With Bāhiya · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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thusEvaṁ
by meme
heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ
timesamayaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ
was stayingviharati
in Jeta’s Grovejetavane
of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa
in the monasteryārāme.
at thatTena
indeedkho
nowpana
timesamayena
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
by Suppārakasuppārake
was residingpaṭivasati
on the ocean shoresamuddatīre
honoredsakkato
respectedgarukato
reveredmānito
veneratedpūjito
esteemedapacito
a receiverlābhī
of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sickcīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.
thenAtha
indeedkho
for Bāhiyabāhiyassa
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa
gone into privacyrahogatassa
in retreatpaṭisallīnassa
thusevaṁ
of mindcetaso
a reflectionparivitakko
aroseudapādi:
those who“ye
indeedkho
whoeverkeci
in the worldloke
perfected onesarahanto
orvā
the path to perfectionarahattamaggaṁ
orvā
have entered uponsamāpannā,
Iahaṁ
of themtesaṁ
am one (quote)aññataro”ti.
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth was residing by Suppāraka on the ocean shore, where he was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “I am one of those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection.”
thenAtha
indeedkho
of Bāhiyabāhiyassa
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa
a former blood relativepurāṇasālohitā
a deitydevatā
sympatheticanukampikā
wanting his goodatthakāmā
of Bāhiyabāhiyassa
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa
with her mindcetasā
having known the reflection in his mindcetoparivitakkamaññāya
whereyena
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
there approachedtenupasaṅkami;
having approachedupasaṅkamitvā
to Bāhiyabāhiyaṁ
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
neither“neva
indeedkho
youtvaṁ,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
a perfected onearahā,
nor evennāpi
the path to perfectionarahattamaggaṁ
orvā
one entered uponsamāpanno.
even thatSāpi
for youte
practicepaṭipadā
there is notnatthi
by whichyāya
youtvaṁ
a perfected onearahā
eithervā
might beassa
the path to perfectionarahattamaggaṁ
orvā
one entered upon (quote)samāpanno”ti.
Then a deity who was a former relative of Bāhiya, having sympathy and wanting what’s best for him, approached him and said: “Bāhiya, you’re not a perfected one, nor on the path to perfection. You don’t have the practice by which you might become a perfected one or one on the path to perfection.”
then“Atha
whoke
nowcarahi
with its godssadevake
in the worldloke
perfected onesarahanto
orvā
the path to perfectionarahattamaggaṁ
orvā
have entered upon (quote)samāpannā”ti?
there is“Atthi,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
in the northernuttaresu
landsjanapadesu
Sāvatthīsāvatthī
namednāma
a citynagaraṁ.
thereTattha
thatso
Blessed Onebhagavā
nowetarahi
is stayingviharati
the perfected onearahaṁ
the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho.
heSo
indeedhi,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
the Blessed Onebhagavā
a perfected onearahā
both isceva
for the sake of perfectionarahattāya
andca
the Dhammadhammaṁ
teaches (quote)desetī”ti.
“So who then are those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection?” “In the northern lands there is a city named Sāvatthī. There that Blessed One is now staying, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. He is a perfected one and teaches the Dhamma for the sake of perfection.”
thenAtha
indeedkho
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
by thattāya
deitydevatāya
impelledsaṁvejito
right awaytāvadeva
from Suppārakasuppārakamhā
departedpakkāmi.
everywhereSabbattha
staying a single nightekarattiparivāsena
whereyena
Sāvatthīsāvatthī
the Jeta Grovejetavanaṁ
of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa
the monasteryārāmo
there he approachedtenupasaṅkami.
at thatTena
indeedkho
nowpana
timesamayena
severalsambahulā
monksbhikkhū
in the open airabbhokāse
were walking mindfullycaṅkamanti.
thenAtha
indeedkho
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
whereyena
thosete
monksbhikkhū
there approachedtenupasaṅkami;
having approachedupasaṅkamitvā
to thosete
monksbhikkhū
said thisetadavoca:
where“kahaṁ
nownu
indeedkho,
venerable sirsbhante,
at presentetarahi
the Blessed Onebhagavā
is stayingviharati
the perfected onearahaṁ
the fully awakened Buddha?sammāsambuddho?
desirous of seeingDassanakāmamhā
we aremayaṁ
thattaṁ
Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
perfected onearahantaṁ
fully awakened Buddha (quote)sammāsambuddhan”ti.
an inhabited area“Antaragharaṁ
has enteredpaviṭṭho
indeedkho,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
the Blessed Onebhagavā
for almsfood (quote)piṇḍāyā”ti.
Impelled by that deity, Bāhiya left Suppāraka right away. Sojourning no more than a single night in any place, he made his way to Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery in the Jeta Grove at Sāvatthī. At that time several mendicants were walking mindfully in the open air. Bāhiya approached them and said, “Sirs, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha? For I want to see him.” “He has entered an inhabited area for almsfood, Bāhiya.”
thenAtha
indeedkho
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
in a hurrytaramānarūpo
from the Jeta Grovejetavanā
having gone outnikkhamitvā
Sāvatthīsāvatthiṁ
having enteredpavisitvā
sawaddasa
the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ
for almspiṇḍāya
walkingcarantaṁ
impressivepāsādikaṁ
inspiringpasādanīyaṁ
with peaceful facultiessantindriyaṁ
with peaceful heartsantamānasaṁ
attained to the highest self-control and serenityuttamadamathasamathamanuppattaṁ
tameddantaṁ
guardedguttaṁ
with restrained facultiesyatindriyaṁ
an elephantnāgaṁ.
having seenDisvāna
whereyena
the Blessed Onebhagavā
there approachedtenupasaṅkami;
having approachedupasaṅkamitvā
of the Blessed Onebhagavato
at the feetpāde
with his headsirasā
having bowed downnipatitvā
to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
let teach“desetu
meme,
venerable sirbhante,
the Blessed Onebhagavā
the Dhammadhammaṁ;
let teachdesetu
the Holy Onesugato
the Dhammadhammaṁ,
whichyaṁ
would be for memamassa
for a long timedīgharattaṁ
for welfarehitāya
for happiness (quote)sukhāyā”ti.
thusEvaṁ
when it was saidvutte,
the Blessed Onebhagavā
to Bāhiyabāhiyaṁ
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
it is not the time“akālo
indeedkho
so long astāva,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
an inhabited areaantaragharaṁ
we have enteredpaviṭṭhamhā
for almsfood (quote)piṇḍāyā”ti.
Then Bāhiya rushed out of the Jeta Grove and entered Sāvatthī, where he saw the Buddha walking for alms. He was impressive and inspiring, with peaceful faculties and heart, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties. Bāhiya went up to the Buddha, bowed down with his head to the Buddha’s feet, and said, “Sir, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” The Buddha said this: “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”
for a second timeDutiyampi
indeedkho
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
hard to know“dujjānaṁ
indeedkho
but this ispanetaṁ,
venerable sirbhante,
for the Blessed Onebhagavato
eithervā
the dangers to lifejīvitantarāyānaṁ,
for memayhaṁ
orvā
the dangers to lifejīvitantarāyānaṁ.
let teachDesetu
meme,
venerable sirbhante,
the Blessed Onebhagavā
the Dhammadhammaṁ;
let teachdesetu
the Holy Onesugato
the Dhammadhammaṁ,
whichyaṁ
would be for memamassa
for a long timedīgharattaṁ
for welfarehitāya
for happiness (quote)sukhāyā”ti.
for a second timeDutiyampi
indeedkho
the Blessed Onebhagavā
to Bāhiyabāhiyaṁ
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
it is not the time“akālo
indeedkho
so long astāva,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
an inhabited areaantaragharaṁ
we have enteredpaviṭṭhamhā
for almsfood (quote)piṇḍāyā”ti.
For a second time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” For a second time, the Buddha said, “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”
for a third timeTatiyampi
indeedkho
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
hard to know“dujjānaṁ
indeedkho
but this ispanetaṁ,
venerable sirbhante,
for the Blessed Onebhagavato
eithervā
the dangers to lifejīvitantarāyānaṁ,
for memayhaṁ
orvā
the dangers to lifejīvitantarāyānaṁ.
let teachDesetu
meme,
venerable sirbhante,
the Blessed Onebhagavā
the Dhammadhammaṁ;
let teachdesetu
the Holy Onesugato
the Dhammadhammaṁ,
whichyaṁ
would be for memamassa
for a long timedīgharattaṁ
for welfarehitāya
for happiness (quote)sukhāyā”ti.
For a third time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”
therefore here“Tasmātiha
by youte,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
thusevaṁ
it should be trainedsikkhitabbaṁ:
in the seen‘diṭṭhe
merely the seendiṭṭhamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
in the heardsute
merely the heardsutamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
in the thoughtmute
merely the thoughtmutamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
in the knownviññāte
merely the knownviññātamattaṁ
there will be (quote)bhavissatī’ti.
for thusEvañhi
by youte,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
it should be trainedsikkhitabbaṁ.
whenYato
indeedkho
for youte,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
in the seendiṭṭhe
merely the seendiṭṭhamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
in the heardsute
merely the heardsutamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
in the thoughtmute
merely the thoughtmutamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
in the knownviññāte
merely the knownviññātamattaṁ
there will bebhavissati,
thentato
youtvaṁ,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
notna
by thattena.
whenYato
youtvaṁ,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
notna
by thattena;
thentato
youtvaṁ,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
notna
theretattha.
whenYato
youtvaṁ,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
notna
theretattha,
thentato
youtvaṁ,
Bāhiyabāhiya,
neither herenevidha
norna
beyondhuraṁ
norna
between the twoubhayamantarena.
just this is the endEsevanto
of suffering (quote)dukkhassā”ti.
“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train like this: ‘In the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.’ That’s how you should train. When you have trained in this way, you won’t be ‘by that’. When you’re not ‘by that’, you won’t be ‘in that’. When you’re not ‘in that’, you won’t be in this life or the next or between the two. Just this is the end of suffering.”
thenAtha indeedkho of Bāhiyabāhiyassa of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa of the Blessed Onebhagavato by thisimāya briefsaṅkhittāya Dhamma teachingdhammadesanāya right awaytāvadeva by not graspinganupādāya from defilementsāsavehi the mindcittaṁ was freedvimucci.
Then, due to this brief Dhamma teaching of the Buddha, Bāhiya’s mind was right away freed from defilements by not grasping.
thenAtha
indeedkho
the Blessed Onebhagavā
Bāhiyabāhiyaṁ
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyaṁ
with thisiminā
briefsaṅkhittena
adviceovādena
having advisedovaditvā
departedpakkāmi.
thenAtha
indeedkho
not long departedacirapakkantassa
when the Blessed One wasbhagavato
Bāhiyabāhiyaṁ
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyaṁ
a cowgāvī
with a young calftaruṇavacchā
having charged atadhipatitvā
of lifejīvitā
deprivedvoropesi.
And when the Buddha had given Bāhiya this brief advice he left. But soon after the Buddha had left, a cow with a baby calf charged at Bāhiya and took his life.
thenAtha
indeedkho
the Blessed Onebhagavā
in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ
for almspiṇḍāya
having wanderedcaritvā
after the mealpacchābhattaṁ
returned from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkanto
with severalsambahulehi
monksbhikkhūhi
togethersaddhiṁ
from the citynagaramhā
having gone outnikkhamitvā
sawaddasa
Bāhiyabāhiyaṁ
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyaṁ
passed awaykālaṅkataṁ;
having seendisvāna
the monksbhikkhū
addressedāmantesi:
pick up“gaṇhatha,
monksbhikkhave,
of Bāhiyabāhiyassa
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa
the corpsesarīrakaṁ;
onto a cotmañcakaṁ
having liftedāropetvā
having carried outnīharitvā
cremate itjhāpetha;
and a monument for himthūpañcassa
buildkarotha.
a spiritual companionSabrahmacārī
of yoursvo,
monksbhikkhave,
has passed away (quote)kālaṅkato”ti.
Then the Buddha wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he exited the city together with several mendicants and saw that Bāhiya had passed away. He said to the monks, “Mendicants, pick up Bāhiya’s corpse. Having lifted it onto a cot and carried it, cremate it and build a monument. Mendicants, one of your spiritual companions has passed away.”
“yes“Evaṁ,
venerable sir” (quote)bhante”ti
indeedkho
thosete
monksbhikkhū
to the Blessed Onebhagavato
having repliedpaṭissutvā
of Bāhiyabāhiyassa
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa
the corpsesarīrakaṁ
onto a cotmañcakaṁ
having liftedāropetvā
having carried outnīharitvā
having crematedjhāpetvā
and a monument for himthūpañcassa
having builtkatvā
whereyena
the Blessed Onebhagavā
there approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu;
having approachedupasaṅkamitvā
the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
having bowed toabhivādetvā
to one sideekamantaṁ
sat downnisīdiṁsu.
to one sideEkamantaṁ
seatednisinnā
indeedkho
thosete
monksbhikkhū
to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
said thisetadavocuṁ:
burnt“daḍḍhaṁ,
venerable sirbhante,
of Bāhiyabāhiyassa
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyassa
the bodysarīraṁ,
a monumentthūpo
and for himcassa
builtkato.
hisTassa
whatkā
destinationgati,
whatko
future state (quote)abhisamparāyo”ti?
astute“Paṇḍito,
monksbhikkhave,
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Clothdārucīriyo
practicedpaccapādi
in line with the teachingdhammassānudhammaṁ;
notna
andca
memaṁ
on account of the teachingsdhammādhikaraṇaṁ
did troublevihesesi.
fully quenchedParinibbuto,
monksbhikkhave,
Bāhiyabāhiyo
of the Bark Cloth (quote)dārucīriyo”ti.
“Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. They did as the Buddha asked, then returned to the Buddha and said, “Sir, Bāhiya’s corpse has been cremated and a monument built for him. Where has he been reborn in his next life?” “Mendicants, Bāhiya was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth has become fully quenched.”
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā this matteretamatthaṁ having understoodviditvā on thattāyaṁ occasionvelāyaṁ thisimaṁ heartfelt sentimentudānaṁ expressedudānesi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
where“Yattha
waterāpo
andca
earthpathavī,
firetejo
airvāyo
notna
find a footinggādhati;
notNa
theretattha
the starssukkā
shinejotanti,
the sunādicco
does not shed lightnappakāsati;
notNa
theretattha
the mooncandimā
glowsbhāti,
darknesstamo
theretattha
notna
is foundvijjati.
“Where water and earth, fire and air have no footing— there no star does shine, nor does the sun shed its light; there the moon glows not, yet no darkness is found.
whenYadā
andca
knows by himselfattanāvedi,
the sagemuni
through sagacitymonena
the brahminbrāhmaṇo;
thenAtha
from formsrūpā
from the formlessarūpā
andca,
from pleasure and painsukhadukkhā
is released (quote)pamuccatī”ti.
the tenthDasamaṁ.
And when a sage, a brahmin, finds understanding through their own sagacity, then, from forms and formless, from pleasure and pain they are released.”
this tooAyampi
heartfelt sayingudāno
was spokenvutto
by the Blessed Onebhagavatā
thusiti
by meme
heard (quote)sutanti.
the Chapter on AwakeningBodhivaggo
the firstpaṭhamo.
This too is a heartfelt saying that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.
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