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 and worthybhavañceva Gotamagotamo has succeededārādhako, monksbhikkhū andca have succeededārādhakā, nunsbhikkhuniyo andca have succeededārādhikā, laymenupāsakā andca laygihī wearing white clothesodātavasanā chastebrahmacārino have succeededārādhakā, laymenupāsakā andca laygihī wearing white clothesodātavasanā enjoying sensual pleasureskāmabhogino have succeededārādhakā, laywomenupāsikā andca laygihiniyo wearing white clothesodātavasanā chastebrahmacāriniyo have succeededārādhikā, laywomenupāsikā andca laygihiniyo wearing white clothesodātavasanā enjoying sensual pleasureskāmabhoginiyo have succeededārādhikā;
thus thisevamidaṁ spiritual pathbrahmacariyaṁ completeparipūraṁ 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 slants toward the oceansamuddaninnā slopes toward the oceansamuddapoṇā inclines toward the oceansamuddapabbhārā the oceansamuddaṁ having pressed againstāhacca standstiṭṭhati, in the same way thisevamevāyaṁ of Worthybhoto Gotama'sgotamassa assemblyparisā with both laypeople and renunciatessagahaṭṭhapabbajitā slants toward extinguishmentnibbānaninnā slopes toward extinguishmentnibbānapoṇā inclines toward extinguishmentnibbānapabbhārā 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, formerly of another sectaññatitthiyapubbo 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-mindedāraddhacittā mendicantsbhikkhū give the going forthpabbājenti give the ordinationupasampādenti to monkhoodbhikkhubhāvāya;
howeverapi andca here to memettha individual differencespuggalavemattatā knownviditā”ti.
if“Sace, sirbhante, formerly of another sectaññatitthiyapubbā in thisimasmiṁ teaching and trainingdhammavinaye wishingākaṅkhantā the going forthpabbajjaṁ, wishingākaṅkhantā the ordinationupasampadaṁ fourcattāro monthsmāse live on probationparivasanti, of fourcatunnaṁ monthsmāsānaṁ after the passingaccayena satisfied-mindedāraddhacittā 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-mindedāraddhacittā 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.

soon after full ordinationAcirūpasampanno indeedkho and the venerablepanāyasmā Vacchagottavacchagotto a fortnight after full ordinationaddhamāsūpasampanno 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—serenitybhāvehi—samathañca and discernmentvipassanañca.
theseIme indeedkho by youte, Vacchavaccha, twodve thingsdhammā furtheruttari developed—serenitybhāvitā—samatho andca discernmentvipassanā and—to the penetration of many elementsca—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 psychic poweriddhividhaṁ may I experiencepaccanubhaveyyaṁ—ekopi having beenhutvā manifoldbahudhā may I beassaṁ, manifold toobahudhāpi having beenhutvā oneeko may I beassaṁ; visibleāvibhāvaṁ, invisibletirobhāvaṁ; through a walltirokuṭṭaṁ through a ramparttiropākāraṁ through a mountaintiropabbataṁ unobstructedasajjamāno may I gogaccheyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi in spaceākāse; in the earth toopathaviyāpi diving in and outummujjanimujjaṁ may I dokareyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi in waterudake; on water tooudakepi unbrokenabhijjamāne may I gogaccheyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi on earthpathaviyaṁ; through the sky tooākāsepi cross-leggedpallaṅkena may I walkkameyyaṁ, just asseyyathāpi wingedpakkhī birdsakuṇo; these tooimepi sun and mooncandimasūriye so mightyevaṁmahiddhike so powerfulevaṁmahānubhāve with the handpāṇinā may I touchparimaseyyaṁ, may I strokeparimajjeyyaṁ; as far asyāva even as far as the realm of divinitybrahmalokāpi with the bodykāyena controlvasaṁ may I wieldvatteyyan’ti,
in thattatra right theretatreva capability of realizingsakkhibhabbataṁ 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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