Cūḷaassapurasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 40

The Shorter Discourse at Assapura · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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sinceYasmā andca indeedkho Iahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, matted-hair ascetic·even·evenjaṭilakampi here someoneidhekaccaṁ I seepassāmi covetousabhijjhāluṁ malevolent·mindbyāpannacittaṁ angrykodhanaṁ hostileupanāhiṁ disparagingmakkhiṁ domineeringpalāsiṁ enviousissukiṁ stingymacchariṁ deceitfulsaṭhaṁ fraudulentmāyāviṁ of evil wishespāpicchaṁ of wrong viewmicchādiṭṭhiṁ, thereforetasmā notna of a matted-hair asceticjaṭilakassa matted hair·wearing·merelyjaṭādhāraṇamattena ascetic statussāmaññaṁ I sayvadāmi.

But sometimes I see someone with these bad qualities who is a matted-hair ascetic. That’s why I say that you don’t deserve the label ‘matted-hair ascetic’ just because you have matted hair.

And how does a mendicant practice in the way that is proper for an ascetic? Any mendicant who has given up covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view is practicing in the way that is proper for an ascetic, I say. And that is due to giving up these stains, defects, and dregs of an ascetic, these grounds for rebirth in places of loss, to be experienced in bad places.

heSo allsabbehi theseimehi badpāpakehi unskillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi themselves purifiedvisuddhamattānaṁ they seesamanupassati (…).(…).
to himTassa allsabbehi theseimehi badpāpakehi unskillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi themselves purifiedvisuddhamattānaṁ seeingsamanupassato (…)(…) joypāmojjaṁ springs up,jāyati, being joyfulpamuditassa rapturepīti springs up,jāyati, mind full of rapturepītimanassa bodykāyo becomes tranquil,passambhati, body tranquilpassaddhakāyo blisssukhaṁ they feel,vedeti, blissfulsukhino mindcittaṁ becomes immersed in samādhi.samādhiyati.

They see themselves purified from all these bad, unskillful qualities. Seeing this, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi.

heSo loving-kindness·accompaniedmettāsahagatena with heartcetasā oneekaṁ directiondisaṁ having pervadedpharitvā they dwellviharati, likewisetathā seconddutiyaṁ, likewisetathā thirdtatiyaṁ, likewisetathā fourthcatutthaṁ. thusIti above·belowuddhamadho acrosstiriyaṁ everywheresabbadhi with the sense of oneness in allsabbattatāya the wholesabbāvantaṁ worldlokaṁ loving-kindness·accompaniedmettāsahagatena with heartcetasā abundantvipulena expansivemahaggatena limitlessappamāṇena free of enmityaverena free of ill willabyābajjhena having pervadedpharitvā they dwellviharati.

They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

compassion·accompanied byKaruṇāsahagatena with a heartcetasā ……pe…
rejoicing·accompanied bymuditāsahagatena with a heartcetasā ……pe…
equanimity·accompanied byupekkhāsahagatena with a heartcetasā oneekaṁ directiondisaṁ having spreadpharitvā they meditateviharati, sotathā to the seconddutiyaṁ, sotathā to the thirdtatiyaṁ, sotathā to the fourthcatutthaṁ. thusIti above·belowuddhamadho acrosstiriyaṁ everywheresabbadhi with all as oneselfsabbattatāya the wholesabbāvantaṁ worldlokaṁ equanimity·accompanied byupekkhāsahagatena with a heartcetasā abundantvipulena expansivemahaggatena limitlessappamāṇena free of enmityaverena free of ill willabyābajjhena having spreadpharitvā they meditateviharati.

They meditate spreading a heart full of compassion … They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing … They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

just as·evenSeyyathāpi, O monksbhikkhave, a lotus pondpokkharaṇī with clear wateracchodakā with sweet watersātodakā with cool watersītodakā cleansetakā with smooth bankssupatitthā delightfulramaṇīyā.
from the eastPuratthimāya if·evencepi directiondisāya a personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya oppressed by heatghammābhitatto heat·overcomeghammapareto wearykilanto thirstytasito parchedpipāsito.
heSo thattaṁ lotus pondpokkharaṇiṁ having arrived atāgamma having removedvineyya water·thirstudakapipāsaṁ having removedvineyya heat·burningghammapariḷāhaṁ …pe……pe… from the westpacchimāya if·evencepi directiondisāya a personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya …pe……pe… from the northuttarāya if·evencepi directiondisāya a personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya …pe……pe… from the southdakkhiṇāya if·evencepi directiondisāya a personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya. from whereverYato from anywherekuto if·evencepi himnaṁ a personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya oppressed by heatghammābhitatto heat·overcomeghammapareto, wearykilanto thirstytasito parchedpipāsito. heSo thattaṁ lotus pondpokkharaṇiṁ having arrived atāgamma having removedvineyya water·thirstudakapipāsaṁ, having removedvineyya heat·burningghammapariḷāhaṁ.

Suppose there was a lotus pond with clear, sweet, cool water, clean, with smooth banks, delightful. Then along comes a person—whether from the east, west, north, or south—struggling in the oppressive heat, weary, thirsty, and parched. No matter what direction they come from, when they arrive at that lotus pond they would alleviate their thirst and heat exhaustion.

thus·justEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, aristocrat·familykhattiyakulā if·evencepi from the homeagārasmā not·householderanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti, heso andca Realized One·proclaim·past participletathāgatappaveditaṁ teaching·trainingdhammavinayaṁ having arrived atāgamma, in this wayevaṁ lovemettaṁ compassionkaruṇaṁ rejoicingmuditaṁ equanimityupekkhaṁ having developedbhāvetvā findslabhati innerajjhattaṁ peacevūpasamaṁ. innerAjjhattaṁ from peacevūpasamā the way proper for an ascetic‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ practicing, I saypaṭipanno’ti I sayvadāmi. brahmin·familyBrāhmaṇakulā if·evencepi ……pe… peasant·familyvessakulā if·evencepi ……pe… menial·familysuddakulā if·evencepi ……pe… from whateveryasmā whateverkasmā if·evencepi from a familykulā from the homeagārasmā not·householderanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti, heso andca Realized One·proclaim·past participletathāgatappaveditaṁ teaching·trainingdhammavinayaṁ having arrived atāgamma, in this wayevaṁ lovemettaṁ compassionkaruṇaṁ rejoicingmuditaṁ equanimityupekkhaṁ having developedbhāvetvā findslabhati innerajjhattaṁ peacevūpasamaṁ.
innerAjjhattaṁ from peacevūpasamā the way proper for an ascetic‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ practicing, I saypaṭipanno’ti I sayvadāmi.

In the same way, suppose someone has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness—whether from a family of aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, or menials—and has arrived at the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. Having developed love, compassion, rejoicing, and equanimity in this way they find inner peace. Because of that inner peace they are practicing the way proper for an ascetic, I say.

aristocrat·familyKhattiyakulā even ifcepi from homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti.
heSo andca of defilementsāsavānaṁ from endingkhayā not·defilementanāsavaṁ heart·freedomcetovimuttiṁ wisdom·freedompaññāvimuttiṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in dhammadhamme themselvessayaṁ by insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā near·together·attainupasampajja apart·liveviharati.
of defilementsĀsavānaṁ from endingkhayā an asceticsamaṇo ishoti. brahmin·familyBrāhmaṇakulā even ifcepi …pe……pe… peasant·familyvessakulā even ifcepi …… worker·familysuddakulā even ifcepi …… from whicheveryasmā from whicheverkasmā even ifcepi from familykulā from homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti, heso andca of defilementsāsavānaṁ from endingkhayā not·defilementanāsavaṁ heart·freedomcetovimuttiṁ wisdom·freedompaññāvimuttiṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in dhammadhamme themselvessayaṁ by insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā near·together·attainupasampajja apart·liveviharati. of defilementsĀsavānaṁ from endingkhayā an asceticsamaṇo ishotī”ti.
this·sayIdamavoca the Buddhabhagavā.
self·mindAttamanā thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of the Buddhabhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ toward·rejoiceabhinandunti.
shorter·Assapura·discourseCūḷaassapurasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ tenthdasamaṁ.
great·Yamaka·chapterMahāyamakavaggo finishedniṭṭhito fourthcatuttho.

And suppose someone has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness—whether from a family of aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, or workers— and they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. They’re an ascetic because of the ending of defilements.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

its·summaryTassuddānaṁ
brick hall groveGiñjakasālavanaṁ around·carrypariharituṁ,
of the wisePaññavato againpuna Saccaka·refutationsaccakanisedho;
face·complexion·brightening·state·almsfoodMukhavaṇṇapasīdanatāpindo,
Kevaṭṭa·Assapura·matted-hair asceticKevaṭṭaassapurajaṭilena.

Its summary: the brick hall grove to maintain; again the wise one's refutation of Saccaka; the almsfood of bright complexion; the matted-hair ascetic of Kevaṭṭa Assapura.

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