Bodhirājakumārasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 85

With Prince Bodhi · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Evameva kho, rājakumāra, pañcimāni padhāniyaṅgāni.
Katamāni pañca?
Idha, rājakumāra, bhikkhu saddho hoti; saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ:
‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti;
appābādho hoti appātaṅko samavepākiniyā gahaṇiyā samannāgato nātisītāya nāccuṇhāya majjhimāya padhānakkhamāya;
asaṭho hoti amāyāvī yathābhūtaṁ attānaṁ āvikattā satthari vā viññūsu vā sabrahmacārīsu;
āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu;
paññavā hoti udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammādukkhakkhayagāminiyā.
Imāni kho, rājakumāra, pañca padhāniyaṅgāni.

“In the same way, prince, there are these five factors that support meditation. What five? It’s when a noble disciple has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ They are rarely ill or unwell. Their stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and fit for meditation. They’re not devious or deceitful. They reveal themselves honestly to the Teacher or sensible spiritual companions. They live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. They’re wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. These are the five factors that support meditation.

Imehi, rājakumāra, pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno—
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya satta vassāni.
Tiṭṭhantu, rājakumāra, satta vassāni.
Imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno—
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya chabbassāni …
pañca vassāni …
cattāri vassāni …
tīṇi vassāni …
dve vassāni …
ekaṁ vassaṁ.
Tiṭṭhatu, rājakumāra, ekaṁ vassaṁ.
Imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno—
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya satta māsāni.
Tiṭṭhantu, rājakumāra, satta māsāni.

When a mendicant with these five factors that support meditation has the Realized One as trainer, they could realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in seven years. Let alone seven years, they could realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in six years, or as little as one year. Let alone one year, when a mendicant with these five factors that support meditation has the Realized One as trainer, they could realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in seven months,

Imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno—
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—
brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya cha māsāni …
pañca māsāni …
cattāri māsāni …
tīṇi māsāni …
dve māsāni …
ekaṁ māsaṁ …
aḍḍhamāsaṁ.
Tiṭṭhatu, rājakumāra, aḍḍhamāso.
Imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno—
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—
brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya satta rattindivāni.
Tiṭṭhantu, rājakumāra, satta rattindivāni.
Imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno—
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—
brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya cha rattindivāni …

Endowed with these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu who obtains the Tathāgata as his guide — for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life — having realized it for himself in this very life by direct knowledge, having attained it, might dwell for six months … five months … four months … three months … two months … one month … half a month. Let half a month stand, prince. Endowed with these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu who obtains the Tathāgata as his guide — for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life — having realized it for himself in this very life by direct knowledge, having attained it, might dwell for seven days and nights. Let seven days and nights stand, prince. Endowed with these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu who obtains the Tathāgata as his guide — for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life — having realized it for himself in this very life by direct knowledge, having attained it, might dwell for six days and nights …

pañca rattindivāni …
cattāri rattindivāni …
tīṇi rattindivāni …
dve rattindivāni …
ekaṁ rattindivaṁ.
Tiṭṭhatu, rājakumāra, eko rattindivo.
Imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu tathāgataṁ vināyakaṁ labhamāno sāyamanusiṭṭho pāto visesaṁ adhigamissati, pātamanusiṭṭho sāyaṁ visesaṁ adhigamissatī”ti.

or as little as one day. Let alone one day, when a mendicant with these five factors that support meditation has the Realized One as trainer, they could be instructed at dusk and achieve distinction at daybreak, or be instructed at daybreak and achieve distinction at dusk.”

Evaṁ vutte, bodhi rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“aho buddho, aho dhammo, aho dhammassa svākkhātatā.
Yatra hi nāma sāyamanusiṭṭho pāto visesaṁ adhigamissati, pātamanusiṭṭho sāyaṁ visesaṁ adhigamissatī”ti.

When he had spoken, Prince Bodhi said to the Buddha, “Oh, the Buddha! Oh, the teaching! Oh, how well explained is the teaching! For someone could be instructed at dusk and achieve distinction at daybreak, or be instructed at daybreak and achieve distinction at dusk.”

Evaṁ vutte, sañjikāputto māṇavo bodhiṁ rājakumāraṁ etadavoca:
“evameva panāyaṁ bhavaṁ bodhi:
‘aho buddho, aho dhammo, aho dhammassa svākkhātatā’ti ca vadeti;
atha ca pana na taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchati dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañcā”ti.
“Mā hevaṁ, samma sañjikāputta, avaca; mā hevaṁ, samma sañjikāputta, avaca.
Sammukhā metaṁ, samma sañjikāputta, ayyāya sutaṁ, sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ”.
“Ekamidaṁ, samma sañjikāputta, samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.
Atha kho me ayyā kucchimatī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho me ayyā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
‘yo me ayaṁ, bhante, kucchigato kumārako vā kumārikā vā so bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchati dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
Upāsakaṁ taṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan’ti.

When he said this, Sañjikāputta said to Prince Bodhi, “Though the worthy Bodhi speaks like this, you don’t go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.” “Don’t say that, dear Sañjikāputta, don’t say that! I have heard and learned this in the presence of my lady mother. This one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Then my pregnant lady mother went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, ‘Sir, the prince or princess in my womb goes for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember them as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.’

Ekamidaṁ, samma sañjikāputta, samayaṁ bhagavā idheva bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.
Atha kho maṁ dhāti aṅkena haritvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho maṁ dhāti bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
‘ayaṁ, bhante, bodhi rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchati dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
Upāsakaṁ taṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan’ti.
Esāhaṁ, samma sañjikāputta, tatiyakampi bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Bodhirājakumārasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.

Another time the Buddha was staying here in the land of the Bhaggas at Crocodile’s Bellow, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood. Then my nursemaid, carrying me on her hip, went to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, ‘Sir, this Prince Bodhi goes for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember him as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.’ Now for a third time I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

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