Maghadevasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 83

About King Maghadeva · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Mithilāmithilāyaṁ was stayingviharati Maghadeva·mango grovemaghadevaambavane.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Mithilā in the Maghadeva Mango Grove.

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā at a certainaññatarasmiṁ spotpadese a smilesitaṁ made appearpātvākāsi.
thenAtha indeedkho of Venerableāyasmato Ānandaānandassa this·wasetadahosi:
"what“ko nownu indeedkho is the cause,hetu, whatko is the reasonpaccayo of the Blessed Onebhagavato of a smilesitassa forth·forth·actpātukammāya?
notNa not·reasonakāraṇena thus·gonetathāgatā a smilesitaṁ make appearpātukarontī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando one·shoulderekaṁsaṁ his robecīvaraṁ having arrangedkatvā whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā cupped palms toward himtenañjaliṁ forth·bendpaṇāmetvā to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this·spokeetadavoca:
"what“ko nownu indeedkho, sir,bhante, is the cause,hetu, whatko is the reasonpaccayo of the Blessed Onebhagavato of a smilesitassa forth·forth·actpātukammāya?
notNa not·reasonakāraṇena thus·gonetathāgatā a smilesitaṁ make appearpātukarontī”ti.

Then the Buddha smiled at a certain spot. Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.” So Ānanda arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

once upon a time“Bhūtapubbaṁ, Ānandaānanda, this + justimissāyeva in Mithilāmithilāyaṁ kingrājā wasahosi Maghadevamaghadevo namednāma justdhammiko duty·kingdhammarājā by dutydhamme stoodṭhito great·kingmahārājā;
justlydhammaṁ treatedcarati brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikesu toward townspeoplenegamesu andceva toward country peoplejānapadesu andca;
sabbath + anduposathañca near·dwellupavasati on the fourteenthcātuddasiṁ on the fifteenthpañcadasiṁ eighth + andaṭṭhamiñca of the fortnightpakkhassa.

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, right here in Mithilā there was a just and principled king named Maghadeva, a great king who stood by his duty. He justly treated brahmins and householders, and people of town and country. And he observed the sabbath on the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth of the fortnight.

thenAtha indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, the kingrājā Maghadevamaghadevo of manybahūnaṁ yearsvassānaṁ of manybahūnaṁ of hundreds of yearsvassasatānaṁ of manybahūnaṁ of thousands of yearsvassasahassānaṁ after the passingaccayena the barberkappakaṁ he addressedāmantesi:
when‘yadā for meme, dearsamma barberkappaka, you should seepasseyyāsi on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni bornjātāni, thenatha to meme you should tellāroceyyāsī’ti.
yes‘Evaṁ, Your Majestydevā’ti indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, the barberkappako of the kingrañño Maghadevamaghadevassa he repliedpaccassosi.
he sawAddasā indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, the barberkappako of manybahūnaṁ yearsvassānaṁ of manybahūnaṁ of hundreds of yearsvassasatānaṁ of manybahūnaṁ of thousands of yearsvassasahassānaṁ after the passingaccayena of the kingrañño Maghadevamaghadevassa on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni bornjātāni.
having seenDisvāna the kingrājānaṁ Maghadevamaghadevaṁ he said thisetadavoca:
have appeared‘pātubhūtā indeedkho for Your Majestydevassa the messengers of the godsdevadūtā, are seendissanti on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni bornjātānī’ti.
therefore‘Tena thenhi, dearsamma barberkappaka, thosetāni grey hairspalitāni carefullysādhukaṁ with tweezerssaṇḍāsena having pulled outuddharitvā in mymama in cupped handsañjalismiṁ you should placepatiṭṭhāpehī’ti.
yes‘Evaṁ, Your Majestydevā’ti indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, the barberkappako of the kingrañño Maghadevamaghadevassa having promisedpaṭissutvā thosetāni grey hairspalitāni carefullysādhukaṁ with tweezerssaṇḍāsena having pulled outuddharitvā of the kingrañño Maghadevamaghadevassa in cupped handsañjalismiṁ he placedpatiṭṭhāpesi.

Then, after many years, many hundred years, many thousand years had passed, King Maghadeva addressed his barber, ‘My dear barber, when you see grey hairs growing on my head, please tell me.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ replied the barber. When many thousand years had passed, the barber saw grey hairs growing on the king’s head. He said to the king, ‘The messengers of the gods have shown themselves to you. Grey hairs can be seen growing on your head.’ ‘Well then, my dear barber, carefully pull them out with tweezers and place them in my cupped hands.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ replied the barber, and he did as the king said.

thenAtha indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, kingrājā Maghadevamaghadevo to the barberkappakassa a prize villagegāmavaraṁ having givendatvā the crown princejeṭṭhaputtaṁ princekumāraṁ having summonedāmantāpetvā said thisetadavoca:
have appeared‘pātubhūtā indeedkho to meme, deartāta princekumāra, messengers of the godsdevadūtā;
are seendissanti on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni growingjātāni;
enjoyedbhuttā indeedkho nowpana by meme humanmānusakā pleasureskāmā;
timesamayo heavenlydibbe pleasureskāme to seekpariyesituṁ.
comeEhi youtvaṁ, deartāta princekumāra, thisimaṁ realmrajjaṁ rulepaṭipajja.
IAhaṁ nowpana hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from homeagārasmā homelessnessanagāriyaṁ shall go forthpabbajissāmi.
thereforeTena indeedhi, deartāta princekumāra, whenyadā you tootvampi would seepasseyyāsi on the headsirasmiṁ grey hairspalitāni growingjātāni, thenatha to the barberkappakassa a prize villagegāmavaraṁ having givendatvā the crown princejeṭṭhaputtaṁ princekumāraṁ carefullysādhukaṁ in kingshiprajje having instructedsamanusāsitvā hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from homeagārasmā homelessnessanagāriyaṁ you should go forthpabbajeyyāsi.
by whichYena by meme thisidaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ foundednihitaṁ you should keep upanuppavatteyyāsi, do notmā indeedkho meme youtvaṁ the final manantimapuriso beahosi.

The king gave the barber a prize village, then summoned the crown prince and said, ‘Dear prince, the messengers of the gods have shown themselves to me. Grey hairs can be seen growing on my head. I have enjoyed human pleasures. Now it is time to seek heavenly pleasures. Come, dear prince, rule the realm. I shall shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. For dear prince, you too will one day see grey hairs growing on your head. When this happens, after giving a prize village to the barber and carefully instructing the crown prince in kingship, you should shave off your hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Keep up this good practice that I have founded. Do not be my final man.

in whichYasmiṁ indeedkho, deartāta princekumāra, a pair of menpurisayuge livingvattamāne of such kindevarūpassa goodkalyāṇassa practicevattassa together·cutting offsamucchedo ishoti heso of themtesaṁ last·manantimapuriso ishoti.
thereforeTaṁ I to youtāhaṁ, deartāta princekumāra, thusevaṁ I sayvadāmi—
in whichyena by meme thisidaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ practicevattaṁ down·placednihitaṁ you should keep upanuppavatteyyāsi, do notmā indeedkho myme youtvaṁ last·manantimapuriso you wereahosī’ti.

When a pair of men are living, the one who breaks such good practice is their final man. Therefore I say to you, “Keep up this good practice that I have founded. Do not be my final man.”’

thenAtha indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, kingrājā Maghadevamaghadevo to the barberkappakassa village·prizegāmavaraṁ having givendatvā eldest·sonjeṭṭhaputtaṁ princekumāraṁ carefullysādhukaṁ in kingshiprajje thoroughly·along·instructsamanusāsitvā this·justimasmiṁyeva Maghadeva·mango grovemaghadevaambavane hair·beardkesamassuṁ off·shaveohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from the lay lifeagārasmā not·householdanagāriyaṁ went forthpabbaji.
heSo full of lovemettāsahagatena with a heartcetasā oneekaṁ directiondisaṁ having spreadpharitvā he meditatedvihāsi, sotathā the seconddutiyaṁ, sotathā the thirdtatiyaṁ, sotathā the fourthcatutthaṁ; thusiti above and belowuddhamadho acrosstiriyaṁ everywheresabbadhi all aroundsabbattatāya the wholesabbāvantaṁ worldlokaṁ full of lovemettāsahagatena with a heartcetasā abundantvipulena expansivemahaggatena limitlessappamāṇena free of enmityaverena free of ill willabyābajjhena having spreadpharitvā he meditatedvihāsi.
full of compassionKaruṇāsahagatena with a heartcetasā ……
rejoicing·accompaniedmuditāsahagatena with a heartcetasā ……
equanimity·accompaniedupekkhāsahagatena with a heartcetasā oneekaṁ directiondisaṁ having spreadpharitvā he meditatedvihāsi, sotathā the seconddutiyaṁ, sotathā the thirdtatiyaṁ, sotathā the fourthcatutthaṁ; thusiti above and belowuddhamadho acrosstiriyaṁ everywheresabbadhi all aroundsabbattatāya the wholesabbāvantaṁ worldlokaṁ equanimity·accompaniedupekkhāsahagatena with a heartcetasā abundantvipulena expansivemahaggatena limitlessappamāṇena free of enmityaverena free of ill willabyābajjhena having spreadpharitvā he meditatedvihāsi.

And so, after giving a prize village to the barber and carefully instructing the crown prince in kingship, King Maghadeva shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness here in this mango grove. He meditated spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, he spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. He meditated spreading a heart full of compassion … rejoicing … equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, he spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

the kingRājā indeedkho so + Ānandapanānanda, Maghadevamaghadevo four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni child·playingkumārakīḷitaṁ he playedkīḷi, four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni as viceroyoparajjaṁ he actedkāresi, four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni the realmrajjaṁ he ruledkāresi, four·eighty·year·thousandcaturāsītivassasahassāni this + veryimasmiṁyeva Maghadeva·mango grovemaghadevaambavane from homeagārasmā without·home lifeanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito spiritual life + practicedbrahmacariyamacari.
heSo fourcattāro divine·abidingbrahmavihāre having developedbhāvetvā of the bodykāyassa at the break-upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā divine realm + reachedbrahmalokūpago he wasahosi.

For 84,000 years King Maghadeva played games as a child, for 84,000 years he acted as viceroy, for 84,000 years he ruled the realm, and for 84,000 years he led the spiritual life after going forth here in this mango grove. And having developed the four divine meditations, when his body broke up, after death, he was reborn in a good place, a realm of divinity.

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