Puṇṇovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 145

Advice to Puṇṇa · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Puṇṇa came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha,

“sādhu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadatu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.
“Tena hi, puṇṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato paccassosi.
Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.” “Well then, Puṇṇa, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” replied Puṇṇa. The Buddha said this:

“Santi kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.
‘Nandīsamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.
Santi kho, puṇṇa, sotaviññeyyā saddā …
ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …
jivhāviññeyyā rasā …
kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā …
manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.
‘Nandīsamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

“Puṇṇa, there are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, this gives rise to relishing. Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say. There are sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, this gives rise to relishing. Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say.

Santi ca kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati.
‘Nandīnirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.
Santi ca kho, puṇṇa, sotaviññeyyā saddā …
ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …
jivhāviññeyyā rasā …
kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā …
manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati.
‘Nandīnirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, relishing ceases. When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say. There are sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, relishing ceases. When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say.

Iminā ca tvaṁ, puṇṇa, mayā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito katarasmiṁ janapade viharissasī”ti?
“Imināhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito, atthi sunāparanto nāma janapado, tatthāhaṁ viharissāmī”ti.
“Caṇḍā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā;
pharusā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā.
Sace taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tattha te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
“Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime pāṇinā pahāraṁ dentī’ti.
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

Puṇṇa, now that I’ve given you this brief advice, what country will you live in?” “Sir, there’s a country named Sunāparanta. I shall live there.” “The people of Sunāparanta are wild and rough, Puṇṇa. If they abuse and insult you, what will you think of them?” “If they abuse and insult me, I will think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t hit me with their fists.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.” “But if they do hit you with their fists, what will you think of them then?”

“If they hit me with their fists, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t throw stones at me.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.” “But if they do throw stones at you, what will you think of them then?” “If they throw stones at me, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t beat me with a club.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.” “But if they do beat you with a club, what will you think of them then?”

“If they beat me with a club, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t stab me with a knife.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.” “But if they do stab you with a knife, what will you think of them then?” “If they stab me with a knife, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t take my life with a sharp knife.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.” “But if they do take your life with a sharp knife, what will you think of them then?”

“Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
‘santi kho bhagavato sāvakā kāye ca jīvite ca aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti. Taṁ me idaṁ apariyiṭṭhaṁyeva satthahārakaṁ laddhan’ti.
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they take my life with a sharp knife, I’ll think: ‘There are disciples of the Buddha who looked for a suicide weapon because they were horrified, repelled, and disgusted with the body and with life. And I have found this without looking!’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sādhu sādhu, puṇṇa.
Sakkhissasi kho tvaṁ, puṇṇa, iminā damūpasamena samannāgato sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharituṁ.
Yassadāni tvaṁ, puṇṇa, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.

“Good, good Puṇṇa! Having such self-control and peacefulness, you will be quite capable of living in Sunāparanta. Now, Puṇṇa, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sunāparanto janapado tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.
Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sunāparanto janapado tadavasari.
Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā puṇṇo sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharati.
Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭivedesi, tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsikasatāni paṭivedesi, tenevantaravassena tisso vijjā sacchākāsi.
Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo aparena samayena parinibbāyi.

And then Puṇṇa welcomed and agreed with the Buddha’s words. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sunāparanta. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Sunāparanta, and stayed there. Within that rainy season he confirmed around five hundred male and five hundred female lay followers. And within that same rainy season he realized the three knowledges. Some time later he became fully extinguished.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“yo so, bhante, puṇṇo nāma kulaputto bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito so kālaṅkato.
Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?
“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ viheṭhesi.
Parinibbuto, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Puṇṇovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, the gentleman named Puṇṇa, who was advised in brief by the Buddha, has passed away. Where has he been reborn in his next life?” “Mendicants, Puṇṇa was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Puṇṇa has become fully quenched.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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