With Bakkula · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā bākulo rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
So I have heard. At one time Venerable Bakkula was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Atha kho acelakassapo āyasmato bākulassa purāṇagihisahāyo yenāyasmā bākulo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā bākulena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho acelakassapo āyasmantaṁ bākulaṁ etadavoca:
Then the naked ascetic Kassapa, an old friend of Bakkula in the lay life, approached him, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Venerable Bakkula,
“Kīvaciraṁ pabbajitosi, āvuso bākulā”ti? “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassā”ti. “Imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ methuno dhammo paṭisevito”ti? “Na kho maṁ, āvuso kassapa, evaṁ pucchitabbaṁ: ‘imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ methuno dhammo paṭisevito’ti. Evañca kho maṁ, āvuso kassapa, pucchitabbaṁ: ‘imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ kāmasaññā uppannapubbā’”ti? (…) “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
“Reverend Bakkula, how long has it been since you went forth?” “It has been eighty years, reverend.” “But in these eighty years, how many times have you had sex?” “You shouldn’t ask me such a question. Rather, you should ask me this: ‘But in these eighty years, how many times have sensual perceptions ever arisen in you?’” “But in these eighty years, how many times have sensual perceptions ever arisen in you?” “In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any sensual perception has ever arisen in me.” This we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi byāpādasaññaṁ …pe… vihiṁsāsaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti vihiṁsāsaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any perception of ill will … or cruelty has ever arisen in me.” This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmavitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti kāmavitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any thought of sensuality …
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe… vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
ill will … or cruelty has ever arisen in me.” This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi gahapaticīvaraṁ sāditā”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti gahapaticīvaraṁ sāditā, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
“In these eighty years, I don’t recall accepting a robe from a householder …
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi satthena cīvaraṁ chinditā”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti satthena cīvaraṁ chinditā …pe… dhārema”.
cutting a robe with a knife …
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi sūciyā cīvaraṁ sibbitā …pe… nābhijānāmi rajanena cīvaraṁ rajitā … nābhijānāmi kathine cīvaraṁ sibbitā … nābhijānāmi sabrahmacārīnaṁ cīvarakamme vicāritā …
sewing a robe with a needle … dying a robe … sewing a robe during the robe-making ceremony … wandering to look for robe material for my companions in the spiritual life when they are making robes …
nābhijānāmi nimantanaṁ sāditā … nābhijānāmi evarūpaṁ cittaṁ uppannapubbaṁ: ‘aho vata maṁ koci nimanteyyā’ti … nābhijānāmi antaraghare nisīditā … nābhijānāmi antaraghare bhuñjitā …
accepting an invitation … having such a thought: ‘If only someone would invite me!’ … sitting down inside a house … eating inside a house …
nābhijānāmi mātugāmassa anubyañjanaso nimittaṁ gahetā … nābhijānāmi mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desitā antamaso catuppadampi gāthaṁ … nābhijānāmi bhikkhunupassayaṁ upasaṅkamitā … nābhijānāmi bhikkhuniyā dhammaṁ desitā … nābhijānāmi sikkhamānāya dhammaṁ desitā … nābhijānāmi sāmaṇeriyā dhammaṁ desitā …
getting caught up in the features by way of the details of a lady’s appearance … teaching a lady, even so much as a four line verse … going to the nuns’ quarters … teaching the nuns … teaching the trainee nuns … teaching the novice nuns …
nābhijānāmi pabbājetā … nābhijānāmi upasampādetā … nābhijānāmi nissayaṁ dātā … nābhijānāmi sāmaṇeraṁ upaṭṭhāpetā …
giving the going forth … giving the ordination … giving dependence … being attended by a novice …
nābhijānāmi jantāghare nhāyitā … nābhijānāmi cuṇṇena nhāyitā … nābhijānāmi sabrahmacārīgattaparikamme vicāritā … nābhijānāmi ābādhaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, antamaso gaddūhanamattampi … nābhijānāmi bhesajjaṁ upaharitā, antamaso haritakikhaṇḍampi … nābhijānāmi apassenakaṁ apassayitā … nābhijānāmi seyyaṁ kappetā”. “Yampāyasmā …pe… dhārema”.
bathing in the sauna … bathing with bath powder … looking for a massage from my spiritual companions … being ill, even for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder … being presented with medicine, even as much as a bit of yellow myrobalan … leaning on a leaning-board … preparing a cot …” This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi gāmantasenāsane vassaṁ upagantā”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti gāmantasenāsane vassaṁ upagantā, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
“In these eighty years, I don’t recall commencing the rainy season residence within a village.” This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
“Sattāhameva kho ahaṁ, āvuso, saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjiṁ; atha aṭṭhamiyaṁ aññā udapādi. Yampāyasmā bākulo sattāhameva saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñji; atha aṭṭhamiyaṁ aññā udapādi idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema.
“Reverend, for seven days I ate the nation’s almsfood as a debtor. Then on the eighth day I became enlightened.” This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
Labheyyāhaṁ, āvuso bākula, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti. Alattha kho acelakassapo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ. Acirūpasampanno panāyasmā kassapo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi. “Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro kho panāyasmā kassapo arahataṁ ahosi.
“Reverend Bakkula, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training?” And the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Kassapa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He 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.” And Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfected.
Atha kho āyasmā bākulo aparena samayena avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihārena vihāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: “abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto. Ajja me parinibbānaṁ bhavissatī”ti. “Yampāyasmā bākulo avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihārena vihāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: ‘abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto; ajja me parinibbānaṁ bhavissatī’ti, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.
Then some time later Venerable Bakkula, taking a latchkey, went from dwelling to dwelling, saying, “Come forth, venerables, come forth! Today will be my full extinguishment.” This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
Āyasmā bākulo majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnakova parinibbāyi. “Yampāyasmā bākulo majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnakova parinibbāyi, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhāremā”ti. Bākulasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.
And Venerable Bakkula became fully extinguished while seated right in the middle of the Saṅgha. This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula.
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