Kaṇṇakatthalasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 90

At Kaṇṇakatthala · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo viṭaṭūbhaṁ senāpatiṁ āmantesi:
“ko nu kho, senāpati, imaṁ kathāvatthuṁ rājantepure abbhudāhāsī”ti?
“Sañjayo, mahārāja, brāhmaṇo ākāsagotto”ti.

Then King Pasenadi addressed General Viḍūḍabha, “General, who introduced this topic of discussion to the royal compound?” “It was Sañjaya, Great King, the brahmin of the Ākāsa clan.”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi:
“ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, mama vacanena sañjayaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ ākāsagottaṁ āmantehi:
‘rājā taṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo āmantetī’”ti.
“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho so puriso rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā yena sañjayo brāhmaṇo ākāsagotto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sañjayaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ ākāsagottaṁ etadavoca:
“rājā taṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo āmantetī”ti.

Then the king addressed a man, “Please, my man, in my name tell Sañjaya that King Pasenadi summons him.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” that man replied. He did as the king asked.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“siyā nu kho, bhante, bhagavatā aññadeva kiñci sandhāya bhāsitaṁ, tañca jano aññathāpi paccāgaccheyya.
Yathā kathaṁ pana, bhante, bhagavā abhijānāti vācaṁ bhāsitā”ti?
“Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, mahārāja, abhijānāmi vācaṁ bhāsitā:
‘natthi so samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yo sakideva sabbaṁ ñassati, sabbaṁ dakkhiti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’”ti.
“Heturūpaṁ, bhante, bhagavā āha; saheturūpaṁ, bhante, bhagavā āha:
‘natthi so samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yo sakideva sabbaṁ ñassati, sabbaṁ dakkhiti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti.

Then the king said to the Buddha, “Sir, might the Buddha have spoken in reference to one thing, but that person believed it was something else? How then do you recall making this statement?” “Great king, I recall making this statement: ‘There is no ascetic or brahmin who will ever know all and see all simultaneously: that is not possible.’” “What the Buddha says appears reasonable.

Cattārome, bhante, vaṇṇā—
khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā.
Imesaṁ nu kho, bhante, catunnaṁ vaṇṇānaṁ siyā viseso siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?
“Cattārome, mahārāja, vaṇṇā—
khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā.
Imesaṁ kho, mahārāja, catunnaṁ vaṇṇānaṁ dve vaṇṇā aggamakkhāyanti—
khattiyā ca brāhmaṇā ca—
yadidaṁ abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānaañjalikammasāmīcikammānī”ti.

Sir, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. Is there any difference between them?” “Of the four classes, two are said to be preeminent— the aristocrats and the brahmins. That is, when it comes to bowing down, rising up, greeting with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette.”

“Nāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ diṭṭhadhammikaṁ pucchāmi;
samparāyikāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ pucchāmi.
Cattārome, bhante, vaṇṇā—
khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā.
Imesaṁ nu kho, bhante, catunnaṁ vaṇṇānaṁ siyā viseso siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?
“Pañcimāni, mahārāja, padhāniyaṅgāni.
Katamāni pañca?
Idha, mahārāja, 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, mahārāja, pañca padhāniyaṅgāni.

“Sir, I am not asking you about this life, but about the life to come.” “Great king, there are these five factors that support meditation. What five? It’s when a mendicant 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.

Cattārome, mahārāja, vaṇṇā—
khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā.
Te cassu imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgatā;
ettha pana nesaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.

There are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. If they had these five factors that support meditation, that would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.”

“Cattārome, bhante, vaṇṇā—
khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā.
Te cassu imehi pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgatā;
ettha pana nesaṁ, bhante, siyā viseso siyā nānākaraṇan”ti?
“Ettha kho nesāhaṁ, mahārāja, padhānavemattataṁ vadāmi.
Seyyathāpissu, mahārāja, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja,
ye te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, api nu te dantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, dantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyun”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Sir, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. If they had these five factors that support meditation, would there be any difference between them?” “In that case, I say it is the disparity of their efforts in meditation. Suppose there was a pair of elephants or horses or oxen in training who were well tamed and well trained. And there was a pair who were not tamed or trained. What do you think, Great King? Wouldn’t the pair that was well tamed and well trained perform the tasks of the tamed, and reach the level of the tamed?” “Yes, sir.”

“Ye pana te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā, api nu te adantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, adantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyuṁ, seyyathāpi te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yaṁ taṁ saddhena pattabbaṁ appābādhena asaṭhena amāyāvinā āraddhavīriyena paññavatā, taṁ vata assaddho bahvābādho saṭho māyāvī kusīto duppañño pāpuṇissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.

“But would the pair that was not tamed and trained perform the tasks of the tamed and reach the level of the tamed, just like the tamed pair?” “No, sir.” “In the same way, there are things that must be attained by someone with faith, health, integrity, energy, and wisdom. It’s not possible for a faithless, unhealthy, deceitful, lazy, witless person to attain them.”

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