Devadahasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 101

At Devadaha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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just as + alsoSeyyathāpi, monksbhikkhave, a fletcherusukāro an arrow shafttejanaṁ between twodvīsu firebrandsalātesu heatsātāpeti thoroughly heatsparitāpeti straightujuṁ makeskaroti fit for usekammaniyaṁ.

Suppose a fletcher was heating an arrow shaft between two firebrands, making it straight and fit for use.

whenYato indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, arrow·makerusukārassa the arrow-shafttejanaṁ on twodvīsu firebrandsalātesu toward·heatātāpitaṁ ishoti around·heatparitāpitaṁ straightujuṁ madekataṁ fit for usekammaniyaṁ, notna heso ittaṁ lateraparena timesamayena arrow·makerusukāro the arrow-shafttejanaṁ on twodvīsu firebrandsalātesu toward·heatātāpeti around·heatparitāpeti straightujuṁ makeskaroti fit for usekammaniyaṁ.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
for whichYassa indeedhi heso, monksbhikkhave, for the purposeatthāya arrow·makerusukāro the arrow-shafttejanaṁ on twodvīsu firebrandsalātesu toward·heatātāpeyya around·heatparitāpeyya straightujuṁ would makekareyya fit for usekammaniyaṁ for him thatsvāssa purposeattho toward·accomplishabhinipphanno ishoti.
thereforeTasmā notna lateraparena timesamayena arrow·makerusukāro the arrow-shafttejanaṁ on twodvīsu firebrandsalātesu toward·heatātāpeti around·heatparitāpeti straightujuṁ makeskaroti fit for usekammaniyaṁ.
just soEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
as I please‘yathāsukhaṁ indeedkho for meme livingviharato not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti;
painfullydukkhāya butpana for meme myselfattānaṁ strivingpadahato not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ painfullydukkhāya myselfattānaṁ would strivepadaheyyan’ti.
heSo painfullydukkhāya himselfattānaṁ strivespadahati.

After it’s been made straight and fit for use, they’d no longer heat it to make it straight and fit for use. Why is that? Because they have accomplished the goal for which they heated it. In the same way, a mendicant reflects: ‘When I live as I please, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities decline. But when I strive painfully, unskillful qualities decline and skillful qualities grow. Why don’t I strive painfully?’ …

for himTassa with paindukkhāya himselfattānaṁ strivingpadahato not·wholesomeakusalā statesdhammā declineparihāyanti, wholesomekusalā statesdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti.
heSo notna lateraparena timesamayena with paindukkhāya himselfattānaṁ strivespadahati.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
for whichYassa indeedhi heso, monksbhikkhave, monkbhikkhu for the sakeatthāya with paindukkhāya himselfattānaṁ should strivepadaheyya he·indeed + for himsvāssa goalattho accomplishedabhinipphanno ishoti.
thereforeTasmā notna lateraparena timesamayena with paindukkhāya himselfattānaṁ strivespadahati.
thus tooEvampi, monksbhikkhave, fruitfulsaphalo exertionupakkamo ishoti, fruitfulsaphalaṁ strivingpadhānaṁ.

After some time, they no longer strive painfully. That too is how exertion and striving is fruitful.

furthermorePuna and alsocaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hereidha thus·gonetathāgato in the worldloke arisesuppajjati perfectedarahaṁ fully·awakenedsammāsambuddho knowledge·conduct·accomplishedvijjācaraṇasampanno holysugato world·knowerlokavidū supremeanuttaro person·to be tamed·guidepurisadammasārathi teachersatthā god·humandevamanussānaṁ awakenedbuddho blessedbhagavā.
heSo thisimaṁ worldlokaṁ with·godssadevakaṁ with·mārasamārakaṁ with·divinitiessabrahmakaṁ with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ populationpajaṁ with·god·humansadevamanussaṁ with his own insightsayaṁ insight·knowledgeabhiññā realized·having donesacchikatvā forth·knowpavedeti.
heSo dhammadhammaṁ teachesdeseti beginning·goodādikalyāṇaṁ middle·goodmajjhekalyāṇaṁ end·goodpariyosānakalyāṇaṁ meaningfulsātthaṁ with·phrasingsabyañjanaṁ, entire·fullkevalaparipuṇṇaṁ pureparisuddhaṁ spiritual·practicebrahmacariyaṁ forth·shinepakāseti.

Furthermore, a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

thatTaṁ teachingdhammaṁ hearssuṇāti householdergahapati orvā householder·childgahapatiputto orvā in someaññatarasmiṁ orvā familykule back·bornpaccājāto.
theySo thattaṁ teachingdhammaṁ having heardsutvā thus·gonetathāgate faithsaddhaṁ back·obtainpaṭilabhati.
theySo with thattena faith·gainsaddhāpaṭilābhena endowed·gonesamannāgato thusiti back·together·thinkpaṭisañcikkhati:
cramped‘sambādho home·dwellinggharāvāso dust·pathrajāpatho, open·spaceabbhokāso forth·gopabbajjā.
not + thisNayidaṁ well·makesukaraṁ homeagāraṁ on·dwellajjhāvasatā utterly·fullekantaparipuṇṇaṁ utterly·pureekantaparisuddhaṁ shell·polishedsaṅkhalikhitaṁ holy·conductbrahmacariyaṁ to leadcarituṁ.
why not + IYannūnāhaṁ hair·beardkesamassuṁ off·carryohāretvā ocher robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ I might go forthpabbajeyyan’ti.
theySo after someaparena timesamayena smallappaṁ orvā wealth·massbhogakkhandhaṁ forth·leavepahāya largemahantaṁ orvā wealth·massbhogakkhandhaṁ forth·leavepahāya, smallappaṁ orvā relative·circleñātiparivaṭṭaṁ forth·leavepahāya largemahantaṁ orvā relative·circleñātiparivaṭṭaṁ forth·leavepahāya hair·beardkesamassuṁ off·carryohāretvā ocher robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ goes forthpabbajati.

A householder hears that teaching, or a householder’s child, or someone reborn in a good family. They gain faith in the Realized One, and reflect: ‘Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’ After some time they give up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. They shave off hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

theySo thusevaṁ forth·gopabbajito beingsamāno of mendicantsbhikkhūnaṁ training·livelihood·undertakensikkhāsājīvasamāpanno killing living creaturespāṇātipātaṁ forth·givepahāya from killingpāṇātipātā against·refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti laid down·rodnihitadaṇḍo laid down·swordnihitasattho, scrupulouslajjī kindness·endoweddayāpanno full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī livesviharati.
stealingAdinnādānaṁ forth·givepahāya not·stealingadinnādānā against·refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti given·takingdinnādāyī expecting only what is givendinnapāṭikaṅkhī, not·thievingathenena clean·beingsucibhūtena by oneselfattanā livesviharati.
unchastityAbrahmacariyaṁ forth·givepahāya chastebrahmacārī ishoti set apartārācārī refrainingvirato from the vulgar act of sexmethunā lyinggāmadhammā.
having given upMusāvādaṁ from lyingpahāya refrainingmusāvādā ispaṭivirato speaking the truthhoti sticking to the truthsaccavādī honestsaccasandho dependabletheto not deceivingpaccayiko of the worldavisaṁvādako backbitinglokassa.
speechPisuṇaṁ having given upvācaṁ from backbiting speechpahāya from backbiting speechpisuṇāya refrainingvācāya ispaṭivirato from herehoti; having heardito notsutvā therena one who tellsamutra of theseakkhātā for divisionimesaṁ therebhedāya, oramutra having heardvā notsutvā to thesena one who tellsimesaṁ of thoseakkhātā for divisionamūsaṁ thusbhedāya—iti of those who are dividedbhinnānaṁ orvā one who reconcilessandhātā of those who are unitedsahitānaṁ orvā one who supportsanuppadātā delighting in harmonysamaggārāmo harmony·lovingsamaggarato harmony·rejoicingsamagganandī harmony·promotingsamaggakaraṇiṁ speechvācaṁ speakingbhāsitā ishoti.

Once they’ve gone forth, they take up the training and livelihood of the mendicants. They give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. They give up stealing. They take only what’s given, and expect only what’s given. They keep themselves clean by not thieving. They give up unchastity. They are chaste, set apart, refraining from the vulgar act of sex. They give up lying. They speak the truth and stick to the truth. They’re honest and dependable, and don’t trick the world with their words. They give up backbiting. They don’t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.

They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial. They refrain from injuring plants and seeds. They eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time. They refrain from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music. They refrain from attiring and adorning themselves with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. They refrain from high and luxurious beds. They refrain from receiving gold and currency, raw grains, raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land. They refrain from running errands and messages; buying and selling; falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence.

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