Raṭṭhapālasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 82

With Raṭṭhapāla · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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by thatTena indeedkho nowpana at the timesamayena of the venerableāyasmato of Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa fatherpitā in the middlemajjhimāya in the hall of the gatedvārasālāya was having dressedullikhāpeti.
he sawAddasā indeedkho of the venerableāyasmato of Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa fatherpitā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ from afardūratova comingāgacchantaṁ.
having seenDisvāna said thisetadavoca:
by these“imehi shavelingsmuṇḍakehi fake asceticssamaṇakehi ouramhākaṁ only sonekaputtako dearpiyo belovedmanāpo was made to go forthpabbājito”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho the venerableāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo of his own fathersakapitu at homenivesane neitherneva almsdānaṁ he receivedalattha notna a polite refusalpaccakkhānaṁ;
onlyaññadatthu abuse onlyakkosameva he receivedalattha.

Now at that time Raṭṭhapāla’s father was having his hair dressed in the hall of the middle gate. He saw Raṭṭhapāla coming off in the distance and said, “Our dear and beloved only son was made to go forth by these shavelings, these fake ascetics!” And at his own father’s home Raṭṭhapāla received neither alms nor a polite refusal, but only abuse.

Now at that time a family bondservant wanted to throw away the previous night’s porridge. So Raṭṭhapāla said to her, “If that’s to be thrown away, sister, pour it here in my bowl.” As she was pouring the porridge into his bowl, she recognized the features of his hands, feet, and voice. She then went to his mother and said, “Please, madam, you should know this. Master Raṭṭhapāla has arrived.” “If you speak the truth, wench, I’ll make you a free woman!” Then Raṭṭhapāla’s mother went to his father and said, “Please householder, you should know this. It seems our son Raṭṭhapāla has arrived.”

Now at that time Raṭṭhapāla was eating last night’s porridge by a wall. Then Raṭṭhapāla’s father went up to him and said, “Dear Raṭṭhapāla! How can you be eating last night’s porridge? Why not go to your own home?” “Householder, how could those of us who have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness have a house? We are homeless, householder. I came to your house, but there I received neither alms nor a polite refusal, but only abuse.” “Come, dear Raṭṭhapāla, let’s go to the house.” “Enough, householder. My meal is finished for today.” “Well then, dear Raṭṭhapāla, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me.” Raṭṭhapāla consented with silence.

thenAtha indeedkho of venerableāyasmato Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa fatherpitā of venerableāyasmato Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa toward·dwellingadhivāsanaṁ having knownviditvā whereyena ownsakaṁ down·livingnivesanaṁ there + near·gotenupasaṅkami; near·goupasaṅkamitvā greatmahantaṁ gold·goldhiraññasuvaṇṇassa heappuñjaṁ make·causativekārāpetvā with matskilañjehi having coveredpaṭicchādetvā of venerableāyasmato Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa former·wifepurāṇadutiyikā toward·speakāmantesi:
come“etha youtumhe, daughters-in-lawvadhuyo, with whichyena adornmentalaṅkārena adornedalaṅkatā beforepubbe Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa family·sonkulaputtassa dearpiyā werehotha pleasingmanāpā with thattena adornmentalaṅkārena adorn yourselvesalaṅkarothā”ti.

Then, knowing that Raṭṭhapāla had consented, his father went back to his own house. He made a heap of gold, both coined and uncoined, and hid it under mats. Then he addressed Raṭṭhapāla’s former wives, “Please, daughters-in-law, adorn yourselves in the way that our son Raṭṭhapāla found you most adorable.”

thenAtha indeedkho of the venerableāyasmato of Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa fatherpitā of thattassā of the nightrattiyā after the passingaccayena in his ownsake homenivesane deliciouspaṇītaṁ fresh foodkhādanīyaṁ cooked foodbhojanīyaṁ having had preparedpaṭiyādāpetvā to the venerableāyasmato to Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa the timekālaṁ announcedārocesi:
“time,“kālo, deartāta Raṭṭhapāla,raṭṭhapāla, is readyniṭṭhitaṁ the meal.”bhattan”ti.

And when the night had passed Raṭṭhapāla’s father had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home, and announced the time to the Venerable Raṭṭhapāla, saying, “Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.”

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo morning·timepubbaṇhasamayaṁ having robed upnivāsetvā bowl·robe·takingpattacīvaramādāya whereyena own·fathersakapitu homenivesanaṁ went totenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā spread outpaññatte on the seatāsane sat downnisīdi. thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmato Raṭṭhapāla'sraṭṭhapālassa fatherpitā thattaṁ gold·silverhiraññasuvaṇṇassa heappuñjaṁ reveal·causevivarāpetvā venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ said thisetadavoca:
this“idaṁ yourte, deartāta Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, mother'smātu maternalmattikaṁ fortunedhanaṁ, anotheraññaṁ paternalpettikaṁ, anotheraññaṁ ancestralpitāmahaṁ.
possibleSakkā, deartāta Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, wealthbhoge andca to enjoybhuñjituṁ meritpuññāni andca to makekātuṁ.
comeEhi youtvaṁ, deartāta Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, lesser life + returnhīnāyāvattitvā wealthbhoge andca enjoybhuñjassu meritpuññāni andca makekarohī”ti.
if“Sace myme youtvaṁ, householdergahapati, advicevacanaṁ you would followkareyyāsi, thisimaṁ gold·silverhiraññasuvaṇṇassa heappuñjaṁ on a cartsakaṭe having loadedāropetvā having carried awaynibbāhāpetvā middle·Gangesmajjhegaṅgāya river'snadiyā in the streamsote you would dumpopilāpeyyāsi.
thatTaṁ whatkissa reasonhetu?
whichYe will ariseuppajjissanti indeedhi for youte, householdergahapati, from that·origintatonidānaṁ sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, distresssokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

Then Raṭṭhapāla robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to his father’s home, and sat down on the seat spread out. Raṭṭhapāla’s father, revealing the heap of gold, both coined and uncoined, said to him, “Dear Raṭṭhapāla, this is your maternal fortune. There’s another paternal fortune, and an ancestral one. You can both enjoy your wealth and make merit. Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!” “If you’d follow my advice, householder, you’d have this heap of gold, both coined and uncoined, loaded on a cart and carried away to be dumped in the middle of the Ganges River. Why is that? Because this will bring you nothing but sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.”

thenAtha indeedkho of the venerableāyasmato of Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa former wivespurāṇadutiyikā eachpaccekaṁ at the feetpādesu having claspedgahetvā the venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ said thisetadavocuṁ:
of what kind“kīdisā indeednāma theytā, masterayyaputta, nymphsaccharāyo for the sake of whomyāsaṁ youtvaṁ for the sake ofhetu the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ you leadcarasī”ti?
not“Na indeedkho wemayaṁ, sistersbhaginī, of nymphsaccharānaṁ for the sake ofhetu the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ we leadcarāmā”ti.
with the word “sisters”“Bhaginivādena usno masterayyaputto Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo addressessamudācaratī”ti theytā right theretattheva faintedmucchitā they fellpapatiṁsu.

Then Raṭṭhapāla’s former wives each clasped his feet and said, “What are they like, master, the nymphs for whom you lead the spiritual life?” “Sisters, I don’t lead the spiritual life for the sake of nymphs.” Saying, “Our master Raṭṭhapāla addresses us as sisters!” they fainted right away.

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