Raṭṭhapālasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 82

With Raṭṭhapāla · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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'ownerless‘assako worldloko, allsabbaṁ having abandonedpahāya one must go'gamanīyan’ti,
which Iyamahaṁ having knownñatvā andca having seendisvā andca having heardsutvā andca from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ went forth"pabbajito”ti.
"wonderful“Acchariyaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, amazingabbhutaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla.
howYāva well saidsubhāsitaṁ thiscidaṁ by thattena Blessed Onebhagavatā knowingjānatā seeingpassatā Arahantarahatā Perfectly Awakened One:sammāsambuddhena:
'ownerless‘assako worldloko, allsabbaṁ having abandonedpahāya one must go'gamanīyan’ti.
ownerlessAssako indeedhi, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, worldloko allsabbaṁ having abandonedpahāya one must gogamanīyaṁ.

‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’” “It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing, how well said this was by the Buddha. For the world indeed has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.

wanting‘Ūno worldloko insatiableatitto slave of cravingtaṇhādāso’ti—
sirbhavaṁ Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo saidāha.
thisImassa, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, of the statementbhāsitassa howkathaṁ meaningattho should be seendaṭṭhabbo”ti?
this“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Great Kingmahārāja,
prosperousphītaṁ Kurukuruṁ you reign overajjhāvasasī”ti?
indeed“Evaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, prosperousphītaṁ Kurukuruṁ I reign overajjhāvasāmī”ti.
this“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Great Kingmahārāja,
hereidha a manpuriso were to comeāgaccheyya easternpuratthimāya directiondisāya trustworthysaddhāyiko dependablepaccayiko.
heSo youtaṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
please‘yagghe, Great Kingmahārāja, you should knowjāneyyāsi, Iahaṁ comeāgacchāmi easternpuratthimāya directiondisāya?
there I sawTatthaddasaṁ largemahantaṁ countryjanapadaṁ and successfuliddhañceva and prosperousphītañca populousbahujanaṁ full of peopleākiṇṇamanussaṁ.
manyBahū theretattha divisions of elephantshatthikāyā divisions of cavalryassakāyā divisions of chariotsrathakāyā divisions of infantrypattikāyā;
plentybahu theretattha of money and graindhanadhaññaṁ;
plentybahu theretattha goldhiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ and uncoinedakatañceva and coinedkatañca;
plentybahu theretattha women for the takingitthipariggaho.
it is possibleSakkā andca with just so muchtāvatakeneva with forcebalamattena to conquerabhivijinituṁ.
conquerAbhivijina, Great Kingmahārājā’ti, whatkinti itnaṁ would you dokareyyāsī”ti?
that too“Tampi wemayaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, having conqueredabhivijiya would reign overajjhāvaseyyāmā”ti.
this“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Great Kingmahārāja,
hereidha a manpuriso were to comeāgaccheyya westernpacchimāya directiondisāya ……

You also said this: ‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’ How should I see the meaning of this statement?” “What do you think, Great King? Do you reign over the prosperous land of Kuru?” “Indeed I do.” “What do you think, Great King? Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east. He’d approach you and say: ‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the east. There I saw a large country that is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people. They have many divisions of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry. And there’s plenty of money and grain, plenty of gold, coined and uncoined, worked and unworked, and plenty of women for the taking. With your current forces you can conquer it. Conquer it, Great King!’ What would you do?” “I would conquer it and reign over it.” “What do you think, Great King? Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west,

northernuttarāya directiondisāya ……
southerndakkhiṇāya directiondisāya ……
from over the oceanparasamuddato trustworthysaddhāyiko reliable.paccayiko.
heSo himtaṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
pray‘yagghe, great kingmahārāja, would you knowjāneyyāsi, Iahaṁ comeāgacchāmi from over the ocean?parasamuddato?
there I sawTatthaddasaṁ greatmahantaṁ countryjanapadaṁ both richiddhañceva and prosperousphītañca with many peoplebahujanaṁ crowded with people.ākiṇṇamanussaṁ.
manyBahū theretattha elephant troopshatthikāyā horse troopsassakāyā chariot troopsrathakāyā infantrypattikāyā;
muchbahu theretattha wealth and grain;dhanadhaññaṁ;
muchbahu theretattha gold and moneyhiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ both unwroughtakatañceva and wrought;katañca;
manybahu theretattha women.itthipariggaho.
it is possibleSakkā andca with just that muchtāvatakeneva military forcebalamattena to conquer.abhivijinituṁ.
conquerAbhivijina, great kingmahārājā’ti, whatkinti himnaṁ would you do?kareyyāsī”ti?
that too“Tampi wemayaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, having conqueredabhivijiya we would reign.ajjhāvaseyyāmā”ti.
this“Idaṁ indeedkho thattaṁ, great kingmahārāja, by thetena Blessed Onebhagavatā who knowsjānatā who seespassatā the Worthy Onearahatā the Fully Enlightened Onesammāsambuddhena referring tosandhāya spokenbhāsitaṁ:
wanting‘ūno the worldloko insatiableatitto slave of cravingtaṇhādāso’ti,
which Iyamahaṁ having knownñatvā andca having seendisvā andca having heardsutvā andca from homeagārasmā into homelessnessanagāriyaṁ went forth.pabbajito”ti.
incredible“Acchariyaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, amazingabbhutaṁ, sirbho Raṭṭhapāla.raṭṭhapāla.
howYāva well said was thissubhāsitañcidaṁ by thetena Blessed Onebhagavatā who knowsjānatā who seespassatā the Worthy Onearahatā the Fully Enlightened Onesammāsambuddhena:

north, south, or from over the ocean. He’d approach you and say the same thing. What would you do?” “I would conquer it and reign over it.” “This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said: ‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’ And it was after knowing and seeing and hearing this that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.” “It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing, how well said this was by the Buddha.

wanting‘ūno the worldloko insatiableatitto the slave of cravingtaṇhādāso’ti.
wantingŪno indeedhi, sirbho Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapāla, worldloko insatiableatitto the slave of cravingtaṇhādāso”ti.

For the world is indeed wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.”

this he saidIdamavoca venerableāyasmā Raṭṭhapālaraṭṭhapālo.
thisIdaṁ having saidvatvā then furtherathāparaṁ this he saidetadavoca:
I see“Passāmi in the worldloke with wealthsadhane humansmanusse,
having earnedLaddhāna wealthvittaṁ notna they givedadanti because of delusionmohā;
greedyLuddhā richesdhanaṁ a hoardsannicayaṁ they makekaronti,
ever moreBhiyyova sensual pleasureskāme they yearn forabhipatthayanti.
a kingRājā by forcepasayhā the earthpathaviṁ having conqueredvijitvā,
bounded by seaSasāgarantaṁ ruling the landmahimāvasanto;
the near shoreOraṁ of the oceansamuddassa unsatisfiedatittarūpo,
the further shorePāraṁ of the ocean toosamuddassapi he would yearn forpatthayetha.
a kingRājā andca othersaññe andca manybahū humansmanussā,
not rid of cravingAvītataṇhā deathmaraṇaṁ they reachupenti;
still wantingŪnāva having becomehutvāna they leavejahanti the bodydehaṁ,
with sensual pleasuresKāmehi in the worldlokamhi notna there ishatthi satisfactiontitti.
they lamentKandanti himnaṁ relativesñātī disheveledpakiriya hairkese,
ah alasAhovatā notno immortalamarāti they saidcāhu;
in a shroudVatthena himnaṁ wrappedpārutaṁ having taken outnīharitvā,
a pyreCitaṁ having heaped upsamādāya they burn it theretatoḍahanti.
itSo is burntḍayhati with stakessūlehi being pokedtujjamāno,
with oneEkena clothvatthena having leftpahāya wealthbhoge;
notNa of one dyingmīyamānassa they arebhavanti protectorstāṇā,
relatives hereÑātīdha friendsmittā thenatha orvā companionssahāyā.
heirsDāyādakā histassa richesdhanaṁ they takeharanti,
a beingSatto butpana goesgacchati according to whichyena deedskammaṁ;
notNa one dyingmīyamānaṁ riches followdhanamanveti anykiñci,

That is what Venerable Raṭṭhapāla said. Then he went on to say: “I see rich humans in the world who, because of delusion, give not the wealth they’ve earned. Greedily, they hoard their riches, yearning for ever more sensual pleasures. A king who conquered the earth by force, ruling the land from sea to sea, unsatisfied with the near shore of the ocean, would still yearn for the further shore. Not just the king, but others too, reach death not rid of craving. They leave the body still wanting, for in this world sensual pleasures never satisfy. Relatives lament, their hair disheveled, saying ‘Ah! Alas! They’re not immortal!’ They take out the body wrapped in a shroud, heap up a pyre, and burn it there. It’s poked with stakes while being burnt, in just a single cloth, all wealth gone. Relatives, friends, and companions can’t help you when you’re dying. Heirs take your riches, while beings fare on according to their deeds. Riches don’t follow you when you die;

sonsPuttā andca wivesdārā andca and wealthdhanañca kingdomraṭṭhaṁ.
notNa long lifedīghamāyuṁ gainslabhate by wealthdhanena,
norNa and alsocāpi by wealthvittena old agejaraṁ banishvihanti;
shortAppaṁ indeed thishidaṁ they call lifejīvitamāhu attentive onesdhīrā,
not eternalAsassataṁ subject to changevippariṇāmadhammaṁ.
the richAḍḍhā the poordaliddā andca feelphusanti touchphassaṁ,
the foolBālo andca the attentive onedhīro andca in the same waytatheva touchedphuṭṭho;
the foolBālo andca because of follybālyā stricken indeedvadhitova liesseti,
the attentive oneDhīro andca notna tremblesvedhati touched by contactphassaphuṭṭho.
thereforeTasmā indeedhi wisdom indeedpaññāva than wealthdhanena betterseyyo,
by whichYāya in this life reaches consummationvosānamidhādhigacchati;
because of not reaching consummationAbyositattā indeedhi in life after lifebhavābhavesu,
evilPāpāni deedskammāni dokaronti because of delusionmohā.
entersUpeti and a wombgabbhañca and the further worldparañca worldlokaṁ,
entering saṃsāraSaṁsāramāpajja in successionparamparāya;
one of little wisdomTassappapañño placing faithabhisaddahanto,
entersUpeti and a wombgabbhañca and the further worldparañca worldlokaṁ.
a banditCoro asyathā at a windowsandhimukhe caughtgahito,
by his own deedSakammunā is punishedhaññati evil-naturedpāpadhammo;
soEvaṁ peoplepajā after departingpecca in the world beyondparamhi worldloke,
by their own deedSakammunā are punishedhaññati evil-naturedpāpadhammo.
sensual pleasuresKāmāhi diversecitrā sweetmadhurā delightfulmanoramā,
in disguiseVirūparūpena disturbmathenti mindcittaṁ;
dangerĀdīnavaṁ in sensual stimulationskāmaguṇesu having seendisvā,
thereforeTasmā Iahaṁ I went forthpabbajitomhi O Kingrāja.
like fruit from a treeDumapphalāneva fallpatanti young menmāṇavā,

nor do children, wife, wealth, nor kingdom. Longevity isn’t gained by riches, nor does wealth banish old age; for the attentive say this life is short, it’s perishable and not eternal. The rich and the poor feel its touch; the fool and the attentive one feel it too. But the fool lies stricken by their own folly, while the attentive don’t tremble at the touch. Therefore wisdom’s much better than wealth, since by wisdom you reach consummation in this life. But if because of delusion you don’t reach consummation, you’ll do evil deeds in life after life. One who enters a womb and the world beyond, will transmigrate from one life to the next. While someone of little wisdom, placing faith in them, also enters a womb and the world beyond. As a bandit caught in a window is punished for his own bad deeds; so after departing, in the world beyond, people are punished for their own bad deeds. Sensual pleasures are diverse, sweet, delightful; appearing in disguise they disturb the mind. Seeing danger in sensual stimulations, I went forth, O King. As fruit falls from a tree, so the sons of Manu fall,

young onesDaharā andca old onesvuḍḍhā andca at the breaking up of the bodysarīrabhedā;
this tooEtampi having seendisvā I went forthpabbajitomhi O kingrāja,
a sure betApaṇṇakaṁ the ascetic life indeedsāmaññameva is betterseyyo”ti.
the Raṭṭhapāla SuttaRaṭṭhapālasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ the seconddutiyaṁ.

young and old, when the body breaks up. Seeing this, too, I went forth, O King; it’s a sure bet that the ascetic life is better.”

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