Bodhirājakumārasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 85

With Prince Bodhi · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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as instructedYathānusiṭṭhaṁ accordinglytathā practicingpaṭipajjamānā before long for the sake of whichnacirasseva—yassatthāya clansmenkulaputtā rightlysammadeva from homeagārasmā homelessnessanagāriyaṁ go forthpabbajanti, that supreme culmination of the holy lifetadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in the dhammadhamme oneselfsayaṁ through direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having entered uponupasampajja you will dwellviharissathā’ti.
a third time tooTatiyampi indeedkho, princerājakumāra, the group of fivepañcavaggiyā bhikkhusbhikkhū memaṁ said thisetadavocuṁ:
by that conduct too‘tāyapi indeedkho youtvaṁ, friendāvuso Gotamagotama, by that conductiriyāya by thattāya by that practicepaṭipadāya by thattāya by that difficult workdukkarakārikāya you did not attainnājjhagamā beyonduttari of human statesmanussadhammā the noble distinction of knowledge and visionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ; whatkiṁ thenpana youtvaṁ nowetarahi indulging in abundancebāhulliko having given up exertionpadhānavibbhanto turned backāvatto to abundancebāhullāya will you attainadhigamissasi beyonduttari of human statesmanussadhammā the noble distinction of knowledge and visionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesan’ti?

But for a third time they said to me, ‘Reverend Gotama … you’ve fallen into indulgence.’

thusEvaṁ when this was saidvutte, Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, to the group of fivepañcavaggiye monksbhikkhū I said thisetadavocaṁ:
do you remember‘abhijānātha by meme notno youtumhe, mendicantsbhikkhave, beforeito previouslypubbe suchevarūpaṁ spoken by me before?pabhāvitametan’ti?
No‘No indeed thishetaṁ, sirbhante’.
the Perfected One‘Arahaṁ, mendicantsbhikkhave, the Realized Onetathāgato a fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho.
lendOdahatha, mendicantsbhikkhave, earsotaṁ. I have achieved freedom from deathAmatamadhigataṁ I instructahamanusāsāmi, Iahaṁ the Dhammadhammaṁ I teachdesemi.
as instructedYathānusiṭṭhaṁ thustathā practicingpaṭipajjamānā soon, for the sake of whichnacirasseva—yassatthāya gentlemenkulaputtā rightlysammadeva from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ they go forthpabbajanti, that supreme culmination of the spiritual pathtadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in the Dhammadhamme with your own insightsayaṁ through direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja you will liveviharissathā’ti.

So I said to them, ‘Mendicants, have you ever known me to speak like this before?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘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.’

I was ableAsakkhiṁ indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, group of fivepañcavaggiye mendicantsbhikkhū to persuadesaññāpetuṁ.
two alsoDvepi thensudaṁ, princerājakumāra, mendicantsbhikkhū I advisedovadāmi. threeTayo mendicantsbhikkhū for almspiṇḍāya they wentcaranti.
whatYaṁ threetayo mendicantsbhikkhū for almspiṇḍāya having gonecaritvā they broughtāharanti, with thattena group of sixchabbaggiyā we livedyāpema.
three alsoTayopi thensudaṁ, princerājakumāra, mendicantsbhikkhū I advisedovadāmi, twodve mendicantsbhikkhū for almspiṇḍāya they wentcaranti.
whatYaṁ twodve mendicantsbhikkhū for almspiṇḍāya having gonecaritvā they broughtāharanti with thattena group of sixchabbaggiyā we livedyāpema.

I was able to persuade the group of five mendicants. Then sometimes I advised two mendicants, while the other three went for alms. Then those three would feed all six of us with what they brought back. Sometimes I advised three mendicants, while the other two went for alms. Then those two would feed all six of us with what they brought back.

thenAtha indeedkho, princerājakumāra, group of fivepañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū by memayā thusevaṁ being advisedovadiyamānā thusevaṁ being instructedanusāsiyamānā before longnacirasseva—yassatthāya clansmenkulaputtā rightlysammadeva from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ they go forthpabbajanti, the unsurpassed culmination of the spiritual pathtadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in the dhammadhamme themselvessayaṁ direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja they livedvihariṁsū”ti.

As the group of five mendicants were being advised and instructed by me like this, they soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. They lived having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Bodhibodhi princerājakumāro to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
how“kīva longcirena nownu indeedkho, sirbhante, a mendicantbhikkhu the Realized Onetathāgataṁ as trainervināyakaṁ obtaining — for whose sakelabhamāno—yassatthāya clansmenkulaputtā rightlysammadeva from homeagārasmā into homelessnessanagāriyaṁ go forthpabbajanti, that unsurpassed — the culmination of the spiritual pathtadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in the dhammadhamme oneselfsayaṁ by direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja would dwellvihareyyā”ti?
by that“Tena thenhi, princerājakumāra, about this very mattertaṁyevettha I will ask you in returnpaṭipucchissāmi. asYathā to youte it would be fittingkhameyya, sotathā itnaṁ you should answerbyākareyyāsi.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
skilledkusalo are youtvaṁ in riding an elephanthatthārūḷhe in wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhe in the artsippe”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante, skilledkusalo I amahaṁ in riding an elephanthatthārūḷhe in wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhe in the artsippe”ti.

When he had spoken, Prince Bodhi said to the Buddha, “Sir, when a mendicant has the Realized One as trainer, how long would it take for them to realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life?” “Well then, prince, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, prince? Are you skilled in the art of wielding a hooked goad while riding an elephant?” “Yes, sir.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
hereidha a manpuriso might comeāgaccheyya:
Bodhi‘bodhi Princerājakumāro riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ the artsippaṁ knowsjānāti;
under him Itassāhaṁ in the presencesantike riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ the artsippaṁ I will trainsikkhissāmī’ti.
heSo and if he becassa faithlessassaddho;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with faithsaddhena to be attainedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ notna would attainsampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he becassa unhealthybahvābādho;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with good healthappābādhena to be attainedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ notna would attainsampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he becassa devioussaṭho deceitfulmāyāvī;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with honestyasaṭhena with integrityamāyāvinā to be attainedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ notna would attainsampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he becassa lazykusīto;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with energyāraddhavīriyena to be attainedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ notna would attainsampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he becassa stupidduppañño;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with wisdompaññavatā to be attainedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ notna would attainsampāpuṇeyya.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
thenapi indeednu thatso manpuriso yourtava in the presencesantike riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ the artsippaṁ could trainsikkheyyā”ti?
with even one each“Ekamekenāpi, sirbhante, with a factoraṅgena endowedsamannāgato thatso manpuriso notna mymama in the presencesantike riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ the artsippaṁ could trainsikkheyya, whatko thenpana talkvādo with all five factorspañcahaṅgehī”ti.

“What do you think, prince? Suppose a man were to come along thinking, ‘Prince Bodhi knows the art of wielding a hooked goad while riding an elephant. I’ll train in that art under him.’ If he’s faithless, he wouldn’t achieve what he could with faith. If he’s unhealthy, he wouldn’t achieve what he could with good health. If he’s devious or deceitful, he wouldn’t achieve what he could with honesty and integrity. If he’s lazy, he wouldn’t achieve what he could with energy. If he’s stupid, he wouldn’t achieve what he could with wisdom. What do you think, prince? Could that man still train under you in the art of wielding a hooked goad while riding an elephant?” “Sir, if he had even a single one of these factors he couldn’t train under me, let alone all five.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
hereidha a manpuriso might comeāgaccheyya:
Prince Bodhi‘bodhi Prince Bodhirājakumāro while riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ artsippaṁ knowsjānāti;
in his presence Itassāhaṁ in the presencesantike while riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ artsippaṁ I will trainsikkhissāmī’ti.
heSo and if he iscassa faithfulsaddho;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with faithsaddhena to be achievedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ he would achievesampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he iscassa healthyappābādho;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with good healthappābādhena to be achievedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ he would achievesampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he iscassa honestasaṭho with integrityamāyāvī;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with honestyasaṭhena with integrityamāyāvinā to be achievedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ he would achievesampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he iscassa energeticāraddhavīriyo;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with energyāraddhavīriyena to be achievedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ he would achievesampāpuṇeyya.
heSo and if he iscassa wisepaññavā;
as much asyāvatakaṁ with wisdompaññavatā to be achievedpattabbaṁ thattaṁ he would achievesampāpuṇeyya.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
couldapi stillnu thatso manpuriso under youtava in the presencesantike while riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ artsippaṁ would trainsikkheyyā”ti?
with even a single one“Ekamekenāpi, sirbhante, with a factoraṅgena endowedsamannāgato thatso manpuriso under memama in the presencesantike while riding an elephanthatthārūḷhaṁ wielding a hooked goadaṅkusagayhaṁ artsippaṁ he could trainsikkheyya, whatko thenpana talkvādo with five factorspañcahaṅgehī”ti.

“What do you think, prince? Suppose a man were to come along thinking, ‘Prince Bodhi knows the art of wielding a hooked goad while riding an elephant. I’ll train in that art under him.’ If he’s faithful, he’d achieve what he could with faith. If he’s healthy, he’d achieve what he could with good health. If he’s honest and has integrity, he’d achieve what he could with honesty and integrity. If he’s energetic, he’d achieve what he could with energy. If he’s wise, he’d achieve what he could with wisdom. What do you think, prince? Could that man still train under you in the art of wielding a hooked goad while riding an elephant?” “Sir, if he had even a single one of these factors he could train under me, let alone all five.”

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