Bodhirājakumārasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 85

With Prince Bodhi · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurred to meetadahosi:
to whom‘kassa nownu indeedkho Iahaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ I should teachdeseyyaṁ?
whoKo thisimaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ quicklykhippameva will understandājānissatī’ti?
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurred to meetadahosi:
very helpful‘bahukārā indeedkho to meme five·grouppañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū whoye memaṁ striving·resolutepadhānapahitattaṁ they looked afterupaṭṭhahiṁsu.
which·now·IYannūnāhaṁ to the group of fivepañcavaggiyānaṁ to the mendicantsbhikkhūnaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ I should teachdeseyyan’ti.
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurred to meetadahosi:
where‘kahaṁ nownu indeedkho nowetarahi five·grouppañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū are stayingviharantī’ti.
I sawAddasaṁ indeed + Ikhvāhaṁ, princerājakumāra, with divinedibbena eyecakkhunā apart·purevisuddhena beyond·gone·humanatikkantamānusakena the group of fivepañcavaggiye mendicantsbhikkhū at Varanasibārāṇasiyaṁ stayingviharante at Isipatanaisipatane in the deer parkmigadāye.

Then it occurred to me, ‘Who should I teach first of all? Who will quickly understand the teaching?’ Then it occurred to me, ‘The group of five mendicants were very helpful to me. They looked after me during my time of resolute striving. Why don’t I teach them first of all?’ Then it occurred to me, ‘Where are the group of five mendicants staying these days?’ With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman I saw that the group of five mendicants were staying near Varanasi in the deer park at Isipatana.

thenAtha indeed + Ikhvāhaṁ, princerājakumāra, at Uruvelāuruvelāyaṁ as long as pleasedyathābhirantaṁ having stayedviharitvā towards whichyena Varanasibārāṇasī towards thattena on walking tourcārikaṁ forth·gopakkamiṁ.
sawAddasā indeedkho memaṁ, princerājakumāra, Upakaupako Ājīvaka asceticājīvako betweenantarā andca Gayāgayaṁ betweenantarā andca Bodhgayabodhiṁ road·path·entered uponaddhānamaggappaṭipannaṁ.
having seenDisvāna memaṁ this·saidetadavoca:
very clear‘vippasannāni indeedkho yourte, friendāvuso, facultiesindriyāni, completely·pureparisuddho skin·complexionchavivaṇṇo completely·brightpariyodāto.
whom + indeedKaṁsi youtvaṁ, friendāvuso, up to·point outuddissa forth·gonepabbajito? whoKo orvā yourte Teachersatthā? whoseKassa orvā youtvaṁ dhammadhammaṁ do you affirmrocesī’ti?
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, Upakaupakaṁ Ājīvaka asceticājīvakaṁ in versesgāthāhi towards·speakajjhabhāsiṁ:
vanquisher of all‘Sabbābhibhū all·knower + I amsabbavidūhamasmi,
in allSabbesu thingsdhammesu not·sulliedanūpalitto;
all·giving upSabbañjaho craving·endingtaṇhākkhaye freedvimutto,
myselfSayaṁ higher·knownabhiññāya whom + should point outkamuddiseyyaṁ.
notNa myme tutorācariyo there isatthi,
likesadiso meme notna is foundvijjati;
with·godsSadevakasmiṁ in the worldlokasmiṁ,
not·isnatthi myme against·personpaṭipuggalo.
I + forAhañhi perfected onearahā in the worldloke,
Iahaṁ Teachersatthā not·higheranuttaro;
one + I amEkomhi fully·awakenedsammāsambuddho,
cool + become I amsītibhūtosmi quenchednibbuto.
dhamma·wheelDhammacakkaṁ forth·rollpavattetuṁ,
I goGacchāmi of Kāsikāsinaṁ citypuraṁ;
blind + becomeAndhībhūtasmiṁ in the worldlokasmiṁ,
I will beatĀhañchaṁ drum of freedom from deathamatadundubhin’ti.

So, when I had stayed in Uruvelā as long as I pleased, I set out for Varanasi. While I was traveling along the road between Gayā and Bodhgaya, the Ājīvaka ascetic Upaka saw me and said, ‘Reverend, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. In whose name have you gone forth, reverend? Who is your Teacher? Whose teaching do you believe in?’ I replied to Upaka in verse: ‘I am the vanquisher of all, the knower of all, unsullied in the midst of all things. I’ve given up all, freed in the ending of craving. Since I know for myself, whose follower should I be? I have no tutor. There is no one like me. In the world with its gods, I have no rival. For in this world, I am the perfected one; I am the supreme Teacher. I alone am fully awakened, cooled, quenched. I am going to the city of Kāsi to roll forth the Wheel of Dhamma. In this world that is so blind, I’ll beat the drum of freedom from death!’

as‘Yathā indeedkho youtvaṁ, reverendāvuso, back·knowpaṭijānāsi you ought to bearahasi the Infinite Victoranantajino’ti.
like me‘Mādisā indeedve victorsjinā they arehonti,
whoye reachedpattā the ending of defilementsāsavakkhayaṁ;
conqueredJitā by meme badpāpakā qualitiesdhammā,
therefore + I·Upakatasmāhamupaka a victorjino’ti.
thusEvaṁ when spokenvutte, princerājakumāra, Upakaupako the Ājīvakaājīvako if you say so, reverend‘hupeyyapāvuso’ti having saidvatvā his headsīsaṁ down·shakeokampetvā a wrong turnummaggaṁ having takengahetvā leftpakkāmi.

‘According to what you claim, reverend, you ought to be the Infinite Victor.’ ‘The victors are those who, like me, have reached the ending of defilements. I have conquered bad qualities, Upaka— that’s why I’m a victor.’ When I had spoken, Upaka said: ‘If you say so, reverend.’ Shaking his head, he took a wrong turn and left.

thenAtha indeed + Ikhvāhaṁ, princerājakumāra, stage by stageanupubbena wanderingcārikaṁ travelingcaramāno whereyena Varanasibārāṇasī Isipatanaisipatanaṁ deer parkmigadāyo whereyena five·grouppañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū there·approachtenupasaṅkamiṁ.
they sawAddasaṁsu indeedkho memaṁ, princerājakumāra, five·grouppañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū afar + justdūratova to·goāgacchantaṁ.
having seenDisvāna other·otheraññamaññaṁ together·standsaṇṭhapesuṁ:
this‘ayaṁ indeedkho, friendsāvuso, asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo to·goāgacchati indulgentbāhulliko struggle·strayedpadhānavibbhanto back·turnedāvatto to indulgencebāhullāya.
heSo not + justneva to·greetabhivādetabbo, notna should be risen forpaccuṭṭhātabbo, not + hisnāssa bowl·robepattacīvaraṁ should be receivedpaṭiggahetabbaṁ;
butapi andca indeedkho a seatāsanaṁ set + ifṭhapetabbaṁ—sace heso to·wishākaṅkhissati he will sitnisīdissatī’ti.
asYathā asyathā indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, five·grouppañcavaggiye mendicantsbhikkhū I approachedupasaṅkamiṁ sotathā sotathā five·grouppañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū not·ablenāsakkhiṁsu their ownsakāya agreementkatikāya together·standsaṇṭhātuṁ.
some·oneAppekacce memaṁ having come out to greetpaccuggantvā bowl·robepattacīvaraṁ receivedpaṭiggahesuṁ. some·oneAppekacce a seatāsanaṁ spread outpaññapesuṁ. some·oneAppekacce water for the feetpādodakaṁ set outupaṭṭhapesuṁ.
butApi andca indeedkho memaṁ by namenāmena andca reverend·addressāvusovādena andca they addressedsamudācaranti.

Traveling stage by stage, I arrived at Varanasi, and went to see the group of five mendicants in the deer park at Isipatana. The group of five mendicants saw me coming off in the distance and stopped each other, saying, ‘Here comes the ascetic Gotama. He’s so indulgent; he strayed from the struggle and returned to indulgence. We shouldn’t bow to him or rise for him or receive his bowl and robe. But we can set out a seat; he can sit if he likes.’ Yet as I drew closer, the group of five mendicants were unable to stop themselves per their own agreement. Some came out to greet me and receive my bowl and robe, some spread out a seat, while others set out water for washing my feet. But they still addressed me by name and as ‘reverend’.

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, five·grouppañcavaggiye monksbhikkhū said thisetadavocaṁ:
do not‘mā, monksbhikkhave, thus·gonetathāgataṁ by namenāmena andca friend·sayingāvusovādena andca addresssamudācaratha;
perfectedarahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, thus·gonetathāgato fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho.
lendOdahatha, monksbhikkhave, earsotaṁ. freedom from death achievedAmatamadhigataṁ I instructahamanusāsāmi, Iahaṁ Dhammadhammaṁ teachdesemi.
as instructedYathānusiṭṭhaṁ sotathā back·gopaṭipajjamānā before long indeed for whose sakenacirasseva—yassatthāya family·sonkulaputtā rightly indeedsammadeva from homeagārasmā not·homeanagāriyaṁ go forthpabbajanti, that supreme culmination of the spiritual pathtadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva dhammadhamme yourselfsayaṁ with direct knowledgeabhiññā own·eye·madesacchikatvā up·attainupasampajja you will dwellviharissathā’ti.
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, princerājakumāra, five·grouppañcavaggiyā monksbhikkhū memaṁ said thisetadavocuṁ:
by that too‘tāyapi indeedkho youtvaṁ, reverendāvuso Gotamagotama, by conductiriyāya by thattāya back·gopaṭipadāya by thattāya difficult·doingdukkarakārikāya did not achievenājjhagamā superhumanuttari human·qualitymanussadhammā distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble onesalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ; howkiṁ thenpana youtvaṁ nowetarahi indulgentbāhulliko struggle·apart·strayedpadhānavibbhanto back·turnedāvatto into indulgencebāhullāya up to·goadhigamissasi superhumanuttari human·qualitymanussadhammā worthy·noble·knowledge·vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesan’ti?
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, five·grouppañcavaggiye monksbhikkhū said thisetadavocaṁ:
not‘na, monksbhikkhave, thus·gonetathāgato indulgentbāhulliko notna struggle·apart·strayedpadhānavibbhanto notna back·turnedāvatto into indulgencebāhullāya.
perfectedArahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, thus·gonetathāgato fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho.

So I said to them, ‘Mendicants, don’t address me by name and as “reverend”. The Realized One is Perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. Listen up, mendicants: I have achieved freedom from death! I shall instruct you, I will teach you the Dhamma. By practicing as instructed you will soon realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. You will live having achieved with your own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’ But they said to me, ‘Reverend Gotama, even by that conduct, that practice, that grueling work you did not achieve any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. How could you have achieved such a state now that you’ve become indulgent, strayed from the struggle and fallen into indulgence?’ So I said to them, ‘The Realized One has not become indulgent, strayed from the struggle and fallen into indulgence. The Realized One is Perfected, a fully awakened Buddha.

listen!Odahatha, mendicantsbhikkhave, earsotaṁ. deathless attainedAmatamadhigataṁ I·instructahamanusāsāmi, Iahaṁ dhammadhammaṁ I teachdesemi.
as·instructedYathānusiṭṭhaṁ sotathā practicingpaṭipajjamānā before long—for whose sakenacirasseva—yassatthāya clansmenkulaputtā rightly·indeedsammadeva from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ go forthpabbajanti, that supreme—culmination of the spiritual pathtadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in dhammadhamme oneselfsayaṁ by insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja you will liveviharissathā’ti.
second·tooDutiyampi indeedkho, princerājakumāra, of the group of fivepañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū memaṁ this·saidetadavocuṁ:
by that too‘tāyapi indeedkho youtvaṁ, friendāvuso Gotamagotama, by conductiriyāya by thattāya by practicepaṭipadāya by thattāya difficult·deedsdukkarakārikāya you did not attainnājjhagamā beyonduttari human·statesmanussadhammā noble + noble + knowledge + vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ; whatkiṁ thenpana youtvaṁ nowetarahi indulgentbāhulliko striving·negligentpadhānavibbhanto turnedāvatto to indulgencebāhullāya you will attainadhigamissasi beyonduttari human·statesmanussadhammā noble + noble + knowledge + vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesan’ti?
second·tooDutiyampi indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, to the group of fivepañcavaggiye mendicantsbhikkhū this·saidetadavocaṁ:
not‘na, mendicantsbhikkhave, Realized Onetathāgato indulgentbāhulliko notna striving·negligentpadhānavibbhanto notna turnedāvatto to indulgencebāhullāya.
the Worthy OneArahaṁ, mendicantsbhikkhave, Realized Onetathāgato fully awakenedsammāsambuddho.
listen!Odahatha, mendicantsbhikkhave, earsotaṁ. deathless attainedAmatamadhigataṁ I·instructahamanusāsāmi, Iahaṁ dhammadhammaṁ I teachdesemi.

Listen up, mendicants: I have achieved freedom from death! I shall instruct you, I will teach you the Dhamma. By practicing as instructed you will soon realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. You will live having achieved with your own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’ But for a second time they said to me, ‘Reverend Gotama … you’ve fallen into indulgence.’ So for a second time I said to them, ‘The Realized One has not become indulgent …’

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