Ghaṭikārasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 81

With Ghaṭīkāra · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā’ti.
Adhivāsesi kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tuṇhībhāvena.

‘Sir, would the Buddha together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?’ The Buddha Kassapa consented with silence.

Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapassa bhagavato sammāsambuddhassa adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, King Kikī rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino vigatakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa kālaṁ ārocāpesi:
‘kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan’ti.

And when the night had passed, King Kikī had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home—soft saffron rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, ‘Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.’

Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena kikissa kāsirañño nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.
Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.
Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:
‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ;
evarūpaṁ saṅghassa upaṭṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.
‘Alaṁ, mahārāja.
Adhivuttho me vassāvāso’ti.
Dutiyampi kho, ānanda …
tatiyampi kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:
‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ;

Then Kassapa Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of King Kikī, where he sat down on the seat spread out together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Then King Kikī served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. When the Buddha Kassapa had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, King Kikī took a low seat and sat to one side. There he said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, would the Buddha please accept my invitation to reside in Varanasi for the rainy season? The Saṅgha will be looked after in the same style.’ ‘Enough, Great King. I have already accepted an invitation for the rains residence.’ For a second time … and a third time King Kikī said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, would the Buddha please accept my invitation to reside in Varanasi for the rainy season?

evarūpaṁ saṅghassa upaṭṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.
‘Alaṁ, mahārāja.
Adhivuttho me vassāvāso’ti.
Atha kho, ānanda, kikissa kāsirañño ‘na me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho adhivāseti bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsan’ti ahudeva aññathattaṁ, ahu domanassaṁ.
Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:
‘atthi nu kho, bhante, añño koci mayā upaṭṭhākataro’ti?

The Saṅgha will be looked after in the same style.’ ‘Enough, Great King. I have already accepted an invitation for the rains residence.’ Then King Kikī, thinking, ‘The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Varanasi,’ became sad and upset. Then King Kikī said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, do you have another supporter better than me?’

‘Atthi, mahārāja, vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāma gāmanigamo.
Tattha ghaṭikāro nāma kumbhakāro;
so me upaṭṭhāko aggupaṭṭhāko.
Tuyhaṁ kho pana, mahārāja, na me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho adhivāseti bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsanti attheva aññathattaṁ, atthi domanassaṁ.
Tayidaṁ ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa natthi ca na ca bhavissati.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato, ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro dukkhe nikkaṅkho, dukkhasamudaye nikkaṅkho, dukkhanirodhe nikkaṅkho, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya nikkaṅkho.

‘Great king, there is a market town named Vebhaliṅga, where there is a potter named Ghaṭīkāra. He is my chief supporter. Now, Great King, when you thought, “The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Varanasi,” you became sad and upset. But Ghaṭīkāra doesn’t get upset, nor will he. Ghaṭīkāra has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. He doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. He has experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and possesses the ethics loved by the noble ones. He is free of doubt regarding suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.

Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro ekabhattiko brahmacārī sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro nikkhittamaṇisuvaṇṇo apetajātarūparajato.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pannamusalo na sahatthā pathaviṁ khaṇati.
Yaṁ hoti kūlapaluggaṁ vā mūsikukkaro vā taṁ kājena āharitvā bhājanaṁ karitvā evamāha:
“ettha yo icchati taṇḍulapaṭibhastāni vā muggapaṭibhastāni vā kaḷāyapaṭibhastāni vā nikkhipitvā yaṁ icchati taṁ haratū”ti.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro andhe jiṇṇe mātāpitaro poseti.
Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

He eats in one part of the day; he’s chaste, ethical, and of good character. He has set aside gems and gold, and quit using gold and currency. He has put down the shovel and doesn’t dig the earth with his own hands. He takes what has crumbled off by a riverbank or been dug up by mice, and brings it back in a carrier. When he has made a pot, he says, “Anyone may leave bagged sesame, mung beans, or chickpeas here and take what they wish.” He provided for his blind old parents. And since he has ended the five lower fetters, Ghaṭīkāra will be reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.

Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi.
Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro etadavocaṁ:
“handa ko nu kho ayaṁ bhaggavo gato”ti?
“Nikkhanto kho te, bhante, upaṭṭhāko antokumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjā”ti.
Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁ.
Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca:
“ko kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?
“Kassapo, tāta, bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?
Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi:

This one time, Great King, I was staying near the market town of Vebhaliṅga. Then I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, went to the home of Ghaṭīkāra’s parents, where I said to them, “Excuse me, where has Bhaggava gone?” “Your supporter has gone out, sir. But take rice from the pot and sauce from the pan and eat.” So that’s what I did. And after eating I rose from my seat and left. Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, “Who took rice from the pot and sauce from the pan, ate it, and left?” “It was the Buddha Kassapa, my dear.” Then Ghaṭīkāra thought,

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