Bodhirājakumārasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 85

With Prince Bodhi · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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suchtādiso thisayaṁ teachingdhammo whereinyattha sensibleviññū personpuriso soonnacirasseva one's ownsakaṁ denominationācariyakaṁ oneselfsayaṁ with own insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having achievedupasampajja would live; quote endvihareyyā’ti.
thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, soonnacirasseva quicklykhippameva thattaṁ teachingdhammaṁ I memorizedpariyāpuṇiṁ.
thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, with just so muchtāvatakeneva lip-recitaloṭṭhapahatamattena verbal repetitionlapitalāpanamattena and doctrine of knowledgeñāṇavādañca I speakvadāmi, and elder doctrinetheravādañca I knowjānāmi I see; quotepassāmīti andca I claimpaṭijānāmi, and I onlyahañceva othersaññe andca.
to thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurredetadahosi:
not‘na indeedkho Rāmarāmo thisimaṁ teachingdhammaṁ solelykevalaṁ by mere faithsaddhāmattakena by himselfsayaṁ with own insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having achievedupasampajja I live; quoteviharāmīti he declaredpavedesi;
surelyaddhā Rāmarāmo thisimaṁ teachingdhammaṁ knowingjānaṁ seeingpassaṁ he lived; quote endvihāsī’ti.

This teaching is such that a sensible person can soon realize their own denomination with their own insight and live having achieved it.’ I quickly memorized that teaching. As far as lip-recital and verbal repetition went, I spoke the doctrine of knowledge, the elder doctrine. I claimed to know and see, and so did others. Then it occurred to me, ‘It is not solely by mere faith that Rāma declared: “I realize this teaching with my own insight, and live having achieved it.” Surely he meditated knowing and seeing this teaching.’

thenAtha indeed Ikhvāhaṁ, princerājakumāra, whereyena Uddakaudako son of Rāmarāmaputto I approached himtenupasaṅkamiṁ; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā Uddakaudakaṁ son of Rāmarāmaputtaṁ I said this to himetadavocaṁ:
to what extent‘kittāvatā thenno, reverendāvuso, Rāmarāmo thisimaṁ teachingdhammaṁ oneselfsayaṁ having directly knownabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja he said he dwelledviharāmīti did he declarepavedesī’ti?
thusEvaṁ when this was saidvutte, princerājakumāra, Uddakaudako son of Rāmarāmaputto the dimension of neither perception nor non-perceptionnevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ declaredpavedesi.
to meTassa of memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurred to meetadahosi:
not‘na indeedkho Rāma alonerāmasseva he hadahosi faithsaddhā, I too havemayhampatthi faithsaddhā;
notna indeedkho Rāma alonerāmasseva he hadahosi energyvīriyaṁ …pe……pe…
mindfulnesssati ……
immersionsamādhi ……
wisdompaññā, I too havemayhampatthi wisdompaññā.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ whichyaṁ teachingdhammaṁ Rāmarāmo oneselfsayaṁ having directly knownabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja he said he dwelledviharāmīti he declarespavedeti of thattassa teachingdhammassa for the realizationsacchikiriyāya I should make an effortpadaheyyan’ti.
thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, before longnacirasseva quicklykhippameva thattaṁ teachingdhammaṁ oneselfsayaṁ having directly knownabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja I dwelledvihāsiṁ.
thenAtha indeed Ikhvāhaṁ, princerājakumāra, whereyena Uddakaudako son of Rāmarāmaputto I approached himtenupasaṅkamiṁ; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā Uddakaudakaṁ son of Rāmarāmaputtaṁ I said this to himetadavocaṁ:

So I approached Uddaka son of Rāma and said to him, ‘Reverend, to what extent did Rāma say he’d realized this teaching with his own insight?’ When I said this, Uddaka son of Rāma declared the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Then it occurred to me, ‘It’s not just Rāma who had faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom; I too have these things. Why don’t I make an effort to realize the same teaching that Rāma said he had realized with his own insight?’ I quickly realized that teaching with my own insight, and lived having achieved it. So I approached Uddaka son of Rāma and said to him,

‘Reverend, had Rāma realized this teaching with his own insight up to this point, and declared having achieved it?’ ‘He had, reverend.’ ‘I too have realized this teaching with my own insight up to this point, and live having achieved it.’ ‘We are fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate to see a venerable such as yourself as one of our spiritual companions! So the teaching that Rāma had realized with his own insight, and declared having achieved it, you’ve realized with your own insight, and dwell having achieved it. The teaching that you’ve realized with your own insight, and dwell having achieved it, Rāma had realized with his own insight, and declared having achieved it. So the teaching that Rāma directly knew, you know, and the teaching you know, Rāma directly knew.

thusIti such asyādiso Rāmarāmo wasahosi like thattādiso youtuvaṁ, such asyādiso youtuvaṁ like thattādiso Rāmarāmo wasahosi.
comeEhi nowdāni, reverendāvuso, youtuvaṁ thisimaṁ communitygaṇaṁ you should leadpariharā’ti.
thusIti indeedkho, princerājakumāra, Uddakaudako son of Rāmarāmaputto spiritual companionsabrahmacārī of meme beingsamāno in the position of a tutorācariyaṭṭhāne memaṁ placedṭhapesi, with highuḷārāya andca memaṁ praisepūjāya honoredpūjesi.
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, it occurredetadahosi:
this‘nāyaṁ teachingdhammo 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 to rebirth in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perceptionnevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpapattiyā’ti.
thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, thattaṁ teachingdhammaṁ realizing inadequateanalaṅkaritvā from thattasmā teachingdhammā disappointednibbijja I leftapakkamiṁ.

Rāma was like you and you are like Rāma. Come now, reverend! You should lead this community.’ And that is how my spiritual companion Uddaka son of Rāma placed me in the position of a tutor and honored me with high praise. Then it occurred to me, ‘This teaching doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. It only leads as far as rebirth in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ Realizing that this teaching was inadequate, I left disappointed.

ISo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, seeking what is skillfulkiṅkusalagavesī supremeanuttaraṁ state of sublime peacesantivarapadaṁ seekingpariyesamāno, in the Magadhan landsmagadhesu stage by stageanupubbena walking tourcārikaṁ wanderingcaramāno, whereyena Uruvelāuruvelā town of Senāsenānigamo I arrivedtadavasariṁ.
there I sawTatthaddasaṁ delightfulramaṇīyaṁ parkbhūmibhāgaṁ, and lovelypāsādikañca grovevanasaṇḍaṁ, and rivernadiñca flowingsandantiṁ cleansetakaṁ with smooth bankssupatitthaṁ, delightfulramaṇīyaṁ nearbysamantā andca village to resort to for almsgocaragāmaṁ.
of meTassa mymayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurred to himetadahosi:
delightful‘ramaṇīyo trulyvata sirbho parkbhūmibhāgo, lovelypāsādiko andca grovevanasaṇḍo, rivernadī andca flowssandati cleansetakā with smooth bankssupatitthā, delightfulramaṇīyā nearbysamantā andca village to resort to for almsgocaragāmo.
sufficientAlaṁ truly thisvatidaṁ of a gentlemankulaputtassa wanting to strivepadhānatthikassa for strivingpadhānāyā’ti.
ISo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, right theretattheva sat downnisīdiṁ:
this is enough‘alamidaṁ for strivingpadhānāyā’ti.

I set out to discover what is skillful, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace. Traveling stage by stage in the Magadhan lands, I arrived at the town of Senā in Uruvelā. There I saw a delightful park, a lovely grove with a flowing river that was clean and charming, with smooth banks. And nearby was a village to resort to for alms. Then it occurred to me, ‘This park is truly delightful, a lovely grove with a flowing river that’s clean and charming, with smooth banks. And nearby there’s a village to resort to for alms. This is good enough for striving for a gentleman wanting to strive.’ So I sat down right there, thinking, ‘This is good enough for striving.’

and thenApissu to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, threetisso similesupamā occurredpaṭibhaṁsu not supernaturally inspiredanacchariyā in the pastpubbe never heard beforeassutapubbā.

And then these three similes, which were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past, occurred to me.

just as ifSeyyathāpi, princerājakumāra, greenallaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ sappysasnehaṁ in waterudake lyingnikkhittaṁ.
thenAtha personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ having takenādāya:
fire‘aggiṁ I will produceabhinibbattessāmi, heattejo I will revealpātukarissāmī’ti.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
surelyapi indeednu thatso personpuriso thatamuṁ greenallaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ sappysasnehaṁ in waterudake lyingnikkhittaṁ drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ having takenādāya drillingabhimanthento fireaggiṁ would produceabhinibbatteyya, heattejo would revealpātukareyyā”ti?
no“No indeedhidaṁ, sirbhante.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
becauseAduñhi, sirbhante, greenallaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ sappysasnehaṁ and ittañca thenpana in waterudake lyingnikkhittaṁ,
eventuallyyāvadeva andca thenpana thatso personpuriso of wearinesskilamathassa of frustrationvighātassa sharerbhāgī would beassā”ti.

Suppose there was a green, sappy log, and it was lying in water. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, Prince? By drilling the stick against that green, sappy log lying in water, could they light a fire and produce heat?” “No, sir. Why is that? Because it’s a green, sappy log, and it’s lying in the water. That person will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

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