Māgaṇḍiyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 75

With Māgaṇḍiya · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya,
haveapi indeednu by youte seendiṭṭho orvā heardsuto orvā a kingrājā orvā royal·great·ministerrājamahāmatto orvā with fivepañcahi sensual-pleasure·strandkāmaguṇehi with·reachsamappito possessing·becomesamaṅgībhūto around·going·beingparicārayamāno sensual-pleasure·cravingkāmataṇhaṁ not·forth·leaveappahāya sensual-pleasure·feverkāmapariḷāhaṁ not·against·apart·driveappaṭivinodetvā gone·thirstvigatapipāso internallyajjhattaṁ down·calmed·mindvūpasantacitto livedvihāsi orvā livesviharati orvā will liveviharissati or?”vā”ti?
No“No indeedhidaṁ, worthybho Gotama.gotama”.
Good,“Sādhu, Māgaṇḍiya.māgaṇḍiya.
I·tooMayāpi indeedkho this,etaṁ, Māgaṇḍiya,māgaṇḍiya, not·evenneva seendiṭṭhaṁ notna heardsutaṁ a kingrājā orvā royal·great·ministerrājamahāmatto orvā with fivepañcahi sensual-pleasure·strandkāmaguṇehi with·reachsamappito possessing·becomesamaṅgībhūto around·going·beingparicārayamāno sensual-pleasure·cravingkāmataṇhaṁ not·forth·leaveappahāya sensual-pleasure·feverkāmapariḷāhaṁ not·against·apart·driveappaṭivinodetvā gone·thirstvigatapipāso internallyajjhattaṁ down·calmed·mindvūpasantacitto livedvihāsi orvā livesviharati orvā will liveviharissati or.vā.

What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya? Have you seen or heard of a king or a royal minister of the past, future, or present, amusing themselves supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, who—without giving up craving for sensual pleasures and dispelling passion for sensual pleasures—lives rid of thirst, their mind settled internally?” “No, worthy Gotama.” “Good, Māgaṇḍiya. Neither have I.

thenAtha indeedkho, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, whoye forhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā gone·thirstvigatapipāsā internallyajjhattaṁ settled·mindvūpasantacittā apart·dwellvihāsuṁ orvā apart·dwellviharanti orvā apart·dwellviharissanti orvā allsabbe thosete sensual pleasure·indeedkāmānaṁyeva origin·andsamudayañca ending·andatthaṅgamañca gratification·andassādañca drawback·andādīnavañca escape·andnissaraṇañca as·trueyathābhūtaṁ having understoodviditvā sensual pleasure·cravingkāmataṇhaṁ forth·abandonpahāya sensual pleasure·passionkāmapariḷāhaṁ back·apart·dispelpaṭivinodetvā gone·thirstvigatapipāsā internallyajjhattaṁ settled·mindvūpasantacittā apart·dwellvihāsuṁ orvā apart·dwellviharanti orvā apart·dwellviharissanti or" quotation markervā”ti.

On the contrary, all the ascetics or brahmins of the past, future, or present who live rid of thirst, their minds settled internally, do so after truly understanding the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sensual pleasures, and after giving up craving and dispelling passion for sensual pleasures.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā at thattāyaṁ timevelāyaṁ thisimaṁ heartfelt sentimentudānaṁ expressedudānesi:
health is the ultimate blessing“Ārogyaparamā blessinglābhā,
extinguishmentnibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ happinesssukhaṁ;
eightfoldAṭṭhaṅgiko andca of pathsmaggānaṁ,
safekhemaṁ leads to freedom from deathamatagāminan”ti.
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiyo wandererparibbājako to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
incredible“acchariyaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama, amazingabbhutaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
howYāva well + said·thissubhāsitañcidaṁ by the worthybhotā Gotamagotamena:
health is the ultimate blessing‘ārogyaparamā blessinglābhā, extinguishmentnibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ happinesssukhan’ti.
by me tooMayāpi indeedkho thisetaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama, heardsutaṁ of the pastpubbakānaṁ of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ teacher·teacher of teachersācariyapācariyānaṁ speakingbhāsamānānaṁ:
health is the ultimate blessing‘ārogyaparamā blessinglābhā, extinguishmentnibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ happinesssukhan’ti;
and thattayidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama, agreessametī”ti.
which“Yaṁ butpana by youte thisetaṁ, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, heardsutaṁ of the pastpubbakānaṁ of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ teacher·teacher of teachersācariyapācariyānaṁ speakingbhāsamānānaṁ:
health is the ultimate blessing‘ārogyaparamā blessinglābhā, extinguishmentnibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ happinesssukhan’ti, whatkatamaṁ thattaṁ healthārogyaṁ, whatkatamaṁ thattaṁ extinguishmentnibbānan”ti?
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiyo wandererparibbājako own·indeedsakāneva justsudaṁ limbsgattāni with his handspāṇinā strokedanomajjati:
this is that“idantaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama, healthārogyaṁ, this·thatidantaṁ extinguishmentnibbānaṁ.

Then on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: “Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness. Of paths, the ultimate is eightfold— it’s safe, and leads to freedom from death.” When he said this, Māgaṇḍiya said to him, “It’s incredible, worthy Gotama, it’s amazing! How well said this was by the worthy Gotama! ‘Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.’ I’ve also heard that wanderers of the past, the tutors of tutors, said: ‘Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.’ And it agrees, worthy Gotama.” “But Māgaṇḍiya, when you heard that wanderers of the past said this, what is that health? And what is that extinguishment?” When he said this, Māgaṇḍiya stroked his own limbs with his hands, saying: “This is that health, worthy Gotama, this is that extinguishment!

I·nom.sg + forAhañhi, sirbho Gotamagotama, nowetarahi without·diseasearogo happy·nom.sg.msukhī, notna me·acc.sgmaṁ anythingkiñci against·afflict·3sg.pres.act·optative + quotation markerābādhatī”ti.

For I am now healthy and happy, and have no afflictions.”

suppose“Seyyathāpi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, birth·blindjaccandho personpuriso;
heso notna would seepasseyya dark·brightkaṇhasukkāni sightsrūpāni, notna would seepasseyya bluenīlakāni sightsrūpāni, notna would seepasseyya yellowpītakāni sightsrūpāni, notna would seepasseyya redlohitakāni sightsrūpāni, notna would seepasseyya magentamañjiṭṭhakāni sightsrūpāni, notna would seepasseyya even and uneven groundsamavisamaṁ, notna would seepasseyya starstārakarūpāni, notna would seepasseyya moon and suncandimasūriye.
heSo might hearsuṇeyya sightedcakkhumato sayingbhāsamānassa:
nice‘chekaṁ reallyvata, sirbho, whiteodātaṁ clothvatthaṁ attractive·appearanceabhirūpaṁ without·stainnimmalaṁ cleansucī’ti.
heSo white·searchodātapariyesanaṁ would gocareyya.
but someoneTamenaṁ someaññataro personpuriso oil·soiledtelamalikatena garmentsāhuḷicīrena would cheatvañceyya:
this‘idaṁ for youte, my manambho manpurisa, whiteodātaṁ clothvatthaṁ attractive·appearanceabhirūpaṁ without·stainnimmalaṁ cleansucī’ti.
heSo ittaṁ would takepaṭiggaṇheyya, having takenpaṭiggahetvā would put onpārupeyya, having put onpārupetvā self·mindattamano self·mind·utteranceattamanavācaṁ would utternicchāreyya:
nice‘chekaṁ reallyvata, sirbho, whiteodātaṁ clothvatthaṁ attractive·appearanceabhirūpaṁ without·stainnimmalaṁ cleansucī’ti.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya,

“Māgaṇḍiya, suppose a person was blind from birth. They couldn’t see sights that are dark or bright, or blue, yellow, red, or magenta. They couldn’t see even and uneven ground, or the stars, or the moon and sun. They might hear a sighted person saying: ‘White cloth is really nice, it’s attractive, stainless, and clean.’ They’d go in search of white cloth. But someone would cheat them with a dirty, soiled garment, saying: ‘My man, here is a white cloth for you, it’s attractive, stainless, and clean.’ They’d take it and put it on, expressing their gladness: ‘White cloth is really nice, it’s attractive, stainless, and clean.’ What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya?

surelyapi nownu thatso birth·blindjaccandho personpuriso know·present part.jānanto see·present part.passanto thatamuṁ oil·stain·madetelamalikataṁ hempen ragsāhuḷicīraṁ back·grasp·seize·optativepaṭiggaṇheyya, back·grasp·gerundpaṭiggahetvā on·wrap·wear·optativepārupeyya, on·wrap·gerundpārupetvā self·mindattamano delighted·wordattamanavācaṁ out·sound·speak·optativenicchāreyya:
beautiful‘chekaṁ indeedvata, sirbho, whiteodātaṁ clothvatthaṁ lovelyabhirūpaṁ without·stainnimmalaṁ cleansucī’ti orudāhu sighted one'scakkhumato faithsaddhāyā”ti?
not knowing“Ajānanto indeedhi, sirbho Gotamagotama, not·see·present part.apassanto thatso birth·blindjaccandho personpuriso thatamuṁ oil·stain·madetelamalikataṁ hempen ragsāhuḷicīraṁ back·grasp·seize·optativepaṭiggaṇheyya, back·grasp·gerundpaṭiggahetvā on·wrap·wear·optativepārupeyya, on·wrap·gerundpārupetvā self·mindattamano delighted·wordattamanavācaṁ out·sound·speak·optativenicchāreyya:
beautiful‘chekaṁ indeedvata, sirbho, whiteodātaṁ clothvatthaṁ lovelyabhirūpaṁ without·stainnimmalaṁ cleansucī’ti, sighted one'scakkhumato faithsaddhāyā”ti.

Did that person blind from birth do this knowing and seeing, or out of faith in the sighted person?” “They did so not knowing or seeing, but out of faith in the sighted person.”

just so“Evameva indeedkho, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, other·sectarianaññatitthiyā wanderersparibbājakā blindandhā sightlessacakkhukā not knowingajānantā healthārogyaṁ, not seeingapassantā extinguishmentnibbānaṁ, thenatha andca but thispanimaṁ versegāthaṁ they recitebhāsanti:
health-ultimate‘ārogyaparamā blessingslābhā, extinguishmentnibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ happinesssukhan’ti.
by pastPubbakehesā, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, by perfected onesarahantehi fully·awakenedsammāsambuddhehi versegāthā recitedbhāsitā:
health-ultimate‘Ārogyaparamā blessingslābhā,
extinguishmentnibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ happinesssukhaṁ;
eightfoldAṭṭhaṅgiko andca of pathsmaggānaṁ,
safekhemaṁ leading to freedom from deathamatagāminan’ti.
thisSā nowetarahi graduallyanupubbena a verse of ordinary peopleputhujjanagāthā.
thisAyaṁ indeedkho butpana, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, bodykāyo disease·becomerogabhūto boil·becomegaṇḍabhūto dart·becomesallabhūto gloom·becomeaghabhūto become an afflictionābādhabhūto, thisso youtvaṁ thisimaṁ bodykāyaṁ disease·becomerogabhūtaṁ boil·becomegaṇḍabhūtaṁ dart·becomesallabhūtaṁ gloom·becomeaghabhūtaṁ become an afflictionābādhabhūtaṁ:
this indeed‘idantaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama, healthārogyaṁ, this + thatidantaṁ extinguishmentnibbānan’ti you sayvadesi.
thatTañhi yourte, Māgaṇḍiyamāgaṇḍiya, nobleariyaṁ visioncakkhuṁ there is notnatthi by whichyena youtvaṁ nobleariyena with visioncakkhunā healthārogyaṁ you might knowjāneyyāsi, extinguishmentnibbānaṁ you might seepasseyyāsī”ti.

“In the same way, the wanderers of other religions are blind and sightless. Not knowing health and not seeing extinguishment, they still recite this verse: ‘Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.’ For this verse was recited by the perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas of the past: ‘Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness. Of paths, the ultimate is eightfold— it’s safe, and leads to freedom from death.’ These days it has gradually become a verse used by ordinary people. But Māgaṇḍiya, this body is a disease, a boil, a dart, a gloom, an affliction. Yet you say of this body: ‘This is that health, this is that extinguishment!’ Māgaṇḍiya, you don’t have the noble vision by which you might know health and see extinguishment.”

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