Mahākammavibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 136

Mahākammavibhaṅgasutta

The Longer Analysis of Deeds · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heard—sutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Rājagaharājagahe was stayingviharati in the Bamboo Groveveḷuvane at the squirrels’ feeding ground.kalandakanivāpe.

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

by thatTena indeedkho thenpana at the timesamayena Venerableāyasmā Samiddhisamiddhi in a wilderness hutaraññakuṭikāyaṁ was stayingviharati.
thenAtha indeedkho Potaliputtapotaliputto the wandererparibbājako for a walkjaṅghāvihāraṁ walking back and forthanucaṅkamamāno wandering aboutanuvicaramāno where Venerableyenāyasmā Samiddhisamiddhi he approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with Venerableāyasmatā Samiddhisamiddhinā togethersaddhiṁ he exchanged greetingssammodi.
greetingSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ he sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Potaliputtapotaliputto the wandererparibbājako to Venerableāyasmantaṁ Samiddhisamiddhiṁ he said thisetadavoca:
in the presence“sammukhā thismetaṁ, reverendāvuso Samiddhisamiddhi, of the asceticsamaṇassa Gotamagotamassa heardsutaṁ, in the presencesammukhā learnedpaṭiggahitaṁ:
in vain‘moghaṁ bodily deedkāyakammaṁ in vainmoghaṁ verbal deedvacīkammaṁ, only mental deedmanokammameva realsaccan’ti.
there isAtthi andca thatsā attainmentsamāpatti whichyaṁ attainmentsamāpattiṁ having enteredsamāpanno notna anythingkiñci he does not feelvediyatī”ti?
do not“Mā thushevaṁ, reverendāvuso Potaliputtapotaliputta, you saidavaca; do notmā thushevaṁ, reverendāvuso Potaliputtapotaliputta, you saidavaca; do notmā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ misrepresentabbhācikkhi. notNa indeedhi goodsādhu of the Blessed Onebhagavato misrepresentationabbhakkhānaṁ. notNa indeedhi the Blessed Onebhagavā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
in vain‘moghaṁ bodily deedkāyakammaṁ in vainmoghaṁ verbal deedvacīkammaṁ, only mental deedmanokammameva realsaccan’ti.

Now at that time Venerable Samiddhi was staying in a wilderness hut. Then as the wanderer Potaliputta was going for a walk he came up to Venerable Samiddhi and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him: “Reverend Samiddhi, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the ascetic Gotama: ‘Deeds by way of body and speech are done in vain. Only mental deeds are real.’ And: ‘There is such an attainment where the one who enters it does not feel anything at all.’” “Don’t say that, Reverend Potaliputta, don’t say that! Don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for misrepresentation of the Buddha is not good. And the Buddha would not say this: ‘Deeds by way of body and speech are done in vain. Only mental deeds are real.’

there is‘Atthi andca indeedkho thatsā, reverendāvuso, attainmentsamāpatti whichyaṁ attainmentsamāpattiṁ having enteredsamāpanno notna anythingkiñci feelsvediyatī’”ti.
how long“Kīvaciraṁ have you gone forthpabbajitosi, reverendāvuso Samiddhisamiddhī”ti?
not“Na longciraṁ, reverendāvuso, threetīṇi yearsvassānī”ti.
in this case“Ettha nowdāni wemayaṁ seniorthere mendicantsbhikkhū whatkiṁ will we sayvakkhāma, whenyatra indeedhi trulynāma such a juniorevaṁnavo mendicantbhikkhu Teachersatthāraṁ needs defendingparirakkhitabbaṁ will imaginemaññissati.
intentionalSañcetanikaṁ, reverendāvuso Samiddhisamiddhi, deedkammaṁ having donekatvā by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā whatkiṁ oneso feelsvediyatī”ti?
intentional“Sañcetanikaṁ, reverendāvuso Potaliputtapotaliputta, deedkammaṁ having donekatvā by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā sufferingdukkhaṁ oneso feelsvediyatī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Potaliputtapotaliputto wandererparibbājako venerableāyasmato Samiddhi'ssamiddhissa statementbhāsitaṁ neitherneva approvedabhinandi nor rejectednappaṭikkosi;
having not approvedanabhinanditvā having not rejectedappaṭikkositvā from his seatuṭṭhāyāsanā leftpakkāmi.

But, reverend, there is such an attainment where the one who enters it does not feel anything at all.” “Reverend Samiddhi, how long has it been since you went forth?” “Not long, reverend: three years.” “Well now, what are we to say to the senior mendicants, when even such a junior mendicant imagines their Teacher needs defending? After doing an intentional deed by way of body, speech, or mind, reverend, what does one feel?” “After doing an intentional deed by way of body, speech, or mind, reverend, one feels suffering.” Then, neither approving nor rejecting Samiddhi’s statement, Potaliputta rose from his seat and left.

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Samiddhisamiddhi soon after leavingacirapakkante Potaliputtapotaliputte wandererparibbājake where venerableyenāyasmā Ānandaānando he approachedtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with venerableāyasmatā Ānandaānandena together withsaddhiṁ he exchanged greetingssammodi.
greetingSammodanīyaṁ talkkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ he sat downnisīdi.
to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho venerableāyasmā Samiddhisamiddhi as much asyāvatako there wasahosi Potaliputtapotaliputtena wandererparibbājakena together withsaddhiṁ conversationkathāsallāpo thattaṁ allsabbaṁ of venerableāyasmato to Ānandaānandassa he informedārocesi.
thusEvaṁ when spokenvutte, venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando venerableāyasmantaṁ Samiddhisamiddhiṁ he said thisetadavoca:
there is“atthi indeedkho thisidaṁ, reverendāvuso Samiddhisamiddhi, a matter to be broughtkathāpābhataṁ the Buddhabhagavantaṁ for seeingdassanāya.
come, reverendĀyāmāvuso Samiddhisamiddhi, whereyena the Buddhabhagavā we will approachtenupasaṅkamissāma; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā this matteretamatthaṁ of the Buddhabhagavato we will informārocessāma.
asYathā to usno the Buddhabhagavā he will answerbyākarissati sotathā itnaṁ we will rememberdhāressāmā”ti.
yes, reverend“Evamāvuso”ti indeedkho venerableāyasmā Samiddhisamiddhi of venerableāyasmato to Ānandaānandassa he repliedpaccassosi.

Soon after he had left, Venerable Samiddhi went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and informed Ānanda of all they had discussed. When he had spoken, Ānanda said to him, “Reverend Samiddhi, we should see the Buddha about this matter. Come, let’s go to the Buddha and inform him about this. As he answers, so we’ll remember it.” “Yes, reverend,” Samiddhi replied.

thenAtha indeedkho Venerableāyasmā andca Ānandaānando Venerableāyasmā andca Samiddhisamiddhi whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā they approached himtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having paid homageabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu.
to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando as much asyāvatako there wasahosi of the Venerableāyasmato Samiddhi'ssamiddhissa with Potaliputtapotaliputtena with the wandererparibbājakena together withsaddhiṁ conversationkathāsallāpo thattaṁ allsabbaṁ to the Blessed Onebhagavato he reportedārocesi.

Then Ānanda and Samiddhi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, the Blessed Onebhagavā venerableāyasmantaṁ Ānandaānandaṁ said thisetadavoca:
even seeing“dassanampi indeedkho Iahaṁ, Ānandaānanda, of Potaliputtapotaliputtassa of the wandererparibbājakassa I do not recallnābhijānāmi, howkuto but suchpanevarūpaṁ discussionkathāsallāpaṁ?
by thisIminā andca, Ānandaānanda, by Samiddhisamiddhinā by the futile manmoghapurisena of Potaliputtapotaliputtassa of the wandererparibbājakassa should be answered after analyzingvibhajjabyākaraṇīyo questionpañho categoricallyekaṁsena answeredbyākato”ti.

When they had spoken, the Buddha said to Ānanda, “I don’t recall even seeing the wanderer Potaliputta, Ānanda, so how could we have had such a discussion? The wanderer Potaliputta’s question should have been answered after analyzing it, but this futile man answered categorically.”

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, venerableāyasmā Udāyīudāyī to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
if“sace butpana, sirbhante, by venerableāyasmatā Samiddhisamiddhinā thisidaṁ in reference tosandhāya spokenbhāsitaṁ—
whateveryaṁ anykiñci feltvedayitaṁ thattaṁ in sufferingdukkhasmin”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā venerableāyasmantaṁ Ānandaānandaṁ addressedāmantesi:
do you see“passasi nowno youtvaṁ, Ānandaānanda, of thisimassa Udāyīudāyissa of the futile manmoghapurisassa the irrationality?ummaṅgaṁ?
I knewAññāsiṁ indeedkho Iahaṁ, Ānandaānanda:
just now this‘idānevāyaṁ Udāyīudāyī futile manmoghapuriso coming up withummujjamāno irrationallyayoniso will come up withummujjissatī’ti.
right from the startĀdiṁyeva, Ānandaānanda, by Potaliputtapotaliputtena the wandererparibbājakena threetisso feelingsvedanā were askedpucchitā.
if thisSacāyaṁ, Ānandaānanda, Samiddhisamiddhi futile manmoghapuriso of Potaliputtapotaliputtassa of the wandererparibbājakassa thusevaṁ askedpuṭṭho thusevaṁ would answerbyākareyya:
intentional‘sañcetanikaṁ, friendāvuso Potaliputtapotaliputta, deedkammaṁ having donekatvā by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā to be experienced as pleasantsukhavedanīyaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ oneso feelsvedayati;
intentionalsañcetanikaṁ, friendāvuso Potaliputtapotaliputta, deedkammaṁ having donekatvā by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā to be experienced as painfuldukkhavedanīyaṁ paindukkhaṁ oneso feelsvedayati;
intentionalsañcetanikaṁ, friendāvuso Potaliputtapotaliputta, deedkammaṁ having donekatvā by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā to be experienced as neutraladukkhamasukhavedanīyaṁ neutral feelingadukkhamasukhaṁ oneso feelsvedayatī’ti.

When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him, “But perhaps, sir, Venerable Samiddhi spoke in reference to the statement: ‘Suffering includes whatever is felt.’” But the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “See what this futile man Udāyī comes up with? I knew that he was coming up with something irrational. Right from the start Potaliputta asked about the three feelings. Suppose the futile man Samiddhi had answered the wanderer Potaliputta’s question like this: ‘After doing an intentional deed to be experienced as pleasant by way of body, speech, or mind, one feels pleasure. After doing an intentional deed to be experienced as painful by way of body, speech, or mind, one feels pain. After doing an intentional deed to be experienced as neutral by way of body, speech, or mind, one feels neutral.’

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