Bhūmijasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 126

With Bhūmija · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Suppose there was a person in need of fire. While wandering in search of fire, they tried drilling a green, sappy log with a drill-stick. But by doing this, they couldn’t start a fire, regardless of whether they made a wish, didn’t make a wish, both did and did not make a wish, or neither did nor did not make a wish. Why is that? Because that’s an irrational way to start a fire. And so it is for any ascetics and brahmins who have wrong view … Because that’s an irrational way to win the fruit.

whoeverYe indeedhi anykeci, Bhūmijabhūmija, asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā with right viewsammādiṭṭhino with right purposesammāsaṅkappā with right speechsammāvācā with right actionsammākammantā with right livelihoodsammāājīvā with right effortsammāvāyāmā with right mindfulnesssammāsatī with right immersionsammāsamādhino theyte even if they make a wishāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ they leadcaranti, ablebhabbā of the fruitphalassa for winningadhigamāya;
even if they do not make a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ they leadcaranti, ablebhabbā of the fruitphalassa for winningadhigamāya;
and they make a wishāsañca even if they do not make a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ they leadcaranti, ablebhabbā of the fruitphalassa for winningadhigamāya;
even if they neither make a wishnevāsaṁ nor do not make a wishnānāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ they leadcaranti, ablebhabbā of the fruitphalassa for winningadhigamāya.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
a rational wayYoni that ishesā, Bhūmijabhūmija, of the fruitphalassa for winningadhigamāya.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. If they lead the spiritual life, they can win the fruit, regardless of whether they make a wish, they don’t make a wish, they both do and do not make a wish, or they neither do nor do not make a wish. Why is that? Because that’s a rational way to win the fruit.

just asSeyyathāpi, Bhūmijabhūmija, a manpuriso in need of oiltelatthiko seeking oiltelagavesī search for oiltelapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno sesame flourtilapiṭṭhaṁ in a bucketdoṇiyā having heapedākiritvā with waterudakena sprinkling little by littleparipphosakaṁ sprinkling little by littleparipphosakaṁ might press outpīḷeyya.
if making a wishĀsañcepi having madekaritvā sesame flourtilapiṭṭhaṁ in a bucketdoṇiyā having heapedākiritvā with waterudakena sprinkling little by littleparipphosakaṁ sprinkling little by littleparipphosakaṁ might press outpīḷeyya, ablebhabbo of oiltelassa to obtainingadhigamāya;
if not making a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā …pe……pe…
both a wishāsañca and not making a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā …pe……pe…
neither a wishnevāsaṁ nor not making a wishnānāsañcepi having madekaritvā sesame flourtilapiṭṭhaṁ in a bucketdoṇiyā having heapedākiritvā with waterudakena sprinkling little by littleparipphosakaṁ sprinkling little by littleparipphosakaṁ might press outpīḷeyya, ablebhabbo of oiltelassa to obtainingadhigamāya.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the causehetu?
the sourceYoni this ishesā, Bhūmijabhūmija, of oiltelassa to obtainingadhigamāya.
even soEvameva indeedkho, Bhūmijabhūmija, whoeverye indeedhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā possessing right viewsammādiṭṭhino …pe……pe…
possessing right concentrationsammāsamādhino theyte if making a wishāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ leadcaranti, ablebhabbā of the fruitphalassa to obtainingadhigamāya;
if not making a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā …pe……pe…
both a wishāsañca and not making a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā …pe……pe…
neither a wishnevāsaṁ nor not making a wishnānāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ leadcaranti, ablebhabbā of the fruitphalassa to obtainingadhigamāya.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the causehetu?
the sourceYoni this ishesā, Bhūmijabhūmija, of the fruitphalassa to obtainingadhigamāya.

Suppose there was a person in need of oil. While wandering in search of oil, they tried heaping sesame flour in a bucket, sprinkling it little by little with water, and pressing it out. By doing this, they could extract oil, regardless of whether they made a wish, didn’t make a wish, both did and did not make a wish, or neither did nor did not make a wish. Why is that? Because that’s a rational way to extract oil. And so it is for any ascetics and brahmins who have right view … Because that’s a rational way to win the fruit.

just asSeyyathāpi, Bhūmijabhūmija, a personpuriso needing milkkhīratthiko seeking milkkhīragavesī search for milkkhīrapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno a cowgāviṁ newly-calvedtaruṇavacchaṁ from the udderthanato might pullāviñcheyya.
if having made a wishĀsañcepi having madekaritvā a cowgāviṁ newly-calvedtaruṇavacchaṁ from the udderthanato might pullāviñcheyya, ablebhabbo for obtaining milkkhīrassa for obtainingadhigamāya;
if not having made a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā ...…pe…
both having made a wish andāsañca if not having made a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā ...…pe…
if neither having made a wishnevāsaṁ nor not having made a wishnānāsañcepi having madekaritvā a cowgāviṁ newly-calvedtaruṇavacchaṁ from the udderthanato might pullāviñcheyya, ablebhabbo for obtaining milkkhīrassa for obtainingadhigamāya.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the reason?hetu?
a rational wayYoni this ishesā, Bhūmijabhūmija, for obtaining milkkhīrassa for obtainingadhigamāya.
in the same wayEvameva indeedkho, Bhūmijabhūmija, thoseye surelyhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā having right viewsammādiṭṭhino ...…pe…
having right immersionsammāsamādhino theyte if having made a wishāsañcepi having madekaritvā ...…pe…
if not having made a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā ...…pe…
both having made a wish andāsañca if not having made a wishanāsañcepi having madekaritvā ...…pe…
if neither having made a wishnevāsaṁ nor not having made a wishnānāsañcepi having madekaritvā the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ they livecaranti, ablebhabbā for obtaining the fruitphalassa for obtainingadhigamāya.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the reason?hetu?
a rational wayYoni this ishesā, Bhūmijabhūmija, for obtaining the fruitphalassa for obtainingadhigamāya.

Suppose there was a person in need of milk. While wandering in search of milk, they tried pulling the udder of a newly-calved cow. By doing this, they could get milk, regardless of whether they made a wish, didn’t make a wish, both did and did not make a wish, or neither did nor did not make a wish. Why is that? Because that’s a rational way to get milk. And so it is for any ascetics and brahmins who have right view … Because that’s a rational way to win the fruit.

Suppose there was a person in need of butter. While wandering in search of butter, they tried pouring curds into a pot and churning them with a stick. By doing this, they could produce butter, regardless of whether they made a wish, didn’t make a wish, both did and did not make a wish, or neither did nor did not make a wish. Why is that? Because that’s a rational way to produce butter. And so it is for any ascetics and brahmins who have right view … Because that’s a rational way to win the fruit.

Suppose there was a person in need of fire. While wandering in search of fire, they tried drilling a dried up, withered log with a drill-stick. By doing this, they could start a fire, regardless of whether they made a wish, didn’t make a wish, both did and did not make a wish, or neither did nor did not make a wish. Why is that? Because that’s a rational way to start a fire. And so it is for any ascetics and brahmins who have right view … Because that’s a rational way to win the fruit.

ifSace indeedkho to youtaṁ, Bhūmijabhūmija, of Prince Jayasenajayasenassa of Princerājakumārassa theseimā fourcatasso similesupamā would have occurredpaṭibhāyeyyuṁ no wonderanacchariyaṁ to youte Jayasenajayaseno Princerājakumāro would gain confidencepasīdeyya, confidentpasanno andca to youte a token of confidencepasannākāraṁ would show.kareyyā”ti.
But how“Kuto thenpana to memaṁ, sirbhante, of Prince Jayasenajayasenassa of Princerājakumārassa theseimā fourcatasso similesupamā will occurpaṭibhāyissanti not wonderfulanacchariyā beforepubbe unheard beforeassutapubbā, just asseyyathāpi to the Buddha?”bhagavantan”ti?
Thus saidIdamavoca the Buddha.bhagavā.
satisfiedAttamano Venerableāyasmā Bhūmijabhūmijo of the Buddhabhagavato the speechbhāsitaṁ approved.abhinandīti.
The Bhūmija SuttaBhūmijasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ the sixth.chaṭṭhaṁ.

Bhūmija, it would be no wonder if, had these four similes occurred to you, Prince Jayasena would have gained confidence in you and shown his confidence.” “But sir, how could these four similes have occurred to me as they did to the Buddha, since they were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past?” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Bhūmija approved what the Buddha said.

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