Maghadevasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 83

About King Maghadeva · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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he sawAddasā indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, barberkappako of manybahūnaṁ of yearsvassānaṁ of manybahūnaṁ year·hundredvassasatānaṁ of manybahūnaṁ year·thousandvassasahassānaṁ after the passingaccayena of Niminimissa the king'srañño on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni had arisenjātāni.
having seenDisvāna king Niminimiṁ kingrājānaṁ said thisetadavoca:
have appeared‘pātubhūtā indeedkho of the lorddevassa divine messengersdevadūtā;
are seendissanti on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni have arisenjātānī’ti.
therefore‘Tena thenhi, friendsamma barberkappaka, thosetāni grey hairspalitāni carefullysādhukaṁ with tweezerssaṇḍāsena up·holduddharitvā mymama in the handsañjalismiṁ place thempatiṭṭhāpehī’ti.
yes‘Evaṁ, lorddevā’ti indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, barberkappako of Niminimissa the king'srañño back·hearpaṭissutvā thosetāni grey hairspalitāni carefullysādhukaṁ with tweezerssaṇḍāsena up·holduddharitvā of Niminimissa the king'srañño in the handsañjalismiṁ he placed thempatiṭṭhāpesi.
thenAtha indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, Niminimi the kingrājā to the barberkappakassa village·choicegāmavaraṁ having givendatvā eldest·sonjeṭṭhaputtaṁ the princekumāraṁ to·callāmantāpetvā said thisetadavoca:
have appeared‘pātubhūtā indeedkho to meme, deartāta princekumāra, divine messengersdevadūtā;
are seendissanti on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni have arisenjātāni;
have been enjoyedbhuttā indeedkho moreoverpana by meme humanmānusakā pleasureskāmā;
it is timesamayo for heavenlydibbe pleasureskāme to seekpariyesituṁ.
comeEhi youtvaṁ, deartāta princekumāra, thisimaṁ kingshiprajjaṁ undertakepaṭipajja.

Then, Ānanda, after the passing of many years, many centuries, many millennia, the barber saw that grey hairs had arisen on the head of King Nimi. Having seen them, he said to King Nimi: “The divine messengers have appeared to the lord; grey hairs are seen to have arisen on his head.” “Then, friend barber, having carefully pulled out those grey hairs with tweezers, place them in my joined hands.” Saying, “Yes, lord,” Ānanda, the barber, having consented to King Nimi, carefully pulled out those grey hairs with tweezers and placed them in King Nimi's joined hands. Then, Ānanda, King Nimi, having given the barber a choice village, summoned his eldest son, the prince, and said this: “The divine messengers have appeared to me, dear prince; grey hairs are seen to have arisen on my head. Human pleasures have indeed been enjoyed by me; it is time to seek heavenly pleasures. Come, dear prince, undertake this kingship.

IAhaṁ butpana hair·beardkesamassuṁ having removedohāretvā ochre robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having put onacchādetvā from homeagārasmā without·homeanagāriyaṁ I will go forthpabbajissāmi.
by thatTena thenhi, deartāta princekumāra, whenyadā you tootvampi you should seepasseyyāsi on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni arisenjātāni, thenatha to the barberkappakassa village·choicegāmavaraṁ having givendatvā eldest·sonjeṭṭhaputtaṁ princekumāraṁ wellsādhukaṁ in the kingdomrajje thoroughly·along·instructsamanusāsitvā hair·beardkesamassuṁ having removedohāretvā ochre robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having put onacchādetvā from homeagārasmā without·homeanagāriyaṁ you should go forthpabbajeyyāsi.
by whichYena by meme thisidaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ down·laidnihitaṁ you should carry onanuppavatteyyāsi, do notmā indeedkho myme youtvaṁ last·manantimapuriso you becameahosi.
in whichYasmiṁ indeedkho, deartāta princekumāra, man·generationpurisayuge when occurringvattamāne such·likeevarūpassa goodkalyāṇassa of the practicevattassa together·cut offsamucchedo there ishoti heso of themtesaṁ last·manantimapuriso ishoti.
thatTaṁ thus Itāhaṁ, deartāta princekumāra, thusevaṁ I sayvadāmi:
by which“yena by meme thisidaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ down·laidnihitaṁ you should carry onanuppavatteyyāsi, do notmā indeedkho myme youtvaṁ last·manantimapuriso you becameahosī”’ti.

But I, having removed hair and beard, having put on ochre robes, will go forth from home into homelessness. Therefore, dear prince, when you too see grey hairs arisen on your head, then, having given a choice village to the barber, having thoroughly instructed the eldest son, the prince, in the kingdom, having removed hair and beard, having put on ochre robes, you should go forth from home into homelessness. By which you should carry on this good practice laid down by me, do not, indeed, become the last man of me. In whichever generation of men, dear prince, when there is a cutting off of such a good practice, he is the last man of them. Thus, dear prince, I say to you this: ‘By which you should carry on this good practice laid down by me, do not, indeed, become the last man of me.’

thenAtha indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, Niminimi kingrājā to the barberkappakassa village·excellentgāmavaraṁ having givendatvā eldest·sonjeṭṭhaputtaṁ princekumāraṁ wellsādhukaṁ in kingshiprajje thoroughly·along·instructsamanusāsitvā this + veryimasmiṁyeva Maghadeva·mango·grovemaghadevaambavane hair·beardkesamassuṁ off·removeohāretvā ochre robeskāsāyāni garmentsvatthāni having put onacchādetvā from homeagārasmā not·home-lifeanagāriyaṁ went forthpabbaji.
heSo loving-kindness·accompanied bymettāsahagatena with mindcetasā oneekaṁ directiondisaṁ having pervadedpharitvā dwelledvihāsi, likewisetathā a seconddutiyaṁ, likewisetathā a thirdtatiyaṁ, likewisetathā a fourthcatutthaṁ; thusiti upward·downwarduddhamadho acrosstiriyaṁ everywheresabbadhi with allnesssabbattatāya entiresabbāvantaṁ worldlokaṁ loving-kindness·accompanied bymettāsahagatena with mindcetasā abundantvipulena exaltedmahaggatena immeasurableappamāṇena without·hatredaverena without·ill willabyābajjhena having pervadedpharitvā dwelledvihāsi.
pervaded with compassionKaruṇāsahagatena with mindcetasā ……
sympathetic joy·accompanied bymuditāsahagatena with mindcetasā ……
equanimity·accompanied byupekkhāsahagatena with mindcetasā oneekaṁ directiondisaṁ having pervadedpharitvā dwelledvihāsi, likewisetathā a seconddutiyaṁ, likewisetathā a thirdtatiyaṁ, likewisetathā a fourthcatutthaṁ; thusiti upward·downwarduddhamadho acrosstiriyaṁ everywheresabbadhi with allnesssabbattatāya entiresabbāvantaṁ worldlokaṁ equanimity·accompanied byupekkhāsahagatena with mindcetasā abundantvipulena exaltedmahaggatena immeasurableappamāṇena without·hatredaverena without·ill willabyābajjhena having pervadedpharitvā dwelledvihāsi.

Then, Ānanda, King Nimi, having given a choice village to the barber, having thoroughly instructed the eldest son, the prince, in kingship, in this very Maghadeva mango grove, having removed his hair and beard, having put on ochre robes, went forth from the home life into homelessness. He dwelled having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness, likewise a second, likewise a third, likewise a fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, with entireness, he dwelled having pervaded the whole world with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hatred, without ill will. With a mind accompanied by compassion … with a mind accompanied by sympathetic joy … He dwelled having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise a second, likewise a third, likewise a fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, with entireness, he dwelled having pervaded the whole world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hatred, without ill will.

NimiNimi indeedkho but, Ananda,panānanda, kingrājā four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni boy·playingkumārakīḷitaṁ playedkīḷi, four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni secondary·kingshipoparajjaṁ he administeredkāresi, four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni kingshiprajjaṁ he administeredkāresi, four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni this + veryimasmiṁyeva Maghadeva·mango·grovemaghadevaambavane from homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ forth·gopabbajito holy·conduct + livedbrahmacariyamacari.
heSo fourcattāro divine·meditationbrahmavihāre having developedbhāvetvā of the bodykāyassa breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā reborn in the Brahma worldbrahmalokūpago wasahosi.

And having developed the four divine meditations, when his body broke up, after death, King Nimi was reborn in a good place, a realm of divinity.

of NimiNimissa indeedkho and·Ānandapanānanda, to the kingrañño Kaḷāra·Janakakaḷārajanako namednāma sonputto wasahosi.
notNa heso from the homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ forth·gopabbaji.
heSo thattaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ together·cutsamucchindi.
heSo of themtesaṁ final·manantimapuriso wasahosi.

But King Nimi had a son named Kaḷāra Janaka. He didn’t go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He broke that good practice. He was their final man.

might beSiyā indeedkho butpana to youte, Ānandaānanda, it might occur thusevamassa:
a different one‘añño surelynūna at thattena timesamayena kingrājā Maghadevamaghadevo wasahosi, by whomyena thattaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ was foundednihitan’ti.
notNa indeedkho but thispanetaṁ, Ānandaānanda, thusevaṁ should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
IAhaṁ at thattena timesamayena kingrājā Maghadevamaghadevo wasahosiṁ.
IAhaṁ thattaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ foundednihiniṁ, by memayā thattaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ was foundednihitaṁ;
laterpacchimā peoplejanatā kept goinganuppavattesi.
thatTaṁ indeedkho but, Ānandapanānanda, goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ notna to disillusionmentnibbidāya notna to dispassionvirāgāya notna to cessationnirodhāya notna to peaceupasamāya notna to insightabhiññāya notna to awakeningsambodhāya notna to extinguishmentnibbānāya leadssaṁvattati, only as far asyāvadeva rebirth in the Brahma worldbrahmalokūpapattiyā.
thisIdaṁ indeedkho but, Ānandapanānanda, nowetarahi by memayā goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ has been foundednihitaṁ to complete disillusionmentekantanibbidāya to dispassionvirāgāya to cessationnirodhāya to peaceupasamāya to insightabhiññāya to awakeningsambodhāya to extinguishmentnibbānāya leadssaṁvattati.
and whatKatamañcānanda, nowetarahi by memayā goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ has been foundednihitaṁ to complete disillusionmentekantanibbidāya to dispassionvirāgāya to cessationnirodhāya to peaceupasamāya to insightabhiññāya to awakeningsambodhāya to extinguishmentnibbānāya leads?saṁvattati?
this + veryAyameva nobleariyo eightfoldaṭṭhaṅgiko pathmaggo, that isseyyathidaṁ—

Ānanda, you might think, ‘Surely King Maghadeva, by whom that good practice was founded, must have been someone else at that time?’ But you should not see it like this. I myself was King Maghadeva at that time. I was the one who founded that good practice, which was kept up by those who came after. But that good practice doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. It only leads as far as rebirth in the realm of divinity. But now I have founded a good practice that does lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. And what is that good practice? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:

right·viewsammādiṭṭhi, right·purposesammāsaṅkappo, right·speechsammāvācā, right·actionsammākammanto, right·livelihoodsammāājīvo, right·effortsammāvāyāmo, right·mindfulnesssammāsati, right·immersionsammāsamādhi.
thisIdaṁ indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, nowetarahi by memayā goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ down·placednihitaṁ utter·disillusionmentekantanibbidāya to dispassionvirāgāya to cessationnirodhāya to peaceupasamāya to insightabhiññāya to awakeningsambodhāya to extinguishmentnibbānāya together·turnssaṁvattati.
thatTaṁ to youvo Iahaṁ, Ānandaānanda, thusevaṁ I sayvadāmi:
by which‘yena by meme thisidaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ foundednihitaṁ along·forth·keep upanuppavatteyyātha, notmā indeedkho myme you alltumhe final·menantimapurisā you becameahuvattha’.
in whichYasmiṁ indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, man·pairpurisayuge livingvattamāne of suchevarūpassa of goodkalyāṇassa of practicevattassa together·cutting offsamucchedo ishoti heso theirtesaṁ final·manantimapuriso ishoti.
thatTaṁ to youvo Iahaṁ, Ānandaānanda, thusevaṁ I sayvadāmi:
by which‘yena by meme thisidaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ foundednihitaṁ along·forth·keep upanuppavatteyyātha, notmā indeedkho myme you alltumhe final·menantimapurisā you becameahuvatthā’”ti.
this·saidIdamavoca the Buddhabhagavā.
satisfiedAttamano Venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando of the Buddhabhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ towards·rejoicedabhinandīti.
Maghadeva·discourseMaghadevasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ thirdtatiyaṁ.

right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the good practice I have now founded that leads to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. Ānanda, I say to you: ‘You all should keep up this good practice that I have founded. Do not be my final men.’ When a pair of men are living, the one who breaks such good practice is their final man. Ānanda, I say to you: ‘You all should keep up this good practice that I have founded. Do not be my final men.’” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

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