Sandakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 76

With Sandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Idaṁ kho, sandaka, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena catutthaṁ anassāsikaṁ brahmacariyaṁ akkhātaṁ yattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ na vaseyya, vasanto ca nārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

This is the fourth kind of unreliable spiritual life.

Imāni kho tāni, sandaka, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena cattāri anassāsikāni brahmacariyāni akkhātāni yattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ na vaseyya, vasanto ca nārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalan”ti.

These are the four kinds of unreliable spiritual life that have been explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. A sensible person would, to the best of their ability, not practice such spiritual paths, and if they did practice them, they wouldn’t complete the system of the skillful teaching.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bho ānanda, abbhutaṁ, bho ānanda.
Yāvañcidaṁ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena cattāri anassāsikāneva brahmacariyāni anassāsikāni brahmacariyānīti akkhātāni yattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ na vaseyya, vasanto ca nārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.
So pana, bho ānanda, satthā kiṁ vādī kiṁ akkhāyī yattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalan”ti.

“It’s incredible, worthy Ānanda, it’s amazing, how these four kinds of unreliable spiritual life have been explained by the Buddha. But, worthy Ānanda, what would a teacher say and explain so that a sensible person would, to the best of their ability, practice such a spiritual path, and once practicing it, they would complete the system of the skillful teaching?”

“Idha, sandaka, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā …pe…
so ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe
vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Yasmiṁ kho, sandaka, satthari sāvako evarūpaṁ uḷāravisesaṁ adhigacchati tattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

“Sandaka, it’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. … He gives up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Then, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. A sensible person would, to the best of their ability, lead the spiritual life with a teacher under whom they achieve such a high distinction, and, once practicing it, they would complete the system of the skillful teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, sandaka, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Yasmiṁ kho, sandaka, satthari sāvako evarūpaṁ uḷāravisesaṁ adhigacchati tattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant … enters and remains in the second absorption …

Puna caparaṁ, sandaka, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Yasmiṁ kho, sandaka, satthari sāvako evarūpaṁ uḷāravisesaṁ adhigacchati tattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

third absorption …

Puna caparaṁ, sandaka, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Yasmiṁ kho, sandaka, satthari sāvako evarūpaṁ uḷāravisesaṁ adhigacchati tattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

fourth absorption. A sensible person would, to the best of their ability, lead the spiritual life under a teacher who achieves such a high distinction, and, once practicing it, they would complete the system of the skillful teaching.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.
So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.
Yasmiṁ kho, sandaka, satthari sāvako evarūpaṁ uḷāravisesaṁ adhigacchati tattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward recollection of past lives. They recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. … They recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. A sensible person would, to the best of their ability, lead the spiritual life with a teacher under whom they achieve such a high distinction, and, once practicing it, they would complete the system of the skillful teaching.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.
So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.
Yasmiṁ kho, sandaka, satthari sāvako evarūpaṁ uḷāravisesaṁ adhigacchati tattha viññū puriso sasakkaṁ brahmacariyaṁ vaseyya, vasanto ca ārādheyya ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. … They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. A sensible person would, to the best of their ability, lead the spiritual life with a teacher under whom they achieve such a high distinction, and, once practicing it, they would complete the system of the skillful teaching.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. They truly understand: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements’.

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