Bhaddālisutta

Majjhima Nikāya 65

With Bhaddāli · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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a mistake“Accayo memaṁ, sirbhante, I madeaccagamā as·foolishyathābālaṁ as·stupidyathāmūḷhaṁ unskillfulyathāakusalaṁ, that + Iyohaṁ by the Buddhabhagavatā rulesikkhāpade being laid downpaññāpiyamāne the Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe trainingsikkhaṁ was undertakingsamādiyamāne non-effortanussāhaṁ I announcedpavedesiṁ.
of thatTassa meme, sirbhante, the Buddhabhagavā mistakeaccayaṁ as a mistakeaccayato let him acceptpaṭiggaṇhātu in the futureāyatiṁ for restraintsaṁvarāyā”ti.
indeed“Taggha youtvaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, a mistakeaccayo you madeaccagamā as·foolishyathābālaṁ as·stupidyathāmūḷhaṁ unskillfulyathāakusalaṁ, thatyaṁ youtvaṁ by memayā rulesikkhāpade being laid downpaññāpiyamāne the Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe trainingsikkhaṁ was undertakingsamādiyamāne non-effortanussāhaṁ you announcedpavedesi.

“I made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me that, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Saṅgha was undertaking it, I announced I would not attempt to keep it. Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.” “Indeed, Bhaddāli, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you that, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Saṅgha was undertaking it, you announced you would not attempt to keep it.

thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Bhaddālibhaddāli,
here there might beidhassa a mendicantbhikkhu both·way·freedubhatobhāgavimutto, I to himtamahaṁ thusevaṁ I would sayvadeyyaṁ:
come‘ehi for meme youtvaṁ, mendicantbhikkhu, in the mudpaṅke a bridgesaṅkamo be (quotation marker)hohī’ti, andapi thennu indeedkho heso he would cross oversaṅkameyya orvā by another (way)aññena orvā his bodykāyaṁ he would bend awaysannāmeyya, "no" (quotation marker)‘no’ti orvā he would sayvadeyyā”ti?
no“No for thishetaṁ, sirbhante”.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Bhaddālibhaddāli,
here there might beidhassa a mendicantbhikkhu freed by wisdompaññāvimutto ……
a direct witnesskāyasakkhi ……
attained to viewdiṭṭhippatto ……
freed by faithsaddhāvimutto ……
a follower of teachingsdhammānusārī ……
a follower by faithsaddhānusārī, I to himtamahaṁ thusevaṁ I would sayvadeyyaṁ:
come‘ehi for meme youtvaṁ, mendicantbhikkhu, in the mudpaṅke a bridgesaṅkamo be (quotation marker)hohī’ti, andapi thennu indeedkho heso he would cross oversaṅkameyya orvā by another (way)aññena orvā his bodykāyaṁ he would bend awaysannāmeyya, "no" (quotation marker)‘no’ti orvā he would sayvadeyyā”ti?
no“No for thishetaṁ, sirbhante”.

What do you think, Bhaddāli? Suppose I was to say this to a mendicant who is freed both ways: ‘Please, mendicant, be a bridge for me to cross over the mud.’ Would they cross over themselves, or struggle to get out of it, or just say no?” “No, sir.” “What do you think, Bhaddāli? Suppose I was to say the same thing to a mendicant who is freed by wisdom, or a direct witness, or attained to view, or freed by faith, or a follower of teachings, or a follower by faith: ‘Please, mendicant, be a bridge for me to cross over the mud.’ Would they cross over themselves, or struggle to get out of it, or just say no?” “No, sir.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Bhaddālibhaddāli,
indeedapi thennu youtvaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, at thattasmiṁ timesamaye both·way·freedubhatobhāgavimutto orvā werehosi wisdom·freedpaññāvimutto orvā body·witnesskāyasakkhi orvā view·attaineddiṭṭhippatto orvā faith·freedsaddhāvimutto orvā a follower of teachingsdhammānusārī orvā faith·followersaddhānusārī quotation markervā”ti?
no“No indeed thishetaṁ, sirbhante”.
surely not“Nanu youtvaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, at thattasmiṁ timesamaye vacuousritto hollowtuccho mistakenaparaddho”ti?

“What do you think, Bhaddāli? At that time were you freed both ways, freed by wisdom, a direct witness, attained to view, freed by faith, a follower of teachings, or a follower by faith?” “No, sir.” “Weren’t you vacuous, hollow, and mistaken?”

yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante.
a mistakeAccayo memaṁ, sirbhante, overcameaccagamā like a foolyathābālaṁ like one confusedyathāmūḷhaṁ like one unskillfulyathāakusalaṁ, who + Iyohaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā in a training rulesikkhāpade being made knownpaññāpiyamāne in the bhikkhu Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe the trainingsikkhaṁ being undertakensamādiyamāne lack of zealanussāhaṁ I showedpavedesiṁ.
of thatTassa for meme, sirbhante, the Blessed Onebhagavā the mistakeaccayaṁ as a mistakeaccayato let him acceptpaṭiggaṇhātu in futureāyatiṁ for restraintsaṁvarāyā”ti.
indeed“Taggha youtvaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, a mistakeaccayo overcameaccagamā like a foolyathābālaṁ like one confusedyathāmūḷhaṁ like one unskillfulyathāakusalaṁ, thatyaṁ youtvaṁ by memayā in a training rulesikkhāpade being made knownpaññāpiyamāne in the bhikkhu Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe the trainingsikkhaṁ being undertakensamādiyamāne lack of zealanussāhaṁ you showedpavedesi.
sinceYato andca indeedkho youtvaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, the mistakeaccayaṁ as a mistakeaccayato having seendisvā according to the Dhammayathādhammaṁ you make amendspaṭikarosi, thattaṁ from youte wemayaṁ we acceptpaṭiggaṇhāma.
this is growthVuddhihesā, Bhaddālibhaddāli, of the noble oneariyassa in the disciplinevinaye whoyo the mistakeaccayaṁ as a mistakeaccayato having seendisvā according to the Dhammayathādhammaṁ makes amendspaṭikaroti, in futureāyatiṁ restraintsaṁvaraṁ undertakesāpajjati.

“Yes, sir. I made a mistake … Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.” “Indeed, Bhaddāli, you made a mistake. … But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it. For it is growth in the training of the Noble One to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future.

hereIdha, Bhaddālibhaddāli, a certain oneekacco monkbhikkhu teacher·instructionsatthusāsane in the trainingsikkhāya not·completely·fill·makingaparipūrakārī ishoti.
to himTassa thusevaṁ it ishoti:
why don't I‘yannūnāhaṁ secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ I would frequentbhajeyyaṁ wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildernessvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ heap of strawpalālapuñjaṁ.
hopefullyAppeva indeed Ināmāhaṁ beyonduttari human·qualitymanussadhammā worthy of·noble·knowledge·vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ I would realizesacchikareyyan’ti.
heSo secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ he frequentsbhajati wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildernessvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ heap of strawpalālapuñjaṁ.
to himTassa dwelling thus withdrawntathāvūpakaṭṭhassa livingviharato the Teacher toosatthāpi reprimandsupavadati, after examination tooanuviccapi sensibleviññū together·spiritual·companionsabrahmacārī reprimandupavadanti, deities toodevatāpi reprimandupavadanti, self tooattāpi himselfattānaṁ reprimandsupavadati.
heSo by the Teacher toosatthārāpi reprimandedupavadito, after examination tooanuviccapi sensibleviññūhi together·spiritual·companionsabrahmacārīhi reprimandedupavadito, by deities toodevatāhipi reprimandedupavadito, by himself tooattanāpi himselfattānaṁ reprimandedupavadito notna beyonduttari human·qualitymanussadhammā worthy of·noble·knowledge·vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ he realizessacchikaroti.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
thus indeedEvañhi thattaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, it ishoti asyathā thattaṁ teacher·instructionsatthusāsane in the trainingsikkhāya for one who does not fulfillaparipūrakārissa.

Bhaddāli, take a mendicant who doesn’t fulfill the training according to the Teacher’s instructions. They think, ‘Why don’t I frequent a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. Hopefully I’ll realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.’ So they frequent a secluded lodging. While they’re living withdrawn, they’re reprimanded by the Teacher, by sensible spiritual companions after examination, by deities, and by themselves. Being reprimanded in this way, they don’t realize any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Why is that? Because that’s how it is when someone doesn’t fulfill the training according to the Teacher’s instructions.

hereIdha butpana, Bhaddālibhaddāli, someekacco monkbhikkhu teacher·instructionsatthusāsane in the trainingsikkhāya fulfill·makerparipūrakārī ishoti.
of himTassa thusevaṁ it ishoti:
why don't I‘yannūnāhaṁ secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ frequentbhajeyyaṁ wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ heap of strawpalālapuñjaṁ.
hopefullyAppeva indeed + Ināmāhaṁ beyonduttari human·statemanussadhammā worthy·noble·knowledge·vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ I would realizesacchikareyyan’ti.
heSo secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ frequentsbhajati wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ heap of strawpalālapuñjaṁ.
of himTassa thus·withdrawntathāvūpakaṭṭhassa livingviharato even the Teachersatthāpi notna reprimandsupavadati, even after examinationanuviccapi sensibleviññū own·spiritual companionsabrahmacārī notna reprimandupavadanti, even deitiesdevatāpi notna reprimandupavadanti, even oneselfattāpi oneselfattānaṁ notna reprimandsupavadati.
heSo even by the Teachersatthārāpi not reprimandedanupavadito, even after examinationanuviccapi by sensibleviññūhi own·spiritual companionsabrahmacārīhi not reprimandedanupavadito, even by deitiesdevatāhipi not reprimandedanupavadito, even by oneselfattanāpi oneselfattānaṁ not·reprimandanupavadito beyonduttari human·statemanussadhammā worthy·noble·knowledge·vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ realizessacchikaroti.

But take a mendicant who does fulfill the training according to the Teacher’s instructions. They think, ‘Why don’t I frequent a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. Hopefully I’ll realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.’ They frequent a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. While they’re living withdrawn, they’re not reprimanded by the Teacher, by sensible spiritual companions after examination, by deities, or by themselves. Not being reprimanded in this way, they realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.

heSo secluded·quitevivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca not·skillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with·placing the mindsavitakkaṁ with·keeping it connectedsavicāraṁ seclusion·bornvivekajaṁ rapture·blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja they remain.viharati.
thatTaṁ whatkissa is the cause?hetu?
thus·forEvañhi thattaṁ, Bhaddālibhaddāli, it happenshoti asyathā thattaṁ Teacher + instructionsatthusāsane in the trainingsikkhāya of one fulfillingparipūrakārissa.

Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Why is that? Because that’s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher’s instructions.

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