Ghoṭamukhasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 94

With Ghoṭamukha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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heSo thusevaṁ immersed in samādhisamāhite when the mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte of sentient beingssattānaṁ for knowledge of death and rebirthcutūpapātañāṇāya the mindcittaṁ they extendabhininnāmeti.
heSo with clairvoyancedibbena with the eyecakkhunā purifiedvisuddhena superhumanatikkantamānusakena sentient beingssatte he seespassati passing awaycavamāne being rebornupapajjamāne inferiorhīne superiorpaṇīte beautifulsuvaṇṇe uglydubbaṇṇe in a good placesugate in a bad placeduggate according to their deedsyathākammūpage sentient beingssatte he understandspajānāti: these‘ime indeedvata dearbhonto beingssattā by bad conduct of bodykāyaduccaritena endowedsamannāgatā ……pe… the noble onesariyānaṁ denouncersupavādakā of wrong viewmicchādiṭṭhikā choosing wrong-view actionsmicchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, theyte of the bodykāyassa breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā a place of lossapāyaṁ a bad placeduggatiṁ the underworldvinipātaṁ hellnirayaṁ rebornupapannā. theseIme butvā indeedpana dearbhonto beingssattā by good conduct of bodykāyasucaritena endowedsamannāgatā ……pe… the noble onesariyānaṁ not denouncersanupavādakā of right viewsammādiṭṭhikā choosing right-view actionssammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, theyte of the bodykāyassa breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā a good placesugatiṁ a heavenly realmsaggaṁ worldlokaṁ rebornupapannā’ti. thusIti with clairvoyancedibbena with the eyecakkhunā purifiedvisuddhena superhumanatikkantamānusakena sentient beingssatte he seespassati passing awaycavamāne being rebornupapajjamāne inferiorhīne superiorpaṇīte beautifulsuvaṇṇe uglydubbaṇṇe in a good placesugate in a bad placeduggate according to their deedsyathākammūpage sentient beingssatte he understandspajānāti.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. They truly understand: ‘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’. They truly understand: ‘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 thisTassa thusevaṁ knowingjānato thusevaṁ seeingpassato the defilement of sensuality tookāmāsavāpi mindcittaṁ is freedvimuccati, the defilement of future existence toobhavāsavāpi mindcittaṁ is freedvimuccati, the defilement of ignorance tooavijjāsavāpi mindcittaṁ is freedvimuccati.
when freedVimuttasmiṁ 'freed'vimuttamiti knowledgeñāṇaṁ ishoti.
ended‘Khīṇā rebirthjāti, completedvusitaṁ spiritual journeybrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, there is not anything furthernāparaṁ for this placeitthattāyā’ti understandspajānāti.

Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘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 is calledvuccati, brahminbrāhmaṇa, individualpuggalo not self-mortifyingnevattantapo not committed to the practice of self-mortificationnāttaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto, notna other-mortifyingparantapo notna not committed to the practice of mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto.
theySo not self-mortifyinganattantapo not other-mortifyingaparantapo in this verydiṭṭheva lifedhamme without wishesnicchāto quenchednibbuto cooledsītībhūto experiencing blisssukhappaṭisaṁvedī with self become divinebrahmabhūtena selfattanā they liveviharatī”ti.

This is called an individual who neither mortifies themselves or others, being committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others. They live without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine.”

thusEvaṁ when spokenvutte, Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo the venerableāyasmantaṁ Udenaudenaṁ said thisetadavoca:
excellent“abhikkantaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, excellentabhikkantaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena.
just asSeyyathāpi, worthybho Udenaudena, overturnednikkujjitaṁ orvā might rightukkujjeyya, hiddenpaṭicchannaṁ orvā might revealvivareyya, to the lostmūḷhassa orvā pathmaggaṁ might point outācikkheyya, in the darkandhakāre orvā oil lamptelapajjotaṁ might holddhāreyya having eyes‘cakkhumanto formsrūpāni may seedakkhantī’ti; just soevamevaṁ by worthybhotā by Udenaudenena in many waysanekapariyāyena dhammadhammo made clearpakāsito.
this IEsāhaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Udenaudenaṁ as refugesaraṇaṁ I gogacchāmi and the dhammadhammañca and the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghañca.
as lay followerUpāsakaṁ memaṁ worthybhavaṁ Udenaudeno may rememberdhāretu from this dayajjatagge for lifepāṇupetaṁ as refugesaraṇaṁ gonegatan”ti.

When he had spoken, Ghoṭamukha said to him, “Excellent, worthy Udena! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, the worthy Udena has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Udena, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Udena remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

do not“Mā indeedkho memaṁ youtvaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, refugesaraṇaṁ wentagamāsi.
that veryTameva blessed onebhagavantaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ gogacchāhi which Iyamahaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ gonegato”ti.
where“Kahaṁ butpana, worthybho Udenaudena, at presentetarahi thatso worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo dwellsviharati perfected onearahaṁ fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho”ti?
fully quenched“Parinibbuto indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, at presentetarahi theso Blessed Onebhagavā perfected onearahaṁ fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho”ti.
if even“Sacepi wemayaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, would hearsuṇeyyāma thetaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ in tendasasu leaguesyojanesu, ten alsodasapi wemayaṁ leaguesyojanāni would gogaccheyyāma thetaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ to seedassanāya perfected onearahantaṁ fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhaṁ.
if evenSacepi wemayaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, would hearsuṇeyyāma thetaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ in twentyvīsatiyā leaguesyojanesu ……
in thirtytiṁsāya leaguesyojanesu ……
in fortycattārīsāya leaguesyojanesu ……
in fiftypaññāsāya leaguesyojanesu, fifty alsopaññāsampi wemayaṁ leaguesyojanāni would gogaccheyyāma thetaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ to seedassanāya perfected onearahantaṁ fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhaṁ.
at a hundred leaguesYojanasate even ifcepi wemayaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, would hearsuṇeyyāma thetaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ, a hundred leaguesyojanasatampi wemayaṁ would gogaccheyyāma thetaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ to seedassanāya perfected onearahantaṁ fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhaṁ.

“Brahmin, don’t go for refuge to me. You should go for refuge to that same Blessed One to whom I have gone for refuge.” “But worthy Udena, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha?” “Brahmin, the Buddha has already become fully quenched.” “Worthy Udena, if I heard that the worthy Gotama was within ten leagues, or twenty, or even up to a hundred leagues away, I’d go a hundred leagues to see him.

sinceYato andca indeedkho, sirbho Udenaudena, become fully quenchedparinibbuto thatso worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo, become fully quenchedparinibbutampi Imayaṁ to thattaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ I gogacchāma and to the dhammadhammañca and to the bhikkhu saṅghabhikkhusaṅghañca.
as a lay followerUpāsakaṁ memaṁ worthybhavaṁ Udenaudeno may he rememberdhāretu from this day forthajjatagge for lifepāṇupetaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ gonegataṁ.

But since the worthy Gotama has become fully quenched, I go for refuge to that worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Udena remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.

there isAtthi andca to meme, worthybho Udenaudena, the king of Aṅgaaṅgarājā dailydevasikaṁ a regular allowanceniccabhikkhaṁ givesdadāti, from thattato Iahaṁ of the worthybhoto to Udenaudenassa oneekaṁ a regular allowanceniccabhikkhaṁ I givedadāmī”ti.
what“Kiṁ butpana to youte, brahminbrāhmaṇa, the king of Aṅgaaṅgarājā dailydevasikaṁ a regular allowanceniccabhikkhaṁ givesdadātī”ti?
five“Pañca, worthybho Udenaudena, five hundred dollarskahāpaṇasatānī”ti.
not“Na indeedkho for usno, brahminbrāhmaṇa, it is properkappati gold and currencyjātarūparajataṁ to receivepaṭiggahetun”ti.
if“Sace thattaṁ of the worthybhoto to Udenaudenassa notna it is properkappati a dwellingvihāraṁ of the worthybhoto to Udenaudenassa I will have builtkārāpessāmī”ti.
if“Sace indeedkho to meme youtvaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a dwellingvihāraṁ, wanting to have builtkārāpetukāmo, at Pāṭaliputtapāṭaliputte for the Saṅghasaṅghassa an assembly hallupaṭṭhānasālaṁ have builtkārāpehī”ti.
now by this I am“Imināpāhaṁ of the worthybhoto to Udenaudenassa even morebhiyyoso by the measuremattāya delightedattamano satisfiedabhiraddho sinceyaṁ memaṁ the worthybhavaṁ Udenaudeno in the Saṅghasaṅghe in givingdāne encouragessamādapeti.
so IEsāhaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, with thisetissā andca regular allowanceniccabhikkhāya anotheraparāya andca regular allowanceniccabhikkhāya at Pāṭaliputtapāṭaliputte for the Saṅghasaṅghassa an assembly hallupaṭṭhānasālaṁ I will have builtkārāpessāmī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo with thisetissā andca regular allowanceniccabhikkhāya anotheraparāya andca regular allowanceniccabhikkhāya at Pāṭaliputtapāṭaliputte for the Saṅghasaṅghassa an assembly hallupaṭṭhānasālaṁ he had builtkārāpesi.

Worthy Udena, the king of Aṅga gives me a regular daily allowance. I will give you one portion of that.” “But brahmin, what does the king of Aṅga give you as a regular daily allowance?” “Five hundred dollars.” “It’s not proper for us to receive gold and currency.” “If that’s not proper, I will have a dwelling built for the worthy Udena.” “If you want to build me a dwelling, then build an assembly hall for the Saṅgha at Pāṭaliputta.” “Now I’m even more delighted and satisfied with the worthy Udena, since he encourages me to give to the Saṅgha. So with this allowance and another one I will have an assembly hall built for the Saṅgha at Pāṭaliputta.” And so he had that hall built.

itSā nowetarahi Ghoṭamukhī“ghoṭamukhī”ti is calledvuccatīti.
the Ghoṭamukha discourseGhoṭamukhasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ fourthcatutthaṁ.

And these days it’s called the “Ghoṭamukhī”.

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