainly proceed to a good destination and be born in a heavenly realm. Dona, this is called a brahmin who is equal to the devas.
“Dona, what is a brahmin who does not transgress the limit? There is a brahmin whose birth through his parents is pure; going back as far as seven generations, his parental lineage has not been broken and has been free from evil in every generation. For forty-eight years, he practices the celibate life of a youth in order to master the scriptures and learn to recite the canonical texts.
After mastering the scriptures and learning to recite the canonical texts, he seeks wealth to make offerings to his honored teacher, doing so in accordance with Dharma and not contrary to Dharma. What does it mean to do so in accordance with Dharma? He does not farm, engage in trade, study books, practice mathematics, perform calculations, make engravings, produce manuscripts, compose literary works, read scriptures, chant poetry, wield blades or staves, or serve a king.
He makes his request in accordance with Dharma, seeking wealth to make offerings to his honored teacher. After giving away his wealth, he seeks a wife for himself in accordance with Dharma, and not in accordance with Dharma. What does it mean to act contrary to Dharma?
The brahmin does not entertain this thought toward a brahmin woman: ‘May she love me and meet with me so that we may have intercourse.’ He takes as his wife a woman of the brahmin lineage, not a woman who is outside the brahmin lineage, nor a woman of the kshatriya lineage, nor one who is pregnant, nor one who has already given birth.[06] Dona, for what reason does the brahmin not take a pregnant woman as his wife? Because he does not wish his son or daughter to be said to have been born through impure sexual conduct.[07] Therefore, that brahmin does not take a pregnant woman as his wife.
Dona, for what reason does that brahmin not take as his wife a woman who has already given birth? Because he does not wish his son or daughter to be said to have resulted from wrongful coercion.[08] Therefore, that brahmin does not take as his wife a woman who has already given birth. Dona, that brahmin takes a wife not for wealth, not out of pride, not for adornment, and not for cosmetics, but solely in order to have children.
After having children up to the number established as the limit by the brahmins of ancient times, he stops there, observes that limit, and does not transgress it. Dona, this is called a brahmin who does not transgress the limit.
“Dona, what is a brahmin who transgresses the limit? There is a brahmin whose birth through his parents is pure; going back as far as seven generations, his parental lineage has not been broken and has been free from evil in every generation. For forty-eight years, he practices the celibate life of a youth in order to master the scriptures and learn to recite the canonical texts.
After mastering the scriptures and learning to recite the canonical texts, he seeks wealth to make offerings to his honored teacher, doing so in accordance with Dharma and not contrary to Dharma. What does it mean to do so in accordance with Dharma? He does not farm, engage in trade, study books, practice mathematics, perform calculations, make engravings, produce manuscripts, compose literary works, read scriptures, chant poetry, wield blades or staves, or serve a king.
He makes his request in accordance with Dharma, seeking wealth to make offerings to his honored teacher. After giving away his wealth, he seeks a wife for himself in accordance with Dharma, and not in accordance with Dharma. What does it mean to act contrary to Dharma?
The brahmin does not entertain this thought toward a brahmin woman: ‘May she love me and meet with me so that we may have intercourse.’ He takes as his wife a woman of the brahmin lineage, not a woman who is outside the brahmin lineage, nor a woman of the kshatriya lineage, nor one who is pregnant, nor one who has already given birth. Dona, for what reason does the brahmin not take a pregnant woman as his wife? Because he does not wish his son or daughter to be said to have been born through impure sexual conduct.
Therefore, that brahmin does not take a pregnant woman as his wife. Dona, for what reason does that brahmin not take as his wife a woman who has already given birth? Because he does not wish his son or daughter to be said to have resulted from wrongful coercion.
Therefore, that brahmin does not take as his wife a woman who has already given birth. Dona, that brahmin takes a wife not for wealth, not out of pride, not for adornment, and not for cosmetics, but solely in order to have children. After having children, he does not stop at the number established as the limit by the brahmins of ancient times, does not observe that limit, but transgresses it.
Dona, this is called a brahmin who transgresses the limit.”
“Doṇa, what kind of brahmin is a caṇḍāla brahmin? A brahmin is pure by birth on both his mother’s and father’s sides; for seven generations his maternal and paternal lineage has remained unbroken and has never been tainted. For forty-eight years he practices the celibate holy life of a youth in order to master the scriptures and learn and recite the canonical texts.
After mastering the scriptures and learning and reciting the canonical texts, he seeks wealth to make offerings to his revered teacher, doing so in accordance with the Dharma and not contrary to the Dharma. What does ‘in accordance with the Dharma’ mean? He does not farm, engage in trade, study secular books, practice mathematics, perform calculations, make engravings, produce calligraphy, compose literature, recite scriptures, chant poetry, wield knives or staves, or serve the king.
He begs in accordance with the Dharma, seeking wealth to make offerings to his revered teacher. After giving away that wealth, he seeks a wife for himself contrary to the Dharma, not in accordance with the Dharma. What does ‘contrary to the Dharma’ mean?
The brahmin does not entertain this thought toward a brahmin woman: ‘May she love me and meet with me so that we may have intercourse.’ He takes as his wife a woman of the brahmin caste, not a woman outside the brahmin caste, nor a woman of the kṣatriya caste; she is neither pregnant nor one who has already given birth. Doṇa, for what reason does the brahmin not marry a pregnant woman? Because he does not wish his son or daughter to be said to have been born of impure sexual intercourse.
Therefore, that brahmin does not marry a pregnant woman. Doṇa, for what reason does that brahmin not marry a woman who has already given birth? Because he does not wish his son or daughter to be said to have arisen through wrongful coercion.
Therefore, that brahmin does not marry a woman who has already given birth. Doṇa, that brahmin takes a wife not for wealth, not out of pride, not for adornment, and not for cosmetics, but solely for the sake of having children. After children have been born, he engages in affairs connected with kings, affairs connected with bandits, and affairs connected with heterodox paths; moreover, he says: ‘A brahmin is entitled to do all things, yet a brahmin thereby remains neither attached nor defiled.
Just as fire burns whatever is pure or impure, so too a brahmin is entitled to do all things, yet a brahmin thereby becomes neither attached nor defiled.’ Doṇa, such a brahmin is called a caṇḍāla brahmin.
“Doṇa, to which of these five classes of brahmins do you belong?”
Doṇa replied:
“Master Gautama, I cannot compare even with the last class, the caṇḍāla brahmin, much less with the higher classes of brahmins. Blessed One, I have understood. Well-Gone One, I have comprehended. Blessed One, I now take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha of bhikṣus. May the Blessed One accept me as an upāsaka. From this day forth, for the rest of my life, I take refuge until the end of my life.”
Thus spoke the Buddha. After the brahmin Doṇa had heard the Buddha’s teaching, he rejoiced and respectfully put it into practice.
Notes:
[01] Pāli, A. 5.192 Doṇa.
[02] For the list of ancient seers, see Sūtra 152 above.
[03] Pāli: ime pañca brāhmaṇe paññāpenti, brāhmasamaṃ devasamaṃ maruyadaṃ sambhinnamariyadaṃ brāhmaṇacaiḍālaṃ yeva pañcamaṃ. The five classes of brahmins are: equal to Brahmā, equal to the devas, one who observes the rules, one who breaks the rules, and, fifth, a caṇḍāla.
[04] “The celibate holy life of a youth” 童子梵行: the conduct of a virginal youth, or chastity. Pāli: komārabrahmacariya.
[05] The occupations he does not undertake, according to the Pāli: neva kasiyā na vaṇijjāya na gorakkhena na isatthena na rājaporisena na isappaññatarena—he does not pursue agriculture, trade, cattle raising, archery and swordsmanship, royal office, or crafts.
[06] Pāli: na pāyamānaṃ gacchati—he does not approach a woman who is breastfeeding.
[07] Chinese: “impure sexual intercourse” 不淨淫. Pāli: atimīḷhajo, born from a heap of dung.
[08] Chinese: “impure wrath” 拂不淨恚. Pāli: asucipaṭipīlito, impure coercion, or “arising from drinking impurity (asucipipata?).”
159. THE SŪTRA OF AGGALAHAṆA[1]
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying in Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
At that time, after the midday meal, the brahmin Aggalahaṇa leisurely went to the Buddha. After exchanging greetings, he sat to one side and said:
“Master Gautama, there is something I wish to ask. I hope you will grant me permission, and only then shall I venture to present it.”
The Blessed One replied:
“Ask whatever you wish.”
The brahmin then asked:
“Master Gautama, upon what do the scriptures of the brahmins depend for their existence?”
The Blessed One replied:
“The scriptures of the brahmins depend upon human beings for their existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what do human beings depend for their existence?”
“Human beings depend upon rice for their existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does rice depend for its existence?”
“Rice depends upon the earth for its existence.”
The brahmin asked further:
“Master Gautama, upon what does the earth depend for its existence?”
The Blessed One replied:
“The earth depends upon water for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does water depend for its existence?”
“Water depends upon wind for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does wind depend for its existence?”
“Wind depends upon space for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does space depend for its existence?”
“Space has no support, yet it is on account of the sun and moon that there is space.”
“Master Gautama, upon what do the sun and moon depend for their existence?”
“The sun and moon depend upon the Four Great Kings for their existence.”
The brahmin asked further:
“Master Gautama, upon what do the Four Great Kings depend for their existence?”
The Blessed One replied:
“The Four Great Kings depend upon the Heaven of the Thirty-Three for their existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Heaven of the Thirty-Three depend for its existence?”
“The Heaven of the Thirty-Three depends upon the Yāma Heaven for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Yāma Heaven depend for its existence?”
“The Yāma Heaven depends upon the Tuṣita Heaven for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Tuṣita Heaven depend for its existence?”
“The Tuṣita Heaven depends upon the Heaven of Delight in Creation for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Heaven of Delight in Creation depend for its existence?”
“The Heaven of Delight in Creation depends upon the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations depend for its existence?”
“The Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations depends upon the Brahmā Heaven for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Brahmā Heaven depend for its existence?”
“The Brahmā Heaven depends upon the Great Brahmā for its existence.”
“Master Gautama, upon what does the Great Brahmā depend for his existence?”
“The Great Brahmā depends upon patience and gentleness for his existence.”
The brahmin asked further:
“Master Gautama, upon what do patience and gentleness depend for their existence?”
The Blessed One replied:
“Patience and gentleness depend upon nirvana for their existence.”
The brahmin asked further:
“Master Gautama, upon what does nirvana depend for its existence?”
The Blessed One replied:
“The brahmin’s desire has relied upon matters without end, and now you have asked me about that which has no limit. Yet nirvana depends upon nothing whatsoever. Nirvana is quiescent cessation; nirvana is supreme. Brahmin, it is for this purpose that many people follow me and cultivate the holy life.”
The brahmin said:
“Blessed One, I have understood. Well-Gone One, I have comprehended. Blessed One, I now take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha of bhikshus. May the Blessed One accept me as an upasaka from this day forth and throughout my life. I vow to take refuge until the end of my life.”
Thus spoke the Buddha. After the brahmin Agārahāna heard the Buddha’s teaching, he rejoiced and respectfully put it into practice.
Notes:
[01] No Pali parallel has been identified.
160. THE DISCOURSE ON ARANNA[1]
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Buddha was journeying in the country of Shravasti, in Jeta Grove, Anathapindika’s Park.
Then, after the midday meal, the bhikshus assembled and sat in the lecture hall, discussing the following: “Venerable friends, it is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death. Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so.”
At that time, the Blessed One was at his place of midday repose. With the purified divine ear, surpassing that of ordinary humans, he heard the bhikshus, after their midday meal, assembled and seated in the lecture hall, discussing the following: “Venerable friends, it is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence.
Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death. Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so.” Having heard this, late in the afternoon the Blessed One rose from his meditative seclusion and went to the lecture hall. He prepared a seat, sat before the assembly of bhikshus, and asked:
“Bhikshus, what were you discussing? For what reason have you assembled and seated yourselves in the lecture hall?”
When the Blessed One asked this, the bhikshus replied:
“Blessed One, after our midday meal, we bhikshus assembled and sat in the lecture hall, discussing the following: ‘It is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death. Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so.’ Blessed One, this is what we were discussing among ourselves. It was for this reason that we assembled and sat in the lecture hall.”
The Blessed One praised them:
“Excellent! Excellent! When you spoke among yourselves, you said: ‘Venerable friends, it is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary!
Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death. Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so.’ Why is this?
Because I too have thought: ‘It is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death.
Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so.’ Why is this?
“Bhikshus, in times past, when sentient beings had a lifespan of eighty thousand years, this continent of Jambudvipa was exceedingly prosperous and possessed abundant wealth and treasures. Its villages and settlements were so close together that they were only the distance of a chicken’s flight apart. At that time, women married only upon reaching five hundred years of age. People suffered only from the following ailments: cold, heat, defecation and urination, desire, hunger, and aging[02]; apart from these, there were no other calamities.
“Bhikshus, when people had a lifespan of eighty thousand years, there was a king named Kaurava[03], a wheel-turning monarch. He was intelligent and wise, and with the four divisions of his army he governed the realm, free and sovereign. He was a Dharma king who ruled in accordance with the Dharma and possessed the seven treasures.
The seven treasures were the precious wheel, the precious elephant, the precious horse, the precious jewel, the precious woman, the precious householder, and the precious general. These were the seven treasures. The king had a full thousand sons, all handsome in appearance, valiant and fearless, and capable of subduing others.
He assuredly ruled over this entire land as far as the seas, without the use of swords or cudgels, but solely through the Dharma, transforming the people and bringing them peace and security.
“Bhikshus, King Kaurava had a brahmin named Aranna, a great elder[04]. He had been raised by his parents and was of pure birth for seven generations on both his father’s and mother’s sides, without any break in the lineage and without wrongdoing in any generation. He was learned and accomplished, had recited and mastered the four kinds of scriptures, and thoroughly understood causes and conditions, phonology, the narratives as the fifth branch, and exegesis. The brahmin Aranna had countless hundreds of thousands of young brahmin students. In a secluded place, he taught the scriptures to those countless hundreds of thousands of young brahmin students.
“At that time, while the brahmin Aranna was dwelling alone in a secluded place, sitting in meditation and reflecting, he thought: ‘It is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death. Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so. Perhaps I should shave off my beard and hair, put on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith leave the household life for homelessness, go forth, and train in the Way.’ The brahmin Aranna then went to the young brahmin students from the various countries and said:
“—‘Young brahmin students, while I was dwelling alone in a secluded place, sitting in meditation and reflecting, I thought: “It is truly extraordinary, truly extraordinary! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for once born, one cannot escape death.
Yet people today neither practice deeds that accord with the Dharma, reasonable deeds, wholesome deeds, and good deeds, nor do they seek to do so. Perhaps I should shave off my beard and hair, put on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith leave the household life for homelessness, go forth, and train in the Way.” Young brahmin students, I now wish to shave off my beard and hair, put on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith leave the household life for homelessness, go forth, and train in the Way.
What will you do?’
“Upon hearing this, the groups of young brahmin students from the various countries replied:
“—‘Venerable Teacher, everything we know has come through the kindness of the Venerable Teacher’s instruction. If the Venerable Teacher shaves off his beard and hair, puts on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith leaves the household life for homelessness, goes forth, and trains in the Way, then we too shall shave off our beards and hair, put on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith leave the household life for homelessness, go forth, and train in the Way, following in the Venerable Teacher’s footsteps.’
“Afterward, the brahmin Aranna shaved off his beard and hair, put on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith left the household life for homelessness, went forth, and trained in the Way. The groups of young brahmin students from those various countries likewise all shaved off their beards and hair, put on the kasaya robe, and with perfect faith left the household life for homelessness, following their venerable teacher, the brahmin Aranna, in going forth and training in the Way. This was how the designations ‘Venerable Teacher Aranna’ and ‘disciples of Venerable Teacher Aranna’ came into being.
“At that time, Venerable Teacher Aranna taught the Dharma to his disciples:”
“Young brahmins, it is truly astonishing, truly astonishing! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for whoever is born cannot escape death. Yet people nowadays neither practice nor aspire to what accords with the Dharma, what is reasonable, what is wholesome, and what is good.”
Then the venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, it is truly astonishing, truly astonishing! Human life is exceedingly brief; in but a moment one passes on to another existence. Therefore, one must perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for whoever is born cannot escape death. Yet people nowadays neither practice nor aspire to what accords with the Dharma, what is reasonable, what is wholesome, and what is good.’
“Furthermore, the venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a drop of morning dew upon the tip of a blade of grass vanishes when the sun rises, remaining only briefly and unable to endure, so too, young brahmins, human life is like a drop of morning dew: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as, when heavy rain falls, drops of water form bubbles that appear and disappear in an instant, so too, young brahmins, human life is like a bubble upon the water: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are very great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a stick thrown into water rises again very quickly, so too, young brahmins, human life is like a stick thrown into water, rising again very quickly: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its calamities and suffering are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a newly made tile, after being dipped into a basin of water and immediately taken out, dries at once when placed where it is windy and hot, so too, young brahmins, human life is like a newly made tile dipped into a basin of water and then immediately dried: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a small piece of meat placed in a large pot of water, with a fiercely blazing fire beneath it, is very quickly consumed, so too, young brahmins, human life is like that piece of meat being consumed: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities very numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a bound robber is led to the foot of the execution post to be killed, and with every step he draws one step nearer to death and one step farther from life, so too, young brahmins, human life is like that bound robber being led to the execution post to be killed: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a butcher leads an ox to slaughter, and with every step it draws one step nearer to death and one step farther from life, so too, young brahmins, human life is like that ox being led to slaughter: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as in weaving cloth, with each additional row of weft the fabric draws closer to completion and nearer to being finished, so too, young brahmins, human life is like cloth nearing completion: difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as a mountain torrent rushes swiftly downward, flowing rapidly and sweeping away everything, its waters surging on without pausing for even a moment, so too, young brahmins, human life passes exceedingly swiftly, without pausing for even a moment. Young brahmins, human life is like a swiftly flowing current: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, just as when a stick is thrown to the ground in the darkness of night, either its lower end strikes the ground, its upper end strikes the ground, or it falls flat upon the ground, sometimes landing on clean ground and sometimes on unclean ground, so too, young brahmins, sentient beings, shrouded by ignorance and tightly bound by craving, may be born in hell, among animals, or among hungry ghosts; or they may be born in a heavenly realm or in the human realm. Thus, young brahmins, human life is like a stick thrown to the ground in darkness: exceedingly difficult to preserve, very brief, with exceedingly little sweetness, while its suffering and calamities are great—its calamities exceedingly numerous!’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na again taught the Dharma to his disciples:
“‘Young brahmins, in this very life I have now abandoned covetousness, and my mind harbors no harmful intent. On seeing the wealth of others or the requisites necessary for life, I do not give rise to covetousness or wish to seize them for myself. I have purified my mind of covetousness; likewise with ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.
In this very life I have abandoned doubt; I no longer waver regarding wholesome dharmas, and I have purified my mind of doubt. Young brahmins, in this very life you too should abandon covetousness and harbor no harmful intent. On seeing the wealth of others or the requisites necessary for life, you should not give rise to covetousness or wish to seize them for yourselves.
You should purify your minds of covetousness; likewise with ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. In this very life you should abandon doubt and should not waver regarding wholesome dharmas.’
“The venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples in this way. And the venerable teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma to his disciples:
"—‘Young brahmins, my mind, imbued with loving-kindness, pervades one direction and abides there accomplished. In the same way, it pervades the second, third, and fourth directions, the four intermediate directions, above and below, everywhere and throughout all places. My mind, imbued with loving-kindness, free from enmity, free from ill will, free from anger, and free from contention, vast, exalted, immeasurable, and well cultivated, pervades the entire world and abides there accomplished.
Likewise with compassion and sympathetic joy; and my mind, imbued with equanimity, free from enmity, free from ill will, free from anger, and free from contention, vast, exalted, immeasurable, and well cultivated, pervades the entire world and abides there accomplished. Young brahmins, you too should practice thus: with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, pervade one direction and abide there accomplished. In the same way, pervade the second, third, and fourth directions, the four intermediate directions, above and below, everywhere and throughout all places.
With a mind imbued with loving-kindness, free from enmity, free from ill will, free from anger, and free from contention, vast, exalted, immeasurable, and well cultivated, pervade the entire world and abide there accomplished. Likewise with compassion and sympathetic joy; and with a mind imbued with equanimity, free from enmity, free from ill will, free from anger, and free from contention, vast, exalted, immeasurable, and well cultivated, pervade the entire world and abide there accomplished.’
"Thus did the teacher A-lan-na teach the Dharma to his disciples.
"The teacher A-lan-na also taught his disciples the Dharma of the Brahma world.[05] When the teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma of the Brahma world to his disciples, any disciple who did not fully practice that Dharma, after the breakup of the body and the end of life, was reborn among the Four Great Kings, or in the Heaven of the Thirty-three, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, or the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations. But when the teacher A-lan-na taught the Dharma of the Brahma world to his disciples, any disciple who fully observed that Dharma, cultivated the four Brahma abodes,[06] and abandoned sensual desire was, after the breakup of the body and the end of life, reborn in the Brahma world.
"At that time, the teacher A-lan-na thought: ‘In a future life, I ought not to be reborn in the same place as my disciples. I should now cultivate supreme loving-kindness. Having cultivated supreme loving-kindness, when my life ends I shall be reborn in the Radiant Heaven.’ Having thought thus, the teacher A-lan-na then cultivated supreme loving-kindness. After cultivating supreme loving-kindness, when his life ended he was reborn in the Radiant Heaven. The teacher A-lan-na and his disciples did not cultivate and train in the path in vain; they obtained great meritorious rewards.
"Bhikkhus, what do you think? Was the teacher A-lan-na of that former time someone else? Do not think so.
Why is this? Bhikkhus, you should know that he was none other than I. At that time, I was called the teacher A-lan-na.
I then had immeasurable hundreds of thousands of disciples. I taught those disciples the Dharma of the Brahma world. When I taught my disciples the Dharma of the Brahma world, some did not fully observe that Dharma; therefore, when their lives ended, they were reborn among the Four Great Kings, or in the Heaven of the Thirty-three, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, or the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations.
When I taught my disciples the Dharma of the Brahma world, those who fully observed that Dharma, cultivated the four Brahma abodes, and abandoned sensual desire were, after their lives ended, reborn in the Brahma world. At that time, I thought: ‘In a future life, I ought not to be reborn in the same place as my disciples. I should now cultivate supreme loving-kindness.
Having cultivated supreme loving-kindness, when my life ends I shall be reborn in the Radiant Heaven.’ At that time, my disciples and I did not cultivate and train in the path in vain; we obtained great rewards. At that time, I benefited myself, benefited others, and benefited all beings. Out of compassion for the world, I sought its welfare and benefit, peace and happiness, for devas and humans.
Yet the Dharma I taught then had not reached the ultimate, was not ultimately pure, was not the ultimate holy life, and did not bring the holy life to ultimate fulfillment. At that time, I had not yet transcended birth, aging, illness, death, weeping, and sorrow, nor had I escaped all suffering. Bhikkhus, I am now the Transcendent One, the Tathagata, the Unattached One, the Perfectly Awakened One, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Guide of Beings to Be Tamed, the Teacher of Devas and Humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.
I now benefit myself, benefit others, and benefit all beings. Out of compassion for the world, I seek its welfare and benefit, peace and happiness, for devas and humans. The Dharma I now teach has reached the ultimate, is ultimately pure, is the ultimate holy life, and brings the holy life to fulfillment.
I have now transcended birth, aging, illness, death, weeping, and sorrow. I have now escaped all suffering.
"Bhikkhus, if anyone were to speak rightly, he would say: ‘Human life is short; in but a moment one passes into another life. Therefore, one should perform wholesome deeds and cultivate the holy life, for whoever is born cannot avoid death.’ Bhikkhus, to speak thus now is to speak rightly. Why is this?
Nowadays, even one who is long-lived lives at most for one hundred years, or only a little beyond. If one lives long, one lives through three hundred seasons: one hundred springs, one hundred summers, and one hundred winters. Thus one lives for one thousand two hundred months: four hundred months of spring, four hundred months of summer, and four hundred months of winter.
To live for one thousand two hundred months is to live for two thousand four hundred half-months: eight hundred in spring, eight hundred in summer, and eight hundred in winter. To live for two thousand four hundred half-months is to live for thirty-six thousand days and nights: twelve thousand in spring, twelve thousand in summer, and twelve thousand in winter. To live for thirty-six thousand days and nights is to eat or abstain from eating seventy-two thousand times, including the times one was nourished by one’s mother’s milk.
"As for abstaining from food,[07] there is not eating because of suffering, not eating because of anger, not eating because of illness, not eating because one is occupied with work, not eating while traveling, not eating when attending upon the king, not eating on observance days, and not eating because of adversity.[08]
"Bhikkhus, such is a life of one hundred years. Within those one hundred years are so many seasons; within those seasons are so many months; within those months, so many half-months; so many days, so many nights, so many days and nights; so many meals, so many occasions of abstaining from food, and so many occasions of eating and abstaining from food.
"Bhikkhus, whatever a teacher, moved by great compassion and concern, might do out of sympathy for his disciples, seeking their welfare and benefit, peace and happiness, that I have done. You should act accordingly. Go to an empty forest, a remote wilderness deep in the mountains, beneath a tree, or to a quiet and peaceful place; sit in meditation and contemplate. Do not be heedless. Always strive diligently, lest you regret it afterward. This is my exhortation. This is my instruction."
Thus spoke the Buddha. Having heard the Buddha’s teaching, the bhikkhus rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.
Notes:
[01] Pāli parallel: A. 7. 70, Araka; A. 7. 69, Suneta.
[02] The ailments, as listed in the Pāli text, are: sītaṃ uṇhaṃ jigucchā pipāsā uccāro passavo—cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination.
[03] Câu-lao-bà 拘 牢 婆. Pāli: Koravya; see Sūtra 132, “Lại-tra-hòa-la,” above.
[04] A-lan-na 阿 籣 那; the transcription is close to Aranemi in A. 7. 69, Sunetta, where he is included among the seven ancient teachers who taught the Dharma leading to companionship in the Brahma world (brahmalokasahavyatāya dhammaṃ desesi). The content of the contemplation, however, is identical to that of Araka—the seventh of the seven ancient teachers listed in Sunetta—in A. 7. 70.
[05] The Dharma of the Brahmā world 梵 世 法. Pāli: brahmalokasahavyatā-dhamma, the Dharma leading to dwelling together with the Brahmā world.
[06] The four relinquishments, or the four Brahmā-abodes (the life of Brahmā); Pāli: brahmavihāra.
[07] Pāli: bhattantarāya, an obstacle to food, an interruption of or impediment to a meal.
[08] Chinese: “One who has not obtained anything does not eat” 不 得 者 不 食. Pāli: alabhkēna, not eating because one has received no gain.
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