Cūḷaassapurasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 40

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

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

Yasmā ca kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, jaṭilakampi idhekaccaṁ passāmi abhijjhāluṁ byāpannacittaṁ kodhanaṁ upanāhiṁ makkhiṁ palāsiṁ issukiṁ macchariṁ saṭhaṁ māyāviṁ pāpicchaṁ micchādiṭṭhiṁ, tasmā na jaṭilakassa jaṭādhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

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.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti?
Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīnā hoti, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīno hoti, kodhanassa kodho pahīno hoti, upanāhissa upanāho pahīno hoti, makkhissa makkho pahīno hoti, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīno hoti, issukissa issā pahīnā hoti, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, māyāvissa māyā pahīnā hoti, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīnā hoti, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīnā hoti—
imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, samaṇamalānaṁ samaṇadosānaṁ samaṇakasaṭānaṁ āpāyikānaṁ ṭhānānaṁ duggativedaniyānaṁ pahānā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

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.

So sabbehi imehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi visuddhamattānaṁ samanupassati (…).
Tassa sabbehi imehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi visuddhamattānaṁ samanupassato (…) pāmojjaṁ jāyati, pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ 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.

So mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.

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.

Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…
muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…
upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.

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.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pokkharaṇī acchodakā sātodakā sītodakā setakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā.
Puratthimāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipāsito.
So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ āgamma vineyya udakapipāsaṁ vineyya ghammapariḷāhaṁ …pe… pacchimāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya …pe… uttarāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya …pe… dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya. Yato kuto cepi naṁ puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto, kilanto tasito pipāsito. So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ āgamma vineyya udakapipāsaṁ, vineyya ghammapariḷāhaṁ.

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.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, khattiyakulā cepi agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca tathāgatappaveditaṁ dhammavinayaṁ āgamma, evaṁ mettaṁ karuṇaṁ muditaṁ upekkhaṁ bhāvetvā labhati ajjhattaṁ vūpasamaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vūpasamā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi. Brāhmaṇakulā cepi …pe… vessakulā cepi …pe… suddakulā cepi …pe… yasmā kasmā cepi kulā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca tathāgatappaveditaṁ dhammavinayaṁ āgamma, evaṁ mettaṁ karuṇaṁ muditaṁ upekkhaṁ bhāvetvā labhati ajjhattaṁ vūpasamaṁ.
Ajjhattaṁ vūpasamā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

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.

Khattiyakulā cepi agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti.
So ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
Āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hoti. Brāhmaṇakulā cepi …pe… vessakulā cepi … suddakulā cepi … yasmā kasmā cepi kulā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Cūḷaassapurasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.
Mahāyamakavaggo niṭṭhito catuttho.

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.

Tassuddānaṁ
Giñjakasālavanaṁ pariharituṁ,
Paññavato puna saccakanisedho;
Mukhavaṇṇapasīdanatāpindo,
Kevaṭṭaassapurajaṭilena.

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.

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version