Dhammacetiyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 89

Shrines to the Teaching · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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furthermorePuna and moreovercaparāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, I seepassāmi here someidhekacce astute aristocratskhattiyapaṇḍite subtlenipuṇe accomplished in the doctrines of otherskataparappavāde hair-splittersvālavedhirūpe. theyTe demolishingbhindantā I thinkmaññe they livecaranti with intellectpaññāgatena convictionsdiṭṭhigatāni.
theyTe they hearsuṇanti:
the ascetic‘samaṇo indeedkhalu, gentlemenbho, Gotamagotamo such-and-suchamukaṁ namednāma villagegāmaṁ orvā townnigamaṁ orvā will come downosarissatī’ti.
theyTe questionpañhaṁ they formulateabhisaṅkharonti:
this‘imaṁ wemayaṁ questionpañhaṁ asceticsamaṇaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā we will askpucchissāma.
if thusEvañce by usno askedpuṭṭho thusevaṁ he will answerbyākarissati, thus for himevamassa wemayaṁ argumentvādaṁ we will refuteāropessāma;
and if thusevañcepi by usno askedpuṭṭho thusevaṁ he will answerbyākarissati, thus for himevampissa wemayaṁ argumentvādaṁ we will refuteāropessāmā’ti.
theyTe they hearsuṇanti:
the ascetic‘samaṇo indeedkhalu, gentlemenbho, Gotamagotamo such-and-suchamukaṁ namednāma villagegāmaṁ orvā townnigamaṁ orvā has come downosaṭo’ti.
theyTe whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā there they approachtenupasaṅkamanti.
theyTe the Blessed Onebhagavā with a Dhammadhammiyā talkkathāya educatessandasseti encouragessamādapeti fires upsamuttejeti inspiressampahaṁseti.
theyTe by the Blessed Onebhagavatā with a Dhammadhammiyā talkkathāya educatedsandassitā encouragedsamādapitā fired upsamuttejitā inspiredsampahaṁsitā notna evenceva the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ questionpañhaṁ they askpucchanti, howkuto argumentvādaṁ will they refuteāropessanti?

Furthermore, I’ve seen some astute aristocrats who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. You’d think they live to demolish convictions with their intellect. They hear: ‘So, gentlemen, that ascetic Gotama will come down to such-and-such village or town.’ They formulate a question, thinking: ‘We’ll approach the ascetic Gotama and ask him this question. If he answers like this, we’ll refute him like that; and if he answers like that, we’ll refute him like this.’ When they hear that he has come down they approach him. The Buddha educates, encourages, fires up, and inspires them with a Dhamma talk. They don’t even get around to asking their question to the Buddha, so how could they refute his answer?

invariablyAññadatthu of the Blessed Onebhagavato disciplessāvakā fully·becomesampajjanti.
this tooAyampi indeedkho to meme, sirbhante, about the Blessed Onebhagavati teaching + inferencedhammanvayo there ishoti:
fully·awakened‘sammāsambuddho the Blessed Onebhagavā, well·explainedsvākkhāto by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammo, well·practicingsuppaṭipanno of the Blessed Onebhagavato disciple·Saṅghasāvakasaṅgho’ti.

Invariably, they become his disciples. So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: ‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Saṅgha is practicing well.’

furthermorePuna and Icaparāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, I seepassāmi some hereidhekacce brahmin·astutebrāhmaṇapaṇḍite … pe ……pe…

Furthermore, I see some astute brahmins …

householder + astutegahapatipaṇḍite … pe ……pe…

some astute householders …

ascetic·astutesamaṇapaṇḍite subtlenipuṇe accomplished·doctrines of otherskataparappavāde hair·splitting·appearingvālavedhirūpe. theyTe splitting apartbhindantā it seemsmaññe they wandercaranti wisdom·attainedpaññāgatena view·attaineddiṭṭhigatāni.
theyTe they hearsuṇanti:
the ascetic‘samaṇo indeedkhalu, sirbho, Gotamagotamo such and suchamukaṁ namednāma a villagegāmaṁ orvā a townnigamaṁ orvā he will enterosarissatī’ti.
theyTe a questionpañhaṁ towards·together·prepareabhisaṅkharonti:
this‘imaṁ wemayaṁ questionpañhaṁ the asceticsamaṇaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ near·together·goupasaṅkamitvā we will askpucchissāma.
and if thusEvañce by usno askedpuṭṭho thusevaṁ out·dobyākarissati, then for himevamassa wemayaṁ a doctrinevādaṁ up·raiseāropessāma;
thus + if + alsoevañcepi by usno askedpuṭṭho thusevaṁ out·dobyākarissati, then also for himevampissa wemayaṁ a doctrinevādaṁ up·raiseāropessāmā’ti.
theyTe they hearsuṇanti:
the ascetic‘samaṇo indeedkhalu, sirbho, Gotamagotamo such and suchamukaṁ namednāma a villagegāmaṁ orvā a townnigamaṁ orvā he has enteredosaṭo’ti.
theyTe whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā they approach himtenupasaṅkamanti.
theyTe the Blessed Onebhagavā with Dhammadhammiyā with talkkathāya fully·showsandasseti fully·to·urgesamādapeti fully·up·rousesamuttejeti fully·forth·gladdensampahaṁseti.
theyTe by the Blessed Onebhagavatā with Dhammadhammiyā with talkkathāya fully·shownsandassitā fully·urgedsamādapitā fully·rousedsamuttejitā fully·gladdenedsampahaṁsitā notna evenceva the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ a questionpañhaṁ they askpucchanti, howkuto a doctrinevādaṁ up·raiseāropessanti?
invariablyAññadatthu Blessed One + himselfbhagavantaṁyeva an opportunityokāsaṁ they requestyācanti from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ for going forthpabbajjāya.

some astute ascetics who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. … They don’t even get around to asking their question to the Buddha, so how could they refute his answer? Invariably, they ask the Buddha for the chance to go forth.

heTe the Blessed Onebhagavā causes to go forthpabbājeti.
theyTe thus·gone-forthtathāpabbajitā beingsamānā aloneekā withdrawnvūpakaṭṭhā diligentappamattā keenātāpino resolutepahitattā livingviharantā before long—for the sake of whichnacirasseva—yassatthāya clansmenkulaputtā rightlysammadeva from homeagārasmā into homelessnessanagāriyaṁ go forthpabbajanti, that supreme—the culmination of the spiritual lifetadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ in this very lifediṭṭheva in the teachingdhamme by themselvessayaṁ with insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā having attainedupasampajja they liveviharanti.
theyTe thus spokeevamāhaṁsu:
we were almost‘manaṁ indeedvata, sirsbho, lostanassāma; we were almostmanaṁ indeedvata, sirsbho, perishedpanassāma’.
for weMayañhi previouslypubbe not asceticsassamaṇāva beingsamānā we are asceticssamaṇāmhāti we claimedpaṭijānimhā, not brahminsabrāhmaṇāva beingsamānā we are brahminsbrāhmaṇāmhāti we claimedpaṭijānimhā, not perfected onesanarahantova beingsamānā we are perfected onesarahantāmhāti we claimedpaṭijānimhā.
now‘Idāni we arekhomha asceticssamaṇā, nowidāni we arekhomha brahminsbrāhmaṇā, nowidāni we arekhomha perfected onesarahanto’ti.
this tooAyampi indeedkho for meme, venerable sirbhante, in the Blessed Onebhagavati inference from the teachingdhammanvayo there ishoti:
fully awakened‘sammāsambuddho the Blessed Onebhagavā, well explainedsvākkhāto by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammo, practicing wellsuppaṭipanno of the Blessed Onebhagavato the Saṅgha of disciplessāvakasaṅgho’ti.

And he gives them the going-forth. Soon after going forth, living withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, they realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. They live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. They say: ‘We were almost lost! We almost perished! For we used to claim that we were ascetics, brahmins, and perfected ones, but we were none of these things. But now we really are ascetics, brahmins, and perfected ones!’ So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: ‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Saṅgha is practicing well.’

againPuna and further Icaparāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, theseime Isidatta + Purāṇaisidattapurāṇā chamberlainsthapatayo my + mealsmamabhattā my + carriagesmamayānā, Iahaṁ to themnesaṁ for a livelihoodjīvikāya a giverdātā, of renownyasassa a bringerāhattā;
thenatha andca yetpana notno sotathā toward memayi humble + actionnipaccakāraṁ they showkaronti asyathā toward the Buddhabhagavati.
once it happened that IBhūtapubbāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, an armysenaṁ leading outabbhuyyāto beingsamāno theseime andca Isidatta and Purāṇaisidattapurāṇā chamberlainsthapatayo testingvīmaṁsamāno in a certainaññatarasmiṁ crampedsambādhe houseāvasathe residencevāsaṁ I took upupagacchiṁ.
thenAtha indeedkho, venerable sirbhante, theseime Isidatta and Purāṇaisidattapurāṇā chamberlainsthapatayo much + indeedbahudeva nightrattiṁ on the teachingdhammiyā with talkkathāya having spentvītināmetvā, whereyato wasahosi the Buddhabhagavā from theretato headssīsaṁ having madekatvā memaṁ at the feetpādato having madekaritvā they lay downnipajjiṁsu.
of thatTassa of memayhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, this occurredetadahosi:
how incredible‘acchariyaṁ indeedvata oh lordbho, how amazingabbhutaṁ indeedvata oh lordbho.
theseIme Isidatta and Purāṇaisidattapurāṇā chamberlainsthapatayo sharing my mealsmamabhattā sharing my carriagesmamayānā, Iahaṁ to themnesaṁ for a livelihoodjīvikāya a giverdātā, of renownyasassa a bringerāhattā;
thenatha andca yetpana notno sotathā toward memayi deferencenipaccakāraṁ they showkaronti asyathā toward the Buddhabhagavati.

Furthermore, these chamberlains Isidatta and Purāṇa share my meals and my carriages. I give them a livelihood and bring them renown. And yet they don’t show me the same level of deference that they show to the Buddha. Once it so happened that while I was leading a military campaign and testing Isidatta and Purāṇa I took up residence in a cramped house. They spent much of the night discussing the teaching, then they lay down with their heads toward where the Buddha was and their feet toward me. It occurred to me: ‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! These chamberlains Isidatta and Purāṇa share my meals and my carriages. I give them a livelihood and bring them renown. And yet they don’t show me the same level of deference that they show to the Buddha.

clearlyAddhā theseime venerablesāyasmanto of thattassa of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the teachingsāsane a higheruḷāraṁ than beforepubbenāparaṁ distinctionvisesaṁ they knowjānantī’ti.
this tooAyampi indeedkho to meme, venerable sirbhante, in the Blessed Onebhagavati inference from the teachingdhammanvayo ishoti:
a fully awakened one‘sammāsambuddho the Blessed Onebhagavā, well expoundedsvākkhāto by the Blessed Onebhagavatā teachingdhammo, practicing wellsuppaṭipanno of the Blessed Onebhagavato the community of disciplessāvakasaṅgho’ti.

Clearly these venerables have realized a higher distinction in the Buddha’s instructions than they had before.’ So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: ‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Saṅgha is practicing well.’

furthermorePuna and·furthercaparaṁ, venerable sirbhante, Blessed One·toobhagavāpi an aristocratkhattiyo, I·tooahampi an aristocratkhattiyo;
Blessed One·toobhagavāpi Kosalankosalo, I·tooahampi Kosalankosalo;
Blessed One·toobhagavāpi eighty years oldāsītiko, I·tooahampi eighty years oldāsītiko.
which·tooYampi, venerable sirbhante, Blessed One·toobhagavāpi an aristocratkhattiyo I·tooahampi an aristocratkhattiyo, Blessed One·toobhagavāpi Kosalankosalo I·tooahampi Kosalankosalo, Blessed One·toobhagavāpi eighty years oldāsītiko I·tooahampi eighty years oldāsītiko;
by this very ground Iimināvārahāmevāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, toward the Buddhabhagavati utmost·deferenceparamanipaccakāraṁ to actkātuṁ, love + manifestmittūpahāraṁ to conveyupadaṁsetuṁ.

Furthermore, the Buddha is an aristocrat, and so am I. The Buddha is Kosalan, and so am I. The Buddha is eighty years old, and so am I. Since this is so, it’s proper for me to act with such utmost deference for the Buddha and convey my manifest love.

well nowHanda andca nowdāni wemayaṁ, sirbhante, we gogacchāma;
having many dutiesbahukiccā wemayaṁ having much to dobahukaraṇīyā”ti.
please; if now“Yassadāni youtvaṁ, great kingmahārāja, timekālaṁ you thinkmaññasī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho kingrājā Pasenadipasenadi Kosalankosalo from his seatuṭṭhāyāsanā the Buddhabhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā respectful circumambulationpadakkhiṇaṁ having donekatvā he leftpakkāmi.

Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, Great King, go at your convenience.” Then King Pasenadi rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā recent·departedacirapakkantassa of the kingrañño Pasenadipasenadissa of Kosalakosalassa the mendicantsbhikkhū he addressed:āmantesi:
“this,“eso, mendicants,bhikkhave, kingrājā Pasenadipasenadi of Kosalakosalo teaching·shrinesdhammacetiyāni having spokenbhāsitvā rise·seatuṭṭhāyāsanā departed.pakkanto.
learnUggaṇhatha, mendicants,bhikkhave, teaching·shrinesdhammacetiyāni;
memorizepariyāpuṇātha, mendicants,bhikkhave, teaching·shrinesdhammacetiyāni;
rememberdhāretha, mendicants,bhikkhave, teaching·shrinesdhammacetiyāni.
beneficial,Atthasaṁhitāni, mendicants,bhikkhave, teaching·shrinesdhammacetiyāni fundamentals·spiritual-lifeādibrahmacariyakānī”ti.
this·spokeIdamavoca the Blessed One.bhagavā.
satisfied,Attamanā thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of the Blessed Onebhagavato what was saidbhāsitaṁ they approved.abhinandunti.
teaching·shrines·discourseDhammacetiyasuttaṁ is finished,niṭṭhitaṁ the ninth.navamaṁ.

Soon after the king had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, before he got up and left, King Pasenadi spoke shrines to the teaching. Learn these shrines to the teaching! Memorize these shrines to the teaching! Remember these shrines to the teaching! These shrines to the teaching are beneficial and relate to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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