Gopakamoggallānasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 108

With Moggallāna the Guardian · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thus“Evaṁ without a refugeappaṭisaraṇe andca thenpana, worthybho Ānandaānanda, whatko reasonhetu for harmony?sāmaggiyā”ti?
not“Na indeedkho wemayaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, without a refuge;appaṭisaraṇā;
with a refugesappaṭisaraṇā wemayaṁ, brahmin;brāhmaṇa;
with the teaching as refuge.dhammappaṭisaraṇā”ti.

“But since you lack a refuge, worthy Ānanda, what’s the reason for your harmony?” “We don’t lack a refuge, brahmin, we have a refuge. The teaching is our refuge.”

is“‘Atthi nownu indeedkho, worthybho Ānandaānanda, even one monkekabhikkhupi by thattena by the worthybhotā Gotamagotamena appointedṭhapito—
thisayaṁ for youvo after my passingmamaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti, whomyaṁ youtumhe nowetarahi should followpaṭipādeyyāthā’ti—
thusiti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno there is not‘natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even one monkekabhikkhupi by thattena by the Blessed Onebhagavatā by the knowingjānatā by the seeingpassatā by the Arahantarahatā by the Fully Enlightened Onesammāsambuddhena appointedṭhapito—
thisayaṁ for youvo after my passingmamaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti, whomyaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi should followpaṭipādeyyāmā’ti you saidvadesi;
is‘atthi butpana, worthybho Ānandaānanda, even one monkekabhikkhupi by the Sanghasaṅghena electedsammato, by severalsambahulehi by seniortherehi by monksbhikkhūhi appointedṭhapito—
thisayaṁ for usno of the Blessed Onebhagavato after the passingaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti, whomyaṁ youtumhe nowetarahi should followpaṭipādeyyāthā’ti—
thusiti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno there is not‘natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even one monkekabhikkhupi by the Sanghasaṅghena electedsammato, by severalsambahulehi by seniortherehi by monksbhikkhūhi appointedṭhapito—
thisayaṁ for usno of the Blessed Onebhagavato after the passingaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti, whomyaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi should followpaṭipādeyyāmā’ti—
you saidvadesi;

“But Worthy Ānanda, when asked whether there was even a single mendicant—either appointed by the worthy Gotama, or elected by the Saṅgha and appointed by several senior mendicants— who serves as your refuge after the Buddha passed away, to whom you now turn, you replied, ‘No, there is not.’

thus‘evaṁ without refugeappaṭisaraṇe andca thenpana, sirbho Ānandaānanda, whatko reasonhetu for harmonysāmaggiyā’ti quotation markeriti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno not‘na indeedkho wemayaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, without refugeappaṭisaraṇā;
with refugesappaṭisaraṇā wemayaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa;
with the teaching as refugedhammappaṭisaraṇā’ti you sayvadesi.
of thisImassa thenpana, sirbho Ānandaānanda, of the statementbhāsitassa howkathaṁ the meaningattho should be seendaṭṭhabbo”ti?
there is“Atthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, by thetena Blessed Onebhagavatā knowingjānatā seeingpassatā perfected onearahatā fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhena for the mendicantsbhikkhūnaṁ training rulesikkhāpadaṁ laid downpaññattaṁ, monastic codepātimokkhaṁ reciteduddiṭṭhaṁ.
thoseTe wemayaṁ on that sabbath daytadahuposathe as many asyāvatikā oneekaṁ village districtgāmakhettaṁ in dependence onupanissāya we liveviharāma theyte allsabbe as oneekajjhaṁ we gather togethersannipatāma;
having gathered togethersannipatitvā whoeveryassa thattaṁ transmitspavattati ittaṁ we inviteajjhesāma.
if while that is being recitedTasmiñce being recitedbhaññamāne there ishoti of a mendicantbhikkhussa an offenseāpatti there ishoti a transgressionvītikkamo himtaṁ wemayaṁ according to the teachingyathādhammaṁ according to the instructionsyathānusiṭṭhaṁ we make actkāremāti.
notNa indeedkira usno good fellowsbhavanto make actkārenti;
the teachingdhammo usno makes actkāreti”.

But you say that the reason for your harmony is that you have the teaching as a refuge. How should I see the meaning of this statement?” “The Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha laid down training rules and recited the monastic code for the mendicants. On the day of the sabbath all of us who live in dependence on one village district gather together as one. We invite one who transmits the code to recite it. If anyone remembers an offense or transgression while they’re reciting, we make them act in line with the teaching and in line with the instructions. It’s not the good fellows who make us act, it’s the teaching that makes us act.”

is“Atthi nownu indeedkho, worthybho Ānandaānanda, even a single mendicantekabhikkhupi whoyaṁ youtumhe nowetarahi honorsakkarotha respectgaruṁ makekarotha reveremānetha veneratepūjetha; having honoredsakkatvā respectgaruṁ having madekatvā relying onupanissāya do you live?viharathā”ti?
there is not“Natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even a single mendicantekabhikkhupi whoyaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi honorsakkaroma respectgaruṁ makekaroma reveremānema veneratepūjema; having honoredsakkatvā respectgaruṁ having madekatvā relying onupanissāya we live.viharāmā”ti.
is“‘Atthi nownu indeedkho, worthybho Ānandaānanda, even a single mendicantekabhikkhupi by thattena worthybhotā Gotamagotamena appointedṭhapito—
this oneayaṁ for youvo after my passingmamaccayena a refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti whoyaṁ youtumhe nowetarahi might followpaṭipādeyyāthā’ti—
thusiti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno there is not‘natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even a single mendicantekabhikkhupi by thattena Blessed Onebhagavatā knowingjānatā seeingpassatā the worthyarahatā fully awakenedsammāsambuddhena appointed—ṭhapito—

“Worthy Ānanda, is there even a single mendicant who you honor, respect, revere, venerate, and rely on?” “There is not, brahmin.” “Worthy Ānanda, when asked whether there was even a single mendicant—either appointed by the worthy Gotama,

thisayaṁ for youvo after my passingmamaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti whatyaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi pursuepaṭipādeyyāmā’ti you saidvadesi;
there is‘atthi butpana, sirbho Ānandaānanda, even one mendicantekabhikkhupi by the Saṅghasaṅghena electedsammato, severalsambahulehi seniortherehi mendicantsbhikkhūhi appointedṭhapito—
thisayaṁ for usno of the Blessed Onebhagavato after the passingaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti whatyaṁ youtumhe nowetarahi pursuepaṭipādeyyāthā’ti—
thusiti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno there is not‘natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even one mendicantekabhikkhupi by the Saṅghasaṅghena electedsammato, severalsambahulehi seniortherehi mendicantsbhikkhūhi appointedṭhapito—
thisayaṁ for usno of the Blessed Onebhagavato after the passingaccayena refugepaṭisaraṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti whatyaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi pursuepaṭipādeyyāmā’ti you saidvadesi;
there is‘atthi nownu indeedkho, sirbho Ānandaānanda, even one mendicantekabhikkhupi whomyaṁ youtumhe nowetarahi honorsakkarotha respectgaruṁ you dokarotha reveremānetha veneratepūjetha; having honoredsakkatvā respectgaruṁ having donekatvā rely onupanissāya you dwellviharathā’ti—
thusiti askedpuṭṭho beingsamāno there is not‘natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even one mendicantekabhikkhupi whomyaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi honorsakkaroma respectgaruṁ we dokaroma reveremānema veneratepūjema; having honoredsakkatvā respectgaruṁ having donekatvā rely onupanissāya we dwellviharāmā’ti you saidvadesi.

or elected by the Saṅgha and appointed by several senior mendicants— who serves as your refuge after the Buddha passed away, to whom you now turn, you replied, ‘No, there is not.’ And when asked whether there is even a single mendicant who you honor, respect, revere, venerate, and rely on, you replied, ‘There is not.’

of thisImassa nowpana, sirbho Ānandaānanda, of the statementbhāsitassa howkathaṁ the meaningattho should be seendaṭṭhabbo”ti?

How should I see the meaning of this statement?”

there are“Atthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, by thattena by the Blessed Onebhagavatā who knowsjānatā who seespassatā by the perfected onearahatā by the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhena tendasa inspiringpasādanīyā thingsdhammā explainedakkhātā.
in whomYasmiṁ indeedno theseime thingsdhammā are foundsaṁvijjanti that onetaṁ wemayaṁ nowetarahi we honorsakkaroma respectgaruṁ we makekaroma we esteemmānema we revere;pūjema; having honoredsakkatvā respectgaruṁ having madekatvā we live dependent onupanissāya we dwell.viharāma.
whichKatame ten?dasa?

“There are ten inspiring things explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. We honor anyone in whom these things are found. What ten?

hereIdha, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a mendicantbhikkhu ethicalsīlavā ishoti, restrained in the monastic codepātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto dwellsviharati conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable placesācāragocarasampanno, in the slightestaṇumattesu faultsvajjesu seeing dangerbhayadassāvī, having undertakensamādāya trainssikkhati in the training rulessikkhāpadesu.

It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

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