Vekhanasasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 80

With Vekhanasa · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monasteryārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho Vekhanasavekhanaso wandererparibbājako whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with the Blessed Onebhagavatā togethersaddhiṁ exchanged greetingssammodi.
greetingSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ stoodaṭṭhāsi.
to one sideEkamantaṁ standingṭhito indeedkho Vekhanasavekhanaso wandererparibbājako of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike heartfelt sentimentudānaṁ expressedudānesi:
this“ayaṁ ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo, thisayaṁ ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo”ti.
why“Kiṁ butpana youtvaṁ, Kaccānakaccāna, thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
this‘ayaṁ ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo, thisayaṁ ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo’ti?
whatKatamo, Kaccānakaccāna, thatso ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo”ti?
since“Yasmā, worthybho Gotamagotama, than splendorvaṇṇā otherañño splendorvaṇṇo fineruttaritaro orvā more excellentpaṇītataro orvā there is notnatthi thatso ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo”ti.
what“Katamo butpana thatso, Kaccānakaccāna, splendorvaṇṇo sinceyasmā than splendorvaṇṇā otherañño splendorvaṇṇo fineruttaritaro orvā more excellentpaṇītataro orvā there is notnatthī”ti?
since“Yasmā, worthybho Gotamagotama, than splendorvaṇṇā otherañño splendorvaṇṇo fineruttaritaro orvā more excellentpaṇītataro orvā there is notnatthi thatso ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo”ti.

Then the wanderer Vekhanasa went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he stood to one side, and expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence: “This is the ultimate splendor, this is the ultimate splendor.” “But Kaccāna, why do you say: ‘This is the ultimate splendor, this is the ultimate splendor.’ What is that ultimate splendor?” “Worthy Gotama, the ultimate splendor is the splendor compared to which no other splendor is finer.” “But what is that ultimate splendor compared to which no other splendor is finer?” “Worthy Gotama, the ultimate splendor is the splendor compared to which no other splendor is finer.”

long even“Dīghāpi indeedkho for youte thisesā, Kaccānakaccāna, would extendphareyya:
since‘yasmā, sirbho Gotamagotama, than splendorvaṇṇā otherañño splendorvaṇṇo higheruttaritaro orvā finerpaṇītataro orvā there is notnatthi thatso ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo’ti you sayvadesi, and thattañca splendorvaṇṇaṁ notna you describepaññapesi.
just asSeyyathāpi, Kaccānakaccāna, a manpuriso thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
I‘ahaṁ whoeveryā in thisimasmiṁ countryjanapade finest lady in the landjanapadakalyāṇī, hertaṁ I wanticchāmi hertaṁ I desirekāmemī’ti.
him theyTamenaṁ thusevaṁ would sayvadeyyuṁ:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, thatyaṁ youtvaṁ land·finest ladyjanapadakalyāṇiṁ you wanticchasi you desirekāmesi, do you knowjānāsi thattaṁ land·finest lady·aristocratjanapadakalyāṇiṁ—khattiyī orvā a brahminbrāhmaṇī orvā a peasantvessī orvā a menialsuddī orvā’ti?
thusIti askedpuṭṭho no‘no’ti he would sayvadeyya.
him theyTamenaṁ thusevaṁ would sayvadeyyuṁ:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, thatyaṁ youtvaṁ land·finest ladyjanapadakalyāṇiṁ you wanticchasi you desirekāmesi, do you knowjānāsi thattaṁ land·finest ladyjanapadakalyāṇiṁ such·nameevaṁnāmā having such a clanevaṅgottāti orvāti ...…pe… talldīghā orvā shortrassā orvā mediummajjhimā orvā blackkāḷī orvā brownsāmā orvā dingy·skinmaṅguracchavī orvāti ...… in such-and-suchamukasmiṁ villagegāme orvā townnigame orvā citynagare orvā’ti?

“Kaccāna, you could draw this out for a long time. You say, ‘The ultimate splendor is the splendor compared to which no other splendor is finer.’ But you don’t describe that splendor. Suppose a man was to say, ‘Whoever the finest lady in the land is, it is her that I want, her I desire!’ They’d say to him, ‘My man, that finest lady in the land who you desire—do you know whether she’s an aristocrat, a brahmin, a peasant, or a menial?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’ They’d say to him, ‘My friend, that finest lady in the land who you desire—do you know her name or clan? Whether she’s tall or short or medium? Whether her skin is black, brown, or dingy? Whether she comes from such-and-such village, town, or city?’

thusIti askedpuṭṭho no‘no’ti he would sayvadeyya.
he + himTamenaṁ thusevaṁ they would sayvadeyyuṁ:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, whatyaṁ youtvaṁ notna you knowjānāsi notna you seepassasi, thattaṁ youtvaṁ you desireicchasi you likekāmesī’ti?
thusIti askedpuṭṭho yes‘āmā’ti he would sayvadeyya.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Kaccānakaccāna,
is it notnanu thusevaṁ beingsante of thattassa manpurisassa without demonstrable basisappāṭihīrakataṁ statementbhāsitaṁ turns outsampajjatī”ti?
clearly“Addhā indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, thusevaṁ beingsante of thattassa manpurisassa without demonstrable basisappāṭihīrakataṁ statementbhāsitaṁ turns outsampajjatī”ti.
in the same way“Evameva indeedkho youtvaṁ, Kaccānakaccāna, since‘yasmā, worthybho Gotamagotama, splendorvaṇṇā otherañño splendorvaṇṇo fineruttaritaro orvā more excellentpaṇītataro orvā there is notnatthi thatso ultimateparamo splendorvaṇṇo’ti you sayvadesi; that + buttañca splendorvaṇṇaṁ notna you describepaññapesī”ti.

Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’ They’d say to him, ‘My man, do you desire someone who you’ve never even known or seen?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘Yes.’ What do you think, Kaccāna? This being so, doesn’t that man’s statement turn out to have no demonstrable basis?” “Clearly that’s the case, worthy Gotama.” “In the same way, you say, ‘The ultimate splendor is the splendor compared to which no other splendor is finer.’ But you don’t describe that splendor.”

just as“Seyyathāpi, misterbho Gotamagotama, a gemmaṇi a berylveḷuriyo lustroussubho naturallyjātimā eight-facetedaṭṭhaṁso well-workedsuparikammakato on a cream rugpaṇḍukambale placednikkhitto shinesbhāsate andca glowstapate andca apart·shinevirocati andca, soevaṁ splendorvaṇṇo selfattā ishoti free of diseasearogo afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā”ti.

“Mister Gotama, suppose there was a beryl gem that was naturally lustrous, eight-faceted, well-worked. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and dazzle. Such is the splendor of the self that is free of disease after death.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Kaccānakaccāna,
whichyo orvā gemmaṇi berylveḷuriyo beautifulsubho birth·havingjātimā eight-facetedaṭṭhaṁso well-wroughtsuparikammakato cream·blanketpaṇḍukambale placednikkhitto shinesbhāsate andca glowstapate andca forth·shinevirocati andca, whichyo orvā in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya a wormkimi fireflykhajjopanako of theseimesaṁ of bothubhinnaṁ of splendorsvaṇṇānaṁ whichkatamo splendorvaṇṇo more excellentabhikkantataro andca more sublimepaṇītataro and?'"cā”ti?
this which“Yvāyaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama, in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya a wormkimi fireflykhajjopanako, thisayaṁ of theseimesaṁ of bothubhinnaṁ of splendorsvaṇṇānaṁ more excellentabhikkantataro andca more sublimepaṇītataro and.'"cā”ti.

“What do you think, Kaccāna? Which of these two has a finer splendor: such a beryl gem, or a firefly in the dark of night?” “A firefly in the dark of night.”

(quotation marker)“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Kaccānakaccāna,
whichyo orvā in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya a fireflykimi fireflykhajjopanako, whichyo orvā in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya an oil lamptelappadīpo, of theseimesaṁ of the twoubhinnaṁ of splendorvaṇṇānaṁ whichkatamo splendorvaṇṇo finerabhikkantataro andca more excellentpaṇītataro quotation markercā”ti?
an oil lamp in the dark of night“Yvāyaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama, in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya an oil lamptelappadīpo, thisayaṁ of theseimesaṁ of the twoubhinnaṁ of splendorvaṇṇānaṁ finerabhikkantataro andca more excellentpaṇītataro quotation markercā”ti.

“What do you think, Kaccāna? Which of these two has a finer splendor: a firefly in the dark of night, or an oil lamp in the dark of night?” “An oil lamp in the dark of night.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Kaccānakaccāna,
whichyo orvā in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya an oil lamptelappadīpo, whichyo orvā in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya a great mass of firemahāaggikkhandho, of theseimesaṁ of twoubhinnaṁ of splendorsvaṇṇānaṁ whichkatamo splendorvaṇṇo more excellentabhikkantataro andca more sublimepaṇītataro and?cā”ti?
that which“Yvāyaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama, in the dark of nightrattandhakāratimisāya a great mass of firemahāaggikkhandho, thisayaṁ of theseimesaṁ of twoubhinnaṁ of splendorsvaṇṇānaṁ more excellentabhikkantataro andca more sublimepaṇītataro and."cā”ti.

“What do you think, Kaccāna? Which of these two has a finer splendor: an oil lamp in the dark of night, or a great mass of fire in the dark of night?” “A great mass of fire in the dark of night.”

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version