Bodhirājakumārasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 85

With Prince Bodhi · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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to meTassa of memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurredetadahosi:
I recall‘abhijānāmi indeedkho and Ipanāhaṁ of fatherpitu Sakyansakkassa workingkammante coolsītāya black plum shadejambucchāyāya sittingnisinno quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca from unskillful qualitiesakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with placingsavitakkaṁ with keeping connectedsavicāraṁ born of seclusionvivekajaṁ rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ enteredupasampajja remainedviharitā;
could besiyā thennu indeedkho thiseso pathmaggo to awakeningbodhāyā’ti.
to meTassa of memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, stemming from memorysatānusāri understandingviññāṇaṁ wasahosi:
this very‘eseva pathmaggo to awakeningbodhāyā’ti.

Then it occurred to me, ‘I recall sitting in the cool shade of a black plum tree while my father the Sakyan was off working. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Could that be the path to awakening?’ Stemming from that memory came the understanding: ‘That is the path to awakening!’

of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, it occurredetadahosi:
why‘kiṁ thennu indeedkho Iahaṁ of thattassa of pleasuresukhassa am afraidbhāyāmi whichyaṁ thattaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ apart fromaññatreva from sensual pleasureskāmehi apart fromaññatra from unskillfulakusalehi qualities?dhammehī’ti?
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, it occurredetadahosi:
not‘na indeedkho Iahaṁ of thattassa of pleasuresukhassa am afraidbhāyāmi whichyaṁ thattaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ apart fromaññatreva from sensual pleasureskāmehi apart fromaññatra from unskillfulakusalehi qualities.dhammehī’ti.

Then it occurred to me, ‘Why am I afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities?’ Then it occurred to me, ‘I’m not afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities.’

of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurredetadahosi:
not‘na indeedkho thattaṁ easysukaraṁ pleasuresukhaṁ to achieveadhigantuṁ thusevaṁ of excessive emaciationadhimattakasimānaṁ with a body attainedpattakāyena. why don't IYannūnāhaṁ solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ I should eatāhāreyyaṁ rice and porridgeodanakummāsan’ti.
ISo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ I ateāhāresiṁ rice and porridgeodanakummāsaṁ.
at thatTena indeedkho nowpana memaṁ, princerājakumāra, at the timesamayena group of fivepañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū were attendingpaccupaṭṭhitā they arehonti:
'whatever‘yaṁ indeedkho asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo dhammadhammaṁ will realizeadhigamissati thattaṁ to usno he will announceārocessatī’ti.
whenYato indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ I ateāhāresiṁ rice and porridgeodanakummāsaṁ, thenatha from meme thosete group of fivepañcavaggiyā mendicantsbhikkhū disappointednibbijja they departedpakkamiṁsu:
'indulgent‘bāhulliko asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo strayed from the strugglepadhānavibbhanto, returnedāvatto to indulgencebāhullāyā’ti.

Then it occurred to me, ‘I can’t achieve that pleasure with a body so severely emaciated. Why don’t I eat some solid food, some rice and porridge?’ So I ate some solid food. Now at that time the group of five mendicants were attending on me, thinking, ‘The ascetic Gotama will tell us of any truth that he realizes.’ But when I ate some solid food, they left disappointed in me, saying, ‘The ascetic Gotama has become indulgent; he has strayed from the struggle and returned to indulgence.’

heSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, solidoḷārikaṁ foodāhāraṁ having eatenāhāretvā strengthbalaṁ having gatheredgahetvā quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi …pe……pe… firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.
of thinking and placing the mindVitakkavicārānaṁ by the stillingvūpasamā …… seconddutiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ ……
thirdtatiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ ……
fourthcatutthaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.
heSo thusevaṁ immersedsamāhite in mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte toward knowledge of recollection of past livespubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya mindcittaṁ I directedabhininnāmesiṁ.
heSo many kinds ofanekavihitaṁ past lifepubbenivāsaṁ I recollectanussarāmi, that is—oneseyyathidaṁ—ekampi birthjātiṁ and twodvepi birthsjātiyo …pe……pe… thusiti with featuressākāraṁ with detailssauddesaṁ many kinds ofanekavihitaṁ past lifepubbenivāsaṁ I recollectanussarāmi.
thisAyaṁ indeedkho for meme, princerājakumāra, of the nightrattiyā firstpaṭhame watchyāme firstpaṭhamā
knowledgevijjā was achievedadhigatā, ignoranceavijjā was banishedvihatā, knowledgevijjā aroseuppannā; darknesstamo was banishedvihato, lightāloko asuppanno—yathā thattaṁ of a diligent oneappamattassa of a keen oneātāpino of a resolute onepahitattassa of one dwellingviharato.

After eating solid food and gathering my strength, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption. When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected many past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. And so I recollected my many kinds of past lives, with features and details. This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

ISo thusevaṁ composedsamāhite mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte of sentient beingssattānaṁ toward knowledge of death and rebirthcutūpapātañāṇāya mindcittaṁ I extendedabhininnāmesiṁ.
ISo divinedibbena with eyecakkhunā purifiedvisuddhena superhumanatikkantamānusakena sentient beingssatte I sawpassāmi passing awaycavamāne being rebornupapajjamāne inferiorhīne superiorpaṇīte beautifulsuvaṇṇe uglydubbaṇṇe in a good placesugate in a bad placeduggate passing on according to their deedsyathākammūpage sentient beingssatte I understoodpajānāmi …pe……pe…

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.

thisayaṁ indeedkho to meme, princerājakumāra, of the nightrattiyā middlemajjhime in the watchyāme seconddutiyā knowledgevijjā achievedadhigatā, ignoranceavijjā banishedvihatā, knowledgevijjā aroseuppannā; darknesstamo banishedvihato, lightāloko arose — asuppanno—yathā thattaṁ for a diligent oneappamattassa for a keen oneātāpino for a resolute onepahitattassa dwellingviharato.

This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

ISo thusevaṁ collectedsamāhite mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte of defilementsāsavānaṁ for knowledge of endingkhayañāṇāya mindcittaṁ I directedabhininnāmesiṁ.
ISo this‘idaṁ sufferingdukkhan’ti trulyyathābhūtaṁ I understoodabbhaññāsiṁ ellipsis…pe… this‘ayaṁ leading to cessation of sufferingdukkhanirodhagāminī practicepaṭipadā’ti trulyyathābhūtaṁ I understoodabbhaññāsiṁ;
these‘ime defilementsāsavā’ti trulyyathābhūtaṁ I understoodabbhaññāsiṁ ellipsis…pe… this‘ayaṁ leading to cessation of defilementsāsavanirodhagāminī practicepaṭipadā’ti trulyyathābhūtaṁ I understoodabbhaññāsiṁ.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ I truly understood: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements.’

of thatTassa for meme thusevaṁ knowingjānato thusevaṁ seeingpassato from the defilement of sensuality tookāmāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha, from the defilement of desire to be reborn toobhavāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha, from the defilement of ignorance tooavijjāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha.
in the freedVimuttasmiṁ it is freedvimuttamiti knowledgeñāṇaṁ there wasahosi.
destroyed‘Khīṇā birthjāti, completedvusitaṁ the spiritual journeybrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, nothing furthernāparaṁ for this state of existenceitthattāyā’ti I understoodabbhaññāsiṁ.

Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.’

thisAyaṁ indeedkho for meme, princerājakumāra, of the nightrattiyā lastpacchime watchyāme thirdtatiyā
knowledgevijjā was achievedadhigatā, ignoranceavijjā was banishedvihatā, knowledgevijjā aroseuppannā; darknesstamo was banishedvihato, lightāloko arose—asuppanno—yathā thattaṁ for one heedfulappamattassa ardentātāpino resolutepahitattassa dwellingviharato.

This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurredetadahosi:
discovered‘adhigato indeedkho by me thismyāyaṁ dhammadhammo deepgambhīro hard to seeduddaso hard to understandduranubodho peacefulsanto sublimepaṇīto beyond logicatakkāvacaro subtlenipuṇo comprehensible to the astutepaṇḍitavedanīyo.
delighting in clingingĀlayarāmā indeedkho but thispanāyaṁ peoplepajā loving clingingālayaratā enjoying clingingālayasammuditā.
for a people delighting in clingingĀlayarāmāya indeedkho butpana for a peoplepajāya loving clingingālayaratāya enjoying clingingālayasammuditāya hard to seeduddasaṁ thisidaṁ topicṭhānaṁ that is, specific conditionality, dependent originationyadidaṁ—idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo.
this tooIdampi indeedkho topicṭhānaṁ hard to see, that isduddasaṁ—yadidaṁ stilling of all activitiessabbasaṅkhārasamatho letting go of all attachmentssabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo ending of cravingtaṇhākkhayo fading awayvirāgo cessationnirodho nibbānanibbānaṁ.
and if IAhañceva indeedkho butpana dhammadhammaṁ should teachdeseyyaṁ, otherspare andca meme notna might understandājāneyyuṁ, thatso for me would bemamassa wearyingkilamatho, thatsā for me would bemamassa troublesomevihesā’ti.
and thenApissu to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, theseimā not supernaturally inspiredanacchariyā versesgāthāyo occurredpaṭibhaṁsu in the pastpubbe not learned beforeassutapubbā:
with difficulty‘Kicchena by meme realizedadhigataṁ,
no needhalaṁ nowdāni to revealpakāsituṁ;
those mired in greed and hateRāgadosaparetehi,
not thisnāyaṁ dhammadhammo fully understoodsusambudho.
going against the streamPaṭisotagāmiṁ subtlenipuṇaṁ,
deepgambhīraṁ obscureduddasaṁ very fineaṇuṁ;
besotted by greedRāgarattā notna can seedakkhanti,
by a mass of darknesstamokhandhena cloakedāvuṭā’ti.
soItiha meme, princerājakumāra, reflectingpaṭisañcikkhato to remaining passiveappossukkatāya mindcittaṁ inclinednamati notno to teaching the Dhammadhammadesanāya.

Then it occurred to me, ‘This principle I have discovered is deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute. But people like clinging, they love it and enjoy it. It’s hard for them to see this topic; that is, specific conditionality, dependent origination. It’s also hard for them to see this topic; that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment. And if I were to teach this principle, others might not understand me, which would be wearying and troublesome for me.’ And then these verses, which were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past, occurred to me: ‘I’ve struggled hard to realize this, there’s no need to reveal it now! Those mired in greed and hate can’t really understand this teaching. It goes against the stream, subtle, deep, obscure, and very fine. Those besotted by greed cannot see, for they’re cloaked in a mass of darkness.’ So, as I reflected like this, my mind inclined to remaining passive, not to teaching the Dhamma.

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