Mahāvacchasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 73

The Longer Discourse With Vacchagotta · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures, then this spiritual path would be incomplete in that respect.

becauseYasmā andca indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, thisimaṁ teachingdhammaṁ worthy + and·and·justbhavañceva Gotamagotamo has succeededārādhako, monksbhikkhū andca have succeededārādhakā, nunsbhikkhuniyo andca have succeededārādhikā, laymenupāsakā andca laygihī white·wearingodātavasanā holy·livingbrahmacārino have succeededārādhakā, laymenupāsakā andca laygihī white·wearingodātavasanā sensual-pleasure·enjoyingkāmabhogino have succeededārādhakā, laywomenupāsikā andca laygihiniyo white·wearingodātavasanā holy·livingbrahmacāriniyo have succeededārādhikā, laywomenupāsikā andca laygihiniyo white·wearingodātavasanā sensual-pleasure·enjoyingkāmabhoginiyo have succeededārādhikā;
thus + this·thisevamidaṁ holy·lifebrahmacariyaṁ all-round·fullparipūraṁ in that respecttenaṅgena.

But because Worthy Gotama, monks, nuns, chaste laymen, laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, chaste laywomen, and laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures have all succeeded in this teaching, this spiritual path is complete in that respect.

just asSeyyathāpi, good sirbho Gotamagotama, Gangesgaṅgā rivernadī ocean·slantssamuddaninnā ocean·slopessamuddapoṇā ocean·inclinessamuddapabbhārā the oceansamuddaṁ having pressed againstāhacca standstiṭṭhati, in the same way thisevamevāyaṁ of Worthybhoto Gotama'sgotamassa assemblyparisā with·laypeople·renunciatessagahaṭṭhapabbajitā extinguishment·slantsnibbānaninnā extinguishment·slopesnibbānapoṇā extinguishment·inclinesnibbānapabbhārā extinguishmentnibbānaṁ having pressed againstāhacca standstiṭṭhati.

Just as the Ganges River slants, slopes, and inclines toward the ocean, and keeps pressing into the ocean, in the same way Worthy Gotama’s assembly—with both laypeople and renunciates—slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment, and keeps pressing upon extinguishment.

excellentAbhikkantaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama …pe……pe…
I thisesāhaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ I gogacchāmi and the teachingdhammañca and the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghañca.
may I receiveLabheyyāhaṁ of the worthybhoto of Gotamagotamassa in the presencesantike the going forthpabbajjaṁ, I might receivelabheyyaṁ the ordinationupasampadan”ti.

Excellent, worthy Gotama! … I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?”

who“Yo indeedkho, Vacchavaccha, other·sectarianaññatitthiyapubbo in thisimasmiṁ teaching and trainingdhammavinaye wishesākaṅkhati the going forthpabbajjaṁ, wishesākaṅkhati the ordinationupasampadaṁ, heso fourcattāro monthsmāse lives on probationparivasati. of fourCatunnaṁ monthsmāsānaṁ after the passingaccayena satisfied·mindāraddhacittā mendicantsbhikkhū give the going forthpabbājenti give the ordinationupasampādenti to monkhoodbhikkhubhāvāya;
howeverapi andca here to memettha individual·differencepuggalavemattatā knownviditā”ti.
if“Sace, sirbhante, other·sectarianaññatitthiyapubbā in thisimasmiṁ teaching and trainingdhammavinaye wishingākaṅkhantā the going forthpabbajjaṁ, wishingākaṅkhantā the ordinationupasampadaṁ fourcattāro monthsmāse live on probationparivasanti, of fourcatunnaṁ monthsmāsānaṁ after the passingaccayena satisfied·mindāraddhacittā mendicantsbhikkhū give the going forthpabbājenti give the ordinationupasampādenti to monkhoodbhikkhubhāvāya; Iahaṁ fourcattāri yearsvassāni I will live on probationparivasissāmi. of fourCatunnaṁ yearsvassānaṁ after the passingaccayena satisfied·mindāraddhacittā mendicantsbhikkhū let them give the going forthpabbājentu let them give the ordinationupasampādentu to monkhoodbhikkhubhāvāyā”ti.
receivedAlattha indeedkho Vacchagottavacchagotto wandererparibbājako of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike the going forthpabbajjaṁ receivedalattha the ordinationupasampadaṁ.

“Vaccha, if someone formerly ordained in another sect wishes to take the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training, they must spend four months on probation. When four months have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, they’ll give the going forth, the ordination into monkhood. However, I recognize individual differences in this matter.” “Sir, if four months probation are required in such a case, I’ll spend four years on probation. When four years have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, let them give me the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.” And the wanderer Vaccha received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

not·long·ordainedAcirūpasampanno indeedkho and·venerablepanāyasmā Vacchagottavacchagotto fortnight·ordainedaddhamāsūpasampanno whereyena the Buddhabhagavā there he approachedtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Buddhabhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ he sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho venerableāyasmā Vacchagottavacchagotto to the Buddhabhagavantaṁ he said thisetadavoca:
as far as possible“yāvatakaṁ, sirbhante, of a traineesekhena with knowledgeñāṇena of a traineesekhāya with understandingvijjāya to be reachedpattabbaṁ, reachedanuppattaṁ thattaṁ by memayā;
furtheruttari andca to meme the Buddhabhagavā dhammadhammaṁ let him teachdesetū”ti.

Not long after his ordination, a fortnight later, Venerable Vacchagotta went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, I’ve reached as far as possible with the knowledge and understanding of a trainee. Please teach me further.”

by that“Tena thenhi youtvaṁ, Vacchavaccha, twodve thingsdhamme furtheruttari develop·serenity·andbhāvehi—samathañca discernment·andvipassanañca.
theseIme indeedkho by youte, Vacchavaccha, twodve thingsdhammā furtheruttari developed·serenitybhāvitā—samatho andca discernmentvipassanā and·many-element-penetrationca—anekadhātupaṭivedhāya they will leadsaṁvattissanti.

“Well then, Vaccha, further develop two things: serenity and discernment. When you have further developed these two things, they’ll lead to the penetration of many elements.

thatSo youtvaṁ, Vacchavaccha, as far asyāvadeva you will wishākaṅkhissasi:
of many kinds‘anekavihitaṁ power·kindiddhividhaṁ experience + one·toopaccanubhaveyyaṁ—ekopi having beenhutvā manifoldbahudhā may I beassaṁ, manifold + toobahudhāpi having beenhutvā oneeko may I beassaṁ; visibleāvibhāvaṁ, invisibletirobhāvaṁ; through·walltirokuṭṭaṁ through·ramparttiropākāraṁ through·mountaintiropabbataṁ not·stickingasajjamāno may I gogaccheyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi in spaceākāse; earth + toopathaviyāpi emerging·divingummujjanimujjaṁ may I dokareyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi in waterudake; on water + tooudakepi not·breakingabhijjamāne may I gogaccheyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi on earthpathaviyaṁ; in space + tooākāsepi cross-leggedpallaṅkena may I walkkameyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi wingedpakkhī birdsakuṇo; these + tooimepi moon·suncandimasūriye so·mightyevaṁmahiddhike so·powerfulevaṁmahānubhāve with the handpāṇinā may I touchparimaseyyaṁ, may I strokeparimajjeyyaṁ; as far asyāva realm of divinity + evenbrahmalokāpi with the bodykāyena controlvasaṁ may I wieldvatteyyan’ti,
in thattatra right theretatreva witness·capabilitysakkhibhabbataṁ you will attainpāpuṇissasi, when there issati the basis of mindfulnesssatiāyatane.

As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity.’

youSo youtvaṁ, Vacchavaccha, wheneveryāvadeva you will wishākaṅkhissasi:
with divine‘dibbāya ear-elementsotadhātuyā purifiedvisuddhāya superhumanatikkantamānusikāya bothubho soundssadde may I hearsuṇeyyaṁ—dibbe andca humanmānuse andca, whichye fardūre nearsantike andcā’ti, theretatra right theretatreva capability of witnessingsakkhibhabbataṁ you will attainpāpuṇissasi, when there issati the basis of mindfulnesssatiāyatane.

Whenever you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.’

As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with my mind. May I understand mind with greed as “mind with greed”, and mind without greed as “mind without greed”; mind with hate as “mind with hate”, and mind without hate as “mind without hate”; mind with delusion as “mind with delusion”, and mind without delusion as “mind without delusion”; constricted mind as “constricted mind”, and scattered mind as “scattered mind”; expansive mind as “expansive mind”, and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”; mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”, and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”; mind immersed in samādhi as “mind immersed in samādhi”, and mind not immersed in samādhi as “mind not immersed in samādhi”;

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