Saṅgāravasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 100

With Saṅgārava · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, this occurredetadahosi:
I recall‘abhijānāmi indeedkho and Ipanāhaṁ of fatherpitu the Sakyansakkassa at workkammante coolsītāya in the black plum shadejambucchāyāya sittingnisinno quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca from unskillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with placing the mindsavitakkaṁ with keeping it connectedsavicāraṁ born of seclusionvivekajaṁ rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja I remainedviharitā.
could it beSiyā thennu indeedkho thiseso pathmaggo to awakeningbodhāyā’ti?
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, stemming from memorysatānusāri understandingviññāṇaṁ wasahosi:
that is the very‘eseva pathmaggo to awakeningbodhāyā’ti.

Then it occurred to me, ‘I recall sitting in the cool shade of a black plum tree while my father the Sakyan was off working. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Could that be the path to awakening?’ Stemming from that memory came the understanding: ‘That is the path to awakening!’

of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, this occurredetadahosi:
why‘kiṁ indeednu indeedkho Iahaṁ of thattassa of pleasuresukhassa I am afraidbhāyāmi whichyaṁ thattaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ apart fromaññatreva from sensual pleasureskāmehi apart fromaññatra from unskillfulakusalehi from qualitiesdhammehī’ti?
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, this occurredetadahosi:
not‘na indeedkho Iahaṁ of thattassa of pleasuresukhassa I am afraidbhāyāmi whichyaṁ thattaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ apart fromaññatreva from sensual pleasureskāmehi apart fromaññatra from unskillfulakusalehi from qualitiesdhammehī’ti.

Then it occurred to me, ‘Why am I afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities?’ Then it occurred to me, ‘I’m not afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities.’

to himTassa to memayhaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, this occurredetadahosi:
not‘na indeedkho thattaṁ easysukaraṁ pleasuresukhaṁ to attainadhigantuṁ thusevaṁ severely emaciatedadhimattakasimānaṁ with bodypattakāyena.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ should eatāhāreyyaṁ rice and porridgeodanakummāsan’ti.
ISo indeedkho Iahaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ ateāhāresiṁ rice and porridgeodanakummāsaṁ.
at thatTena indeedkho nowpana memaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, at the timesamayena group of fivepañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū were attendingpaccupaṭṭhitā werehonti:
whatever‘yaṁ indeedkho asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo truthdhammaṁ will realizeadhigamissati thattaṁ to usno will announceārocessatī’ti.
whenYato indeedkho Iahaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ ateāhāresiṁ rice and porridgeodanakummāsaṁ, thenatha meme thosete group of fivepañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū disappointednibbijja departedpakkamiṁsu:
indulgent‘bāhulliko asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo strayed from the strugglepadhānavibbhanto returnedāvatto to indulgencebāhullāyā’ti.

Then it occurred to me, ‘I can’t achieve that pleasure with a body so severely emaciated. Why don’t I eat some solid food, some rice and porridge?’ So I ate some solid food. Now at that time the group of five mendicants were attending on me, thinking, ‘The ascetic Gotama will tell us of any truth that he realizes.’ But when I ate some solid food, they left disappointed in me, saying, ‘The ascetic Gotama has become indulgent; he has strayed from the struggle and returned to indulgence.’

thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ having eatenāhāretvā strengthbalaṁ having gatheredgahetvā quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi …pe……pe… firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.
of placing and keeping connectedVitakkavicārānaṁ by the stillingvūpasamā internalajjhattaṁ serenitysampasādanaṁ of mindcetaso unificationekodibhāvaṁ without placingavitakkaṁ without keeping connectedavicāraṁ born of concentrationsamādhijaṁ rapture and pleasurepītisukhaṁ seconddutiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ ……
thirdtatiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ ……
fourthcatutthaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.

After eating solid food and gathering my strength, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption … As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

ISo thusevaṁ immersed in samādhisamāhite in mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte toward recollection of past livespubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya mindcittaṁ I extendedabhininnāmesiṁ.
ISo many kinds ofanekavihitaṁ past livespubbenivāsaṁ I recollectanussarāmi, that is—oneseyyathidaṁ—ekampi rebirthjātiṁ twodvepi rebirthsjātiyo …pe……pe… thusiti with featuressākāraṁ with detailssauddesaṁ many kinds ofanekavihitaṁ past livespubbenivāsaṁ I recollectanussarāmi.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected many past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. And so I recollected my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.

thisAyaṁ indeedkho by meme, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, of the nightrattiyā firstpaṭhame watchyāme firstpaṭhamā knowledgevijjā achievedadhigatā,
ignoranceavijjā banishedvihatā, knowledgevijjā aroseuppannā; darknesstamo banishedvihato, lightāloko aroseuppanno; asyathā thattaṁ diligentappamattassa keenātāpino resolutepahitattassa meditatingviharato.

This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

thatSo thusevaṁ concentratedsamāhite mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte of sentient beingssattānaṁ toward knowledge of death and rebirthcutūpapātañāṇāya mindcittaṁ I extendedabhininnāmesiṁ.
withSo divinedibbena with the eyecakkhunā purifiedvisuddhena superhumanatikkantamānusakena sentient beingssatte I seepassāmi passing awaycavamāne being rebornupapajjamāne inferiorhīne superiorpaṇīte beautifulsuvaṇṇe uglydubbaṇṇe in a good placesugate in a bad placeduggate passing on according to their deedsyathākammūpage sentient beingssatte I understandpajānāmi …pe……pe…
thisayaṁ indeedkho to meme, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, of the nightrattiyā middlemajjhime watchyāme seconddutiyā
knowledgevijjā achievedadhigatā, ignoranceavijjā banishedvihatā, knowledgevijjā aroseuppannā; darknesstamo banishedvihato, lightāloko aroseuppanno; asyathā thattaṁ of one who is diligentappamattassa keenātāpino resolutepahitattassa for one dwellingviharato.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ I truly understood: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements.’

of thatTassa to meme thusevaṁ knowingjānato thusevaṁ seeingpassato from the defilement of sensualitykāmāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha, from the defilement of existencebhavāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha, from the defilement of ignoranceavijjāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha.
when freedVimuttasmiṁ it is freedvimuttamiti knowledgeñāṇaṁ there wasahosi.
ended‘Khīṇā rebirthjāti, completedvusitaṁ the spiritual journeybrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, nothing furthernāparaṁ for this stateitthattāyā’ti I understoodabbhaññāsiṁ.

Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.’

thisAyaṁ indeedkho to meme, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, of the nightrattiyā lastpacchime in the watchyāme thirdtatiyā
knowledgevijjā achievedadhigatā, ignoranceavijjā banishedvihatā, knowledgevijjā aroseuppannā; darknesstamo banishedvihato, lightāloko aroseuppanno; asyathā thattaṁ for one who is diligentappamattassa keenātāpino resolutepahitattassa for one dwellingviharato”ti.

This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.”

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Saṅgāravasaṅgāravo brahmin studentmāṇavo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this he saidetadavoca:
assiduous“aṭṭhitavataṁ of the worthy onebhoto Gotama'sgotamassa the strivingpadhānaṁ wasahosi, of a true personsappurisavataṁ of the worthy onebhoto Gotama'sgotamassa the strivingpadhānaṁ wasahosi;
asyathā thattaṁ of a perfected onearahato of a fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhassa.
whatKiṁ thennu indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, there areatthi godsdevā”ti?
in terms of causes“Ṭhānaso this to memetaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, understoodviditaṁ that isyadidaṁ—
the godsadhidevā”ti.
what“Kiṁ thennu indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, there are‘atthi godsdevā’ti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno in terms of causes‘ṭhānaso this to memetaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, understoodviditaṁ that isyadidaṁ the godsadhidevā’ti you sayvadesi.
is it notNanu, worthybho Gotamagotama, thusevaṁ being sosante hollowtucchā falsemusā it ishotī”ti?
there are“‘Atthi godsdevā’ti, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno there are‘atthi godsdevā’ti whoyo might sayvadeyya, in terms of causes‘ṭhānaso to meme understoodviditā’ti whoyo might sayvadeyya;
thenatha here indeedkhvettha by a sensible personviññunā by a personpurisena categoricallyekaṁsena conclusionniṭṭhaṁ to be reachedgantabbaṁ that isyadidaṁ:
there are‘atthi godsdevā’”ti.
why“Kissa thenpana to meme worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo in the first placeādikeneva notna you explainedbyākāsī”ti?
by the eminent“Uccena agreedsammataṁ indeedkho thisetaṁ, Bhāradvājabhāradvāja, in the worldlokasmiṁ that isyadidaṁ:
there are‘atthi godsdevā’”ti.

When he had spoken, Saṅgārava said to the Buddha, “The striving of the worthy Gotama was indeed assiduous and that of a true person, since he is a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. But worthy Gotama, do gods survive?” “I’ve understood about gods in terms of causes.” “But worthy Gotama, when asked ‘Do gods survive?’ why did you say that you have understood about gods in terms of causes? That being so, is it not hollow and false?” “When asked ‘Do gods survive’, whether you reply ‘Gods survive’ or ‘I’ve understood in terms of causes’ a sensible person would come to the categorical conclusion in this matter that gods survive.” “But why didn’t you say that in the first place?” “It is agreed by the eminent in the world that gods survive.”

thusEvaṁ when spokenvutte, Saṅgāravasaṅgāravo brahmin studentmāṇavo to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
excellent“abhikkantaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama, excellentabhikkantaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
just asSeyyathāpi, worthybho Gotamagotama, overturnednikkujjitaṁ orvā might rightukkujjeyya, hiddenpaṭicchannaṁ orvā might revealvivareyya, to the lostmūḷhassa orvā pathmaggaṁ might point outācikkheyya, in the darkandhakāre orvā oil lamptelapajjotaṁ might holddhāreyya: those with eyes‘cakkhumanto formsrūpāni will seedakkhantī’ti; even soevamevaṁ by the worthybhotā Gotamagotamena in many waysanekapariyāyena the Teachingdhammo made clearpakāsito.
this IEsāhaṁ to the worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ I gogacchāmi and to the teachingdhammañca and to the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghañca.
as a lay followerUpāsakaṁ memaṁ worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo may rememberdhāretu from this day forthajjatagge for lifepāṇupetaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ who has gonegatan”ti.
Saṅgārava SuttaSaṅgāravasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ tenthdasamaṁ.
Brahmin ChapterBrāhmaṇavaggo finishedniṭṭhito fifthpañcamo.

When he had spoken, Saṅgārava said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the Teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

its summaryTassuddānaṁ
BrahmāyuBrahmāyu Sela and Assalāyanaselassalāyano,
Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho andca brahminbrāhmaṇo;
CaṅkīCaṅkī among theseesu Dhanañjānidhanañjāni,
Vāseṭṭhavāseṭṭho and Subhagāravasubhagāravoti.

Its summary: Brahmāyu, Sela and Assalāyana, Ghoṭamukha the brahmin; Caṅkī, among these Dhanañjāni, Vāseṭṭha, and Subhagārava.

thisIdaṁ summary of the chaptersvaggānamuddānaṁ
chapterVaggo householdergahapati monkbhikkhu,
named Wandererparibbājakanāmako;
King ChapterRājavaggo called Brahminbrāhmaṇoti,
fivepañca in the Middle Collectionmajjhimaāgame.
Middle FiftyMajjhimapaṇṇāsakaṁ completedsamattaṁ.

This is the summary of the chapters: the Householder Chapter, the Monk Chapter, the one named Wanderer; the King Chapter, called the Brahmin Chapter — five in the Middle Collection. The Middle Fifty is completed.

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