Cātumasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 67

At Cātumā · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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just asSeyyathāpi, venerable sirbhante, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā in the pastpubbe mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho supportedanuggahito; just soevameva the Blessed Onebhagavā nowetarahi may he supportanuggaṇhātu the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghan”ti.

May the Buddha support the mendicant Saṅgha now as he did in the past!”

were ableAsakkhiṁsu indeedkho of Cātumācātumeyyakā andca Sakyanssakyā Brahmābrahmā andca Sahampatisahampati the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ to restore confidencepasādetuṁ with the simile of the seedlingbījūpamena andca with the simile of the calftaruṇūpamena andca.

The Sakyans of Cātumā and the divinity Sahampati were able to restore the Buddha’s confidence with the similes of the seedlings and the calf.

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Mahāmoggallānamahāmoggallāno the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
get up, reverends“uṭṭhethāvuso, pick upgaṇhatha bowls and robespattacīvaraṁ.
confidence restoredPasādito the Buddhabhagavā by the Sakyans of Cātumācātumeyyakehi andca by the Sakyanssakyehi by the divinitybrahmunā andca Sahampatisahampatinā with the simile of the seedlingsbījūpamena andca with the simile of the calftaruṇūpamena and. Quotation markercā”ti.

Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the mendicants, “Get up, reverends, and pick up your bowls and robes. The Buddha’s confidence has been restored by the Sakyans of Cātumā and the divinity Sahampati with the similes of the seedlings and the calf.”

“Yes, reverend,”“Evamāvuso”ti indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of the venerableāyasmato of Mahāmoggallānamahāmoggallānassa having assentedpaṭissutvā having risen from their seatsuṭṭhāyāsanā taking their bowls and robespattacīvaramādāya whereyena the Buddhabhagavā went to himtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Buddhabhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdiṁsu. to one sideEkamantaṁ sittingnisinnaṁ indeedkho venerableāyasmantaṁ Sāriputtasāriputtaṁ the Buddhabhagavā said thisetadavoca:
what“kinti youte, Sāriputtasāriputta, wasahosi by memayā mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe when dismissedpaṇāmite”ti?
Thus“Evaṁ indeedkho meme, sirbhante, wasahosi:
by the Buddha‘bhagavatā mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho dismissedpaṇāmito.
passiveAppossukko nowdāni the Buddhabhagavā blissful meditation in this lifediṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁ devotedanuyutto will remainviharissati, we toomayampi nowdāni passiveappossukkā devoted to blissful meditation in this lifediṭṭhadhammasukhavihāramanuyuttā will remainviharissāmā’”ti.
Hold on“Āgamehi youtvaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, hold onāgamehi youtvaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, blissful meditation in this lifediṭṭhadhammasukhavihāran”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants. Then they rose from their seats and, taking their bowls and robes, went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to Venerable Sāriputta, “Sāriputta, what did you think when the mendicant Saṅgha was dismissed by me?” “Sir, I thought this: ‘The Buddha has dismissed the mendicant Saṅgha. Now he will remain passive, dwelling in blissful meditation in this life, and so will we.’” “Hold on, Sāriputta, hold on! Don’t you ever think such a thing again!”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā venerableāyasmantaṁ Mahāmoggallānamahāmoggallānaṁ addressedāmantesi:
what“kinti to youte, Moggallānamoggallāna, wasahosi by memayā in the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghe dismissedpaṇāmite”ti?
thus“Evaṁ indeedkho to meme, sirbhante, wasahosi:
by the Buddha‘bhagavatā the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅgho dismissedpaṇāmito.
passiveAppossukko nowdāni the Blessed Onebhagavā blissful meditation in this lifediṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁ devoted toanuyutto will remainviharissati, and Iahañca nowdāni venerableāyasmā andca Sāriputtasāriputto the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ will leadpariharissāmā’”ti.
good“Sādhu goodsādhu, Moggallānamoggallāna.
IAhaṁ orvā indeedhi, Moggallānamoggallāna, the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ should leadparihareyyaṁ Sāriputta and Moggallānasāriputtamoggallānā orvā”ti.

Then the Buddha addressed Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, “Moggallāna, what did you think when the mendicant Saṅgha was dismissed by me?” “Sir, I thought this: ‘The Buddha has dismissed the mendicant Saṅgha. Now he will remain passive, dwelling in blissful meditation in this life. Meanwhile, Venerable Sāriputta and I shall lead the mendicant Saṅgha.’” “Good, good, Moggallāna! For either I should lead the mendicant Saṅgha, or else Sāriputta and Moggallāna.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā the monksbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
these four“cattārimāni, monksbhikkhave, dangersbhayāni when going into the waterudakorohante should be anticipatedpāṭikaṅkhitabbāni.
whatKatamāni fourcattāri?
the danger of wavesŪmibhayaṁ, the danger of gharialskumbhīlabhayaṁ, the danger of whirlpoolsāvaṭṭabhayaṁ, the danger of sharkssusukābhayaṁ—
theseimāni, monksbhikkhave, fourcattāri dangersbhayāni when going into the waterudakorohante should be anticipatedpāṭikaṅkhitabbāni.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants: “Mendicants, when you go into the water you should anticipate four dangers. What four? The dangers of waves, gharials, whirlpools, and sharks. These are the four dangers that you should anticipate when you go into the water.

just soEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, these fourcattārimāni dangersbhayāni here someidhekacce individualspuggale in thisimasmiṁ teaching and trainingdhammavinaye from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajite should be anticipatedpāṭikaṅkhitabbāni.
whichKatamāni fourcattāri?
danger of wavesŪmibhayaṁ, danger of gharialskumbhīlabhayaṁ, danger of whirlpoolsāvaṭṭabhayaṁ, danger of sharkssusukābhayaṁ.

In the same way, an individual gone forth from the lay life to homelessness in this teaching and training should anticipate four dangers. What four? The dangers of waves, gharials, whirlpools, and sharks.

and whichKatamañca, mendicantsbhikkhave, the danger of waves?ūmibhayaṁ?
hereIdha, mendicantsbhikkhave, a certainekacco gentlemankulaputto out of faithsaddhā from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti:
I am swamped‘otiṇṇomhi by rebirthjātiyā by old agejarāya by deathmaraṇena by sorrowsokehi by lamentationparidevehi by paindukkhehi by sadnessdomanassehi by distressupāyāsehi swamped by sufferingdukkhotiṇṇo mired in suffering;dukkhapareto;
hopefullyappeva indeednāma of thisimassa entirekevalassa of the mass of sufferingdukkhakkhandhassa the making of an endantakiriyā might be knownpaññāyethā’ti.
himTamenaṁ thustathā gone forthpabbajitaṁ beingsamānaṁ spiritual companionssabrahmacārī adviseovadanti, instructanusāsanti:
thus‘evaṁ by youte you should go forwardabhikkamitabbaṁ, thusevaṁ by youte you should go backpaṭikkamitabbaṁ, thusevaṁ by youte you should look aheadālokitabbaṁ, thusevaṁ by youte you should look asidevilokitabbaṁ, thusevaṁ by youte you should contractsamiñjitabbaṁ, thusevaṁ by youte you should extendpasāritabbaṁ, thusevaṁ by youte outer robe, bowl, and robessaṅghāṭipattacīvaraṁ you should beardhāretabban’ti.
to themTassa suchevaṁ it occurshoti:
we‘mayaṁ indeedkho formerlypubbe being laypeopleagāriyabhūtā beingsamānā othersaññe advisedovadāma, instructedanusāsāma.
theseIme but ourpanamhākaṁ like childrenputtamattā one would thinkmaññe, like grandchildrennattamattā one would thinkmaññe, usamhe to be advisedovaditabbaṁ to be instructedanusāsitabbaṁ they imaginemaññantī’ti.
heSo the trainingsikkhaṁ having rejectedpaccakkhāya returns to a lesser lifehīnāyāvattati.
thisAyaṁ is calledvuccati, mendicantsbhikkhave, of the danger of wavesūmibhayassa afraidbhīto the trainingsikkhaṁ having rejectedpaccakkhāya returned to a lesser lifehīnāyāvatto.
danger of waves‘Ūmibhayan’ti indeedkho, mendicantsbhikkhave, of anger and distress this iskodhupāyāsassetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ.

And what, mendicants, is the danger of waves? It’s when a gentleman has gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, thinking: ‘I’m swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.’ When they’ve gone forth, their spiritual companions advise and instruct them: ‘You should go out like this, and come back like that. You should look to the front like this, and to the side like that. You should contract your limbs like this, and extend them like that. This is how you should bear your outer robe, bowl, and robes.’ They think: ‘Formerly, as laypeople, we advised and instructed others. And now these mendicants—who you’d think were our children or grandchildren—imagine they can advise and instruct us!’ They resign the training and return to a lesser life. This is called a mendicant who resigns the training and returns to a lesser life for fear of the danger of waves. ‘Danger of waves’ is a term for anger and distress.

and whichKatamañca, mendicantsbhikkhave, danger of gharials?kumbhīlabhayaṁ?
hereIdha, mendicantsbhikkhave, a certainekacco gentlemankulaputto out of faithsaddhā from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti:
I am swamped‘otiṇṇomhi by rebirthjātiyā by old agejarāya by deathmaraṇena by sorrowsokehi by lamentationparidevehi by paindukkhehi by sadnessdomanassehi by distressupāyāsehi swamped by sufferingdukkhotiṇṇo mired in suffering;dukkhapareto;
hopefullyappeva indeednāma of thisimassa entirekevalassa mass of sufferingdukkhakkhandhassa an endantakiriyā may be discerned'paññāyethā’ti.
when he has gone forth thusTamenaṁ thustathā gone forthpabbajitaṁ beingsamānaṁ spiritual companionssabrahmacārī adviseovadanti instruct:anusāsanti:

And what, mendicants, is the danger of gharials? It’s when a gentleman has gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, thinking: ‘I’m swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.’ When they’ve gone forth, their spiritual companions advise and instruct them:

‘You may eat, consume, taste, and drink these things, but not those. You may eat what’s allowable, but not what’s unallowable. You may eat at the right time, but not at the wrong time.’

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