Kandarakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 51

With Kandaraka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

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

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

who + thisYopāyaṁ, venerable sirbhante, personpuggalo self·tormentattantapo andca self·mortification·practice·devotedattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto other·tormentparantapo andca other·mortification·practice·devotedparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto, this·tooayampi myme personpuggalo mindcittaṁ not·satisfiesnārādheti.
whoYo andca indeedkho thisayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, personpuggalo not·indeed·self-tormentingnevattantapo not·devoted to the practice of self-mortificationnāttaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto notna other·tormentparantapo notna other·mortification·practice·devotedparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto, heso not·self-tormentinganattantapo not·other-tormentingaparantapo seen·verydiṭṭheva in the dhammadhamme hungerlessnicchāto quenchednibbuto cool·becomesītībhūto happiness·experiencingsukhappaṭisaṁvedī divine·becomebrahmabhūtena with a selfattanā he dwellsviharati—
this·veryayameva myme personpuggalo mindcittaṁ satisfies·quotation markerārādhetī”ti.

I only like the sound of the last individual, who doesn’t mortify either themselves or others.”

why“Kasmā thenpana to youte, servantpessa, theseime threetayo individualspuggalā mindcittaṁ do not satisfynārādhentī”ti?
that individual“Yvāyaṁ, sirbhante, individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo devoted to self-mortificationattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso himselfattānaṁ desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ mortifiesātāpeti tormentsparitāpeti—
by thisiminā myme thisayaṁ individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ does not satisfynārādheti.
that individualYopāyaṁ, sirbhante, individualpuggalo other-mortifyingparantapo devoted to mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso anotherparaṁ desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ mortifiesātāpeti tormentsparitāpeti—
by thisiminā myme thisayaṁ individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ does not satisfynārādheti.
that individualYopāyaṁ, sirbhante, individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo andca devoted to self-mortificationattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto other-mortifyingparantapo andca devoted to mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso himself andattānañca another andparañca desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ mortifiesātāpeti tormentsparitāpeti—
by thisiminā myme thisayaṁ individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ does not satisfynārādheti.
whoYo andca indeedkho thisayaṁ, sirbhante, individualpuggalo not self-mortifyingnevattantapo not devoted to self-mortificationnāttaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto notna other-mortifyingparantapo notna not devoted to mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso not self-mortifyinganattantapo not other-mortifyingaparantapo in this very lifediṭṭheva in the Dhammadhamme without wishesnicchāto quenchednibbuto cooledsītībhūto experiencing blisssukhappaṭisaṁvedī with self become divinebrahmabhūtena with selfattanā he livesviharati;
heso himself andattānañca another andparañca desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ neitherneva mortifiesātāpeti notna tormentsparitāpeti—

“But why don’t you like the sound of those three individuals?” “Sir, the individual who mortifies themselves does so even though they want to be happy and recoil from pain. That’s why I don’t like the sound of that individual. The individual who mortifies others does so even though others want to be happy and recoil from pain. That’s why I don’t like the sound of that individual. The individual who mortifies themselves and others does so even though both themselves and others want to be happy and recoil from pain. That’s why I don’t like the sound of that individual. The individual who doesn’t mortify either themselves or others—living without wishes, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine—does not torment themselves or others, both of whom want to be happy and recoil from pain.

by thisiminā to meme thisayaṁ personpuggalo mindcittaṁ to·pleaseārādheti.
well nowHanda andca nowdāni wemayaṁ, sirbhante, we gogacchāma;
many·dutybahukiccā wemayaṁ much·to dobahukaraṇīyā”ti.
now it is time for you“Yassadāni youtvaṁ, Pessapessa, timekālaṁ you thinkmaññasī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Pessapesso elephant·marshal·sonhatthārohaputto of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ towards·approveabhinanditvā along·agreeanumoditvā having risen from his seatuṭṭhāyāsanā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ towards·bowabhivādetvā respectfully circlingpadakkhiṇaṁ having donekatvā forth·gopakkāmi.

That’s why I like the sound of that individual. Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, Pessa, go at your convenience.” And then Pessa the elephant marshal’s son approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā not long after he had leftacirapakkante Pessapesse the elephant marshal's sonhatthārohaputte the mendicantsbhikkhū he addressed:āmantesi:
"astute,“paṇḍito, mendicants,bhikkhave, Pessapesso the elephant marshal's son;hatthārohaputto;
of great wisdom,mahāpañño, mendicants,bhikkhave, Pessapesso the elephant marshal's son.hatthārohaputto.
If,Sace, mendicants,bhikkhave, Pessapesso the elephant marshal's sonhatthārohaputto an hourmuhuttaṁ would sitnisīdeyya as long as Iyāvassāhaṁ theseime fourcattāro individualspuggale in detailvitthārena would analyzevibhajissāmi, with greatmahatā benefitatthena connectedsaṁyutto he would have beenabhavissa.
StillApi but,ca, mendicants,bhikkhave, even with this muchettāvatāpi Pessapesso the elephant marshal's sonhatthārohaputto with greatmahatā benefitatthena connected"saṁyutto”ti.
"For this,“Etassa, Blessed One,bhagavā, it is the time,kālo, for this,etassa, Holy One,sugata, it is the time,kālo,
thatyaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā theseime fourcattāro individualspuggale in detailvitthārena should analyze.vibhajeyya. Having heard from the Blessed OneBhagavato having heardsutvā the mendicantsbhikkhū will remember"dhāressantī”ti.
"Well then,“Tena then,hi, mendicants,bhikkhave, listen,suṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ apply your mindmanasi do,karotha, I will speak"bhāsissāmī”ti.
"Yes,“Evaṁ, sir,"bhante”ti indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato replied.paccassosuṁ.
The Blessed OneBhagavā said this:etadavoca:

Then, not long after he had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, Pessa the elephant marshal’s son is astute. He has great wisdom. If he had sat here an hour so that I could have analyzed these four individuals in detail, he would have greatly benefited. Still, even with this much he has already greatly benefited.” “Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! May the Buddha analyze these four individuals in detail. The mendicants will listen and remember it.” “Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

what“Katamo andca, monksbhikkhave, individualpuggalo self·mortifyingattantapo committed to the practice of mortifying themselvesattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto? hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, a certainekacco individualpuggalo goes nakedacelako ishoti loose·habitsmuttācāro hand·lickinghatthāpalekhano come·when callednaehibhaddantiko does not wait when callednatiṭṭhabhaddantiko; food brought to themnābhihaṭaṁ notna food prepared for themuddissakataṁ notna an invitationnimantanaṁ they consent tosādiyati;
theyso notna from a potkumbhimukhā receivepaṭiggaṇhāti notna from a bowlkaḷopimukhā receivepaṭiggaṇhāti notna sheep·householdeḷakamantaraṁ notna weapon·householddaṇḍamantaraṁ notna shovel·householdmusalamantaraṁ notna of twodvinnaṁ eatingbhuñjamānānaṁ notna from a pregnant womangabbhiniyā notna from a breastfeeding womanpāyamānāya notna from a woman living with a manpurisantaragatāya notna where there is a houndsaṅkittīsu notna whereyattha theresā waitingupaṭṭhito ishoti notna whereyattha fliesmakkhikā buzzing aroundsaṇḍasaṇḍacārinī; notna fishmacchaṁ notna meatmaṁsaṁ notna beersuraṁ notna winemerayaṁ notna fermented gruelthusodakaṁ they drinkpivati.
theySo one-houseekāgāriko orvā arehoti one-mouthfulekālopiko, two·housedvāgāriko orvā arehoti two·mouthfuldvālopiko omission…pe… seven-housesattāgāriko orvā arehoti seven-mouthfulsattālopiko;
one·evenekissāpi with a saucerdattiyā they feedyāpeti, two·evendvīhipi with saucersdattīhi they feedyāpeti omission…pe… seven·evensattahipi with saucersdattīhi they feedyāpeti;

“And what individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves? It’s when an individual goes naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don’t come or wait when called. They don’t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared for them, or an invitation for a meal. They don’t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who lives with a man; or where there’s a hound waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or beer or wine, and drink no fermented gruel. They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls. They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day.

They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live committed to the practice of eating food at set intervals. They eat herbs, millet, wild rice, poor rice, water lettuce, rice bran, scum from boiling rice, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. They survive on forest roots and fruits, or eating fallen fruit. They wear robes of sunn hemp, mixed hemp, corpse-wrapping cloth, rags, lodh tree bark, antelope hide (whole or in strips), kusa grass, bark, wood-chips, human hair, horse-tail hair, or owls’ wings. They tear out their hair and beard, committed to this practice. They constantly stand, turning down seats. They squat, committed to the endeavor of squatting. They lie on a mat of thorns, making a mat of thorns their bed. They’re devoted to ritual bathing three times a day, including at dusk. And so they live committed to practicing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body.

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