Sandakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 76

With Sandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thisIdaṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, by thattena Blessed Onebhagavatā knowingjānatā seeingpassatā Arahantarahatā Perfectly Enlightened Onesammāsambuddhena fourthcatutthaṁ unreliableanassāsikaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ declaredakkhātaṁ whereyattha wiseviññū personpuriso with confidencesasakkaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ notna would livevaseyya, livingvasanto andca would not attainnārādheyya the methodñāyaṁ dhammadhammaṁ wholesomekusalaṁ.

This is the fourth kind of unreliable spiritual life.

theseImāni indeedkho thosetāni, Sandakasandaka, by thattena by the Blessed Onebhagavatā by the one who knowsjānatā by the one who seespassatā by the perfected onearahatā by the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhena fourcattāri unreliableanassāsikāni spiritual pathsbrahmacariyāni explainedakkhātāni whereyattha a sensibleviññū personpuriso to the best of their abilitysasakkaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ notna would practicevaseyya, if practicingvasanto andca they wouldn’t completenārādheyya the systemñāyaṁ teachingdhammaṁ skillfulkusalan”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.”

wonderful“Acchariyaṁ, worthybho Ānandaānanda, amazingabbhutaṁ, worthybho Ānandaānanda.
how much indeed thisYāvañcidaṁ by thattena by the Blessed Onebhagavatā knowingjānatā seeingpassatā by the arahantarahatā by the fully awakened onesammāsambuddhena fourcattāri unreliable onlyanassāsikāneva spiritual livesbrahmacariyāni unreliableanassāsikāni spiritual livesbrahmacariyānīti explainedakkhātāni whereyattha a wiseviññū personpuriso to the best of one's abilitysasakkaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ notna would practicevaseyya, practicingvasanto andca would not completenārādheyya the systemñāyaṁ teachingdhammaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ.
thatSo butpana, worthybho Ānandaānanda, teachersatthā whatkiṁ would sayvādī whatkiṁ would explainakkhāyī whereyattha a wiseviññū personpuriso to the best of one's abilitysasakkaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ would practicevaseyya, practicingvasanto andca would completeārādheyya the systemñāyaṁ teachingdhammaṁ skillfulkusalan”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?”

here“Idha, Sandakasandaka, a Realized Onetathāgato in the worldloke arisesuppajjati perfectedarahaṁ a fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho accomplished in knowledge and conductvijjācaraṇasampanno holysugato knower of the worldlokavidū supremeanuttaro guide for those fit for trainingpurisadammasārathi teachersatthā of gods and humansdevamanussānaṁ awakenedbuddho blessedbhagavā …pe……pe…
heso theseime fivepañca hindrancesnīvaraṇe having given uppahāya of the heartcetaso corruptionsupakkilese of wisdompaññāya that weakendubbalīkaraṇe
quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca from unskillful qualitiesakusalehi dhammadhammehi while placing the mindsavitakkaṁ and keeping it connectedsavicāraṁ born of seclusionvivekajaṁ with rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja he remainsviharati.
in whomYasmiṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, a teachersatthari a disciplesāvako suchevarūpaṁ high distinctionuḷāravisesaṁ achievesadhigacchati theretattha a sensible personviññū a personpuriso to the best of their abilitysasakkaṁ the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ would leadvaseyya, practicingvasanto andca would completeārādheyya the systemñāyaṁ dhammadhammaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ.

“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.

furthermorePuna and alsocaparaṁ, Sandakasandaka, a mendicantbhikkhu of placing the mind and keeping it connectedvitakkavicārānaṁ from the stillingvūpasamā ……pe… seconddutiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja he remainsviharati.
in whichYasmiṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, teachersatthari a disciplesāvako suchevarūpaṁ a sublime distinctionuḷāravisesaṁ attainsadhigacchati theretattha a wiseviññū personpuriso with respectsasakkaṁ the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ should livevaseyya, livingvasanto andca should attainārādheyya the wayñāyaṁ the dhammadhammaṁ wholesomekusalaṁ.

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

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, Sandakasandaka, a bhikkhubhikkhu due to fading away of rapturepītiyā andca due to fading awayvirāgā equanimousupekkhako andca dwellsviharati …pe……pe… thirdtatiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja dwellsviharati.
in whichYasmiṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, teachersatthari a disciplesāvako suchevarūpaṁ sublime distinctionuḷāravisesaṁ attainsadhigacchati theretattha a wise personviññū a personpuriso certainlysasakkaṁ the holy lifebrahmacariyaṁ would livevaseyya, livingvasanto andca would attainārādheyya the trueñāyaṁ dhammadhammaṁ wholesomekusalaṁ.

third absorption …

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, Sandakasandaka, a monkbhikkhu of pleasuresukhassa andca by abandoningpahānā …pe……pe… fourthcatutthaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having attainedupasampajja dwellsviharati.
in whichYasmiṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, teachersatthari a disciplesāvako suchevarūpaṁ high distinctionuḷāravisesaṁ achievesadhigacchati theretattha a sensible personviññū personpuriso to the best of their abilitysasakkaṁ the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ would leadvaseyya, practicingvasanto andca would completeārādheyya the systemñāyaṁ teachingdhammaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ.

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.

heSo thusevaṁ collectedsamāhite mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte for knowledge of recollection of past livespubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya mindcittaṁ directsabhininnāmeti.
heSo many kinds ofanekavihitaṁ past livespubbenivāsaṁ recollectsanussarati, that is—one tooseyyathidaṁ—ekampi birthjātiṁ two toodvepi birthsjātiyo …pe……pe… thusiti with featuressākāraṁ with detailssauddesaṁ many kinds ofanekavihitaṁ past livespubbenivāsaṁ recollectsanussarati.
under whicheverYasmiṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, teachersatthari disciplesāvako suchevarūpaṁ high distinctionuḷāravisesaṁ achievesadhigacchati theretattha sensibleviññū personpuriso to the best of his abilitysasakkaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ should leadvaseyya, dwellingvasanto andca would completeārādheyya systemñāyaṁ teachingdhammaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ.

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.

heSo thusevaṁ immersed in samādhisamāhite in mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte of sentient beingssattānaṁ toward knowledge of death and rebirthcutūpapātañāṇāya mindcittaṁ they extendabhininnāmeti.
heSo with divine clairvoyancedibbena with the eyecakkhunā purifiedvisuddhena superhumanatikkantamānusakena sentient beingssatte they seepassati passing awaycavamāne being rebornupapajjamāne inferiorhīne superiorpaṇīte beautifulsuvaṇṇe uglydubbaṇṇe in a good placesugate in a bad placeduggate …pe……pe… passing on according to their deedsyathākammūpage sentient beingssatte they understandpajānāti.
under whomYasmiṁ indeedkho, Sandakasandaka, in a teachersatthari a disciplesāvako suchevarūpaṁ high distinctionuḷāravisesaṁ they achieveadhigacchati theretattha sensibleviññū a personpuriso to the best of their abilitysasakkaṁ the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ would leadvaseyya, practicingvasanto andca would completeārādheyya the systemñāyaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ.

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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