Sunakkhattasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 105

With Sunakkhatta · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Vesālīvesāliyaṁ was stayingviharati in the Great Woodmahāvane in the hall with the peaked roofkūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

by thatTena indeedkho thenpana at the timesamayena by severalsambahulehi by mendicantsbhikkhūhi of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike enlightenmentaññā out·tellbyākatā washoti:
ended“‘khīṇā rebirthjāti, has been completedvusitaṁ spiritual·journeybrahmacariyaṁ, has been donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, there is nothing furthernāparaṁ for this placeitthattāyā’ti we understandpajānāmā”ti.
heardAssosi indeedkho Sunakkhattasunakkhatto Licchavi·sonlicchaviputto:
by several“sambahulehi reportedlykira by mendicantsbhikkhūhi of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike enlightenmentaññā out·tellbyākatā washoti:
ended‘khīṇā rebirthjāti, has been completedvusitaṁ spiritual·journeybrahmacariyaṁ, has been donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, there is nothing furthernāparaṁ this place·quotation markeritthattāyāti we understandpajānāmā’”ti.

Now at that time several mendicants had declared their enlightenment in the Buddha’s presence: “We understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’” Sunakkhatta the Licchavi heard about this.

thenAtha indeedkho Sunakkhattasunakkhatto Licchavi·sonlicchaviputto whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā one·sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ down·sitnisinno indeedkho Sunakkhattasunakkhatto Licchavi·sonlicchaviputto the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this + saidetadavoca:

He went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

heard“sutaṁ this by memetaṁ, sirbhante:
by several‘sambahulehi indeedkira by mendicantsbhikkhūhi of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike enlightenmentaññā declaredbyākatā—
destroyedkhīṇā birthjāti, livedvusitaṁ the holy lifebrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what should be donekaraṇīyaṁ, no furthernāparaṁ for this stateitthattāyāti we understandpajānāmā’ti.
whoYe thosete, sirbhante, mendicantsbhikkhū of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsu:
destroyed‘khīṇā birthjāti, livedvusitaṁ the holy lifebrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what should be donekaraṇīyaṁ, no furthernāparaṁ for this stateitthattāyāti we understandpajānāmā’ti, whetherkacci thosete, sirbhante, mendicantsbhikkhū rightly indeedsammadeva enlightenmentaññaṁ out·declarebyākaṁsu orudāhu be + here·somesantetthekacce mendicantsbhikkhū over·conceitadhimānena enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsū”ti?

“Sir, I have heard that several mendicants have declared their enlightenment in the Buddha’s presence. I trust they did so rightly—or are there some who declared enlightenment out of overestimation?”

which“Ye thosete, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, monksbhikkhū mymama in the presencesantike enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsu:
destroyed‘khīṇā birthjāti, livedvusitaṁ the holy lifebrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what should be donekaraṇīyaṁ, no othernāparaṁ for the sake of this stateitthattāyāti we understandpajānāmā’ti.
some indeedSantetthekacce monksbhikkhū rightlysammadeva enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsu, there aresanti but some herepanidhekacce monksbhikkhū even out of overestimationadhimānenapi enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsu.
thereTatra, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, whichye thosete monksbhikkhū rightlysammadeva enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsu for themtesaṁ thattaṁ just sotatheva ishoti;
whichye butpana thosete monksbhikkhū out of overestimationadhimānena enlightenmentaññaṁ declaredbyākaṁsu theretatra, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, to the Realized Onetathāgatassa thusevaṁ ishoti:
Dhamma‘dhammaṁ to themnesaṁ I should teachdesessan’ti.
and if thus hereEvañcettha, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, to the Realized Onetathāgatassa ishoti:
Dhamma‘dhammaṁ to themnesaṁ I should teachdesessan’ti.
thenAtha butca some herepanidhekacce futile menmoghapurisā a questionpañhaṁ having plannedabhisaṅkharitvā having plannedabhisaṅkharitvā the Realized Onetathāgataṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā they askpucchanti.
thereTatra, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, whateveryampi to the Realized Onetathāgatassa thusevaṁ ishoti:
Dhamma‘dhammaṁ to themnesaṁ I should teachdesessan’ti to him tootassapi ishoti a change of mindaññathattan”ti.

“Some of them did so rightly, Sunakkhatta, while others did so out of overestimation. Now, when mendicants declare enlightenment rightly, that is their truth. But when mendicants declare enlightenment out of overestimation, the Realized One thinks: ‘I should teach them the Dhamma.’ If the Realized One thinks he should teach them the Dhamma, but then certain futile men, having carefully planned a question, approach the Realized One and ask it, then the Realized One changes his mind.”

of this one“Etassa Blessed Onebhagavā timekālo, of this oneetassa Holy Onesugata timekālo,
thatyaṁ Blessed Onebhagavā Dhammadhammaṁ should teachdeseyya. of the Blessed OneBhagavato having heardsutvā mendicantsbhikkhū remember + quotation markerdhāressantī”ti.
well then“Tena indeedhi, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, listensuṇāhi, wellsādhukaṁ mindmanasi applykarohi; speak + quotation markerbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, sir + quotation markerbhante”ti indeedkho Sunakkhattasunakkhatto Licchavi princelicchaviputto of the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosi.
Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca—

“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! Let the Buddha teach the Dhamma. The mendicants will listen and remember it.” “Well then, Sunakkhatta, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” replied Sunakkhatta. The Buddha said this:

fivePañca indeedkho theseime, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, kinds of sensual stimulationkāmaguṇā.
whatKatame five?pañca?
known by the eyeCakkhuviññeyyā sightsrūpā likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā dear·formpiyarūpā sensualkāmūpasaṁhitā arousingrajanīyā,
ear·knownsotaviññeyyā soundssaddā …pe……pe…
nose·knownghānaviññeyyā smellsgandhā ……
tongue·knownjivhāviññeyyā tastesrasā ……
body·knownkāyaviññeyyā touchesphoṭṭhabbā likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā dear·formpiyarūpā sensualkāmūpasaṁhitā arousing—rajanīyā—
theseime indeed,kho, Sunakkhatta,sunakkhatta, fivepañca kinds of sensual stimulation.kāmaguṇā.

“Sunakkhatta, there are these five kinds of sensual stimulation. What five? Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

a caseṬhānaṁ indeedkho and thispanetaṁ, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, is foundvijjati thatyaṁ a certain one hereidhekacco person + individualpurisapuggalo intent on worldly pleasures of the fleshlokāmisādhimutto may beassa.
of one intent on worldly pleasures of the fleshLokāmisādhimuttassa indeedkho, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, person + individualpurisapuggalassa pertinenttappatirūpī and justceva talkkathā engagessaṇṭhāti, that + in line + andtadanudhammañca thinksanuvitakketi, considersanuvicāreti, that + andtañca personpurisaṁ associates withbhajati, with thattena andca rewardvittiṁ findsāpajjati;
imperturbable + connectedāneñjapaṭisaṁyuttāya andca butpana talkkathāya when going onkacchamānāya notna wants to listensussūsati, notna earsotaṁ actively listensodahati, notna to understandaññā mindcittaṁ triesupaṭṭhāpeti, notna andca thattaṁ personpurisaṁ associates withbhajati, notna andca with thattena rewardvittiṁ findsāpajjati.

It’s possible that a certain individual person may be intent on worldly pleasures of the flesh. Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding. But when talk connected with the imperturbable is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.

just asSeyyathāpi, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, a personpuriso own·homesakamhā villagegāmā orvā townnigamā orvā long·departedciravippavuttho might beassa.
heSo anotheraññataraṁ personpurisaṁ might seepasseyya from thattamhā villagegāmā orvā townnigamā orvā recently departedacirapakkantaṁ.
heSo thattaṁ personpurisaṁ of thattassa villagegāmassa orvā townnigamassa orvā safety andkhematañca plenty of food andsubhikkhatañca little disease andappābādhatañca might askpuccheyya;
of thattassa thatso personpuriso of thattassa villagegāmassa orvā townnigamassa orvā safety andkhematañca plenty of food andsubhikkhatañca little disease andappābādhatañca might tellsaṁseyya.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta,
evenapi nownu thatso personpuriso of thattassa personpurisassa would listen attentivelysussūseyya, earsotaṁ would lendodaheyya, knowledgeaññā mindcittaṁ would directupaṭṭhāpeyya, and thattañca personpurisaṁ would associate withbhajeyya, with thattena andca satisfactionvittiṁ would attaināpajjeyyā”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”.
in the same way“Evameva indeedkho, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, possibility + thisṭhānametaṁ existsvijjati thatyaṁ here someidhekacco person·individualpurisapuggalo intent on worldly pleasures of the fleshlokāmisādhimutto might beassa.
for one intent on worldly pleasures of the fleshLokāmisādhimuttassa indeedkho, Sunakkhattasunakkhatta, person·individualpurisapuggalassa pertinenttappatirūpī and indeedceva conversationkathā is establishedsaṇṭhāti, that·in linetadanudhammañca thinksanuvitakketi, considersanuvicāreti, and thattañca personpurisaṁ associates withbhajati, with thattena andca satisfactionvittiṁ attainsāpajjati;

Suppose a person had left their own village or town long ago, and they saw another person who had only recently left there. They would ask about whether their village was safe, with plenty of food and little disease, and the other person would tell them the news. What do you think, Sunakkhatta? Would that person want to listen to that other person? Would they actively listen and try to understand? Would they associate with that person, and find it rewarding?” “Yes, sir.” “In the same way, it’s possible that a certain individual may be intent on worldly pleasures of the flesh. Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.

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