Bhūmijasutta

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Majjhima Nikāya 126

With Bhūmija · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho āyasmā bhūmijo pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena jayasenassa rājakumārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then Venerable Bhūmija robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of Prince Jayasena, where he sat down on the seat spread out.

Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro yenāyasmā bhūmijo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā bhūmijena saddhiṁ sammodi.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jayaseno rājakumāro āyasmantaṁ bhūmijaṁ etadavoca:
“santi, bho bhūmija, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
‘āsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
anāsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
āsañca anāsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
nevāsaṁ nānāsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāyā’ti.
Idha bhoto bhūmijassa satthā kiṁvādī kimakkhāyī”ti?

Then Jayasena approached and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Bhūmija: “Worthy Bhūmija, there are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘If you make a wish and lead the spiritual life, you can’t win the fruit. If you don’t make a wish and lead the spiritual life, you can’t win the fruit. If you both make a wish and don’t make a wish and lead the spiritual life, you can’t win the fruit. If you neither make a wish nor don’t make a wish and lead the spiritual life, you can’t win the fruit.’ What does the worthy Bhūmija’s Teacher say about this? How does he explain it?”

“Prince, I haven’t heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha. But it’s possible that he might explain it like this: ‘If you lead the spiritual life irrationally, you can’t win the fruit, regardless of whether you make a wish, you don’t make a wish, you both do and do not make a wish, or you neither do nor don’t make a wish. But if you lead the spiritual life rationally, you can win the fruit, regardless of whether you make a wish, you don’t make a wish, you both do and do not make a wish, or you neither do nor don’t make a wish.’ I haven’t heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha.

Ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ bhagavā evaṁ byākareyyā”ti.

But it’s possible that he might explain it like that.”

“Sace kho bhoto bhūmijassa satthā evaṁvādī evamakkhāyī, addhā bhoto bhūmijassa satthā sabbesaṁyeva puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ muddhānaṁ maññe āhacca tiṭṭhatī”ti.

“If that’s what your teacher says, worthy Bhūmija, he clearly stands head and shoulders above all the various other ascetics and brahmins.”

Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro āyasmantaṁ bhūmijaṁ sakeneva thālipākena parivisi.

Then Prince Jayasena served Venerable Bhūmija from his own dish.

Atha kho āyasmā bhūmijo pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhūmijo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena jayasenassa rājakumārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁ.
Atha kho, bhante, jayaseno rājakumāro yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mayā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, bhante, jayaseno rājakumāro maṁ etadavoca:
‘santi, bho bhūmija, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino—
āsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
anāsañcepi karitvā …pe…
āsañca anāsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
nevāsaṁ nānāsañcepi karitvā brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāyā’ti.
‘Idha bhoto bhūmijassa satthā kiṁvādī kimakkhāyī’ti?

Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, Bhūmija went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him all that had happened, adding:

Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, jayasenaṁ rājakumāraṁ etadavocaṁ:
‘na kho me taṁ, rājakumāra, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ, sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ.
Ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ bhagavā evaṁ byākareyya—
āsañcepi karitvā ayoniso brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
anāsañcepi karitvā ayoniso brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
āsañca anāsañcepi karitvā ayoniso brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
nevāsaṁ nānāsañcepi karitvā ayoniso brahmacariyaṁ caranti, abhabbā phalassa adhigamāya.
Āsañcepi karitvā yoniso brahmacariyaṁ caranti, bhabbā phalassa adhigamāya;
anāsañcepi karitvā …pe…
āsañca anāsañcepi karitvā …pe…
nevāsaṁ nānāsañcepi karitvā yoniso brahmacariyaṁ caranti, bhabbā phalassa adhigamāyāti.
Na kho me taṁ, rājakumāra, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ, sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ.

When this was said, venerable sir, I said this to Prince Jayasena: “Prince, I have not heard this in the Blessed One’s presence, nor received it in his presence. But there is this case where the Blessed One would explain thus: Even with a wish, if they live the holy life improperly, they are unable to attain the fruit; even without a wish, if they live the holy life improperly, they are unable to attain the fruit; even with both a wish and without a wish, if they live the holy life improperly, they are unable to attain the fruit; even with neither a wish nor without a wish, if they live the holy life improperly, they are unable to attain the fruit. Even with a wish, if they live the holy life properly, they are able to attain the fruit; even without a wish …pe… even with both a wish and without a wish …pe… even with neither a wish nor without a wish, if they live the holy life properly, they are able to attain the fruit.” Prince, I have not heard this in the Blessed One’s presence, nor received it in his presence.

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