Sandakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 76

With Sandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Sace imassa bhoto satthuno saccaṁ vacanaṁ, akatena me ettha kataṁ, avusitena me ettha vusitaṁ.
Ubhopi mayaṁ ettha samasamā sāmaññaṁ pattā, yo cāhaṁ na vadāmi ‘ubhinnaṁ kurutaṁ na karīyati pāpan’ti.
Atirekaṁ kho panimassa bhoto satthuno naggiyaṁ muṇḍiyaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ kesamassulocanaṁ, yohaṁ puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasanto kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhonto mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārento jātarūparajataṁ sādiyanto iminā bhotā satthārā samasamagatiko bhavissāmi abhisamparāyaṁ.
Sohaṁ kiṁ jānanto kiṁ passanto imasmiṁ satthari brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi?
‘So abrahmacariyavāso ayan’ti
iti viditvā tasmā brahmacariyā nibbijja pakkamati.

If what that teacher says is true, both I who have not accomplished this and one who has accomplished it have attained exactly the same level. Yet I’m not one who says that when both of us act, nothing wrong is done. But it’s superfluous for this teacher to go nude, bald, persisting in squatting, tearing out their hair and beard. For I’m living at home with my children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, fragrance, and makeup, and accepting gold and currency. Yet I’ll have exactly the same destiny in the next life as this teacher. What do I know or see that I should lead the spiritual life under this teacher? This negates the spiritual life.’ Realizing this, they leave disappointed.

Ayaṁ kho, sandaka, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dutiyo abrahmacariyavāso akkhāto yattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ na vaseyya, vasanto ca nārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

This is the second way that negates the spiritual life.

Puna caparaṁ, sandaka, idhekacco satthā evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi:
‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ saṅkilesāya;
ahetū appaccayā sattā saṅkilissanti;
natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā;
ahetū appaccayā sattā visujjhanti;
natthi balaṁ, natthi vīriyaṁ, natthi purisathāmo, natthi purisaparakkamo;
sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā sabbe bhūtā sabbe jīvā avasā abalā avīriyā niyatisaṅgatibhāvapariṇatā chasvevābhijātīsu sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.

Furthermore, take a certain teacher who has this doctrine and view: ‘There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason. There’s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason. There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor. All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’

Tatra, sandaka, viññū puriso iti paṭisañcikkhati:
‘ayaṁ kho bhavaṁ satthā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—
natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ saṅkilesāya, ahetū appaccayā sattā saṅkilissanti.
Natthi hetu natthi paccayo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā, ahetū appaccayā sattā visujjhanti.
Natthi balaṁ, natthi vīriyaṁ, natthi purisathāmo, natthi purisaparakkamo, sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā sabbe bhūtā sabbe jīvā avasā abalā avīriyā niyatisaṅgatibhāvapariṇatā chasvevābhijātīsu sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.
Sace imassa bhoto satthuno saccaṁ vacanaṁ, akatena me ettha kataṁ, avusitena me ettha vusitaṁ.
Ubhopi mayaṁ ettha samasamā sāmaññaṁ pattā, yo cāhaṁ na vadāmi ‘ubho ahetū appaccayā visujjhissāmā’ti.

A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: ‘This teacher has such a doctrine and view. If what that teacher says is true, both I who have not accomplished this and one who has accomplished it have attained exactly the same level. Yet I’m not one who says that both of us are purified without cause or reason.

Atirekaṁ kho panimassa bhoto satthuno naggiyaṁ muṇḍiyaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ kesamassulocanaṁ, yohaṁ puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasanto kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhonto mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārento jātarūparajataṁ sādiyanto iminā bhotā satthārā samasamagatiko bhavissāmi abhisamparāyaṁ.
Sohaṁ kiṁ jānanto kiṁ passanto imasmiṁ satthari brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi?
‘So abrahmacariyavāso ayan’ti—
iti viditvā tasmā brahmacariyā nibbijja pakkamati.

But it’s superfluous for this teacher to go nude, bald, persisting in squatting, tearing out their hair and beard. For I’m living at home with my children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, fragrance, and makeup, and accepting gold and currency. Yet I’ll have exactly the same destiny in the next life as this teacher. What do I know or see that I should lead the spiritual life under this teacher? This negates the spiritual life.’ Realizing this, they leave disappointed.

Ayaṁ kho, sandaka, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena tatiyo abrahmacariyavāso akkhāto yattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ na vaseyya, vasanto ca nārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

This is the third way that negates the spiritual life.

Puna caparaṁ, sandaka, idhekacco satthā evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi:
‘sattime kāyā akaṭā akaṭavidhā animmitā animmātā vañjhā kūṭaṭṭhā esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhitā,
te na iñjanti na vipariṇamanti na aññamaññaṁ byābādhenti nālaṁ aññamaññassa sukhāya vā dukkhāya vā sukhadukkhāya vā.
Katame satta?
Pathavīkāyo āpokāyo tejokāyo vāyokāyo sukhe dukkhe jīve sattame—
ime sattakāyā akaṭā akaṭavidhā animmitā animmātā vañjhā kūṭaṭṭhā esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhitā.
Te na iñjanti na vipariṇamanti na aññamaññaṁ byābādhenti. Nālaṁ aññamaññassa sukhāya vā dukkhāya vā sukhadukkhāya vā.
Tattha natthi hantā vā ghātetā vā sotā vā sāvetā vā viññātā vā viññāpetā vā.
Yopi tiṇhena satthena sīsaṁ chindati, na koci kañci jīvitā voropeti.
Sattannaṁ tveva kāyānamantarena satthaṁ vivaramanupatati.

Furthermore, take a certain teacher who has this doctrine and view: ‘There are these seven substances that are not made, not derived, not created, without a creator, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They don’t move or deteriorate or obstruct each other. They’re unable to cause pleasure, pain, or both pleasure and pain to each other. What seven? The substances of earth, water, fire, air; pleasure, pain, and the soul is the seventh. These seven substances are not made, not derived, not created, without a creator, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They don’t move or deteriorate or obstruct each other. They’re unable to cause pleasure, pain, or both pleasure and pain to each other. And here there is no one who kills or who makes others kill; no one who learns or who educates others; no one who understands or who helps others understand. If you chop off someone’s head with a sharp sword, you don’t take anyone’s life. The sword simply passes through the gap between the seven substances.

Cuddasa kho panimāni yonipamukhasatasahassāni saṭṭhi ca satāni cha ca satāni pañca ca kammuno satāni pañca ca kammāni tīṇi ca kammāni, kamme ca aḍḍhakamme ca, dvaṭṭhipaṭipadā, dvaṭṭhantarakappā, chaḷābhijātiyo, aṭṭha purisabhūmiyo, ekūnapaññāsa ājīvakasate, ekūnapaññāsa paribbājakasate, ekūnapaññāsa nāgāvāsasate, vīse indriyasate, tiṁse nirayasate, chattiṁsa rajodhātuyo, satta saññīgabbhā, satta asaññīgabbhā, satta nigaṇṭhigabbhā, satta devā, satta mānusā, satta pesācā, satta sarā, satta pavuṭā, satta papātā, satta papātasatāni, satta supinā, satta supinasatāni, cullāsīti mahākappino satasahassāni, yāni bāle ca paṇḍite ca sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karissanti.
Tattha natthi imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā aparipakkaṁ vā kammaṁ paripācessāmi, paripakkaṁ vā kammaṁ phussa phussa byantiṁ karissāmīti.

There are 1.4 million main wombs, and 6,000, and 600; 500 deeds, and five, and three; deeds and half-deeds; 62 paths of practice, 62 sub-eons, six classes of rebirth, and eight stages in a person’s life; 4,900 Ājīvaka ascetics, 4,900 wanderers, and 4,900 dragon abodes; 2,000 lordships, 3,000 hells, and 36 realms of dusky sky; seven percipient embryos, seven non-percipient embryos, seven knotless embryos, seven gods, seven mental heavens, seven goblins, seven streams, seven castoff incarnations and 700 castoff incarnations, seven downfalls and 700 downfalls, seven dreams and 700 dreams, and 8.4 million great eons—through all of which the foolish and the astute transmigrate before making an end of suffering. And here there is no such thing as this: “By this precept or observance or fervent austerity or spiritual practice I shall force unripened deeds to bear their fruit, or eliminate old deeds by experiencing their results little by little”—for that cannot be.

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