Raṭṭhapālasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 82

With Raṭṭhapāla · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo to fatherpitaraṁ said this to himetadavoca:
if“sace, householdergahapati, foodbhojanaṁ to be givendātabbaṁ, givedetha;
do notmā usno harassviheṭhethā”ti.
Eat“Bhuñja, deartāta Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, out·finishedniṭṭhitaṁ mealbhattan”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho of venerableāyasmato of Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa fatherpitā venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ excellentpaṇītena with fresh foodskhādanīyena with cooked foodsbhojanīyena own·handssahatthā satisfiedsantappesi servedsampavāresi.
thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo having eatenbhuttāvī washed·bowl·handonītapattapāṇī standing·rightṭhitakova theseimā versesgāthā spokeabhāsi:

Then Raṭṭhapāla said to his father, “If there is food to be given, householder, please give it. But don’t harass me.” “Eat, dear Raṭṭhapāla. The meal is ready.” Then Raṭṭhapāla’s father served and satisfied Venerable Raṭṭhapāla with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. When he had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, he spoke this verse while standing right there:

see“Passa fancycittīkataṁ puppetbimbaṁ,
a body built of soresarukāyaṁ built upsamussitaṁ;
diseasedĀturaṁ obsessed overbahusaṅkappaṁ,
of whichyassa there is notnatthi lastingdhuvaṁ stabilityṭhiti.
seePassa fancycittīkataṁ figurerūpaṁ,
with a gemmaṇinā with an earringkuṇḍalena andca;
bonesAṭṭhi with skintacena swathedonaddhaṁ,
withsaha with clothesvatthebhi it is prettysobhati.
rougedAlattakakatā feetpādā,
facemukhaṁ powderedcuṇṇakamakkhitaṁ;
enoughAlaṁ of a foolbālassa for delusionmohāya,
notno butca of a seeker of the far shorepāragavesino.
in eight braidsAṭṭhāpadakatā hairkesā,
eyesnettā with eyeshadowañjanamakkhitā;
enoughAlaṁ of a foolbālassa for delusionmohāya,
notno butca of a seeker of the far shorepāragavesino.
like a makeup boxAñjanīva freshly paintednavā paintedcittā,
a rotting bodypūtikāyo adornedalaṅkato;
enoughAlaṁ of a foolbālassa for delusionmohāya,
notno butca of a seeker of the far shorepāragavesino.
laidOdahi huntermigavo snarepāsaṁ,
did not springnāsadā trapvākaraṁ deermigo;
having eatenBhutvā baitnivāpaṁ I gogacchāma,
lamentingkandante trappermigabandhake”ti.

“See this fancy puppet, a body built of sores, diseased, obsessed over, in which nothing lasts at all. See this fancy figure, with its gems and earrings; it is bones swathed in skin, made pretty by its clothes. Rouged feet and powdered face may be enough to beguile a fool, but not a seeker of the far shore. Hair in eight braids and eyeshadow may be enough to beguile a fool, but not a seeker of the far shore. A rotting body all adorned like a freshly painted makeup box may be enough to beguile a fool, but not a seeker of the far shore. The hunter laid his snare, but the deer didn’t spring the trap. I’ve eaten the bait and now I go, leaving the trapper to lament.”

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo stand·likeṭhitakova theseimā versesgāthā having spokenbhāsitvā whereyena of the kingrañño Koravya'skorabyassa deer·rangemigacīraṁ went theretenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā at a certainaññatarasmiṁ tree·rootrukkhamūle day·meditationdivāvihāraṁ sat downnisīdi.

Then Raṭṭhapāla, having spoke this verse while standing, went to King Koravya’s deer range and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.

thenAtha indeedkho kingrājā Koravyakorabyo gamekeepermigavaṁ addressedāmantesi:
tidy up“sodhehi, goodsamma gamekeepermigava, deer·rangemigacīraṁ park grounduyyānabhūmiṁ;
we gogacchāma beautiful·groundsubhūmiṁ to seedassanāyā”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, your majestydevā”ti indeedkho gamekeepermigavo kingrañño Koravyakorabyassa back·hearpaṭissutvā deer·rangemigacīraṁ tidyingsodhento sawaddasa venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ at a certainaññatarasmiṁ tree·rootrukkhamūle day·dwellingdivāvihāraṁ sittingnisinnaṁ.
having seenDisvāna whereyena kingrājā Koravyakorabyo approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā kingrājānaṁ Koravyakorabyaṁ said thisetadavoca:
tidy“suddhaṁ indeedkho for youte, your majestydeva, deer rangemigacīraṁ.
there isAtthi here·herecettha Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo namednāma family·sonkulaputto this + veryimasmiṁyeva Thullakoṭṭhikathullakoṭṭhike leading·familyaggakulassa sonputto of whomyassa youtvaṁ oftenabhiṇhaṁ speaking highlykittayamāno wereahosi, heso at a certainaññatarasmiṁ tree·rootrukkhamūle day·dwellingdivāvihāraṁ sittingnisinno”ti.
well then“Tena indeedhi, goodsamma gamekeepermigava, enoughalaṁ now·todaydānajja park grounduyyānabhūmiyā.
him·aloneTameva nowdāni wemayaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ we will pay homage topayirupāsissāmā”ti.

Then King Koravya addressed his gamekeeper, “My good gamekeeper, tidy up the park of the deer range. We will go to see the scenery.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” replied the gamekeeper. While tidying the deer range he saw Raṭṭhapāla sitting in meditation. Seeing this, he went to the king, and said, “The deer range is tidy, Your Majesty. And the gentleman named Raṭṭhapāla, the son of the leading clan in Thullakoṭṭhika, of whom you have often spoken highly, is meditating there at the root of a tree.” “Well then, my good gamekeeper, that’s enough of the park for today. Now I shall pay homage to the worthy Raṭṭhapāla.”

thenAtha indeedkho kingrājā Koravyakorabyo which“yaṁ theretattha hard foodkhādanīyaṁ soft foodbhojanīyaṁ back·arrangepaṭiyattaṁ thattaṁ allsabbaṁ distributevissajjethā”ti having saidvatvā finebhadrāni finebhadrāni carriagesyānāni yoke·cause·causeyojāpetvā finebhadraṁ carriageyānaṁ onto·ascendabhiruhitvā finebhadrehi finebhadrehi carriagesyānehi from Thullakoṭṭhikathullakoṭṭhikamhā set outniyyāsi with great royal pompmahaccarājānubhāvena venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ to seedassanāya.
as far asYāvatikā of the carriageyānassa groundbhūmi by carriageyānena having gonegantvā from the carriageyānā down·descendpaccorohitvā on footpattikova eminentussaṭāya eminentussaṭāya retinueparisāya where the venerableyenāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo approachedtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with the venerableāyasmatā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālena togethersaddhiṁ greetedsammodi. politeSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ memorablesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ stoodaṭṭhāsi. to one sideEkamantaṁ standingṭhito indeedkho kingrājā Koravyakorabyo venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ said thisetadavoca:
here“idha worthybhavaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo on the elephant rughatthatthare sitnisīdatū”ti.
enough“Alaṁ, Great Kingmahārāja, sitnisīda youtvaṁ;
seatednisinno Iahaṁ ownsake seatāsane”ti.
sat downNisīdi kingrājā Koravyakorabyo spread outpaññatte seatāsane. having satNisajja indeedkho kingrājā Koravyakorabyo venerableāyasmantaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālaṁ said thisetadavoca:

And then King Koravya said, “Distribute the fresh and cooked foods that have been prepared there.” He had the finest carriages harnessed. Then he mounted a fine carriage and, along with other fine carriages, set out in full royal pomp from Thullakoṭṭhika to see Raṭṭhapāla. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached Raṭṭhapāla on foot, together with a group of eminent officials. They exchanged greetings, and, when the greetings and polite conversation were over, he stood to one side and said to Raṭṭhapāla: “Here, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, sit on this elephant rug.” “Enough, Great King, you sit on it. I’m sitting on my own seat.” So the king sat down on the seat spread out, and said:

these four“Cattārimāni, worthybho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, kinds of decaypārijuññāni because of whichyehi by kinds of decaypārijuññehi endowed withsamannāgatā some hereidhekacce hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ go forthpabbajanti.
whatKatamāni fourcattāri?
old age·decayJarāpārijuññaṁ, sickness·decaybyādhipārijuññaṁ, wealth·decaybhogapārijuññaṁ, relatives·decayñātipārijuññaṁ.

“Worthy Raṭṭhapāla, there are these four kinds of decay. Because of these, some people shave off their hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. What four? Decay due to old age, decay due to sickness, decay of wealth, and decay of relatives.

and whatKatamañca, sirbho Raṭṭhapāla,raṭṭhapāla, old age·decayjarāpārijuññaṁ?
here,Idha, sirbho Raṭṭhapāla,raṭṭhapāla, someoneekacco oldjiṇṇo ishoti elderlyvuḍḍho seniormahallako half·goneaddhagato age·reachedvayoanuppatto.
heSo thusiti back·together·thinkspaṭisañcikkhati:
‘I‘ahaṁ now amkhomhi nowetarahi oldjiṇṇo elderlyvuḍḍho seniormahallako half·goneaddhagato age·reachedvayoanuppatto.
notNa indeedkho butpana by memayā well·doingsukaraṁ not·acquiredanadhigataṁ orvā wealthbhogaṁ to acquireadhigantuṁ acquiredadhigataṁ orvā wealthbhogaṁ increasephātiṁ to make.kātuṁ.
why not·IYannūnāhaṁ hair·beardkesamassuṁ off·having takenohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from the lay lifeagārasmā not·householdanagāriyaṁ I should go forth’.pabbajeyyan’ti.
heSo by thattena old age·decayjarāpārijuññena endowedsamannāgato hair·beardkesamassuṁ off·having takenohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from the lay lifeagārasmā not·householdanagāriyaṁ goes forth.pabbajati.
thisIdaṁ is called,vuccati, sirbho Raṭṭhapāla,raṭṭhapāla, old age·decayjarāpārijuññaṁ.
worthyBhavaṁ indeedkho butpana Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo nowetarahi a youthdaharo youngyuvā well·well·black-hairedsusukāḷakeso with goodbhadrena youthyobbanena endowedsamannāgato firstpaṭhamena with age.vayasā.
thatTaṁ of worthybhoto Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālassa old age·decayjarāpārijuññaṁ there is not.natthi.
whatKiṁ worthybhavaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo having knownñatvā orvā having seendisvā orvā having heardsutvā orvā from the lay lifeagārasmā not·householdanagāriyaṁ went forth?pabbajito?

And what is decay due to old age? It’s when someone is old, elderly, and senior, advanced in years, and has reached the final stage of life. They reflect: ‘I’m now old, elderly, and senior. I’m advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life. It’s not easy for me to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth I’ve already acquired. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’ So because of that decay due to old age they go forth. This is called decay due to old age. But worthy Raṭṭhapāla is now a youth, young, with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life. You have no decay due to old age. So what did you know or see or hear that made you go forth?

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