Cūḷadukkhakkhandhasutta

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Majjhima Nikāya 14

Cūḷadukkhakkhandhasutta

The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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this one time IEkamidāhaṁ, Mahānāmamahānāma, timesamayaṁ near Rājagaharājagahe I am stayingviharāmi on Vulture's Peakgijjhakūṭe mountainpabbate.
at thatTena indeedkho nowpana at that timesamayena severalsambahulā Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā on the slopes of Isigiliisigilipasse at the Black Rockkāḷasilāyaṁ constantly standingubbhaṭṭhakā they arehonti turning down seatsāsanapaṭikkhittā, due to exertionopakkamikā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedayanti.

Mahānāma, this one time I was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Now at that time several Jain ascetics on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock were constantly standing, turning down seats. And they felt painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion.

thenAtha and Ikhvāhaṁ, Mahānāmamahānāma, in the late afternoonsāyanhasamayaṁ from retreatpaṭisallānā came outvuṭṭhito whereyena by the side of Isigiliisigilipasse the Black Rockkāḷasilā whereyena thosete Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā there I went up totenupasaṅkamiṁ; having gone upupasaṅkamitvā thosete Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhe I said thisetadavocaṁ:
why‘kiṁ indeednu youtumhe, reverendsāvuso Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā, constantly standingubbhaṭṭhakā turning down seatsāsanapaṭikkhittā, due to exertionopakkamikā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā do you suffervedayathā’ti?

Then in the late afternoon, I came out of retreat and went to the Black Rock to visit those Jain ascetics. I said to them, ‘Reverends, why are you constantly standing, turning down seats, so that you suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion?’

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Mahānāmamahānāma, thosete Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā memaṁ said thisetadavocuṁ:
Jain ascetic‘nigaṇṭho, reverendāvuso, of the Ñātika clannāṭaputto all-knowingsabbaññū all-seeingsabbadassāvī without exceptionaparisesaṁ knowledge and visionñāṇadassanaṁ claimspaṭijānāti:
while walking“carato andca to meme while standingtiṭṭhato andca while sleepingsuttassa andca while wakingjāgarassa andca constantlysatataṁ continuallysamitaṁ knowledge and visionñāṇadassanaṁ presentpaccupaṭṭhitan”ti.
heSo speaks thusevamāha:
there is“atthi indeedkho by youvo, Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā, in the pastpubbe bad deedspāpakammaṁ donekataṁ, thattaṁ with thisimāya severekaṭukāya with grueling austeritydukkarakārikāya wear awaynijjīretha;
whichyaṁ but herepanettha nowetarahi in bodykāyena restrainedsaṁvutā in speechvācāya restrainedsaṁvutā in mindmanasā restrainedsaṁvutā thattaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ of badpāpassa deedkammassa non-doingakaraṇaṁ;
thusiti of oldpurāṇānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ by fervent mortificationtapasā due to eliminationbyantibhāvā, of newnavānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ due to non-doingakaraṇā, in the futureāyatiṁ no flowing onanavassavo;
in the futureāyatiṁ from no flowing onanavassavā deeds endkammakkhayo, from ending of deedskammakkhayā suffering endsdukkhakkhayo, from ending of sufferingdukkhakkhayā feeling endsvedanākkhayo, from ending of feelingvedanākkhayā allsabbaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ worn awaynijjiṇṇaṁ will bebhavissatī”ti.
and thatTañca but to uspanamhākaṁ is pleasingruccati andceva is acceptablekhamati andca, with thattena we arecamha satisfiedattamanā’ti.

When I said this, those Jain ascetics said to me, ‘Reverend, the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus: “Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.” He says, “O Jain ascetics, you have done bad deeds in a past life. Wear them away with these severe and grueling austerities. And when in the present you are restrained in body, speech, and mind, you’re not doing any bad deeds for the future. So, due to eliminating past deeds by fervent mortification, and not doing any new deeds, there’s nothing to come up in the future. With no future consequence, deeds end. With the ending of deeds, suffering ends. With the ending of suffering, feeling ends. And with the ending of feeling, all suffering will have been worn away.” We endorse and accept this, and we are satisfied with it.’

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Iahaṁ, Mahānāmamahānāma, thosete Nigaṇṭhasnigaṇṭhe I said thisetadavocaṁ:
what?‘kiṁ butpana youtumhe, reverendāvuso Nigaṇṭhasnigaṇṭhā, do you knowjānātha—
we did existahuvamheva wemayaṁ in the pastpubbe notna we did not exist?nāhuvamhā’ti?
no‘No indeedhidaṁ, reverend.āvuso’.
what?‘Kiṁ butpana youtumhe, reverendāvuso Nigaṇṭhasnigaṇṭhā, do you knowjānātha—
we did doakaramheva wemayaṁ in the pastpubbe bad deedpāpakammaṁ notna we did not do?nākaramhā’ti?
no‘No indeedhidaṁ, reverend.āvuso’.
what?‘Kiṁ butpana youtumhe, reverendāvuso Nigaṇṭhasnigaṇṭhā, do you knowjānātha—
of such a kindevarūpaṁ orvā of such a kindevarūpaṁ orvā bad deedpāpakammaṁ we did?akaramhā’ti?
no‘No indeedhidaṁ, reverend.āvuso’.
what?‘Kiṁ butpana youtumhe, reverendāvuso Nigaṇṭhasnigaṇṭhā, do you knowjānātha—
so muchettakaṁ orvā sufferingdukkhaṁ has been worn awaynijjiṇṇaṁ, so muchettakaṁ orvā sufferingdukkhaṁ remains to be worn awaynijjīretabbaṁ, when so muchettakamhi orvā sufferingdukkhe is worn awaynijjiṇṇe allsabbaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ has been worn awaynijjiṇṇaṁ will be?bhavissatī’ti?
no‘No indeedhidaṁ, reverend.āvuso’.
what?‘Kiṁ butpana youtumhe, reverendāvuso Nigaṇṭhasnigaṇṭhā, do you knowjānātha—
in this very lifediṭṭheva dhammadhamme of unskillfulakusalānaṁ qualitiesdhammānaṁ the giving uppahānaṁ, of skillfulkusalānaṁ qualitiesdhammānaṁ the embracing?upasampadan’ti?
no‘No indeedhidaṁ, reverend.āvuso’.

When they said this, I said to them, ‘But reverends, do you know for sure that you existed in the past, and it is not the case that you did not exist?’ ‘No we don’t, reverend.’ ‘But reverends, do you know for sure that you did bad deeds in the past?’ ‘No we don’t, reverend.’ ‘But reverends, do you know that you did bad deeds of this type or that?’ ‘No we don’t, reverend.’ ‘But reverends, do you know that so much suffering has already been worn away? Or that so much suffering still remains to be worn away? Or that when so much suffering is worn away all suffering will have been worn away?’ ‘No we don’t, reverend.’ ‘But reverends, do you know about giving up unskillful qualities in this very life and embracing skillful qualities?’ ‘No we don’t, reverend.’

thus‘Iti indeedkira youtumhe, friendāvuso Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā, notna you knowjānātha—
we wereahuvamheva wemayaṁ beforepubbe notna we were notnāhuvamhāti, notna you knowjānātha—
we didakaramheva wemayaṁ beforepubbe evil kammapāpakammaṁ notna we did notnākaramhāti, notna you knowjānātha—
suchevarūpaṁ orvā suchevarūpaṁ orvā evil kammapāpakammaṁ we didakaramhāti, notna you knowjānātha—
this muchettakaṁ orvā sufferingdukkhaṁ destroyednijjiṇṇaṁ, this muchettakaṁ orvā sufferingdukkhaṁ to be destroyednijjīretabbaṁ, in this muchettakamhi orvā sufferingdukkhe destroyednijjiṇṇe allsabbaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ destroyednijjiṇṇaṁ will bebhavissatīti.
notNa you knowjānātha—
in the seendiṭṭheva dhammadhamme of unskillfulakusalānaṁ dhammasdhammānaṁ abandoningpahānaṁ, of skillfulkusalānaṁ dhammasdhammānaṁ undertakingupasampadaṁ.
thusEvaṁ beingsante, friendāvuso Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhā, those whoye in the worldloke violentluddā bloody-handedlohitapāṇino of cruel livelihoodkurūrakammantā among humansmanussesu rebornpaccājātā theyte among Jain asceticsnigaṇṭhesu go forthpabbajantī’ti?

‘So it seems that you don’t know any of these things. That being so, when those in the world who are violent and bloody-handed and of cruel livelihood are reborn among humans they go forth as Jain ascetics.’

‘Na kho, āvuso gotama, sukhena sukhaṁ adhigantabbaṁ, dukkhena kho sukhaṁ adhigantabbaṁ; sukhena cāvuso gotama, sukhaṁ adhigantabbaṁ abhavissa, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhaṁ adhigaccheyya, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhavihāritaro āyasmatā gotamenā’ti. ‘Addhāyasmantehi nigaṇṭhehi sahasā appaṭisaṅkhā vācā bhāsitā: “na kho, āvuso gotama, sukhena sukhaṁ adhigantabbaṁ, dukkhena kho sukhaṁ adhigantabbaṁ; sukhena cāvuso gotama, sukhaṁ adhigantabbaṁ abhavissa, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhaṁ adhigaccheyya, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sukhavihāritaro āyasmatā gotamenā”ti. Api ca ahameva tattha paṭipucchitabbo: “ko nu kho āyasmantānaṁ sukhavihāritaro rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro āyasmā vā gotamo”ti?

‘Reverend Gotama, pleasure is not gained through pleasure; pleasure is gained through pain. For if pleasure were to be gained through pleasure, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha would gain pleasure, since he lives in greater pleasure than Venerable Gotama.’ ‘Clearly the venerables have spoken rashly, without reflection. Rather, I’m the one who should be asked about who lives in greater pleasure, King Bimbisāra or Venerable Gotama?’

surely, friendAddhāvuso Gotamagotama, by usamhehi rashlysahasā without reflectionappaṭisaṅkhā speechvācā spokenbhāsitā, notna indeedkho, friendāvuso Gotamagotama, by pleasuresukhena pleasuresukhaṁ to be attainedadhigantabbaṁ, by sufferingdukkhena indeedkho pleasuresukhaṁ to be attainedadhigantabbaṁ;
by pleasuresukhena and, friendcāvuso Gotamagotama, pleasuresukhaṁ to be attainedadhigantabbaṁ would have beenabhavissa, kingrājā of Magadhamāgadho Seniyaseniyo Bimbisārabimbisāro pleasuresukhaṁ would attainadhigaccheyya, kingrājā of Magadhamāgadho Seniyaseniyo Bimbisārabimbisāro living in greater pleasuresukhavihāritaro than Venerableāyasmatā Gotamagotamenāti.
butApi andca let that betiṭṭhatetaṁ, and nowidānipi wemayaṁ Venerableāyasmantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ we askpucchāma:
who“ko thennu indeedkho of the venerablesāyasmantānaṁ living in greater pleasuresukhavihāritaro kingrājā orvā of Magadhamāgadho Seniyaseniyo Bimbisārabimbisāro Venerableāyasmā orvā Gotamagotamo”ti?

‘Clearly we spoke rashly and without reflection. But let that be. Now we ask Venerable Gotama: “Who lives in greater pleasure, King Bimbisāra or Venerable Gotama?”’

‘Well then, reverends, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, reverends? Is King Bimbisāra capable of experiencing absolute happiness for seven days and nights without moving his body or speaking?’ ‘No he is not, reverend.’ ‘What do you think, reverends? Is King Bimbisāra capable of experiencing absolute happiness for six days … five days … four days … three days … two days … one day?’ ‘No he is not, reverend.’ ‘But I am capable of experiencing absolute happiness for one day and night without moving my body or speaking. I am capable of experiencing perfect happiness for two days … three days …

fourcattāri nights and daysrattindivāni ……
fivepañca nights and daysrattindivāni ……
sixcha nights and daysrattindivāni ……
sevensatta nights and daysrattindivāni exclusive pleasureekantasukhaṁ experiencingpaṭisaṁvedī to dwellviharituṁ.
thatTaṁ what?kiṁ do you think, reverendsmaññathāvuso o Jainasnigaṇṭhā, thusevaṁ being sosante whoko dwelling more in pleasuresukhavihāritaro kingrājā orvā of Magadhamāgadho Seniyaseniyo Bimbisārabimbisāro Iahaṁ orvā’ti?
thus‘Evaṁ being sosante Venerable Gotama aloneāyasmāva Gotamagotamo dwelling more in pleasuresukhavihāritaro than Kingraññā of Magadhamāgadhena Seniyaseniyena Bimbisārabimbisārenā’”ti.
this he saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
satisfiedAttamano Mahānāmamahānāmo the Sakyansakko of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ approvedabhinandīti.
the Shorter Discourse on the Mass of SufferingCūḷadukkhakkhandhasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ fourthcatutthaṁ.

four days … five days … six days … seven days. What do you think, reverends? This being so, who lives in greater pleasure, King Bimbisāra or I?’ ‘This being so, Venerable Gotama lives in greater pleasure than King Bimbisāra.’” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Mahānāma the Sakyan approved what the Buddha said.

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