‹ Library

Majjhima Nikāya 56

Upālisutta

With Upāli · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

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

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Atha kho bhagavā upālissa gahapatissa anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ—
dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ, kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ, nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.
Yadā bhagavā aññāsi upāliṁ gahapatiṁ kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi—
dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ.
Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya;
evameva upālissa gahapatissa tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:
“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.
Atha kho upāli gahapati diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bhante, gacchāma, bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā”ti.
“Yassadāni tvaṁ, gahapati, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.

Then the Buddha taught the householder Upāli step by step, with a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven. He revealed the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation. And when he knew that Upāli’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he revealed the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye, in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in Upāli: “Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.” Then Upāli saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. He went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. He said to the Buddha, “Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, householder, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho upāli gahapati bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena sakaṁ nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā dovārikaṁ āmantesi:
“ajjatagge, samma dovārika, āvarāmi dvāraṁ nigaṇṭhānaṁ nigaṇṭhīnaṁ, anāvaṭaṁ dvāraṁ bhagavato bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ.
Sace koci nigaṇṭho āgacchati tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:
‘tiṭṭha, bhante, mā pāvisi.
Ajjatagge upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato.
Āvaṭaṁ dvāraṁ nigaṇṭhānaṁ nigaṇṭhīnaṁ, anāvaṭaṁ dvāraṁ bhagavato bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ.
Sace te, bhante, piṇḍakena attho, ettheva tiṭṭha, ettheva te āharissantī’”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho dovāriko upālissa gahapatissa paccassosi.

And then the householder Upāli 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. Then he went back to his own home, where he addressed the gatekeeper, “My good gatekeeper, from this day forth close the gate to Jain monks and nuns, and open it for the Buddha’s monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. If any Jain ascetics come, say this to them: ‘Wait, sir, do not enter. From now on the householder Upāli has become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama. His gate is closed to Jain monks and nuns, and opened for the Buddha’s monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. If you require almsfood, wait here, they will bring it to you.’” “Yes, sir,” replied the gatekeeper.

Assosi kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho:
“upāli kira gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato”ti.
Atha kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavoca:
“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, upāli kira gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato”ti.
“Aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, tapassi, anavakāso yaṁ upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyya.
Ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ samaṇo gotamo upālissa gahapatissa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyyā”ti.
Dutiyampi kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho …pe…
tatiyampi kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavoca:
“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante …
pe…
upālissa gahapatissa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyyā”ti.
“Handāhaṁ, bhante, gacchāmi yāva jānāmi yadi vā upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato yadi vā no”ti.

Dīgha Tapassī heard that Upāli had become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama. He went to the Jain Ñātika and said to him, “Sir, they say that the householder Upāli has become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama.” “It is impossible, Tapassī, it cannot happen that Upāli could become Gotama’s disciple. But it is possible that Gotama could become Upāli’s disciple.” For a second time … and a third time, Dīgha Tapassī said to the Jain Ñātika, “Sir, they say that the householder Upāli has become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama.” “It is impossible, Tapassī, it cannot happen that Upāli could become Gotama’s disciple. But it is possible that Gotama could become Upāli’s disciple.” “Well, sir, I’d better go and find out whether or not Upāli has become Gotama’s disciple.”

“Gaccha tvaṁ, tapassi, jānāhi yadi vā upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato yadi vā no”ti.

“Go, Tapassī, and find out whether or not Upāli has become Gotama’s disciple.”

Atha kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho yena upālissa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.
Addasā kho dovāriko dīghatapassiṁ nigaṇṭhaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
Disvāna dīghatapassiṁ nigaṇṭhaṁ etadavoca:
“tiṭṭha, bhante, mā pāvisi.
Ajjatagge upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato.
Āvaṭaṁ dvāraṁ nigaṇṭhānaṁ nigaṇṭhīnaṁ, anāvaṭaṁ dvāraṁ bhagavato bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ.
Sace te, bhante, piṇḍakena attho, ettheva tiṭṭha, ettheva te āharissantī”ti.
“Na me, āvuso, piṇḍakena attho”ti vatvā tato paṭinivattitvā yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavoca:
“saccaṁyeva kho, bhante, yaṁ upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato.
Etaṁ kho te ahaṁ, bhante, nālatthaṁ, na kho me, bhante, ruccati yaṁ upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa vādaṁ āropeyya.

Then Dīgha Tapassī went to Upāli’s home. The gatekeeper saw him coming off in the distance and said to him, “Wait, sir, do not enter. From now on the householder Upāli has become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama. His gate is closed to Jain monks and nuns, and opened for the Buddha’s monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. If you require almsfood, wait here, they will bring it to you.” Saying, “No, worthy man, I do not require almsfood,” he turned back and went to the Jain Ñātika and said to him, “Sir, it’s really true that Upāli has become Gotama’s disciple. Sir, I couldn’t get you to accept that it wasn’t a good idea for the householder Upāli to rebut the ascetic Gotama’s doctrine.

Samaṇo hi, bhante, gotamo māyāvī āvaṭṭaniṁ māyaṁ jānāti yāya aññatitthiyānaṁ sāvake āvaṭṭetīti.
Āvaṭṭo kho te, bhante, upāli gahapati samaṇena gotamena āvaṭṭaniyā māyāyā”ti.
“Aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, tapassi, anavakāso yaṁ upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyya.
Ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ samaṇo gotamo upālissa gahapatissa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyyā”ti.
Dutiyampi kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavoca:
“saccaṁyeva, bhante …pe…
upālissa gahapatissa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyyā”ti.
Tatiyampi kho dīghatapassī nigaṇṭho nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavoca:
“saccaṁyeva kho, bhante …
pe…
upālissa gahapatissa sāvakattaṁ upagaccheyyā”ti.
“Handa cāhaṁ, tapassi, gacchāmi yāva cāhaṁ sāmaṁyeva jānāmi yadi vā upāli gahapati samaṇassa gotamassa sāvakattaṁ upagato yadi vā no”ti.

For the ascetic Gotama is deceitful. He knows a conversion trick, and uses it to convert the disciples of other religions. The householder Upāli has been converted by the ascetic Gotama’s conversion trick!” “It is impossible, Tapassī, it cannot happen that Upāli could become Gotama’s disciple. But it is possible that Gotama could become Upāli’s disciple.” For a second time … and a third time, Dīgha Tapassī told the Jain Ñātika that it was really true. “It is impossible … Well, Tapassī, I’d better go and find out for myself whether or not Upāli has become Gotama’s disciple.”

‹ Previous  ·  Page 5 of 7  ·  Next ›

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