尸迦羅越六方禮經

The Buddha was dwelling on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa near the city of Rājagṛha.

At that time, there was a son of an elder named Sigālaka who, rising early in the morning, combed his hair, bathed, and put on fine garments. Facing the East, he made four prostrations; facing the South, he made four prostrations; facing the West, he made four prostrations; facing the North, he made four prostrations; looking up toward heaven, he made four prostrations; and bowing down toward the earth, he made four prostrations. As the Buddha was entering the city to beg for alms, He saw this from afar, and so He went up to the house of the elder's son to ask the reason:

– Why do you bow to the six directions? With what Dharma does this correspond?

Sigālaka replied:

– While my father was still alive, he taught me to bow to the six directions. I do not know with what Dharma it corresponds. Now that my father has passed away, I dare not disobey his command.

The Buddha said:

– Your father taught you to bow to the six directions, but not by paying homage with the body.

Sigālaka then knelt down and addressed the Buddha:

– I humbly beg the Buddha to explain to me the meaning of this bowing to the six directions.

The Buddha said:

– Listen and bear it in mind. An elder is one of intelligence and wisdom who is able to uphold the four precepts without transgression. Therefore in this life he is respected by all people, and in the life to come he is reborn in the heavens:

First, not to kill the multitude of living beings;

Second, not to steal;

Third, not to take another's wife;

Fourth, not to speak falsely, not to speak with a double tongue; as for lustful desire, greed and lust, anger, and delusion, one must restrain oneself and not follow after them.

If one does not restrain oneself in these four matters, then one's ill repute increases day by day, like the moon that has set, its light turned to darkness. But whoever is able to restrain himself from these evils is like the moon when it first rises, its light growing ever brighter, until the fifteenth day when the moon is at its fullest and most complete.

The Buddha said:

– Again, there are six things that cause one's wealth to dwindle day by day:

First, fondness for drinking liquor;

Second, fondness for gambling;

Third, fondness for sleeping early and rising late;

Fourth, fondness for inviting guests and also wishing to be invited in return by others;

Fifth, wishing to form close ties with evil companions;

Sixth, arrogance and contempt for others.

To commit the four evils above and also to do these six things will harm one's wholesome conduct, and will likewise bring no benefit in the matter of livelihood, causing one's wealth to dwindle day by day. What benefit, then, is there in paying homage to the six directions?

The Buddha said:

– Evil companions are of four kinds:

First, those who inwardly harbor a mind of enmity, yet outwardly pretend to be companions;

Second, those who, before a person, speak well of him, but behind his back speak ill of him;

Third, those who, when you have an urgent matter, show grief and distress to your face, but inwardly nurse delight behind your back;

Fourth, those who outwardly seem most intimate, yet inwardly plot enmity.

– Good companions are likewise of four kinds:

First, those who outwardly seem like enemies, yet inwardly possess a heart of kindness;

Second, those who, to a person's face, straightforwardly admonish and restrain him, while outwardly praising his good deeds;

Third, those who, when sickness comes, or when officials of authority cause you worry and fear, seek means to help and resolve it;

Fourth, those who, seeing you poor and in want, do not abandon you, but constantly think of ways and means, wishing for you to become wealthy.

– Evil companions are likewise of four kinds:

First, those who are hard to admonish, hard to instruct in doing good, and who make friends with evil people;

Second, those who, though instructed, do not like to listen, because they keep company with drinkers and so suit those addicted to liquor;

Third, those who, though instructed, are stubborn, and moreover stir up much trouble;

Fourth, those who are taught to befriend the virtuous, yet instead grow intimate with gambling companions.

– Good companions are likewise of four kinds:

First, those who, seeing a person destitute, hungry, and ragged, help him to make a living;

Second, those who do not contend with others over winning or losing;

Third, those who often come to visit;

Fourth, those who, whether coming or going, are always mindful of you.

– Good companions are likewise of four kinds:

First, those who, when one is arrested by officials, take you in and conceal you, waiting to resolve the matter afterward;

Second, those who, when one is afflicted by illness or sickness, take you in to nurse and care for you;

Third, those who, knowing that you have suffered a death, attend to the matter of burial;

Fourth, those who, if they know that you have died, still keep your family in mind.

– Good companions are likewise of four kinds:

First, those who, when you wish to contend and quarrel, restrain you;

Second, those who, when you wish to follow evil companions, advise you not to follow them;

Third, those who, when you do not wish to engage in a livelihood, counsel you to attend to your livelihood;

Fourth, those who, when you do not delight in following the Dharma, instruct you so that you come to have faith and joy.

– Evil companions are likewise of four kinds:

First, those who are little offended yet greatly angered;

Second, those who, when there is an urgent matter for which they are relied upon, refuse to help;

Third, those who, seeing a person in peril and danger, flee;

Fourth, those who, seeing a person dead, depart without concern.

The Buddha said:

– Choose good people to follow, and avoid the evil ones. It was through befriending good companions that I myself attained Buddhahood.

The Buddha said:

– As for bowing to the East, this means:

A child serves his parents in five matters:

First, he must remember to attend to the livelihood;

Second, he must rise early to direct the servants so that meals are prepared on time;

Third, he must not let his parents worry;

Fourth, he must think upon the kindness of his parents;

Fifth, when his parents are ill, he must take care to seek out a physician for treatment.

Parents likewise have five matters toward their child:

First, they must remember to cause the child to forsake evil and follow good;

Second, they teach the child to apply himself diligently to study;

Third, they teach the child to uphold the scriptures and keep the precepts;

Fourth, they must take care to arrange a marriage for the child;

Fifth, whatever wealth there is in the household must be left to the child.

– As for bowing to the South, this means:

A disciple serves his teacher in five matters:

First, he must respectfully praise him;

Second, he must remember the teacher's kindness;

Third, he must heed the teacher's instructions;

Fourth, he keeps him in mind without weariness;

Fifth, he should wholeheartedly follow and praise the teacher.

A teacher likewise teaches his disciple in five matters:

First, he must make him understand quickly;

Second, he makes his own disciple surpass the disciples of others;

Third, he wishes that what has been learned be remembered forever and never forgotten;

Fourth, he explains away all doubts;

Fifth, he wishes to cause the disciple to be wiser than the teacher.

– As for bowing to the West, this means:

A wife serves her husband in five matters:

First, when her husband returns from anywhere, she must rise to welcome and receive him;

Second, when her husband is away, she must see to all the cooking and sweeping, awaiting his return;

Third, she must not harbor lustful desire toward others, and even when her husband reproaches her, she must not respond with a reproaching attitude;

Fourth, she should act according to her husband's admonitions, and whatever she finds she must not conceal;

Fifth, when her husband is to sleep and rest, she must finish setting things in order before she herself sleeps.

A husband likewise has five matters toward his wife:

First, wherever he goes, he must let his wife know;

Second, he provides meals on time and supplies clothing for his wife;

Third, he must provide gold, silver, and precious jewels;

Fourth, whatever things there are in the household, many or few, must all be entrusted to his wife;

Fifth, he must not commit adultery by keeping, serving, or transferring property to another.

– Bowing to the North means how one conducts oneself toward kinsfolk and friends, in five matters:

First, seeing them do evil, one goes privately to a quiet place to admonish, advise, and restrain them;

Second, seeing a matter of peril and urgency, even a very small one, one quickly runs to their rescue;

Third, whatever is spoken in private must not be told for others to hear;

Fourth, one must respect, cherish, and praise one another;

Fifth, whatever good things one has, whether many or few, one should share with one another.

– Bowing down toward the earth means:

A master has five matters toward his servants:

First, he must give them food and drink, and clothing, at the proper times;

Second, when they fall ill, he must summon a physician to treat them;

Third, he must not beat them;

Fourth, if they have property of their own, he must not seize it;

Fifth, whatever things are to be apportioned must be apportioned equally.

Servants likewise have five matters toward their master:

First, they must take care to rise early, not waiting for the master of the house to call them;

Second, when at work, they must do their utmost;

Third, they must cherish their master's possessions and not cast them away to others;

Fourth, when the master of the house comes or goes, they must see him off and welcome him;

Fifth, they must praise his good qualities and not speak of the master's faults.

– Bowing upward toward heaven means:

A person who serves the Śramaṇas and ascetics should do five things:

First, to approach them with a wholesome heart;

Second, to choose fine words when speaking to them;

Third, to be respectful with the body;

Fourth, to be devoted and admiring;

Fifth, since the Śramaṇas and ascetics are the good ones among humankind, one must respect them, serve them, and inquire of them about the means to escape from the suffering of worldly life.

The Śramaṇas and ascetics have six things they keep in mind toward ordinary people:

First, they teach them to give in charity, and not to be greedy and miserly;

Second, they teach them to uphold the precepts, and not to commit acts of lust;

Third, they teach them patient endurance, and not to be angry and resentful;

Fourth, they teach them diligence, and not to be arrogant and lazy;

Fifth, they teach them one-pointedness of mind, and not to be heedless;

Sixth, they teach them understanding and wisdom, and not to be deluded.

The Śramaṇas and ascetics teach people to forsake evil and do good, and reveal to them the path of the right Way; this kindness is greater than that of parents. Do thus, regarding it as when your father, while still alive, taught you to bow to the six directions. Why then should you not be wealthy and honored?

Sigālaka thereupon received the five precepts, made his obeisance, and withdrew.

The Buddha spoke a verse:

The Buddha is higher than all the devas,
Spirits and ghosts cannot match Him;
Bowing the head, one circumambulates the stūpa and temple,
And with folded hands pays homage to the ten directions.

In all cases one must rectify the mind;
Through the three periods, the spirit-consciousness is good.
Not craving and clinging amid the eight calamities,
According to one's conduct one is born throughout the ten directions.

The Buddha Speaks the Sūtra of Sigālaka Bowing to the Six Directions