Kandarakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 51

With Kandaraka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Campācampāyaṁ was stayingviharati Gaggarāgaggarāya lotus pondpokkharaṇiyā on the banktīre largemahatā with a Saṅgha of mendicantsbhikkhusaṅghena together withsaddhiṁ.
thenAtha indeedkho Pessapesso andca the elephant marshal's sonhatthārohaputto Kandarakakandarako andca the wandererparibbājako whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā they approached him theretenupasaṅkamiṁsu; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā Pessapesso the elephant marshal's sonhatthārohaputto the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi.
KandarakaKandarako butpana the wandererparibbājako with the Blessed Onebhagavatā together withsaddhiṁ exchanged greetingssammodi. cordialSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ memorablesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ stoodaṭṭhāsi.
to one sideEkamantaṁ standingṭhito indeedkho Kandarakakandarako the wandererparibbājako silenttuṇhībhūtaṁ silenttuṇhībhūtaṁ the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ having looked aroundanuviloketvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. Then Pessa the elephant marshal’s son and Kandaraka the wanderer went to the Buddha. When they had approached, Pessa bowed and sat down to one side. But the wanderer Kandaraka exchanged greetings with the Buddha and stood to one side. He looked around the mendicant Saṅgha, who were so very silent, and said to the Buddha:

wonderful“acchariyaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama, amazingabbhutaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama.
how + indeed·thisYāvañcidaṁ by the worthy onebhotā Gotamagotamena properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho has been led to practicepaṭipādito.
who·tooYepi thosete, sirbho Gotamagotama, there wereahesuṁ past·timeatītamaddhānaṁ perfected onesarahanto fully·awakenedsammāsambuddhā those·tootepi Blessed Onesbhagavanto at best·indeedetaparamaṁyeva properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ towards·leadpaṭipādesuṁ—
as·justseyyathāpi nowetarahi by the worthy onebhotā Gotamagotamena properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho has been led to practicepaṭipādito.
who·tooYepi thosete, sirbho Gotamagotama, they will bebhavissanti future·timeanāgatamaddhānaṁ perfected onesarahanto fully·awakenedsammāsambuddhā those·tootepi Blessed Onesbhagavanto at best·indeedetaparamaṁyeva properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ towards·leadpaṭipādessanti—
as·justseyyathāpi nowetarahi by the worthy onebhotā Gotamagotamena properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho towards·leadpaṭipādito”ti.

“It’s incredible, worthy Gotama, it’s amazing! How the mendicant Saṅgha has been led to practice properly by the worthy Gotama! The perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the mendicant Saṅgha to practice properly at best do so like the worthy Gotama does in the present.”

so is this“Evametaṁ, Kandarakakandaraka, so·thisevametaṁ, Kandarakakandaraka.
whoeverYepi thosete, Kandarakakandaraka, wereahesuṁ past·timeatītamaddhānaṁ perfected onesarahanto fully·awakenedsammāsambuddhā they·tootepi blessed onesbhagavanto at best·justetaparamaṁyeva properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ led to practicepaṭipādesuṁ—
just asseyyathāpi nowetarahi by memayā properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho led to practicepaṭipādito.
whoeverYepi thosete, Kandarakakandaraka, will bebhavissanti future·timeanāgatamaddhānaṁ perfected onesarahanto fully·awakenedsammāsambuddhā they·tootepi blessed onesbhagavanto at best·justetaparamaṁyeva properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ will lead to practicepaṭipādessanti—
just asseyyathāpi nowetarahi by memayā properlysammā mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho led to practicepaṭipādito.
there areSanti indeedhi, Kandarakakandaraka, mendicantsbhikkhū in thisimasmiṁ mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe perfected onesarahanto with defilements endedkhīṇāsavā completed the spiritual journeyvusitavanto done·to be donekatakaraṇīyā laid down·burdenohitabhārā achieved·own goalanuppattasadatthā utterly ended·fetter of existenceparikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā rightly freed through enlightenmentsammadaññāvimuttā.
there areSanti indeedhi, Kandarakakandaraka, mendicantsbhikkhū in thisimasmiṁ mendicant·Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe traineessekkhā consistent·ethicalsantatasīlā consistent·livingsantatavuttino alertnipakā living alertlynipakavuttino;
theyte in the fourcatūsu mindfulness·establishmentsatipaṭṭhānesu firmly established·mindsuppatiṭṭhitacittā they meditateviharanti.
in whichKatamesu fourcatūsu?
hereIdha, Kandarakakandaraka, a mendicantbhikkhu in the bodykāye body·observingkāyānupassī they meditateviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindfulsatimā, having removedvineyya for the worldloke covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ;
in feelingsvedanāsu feeling·observingvedanānupassī they meditateviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindfulsatimā, having removedvineyya for the worldloke covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ;

“That’s so true, Kandaraka! That’s so true! The perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the mendicant Saṅgha to practice properly at best do so like I do in the present. For in this mendicant Saṅgha there are perfected mendicants, who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment. And in this mendicant Saṅgha there are trainee mendicants who are consistently ethical, living consistently, alert, living alertly. They meditate with their minds firmly established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. What four? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

in the mindcitte observing an aspect of the mindcittānupassī they meditateviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindful,satimā, rid ofvineyya for the worldloke covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ;
in principlesdhammesu observing an aspect of principlesdhammānupassī they meditateviharati keenātāpī awaresampajāno mindful,satimā, rid ofvineyya for the worldloke covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassan”ti.

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.”

thusEvaṁ when spokenvutte, Pessapesso elephant-driver·sonhatthārohaputto the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this·saidetadavoca:
incredible“acchariyaṁ, sirbhante, amazingabbhutaṁ, sirbhante.
howYāva well·describedsupaññattā and·thesecime, sirbhante, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā fourcattāro mindfulness·foundationsatipaṭṭhānā of beingssattānaṁ pure·purityvisuddhiyā sorrow·lamentationsokaparidevānaṁ together·beyond·goingsamatikkamāya pain·sadnessdukkhadomanassānaṁ for endingatthaṅgamāya of the systemñāyassa for attainmentadhigamāya of extinguishmentnibbānassa realization·actionsacchikiriyāya.
we + tooMayampi indeedhi, sirbhante, laypeoplegihī white·clothedodātavasanā from timekālena to timekālaṁ in theseimesu in fourcatūsu mindfulness·foundationsatipaṭṭhānesu with well-established mindssuppatiṭṭhitacittā we dwellviharāma.
hereIdha wemayaṁ, sirbhante, in the bodykāye observing the bodykāyānupassino we dwellviharāma keenātāpino awaresampajānā mindfulsatimanto, having removedvineyya in the worldloke covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ;
in feelingsvedanāsu observing feelingsvedanānupassino we dwellviharāma keenātāpino awaresampajānā mindfulsatimanto, having removedvineyya in the worldloke covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ;
in the mindcitte observing the mindcittānupassino we dwellviharāma keenātāpino awaresampajānā mindfulsatimanto, having removedvineyya in the worldloke covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ;
in principlesdhammesu observing principlesdhammānupassino we dwellviharāma keenātāpino awaresampajānā mindfulsatimanto, having removedvineyya in the worldloke covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassaṁ.
incredibleAcchariyaṁ, sirbhante, amazingabbhutaṁ, sirbhante.
how + and·thisYāvañcidaṁ, sirbhante, the Blessed Onebhagavā thusevaṁ human·junglemanussagahane thusevaṁ human·dregsmanussakasaṭe thusevaṁ human·trickerymanussasāṭheyye prevailingvattamāne for beingssattānaṁ what is beneficial and nothitāhitaṁ knowsjānāti.
shady + indeed·thisGahanañhetaṁ, sirbhante, that·thisyadidaṁ humansmanussā;

When he had spoken, Pessa said to the Buddha: “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How well described by the Buddha are the four kinds of mindfulness meditation! They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment. For we white-clothed laypeople also from time to time meditate with our minds well established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. We meditate observing an aspect of the body … feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How the Buddha knows what’s best for sentient beings, even though humans continue to be so shady, rotten, and tricky. For human beings are shady, sir,

obvious indeed thisuttānakañhetaṁ, sirbhante, which·thisyadidaṁ beastspasavo.
I indeedAhañhi, sirbhante, I am ablepahomi elephant·to-be-trainedhatthidammaṁ to drivesāretuṁ.
as much asYāvatakena in the intervalantarena Campācampaṁ gone·gonegatāgataṁ it will dokarissati allsabbāni thosetāni trickssāṭheyyāni bluffskūṭeyyāni rusesvaṅkeyyāni feintsjimheyyāni it will revealpātukarissati.
ourAmhākaṁ butpana, sirbhante, bondservantsdāsāti orvā servantspessāti orvā workerskammakarāti orvā one wayaññathāva by bodykāyena they behavesamudācaranti another wayaññathāva by speechvācāya another wayaññathāva theirnesaṁ mindcittaṁ ishoti.
incredibleAcchariyaṁ, sirbhante, amazingabbhutaṁ, sirbhante.
how indeed thisYāvañcidaṁ, sirbhante, the Blessed Onebhagavā thusevaṁ human·thicketmanussagahane thusevaṁ human·rottennessmanussakasaṭe thusevaṁ human·trickerymanussasāṭheyye continuingvattamāne of sentient beingssattānaṁ benefit·harmhitāhitaṁ knowsjānāti.
shady indeed thisGahanañhetaṁ, sirbhante, which·thisyadidaṁ humansmanussā;
obvious indeed thisuttānakañhetaṁ, sirbhante, which·thisyadidaṁ beastspasavo”ti.

while beasts are obvious. For I can drive an elephant in training, and while going back and forth in Campā it’ll try all the tricks, bluffs, ruses, and feints that it can. But my bondservants, servants, and workers behave one way by body, another by speech, and their minds another. It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How the Buddha knows what’s best for sentient beings, even though humans continue to be so shady, rotten, and tricky. For human beings are shady, sir, while beasts are obvious.”

“That’s so true, Pessa! That’s so true! For human beings are shady, while beasts are obvious. Pessa, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves. One individual mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others. One individual mortifies themselves and others, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others. One individual doesn’t mortify either themselves or others, committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others. They live without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine. Which one of these four individuals do you like the sound of?” “Sir, I don’t like the sound of the first three individuals.

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