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Majjhima Nikāya 94

Ghoṭamukhasutta

With Ghoṭamukha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ Venerableāyasmā Udenaudeno near Varanasibārāṇasiyaṁ was stayingviharati in the Khemiya Mango Grovekhemiyambavane.

So I have heard. At one time Venerable Udena was staying near Varanasi in the Khemiya Mango Grove.

by thatTena indeedkho thenpana at the timesamayena Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo to Varanasibārāṇasiṁ arrivedanuppatto washoti on somekenacideva businesskaraṇīyena.
thenAtha indeedkho Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo for a walkjaṅghāvihāraṁ walking alonganucaṅkamamāno wandering alonganuvicaramāno whereyena to the Khemiya Mango Grovekhemiyambavanaṁ he approached ittenupasaṅkami.
by thatTena indeedkho thenpana at the timesamayena venerableāyasmā Udenaudeno in the open airabbhokāse was walking mindfullycaṅkamati.
thenAtha indeedkho Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo approached Venerable Udenayenāyasmā Udenaudeno he approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with venerableāyasmatā Udenaudenena withsaddhiṁ exchanged greetingssammodi.
courteousSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ memorablesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā Venerableāyasmantaṁ Udenaudenaṁ walkingcaṅkamantaṁ walking alonganucaṅkamamāno he said thisevamāha:
sir“ambho asceticsamaṇa, there is not‘natthi principleddhammiko renunciate lifeparibbajo’—
thusevaṁ for meme hereettha it ishoti.
but that tooTañca indeedkho of honorable onesbhavantarūpānaṁ orvā from not seeingadassanā, whichyo orvā and herepanettha teachingdhammo”ti.

Now at that time the brahmin Ghoṭamukha had arrived at Varanasi on some business. Then as he was going for a walk he went to the Khemiya Mango Grove. At that time Venerable Udena was walking mindfully in the open air. Ghoṭamukha approached and exchanged greetings with him. Walking alongside Udena, he said, “My ascetic, there is no such thing as a principled renunciate life; that’s what I think. Yet I have not seen honorable ones such as yourself, or a relevant teaching.”

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, venerableāyasmā Udenaudeno from the walking pathcaṅkamā having descendedorohitvā dwellingvihāraṁ having enteredpavisitvā spread outpaññatte on the seatāsane sat downnisīdi.
Ghoṭamukha tooGhoṭamukhopi indeedkho brahminbrāhmaṇo from the walking pathcaṅkamā having descendedorohitvā dwellingvihāraṁ having enteredpavisitvā to one sideekamantaṁ stoodaṭṭhāsi.
to one sideEkamantaṁ standingṭhitaṁ indeedkho Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukhaṁ brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ venerableāyasmā Udenaudeno said thisetadavoca:
“there are“saṁvijjanti indeed,kho, brahmin,brāhmaṇa, seats.āsanāni.
IfSace you wishākaṅkhasi, sit”nisīdā”ti.
“This very one“Etadeva indeedkho thenpana wemayaṁ of masterbhoto Udenaudenassa awaitingāgamayamānā we sitnisīdāma.
For howKathañhi indeednāma one like memādiso firstpubbe uninvitedanimantito on the seatāsane should sitnisīditabbaṁ should think”maññeyyā”ti?

When he said this, Udena stepped down from the walking path, entered his dwelling, and sat down on the seat spread out. Ghoṭamukha also stepped down from the walking path and entered the dwelling, where he stood to one side. Udena said to him, “There are seats, brahmin. Please sit if you wish.” “I was just waiting for you to sit down. For how on earth could one such as I presume to sit first without being invited?”

thenAtha indeedkho Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo a certainaññataraṁ lownīcaṁ seatāsanaṁ having takengahetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi.
to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Ghoṭamukhaghoṭamukho brahminbrāhmaṇo venerableāyasmantaṁ Udenaudenaṁ said thisetadavoca:
sir“ambho asceticsamaṇa, there is not‘natthi principleddhammiko renunciate lifeparibbajo’—
thusevaṁ to meme hereettha it ishoti.
and thatTañca indeedkho worthy ones such as yourselfbhavantarūpānaṁ orvā from not seeingadassanā, whichyo orvā but herepanettha teachingdhammo”ti.
if“Sace indeedkho thenpana to meme youtvaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, what should be grantedanuññeyyaṁ you should grantanujāneyyāsi, and what should be rejectedpaṭikkositabbañca you should rejectpaṭikkoseyyāsi; of whichyassa andca thenpana myme spokenbhāsitassa meaningatthaṁ notna you should understandjāneyyāsi, from me alonemamaṁyeva theretattha furtheruttari you should askpaṭipuccheyyāsi:
this‘idaṁ, sirbho Udenaudena, whykathaṁ, of thisimassa what is the meaningkvattho’ti? thusEvaṁ having donekatvā there may besiyā for usno hereettha conversationkathāsallāpo”ti.

Then he took a low seat and sat to one side, where he said, “My ascetic, there is no such thing as a principled renunciate life; that’s what I think. Yet I have not seen worthy ones such as yourself, or a relevant teaching.” “Brahmin, we can discuss this. But only if you grant what should be granted, and reject what should be rejected. And if you ask me the meaning of anything you don’t understand, saying: ‘Sir, why is this? What does that mean?’”

approvable“Anuññeyyaṁ indeed Ikhvāhaṁ of the honorablebhoto Udena'sudenassa I will approveanujānissāmi, and the rejectablepaṭikkositabbañca I will rejectpaṭikkosissāmi; of whichyassa andca but Ipanāhaṁ of the honorablebhoto Udena'sudenassa of the statementbhāsitassa meaningatthaṁ notna I will knowjānissāmi, the honorable one himselfbhavantaṁyeva theretattha Udenaudenaṁ furtheruttari I will ask in returnpaṭipucchissāmi: this‘idaṁ, sirbho Udenaudena, howkathaṁ, of thisimassa what is the meaningkvattho’ti? thusEvaṁ having donekatvā let there behotu for usno hereettha conversational exchangekathāsallāpo”ti.

“Let us discuss this. I will do as you say.”

four“Cattārome, brahminbrāhmaṇa, individualspuggalā beingsanto foundsaṁvijjamānā in the worldlokasmiṁ.
whichKatame fourcattāro?
hereIdha, brahminbrāhmaṇa, oneekacco individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo ishoti committed to the practice of mortifying themselvesattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto.
hereIdha butpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, oneekacco individualpuggalo other-mortifyingparantapo ishoti committed to the practice of mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto.
hereIdha butpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, oneekacco individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo andca ishoti committed to the practice of mortifying themselvesattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto other-mortifyingparantapo andca committed to the practice of mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto.
hereIdha butpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, oneekacco individualpuggalo not self-mortifyingnevattantapo ishoti not committed to the practice of mortifying themselvesnāttaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto, notna other-mortifyingparantapo notna committed to the practice of mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto.
heSo not self-mortifyinganattantapo not other-mortifyingaparantapo in this very lifediṭṭheva dhammadhamme without wishesnicchāto quenchednibbuto cooledsītībhūto experiencing blisssukhappaṭisaṁvedī with self become divinebrahmabhūtena with selfattanā livesviharati.
of theseImesaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, fourcatunnaṁ individualspuggalānaṁ whichkatamo to youte individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ pleasesārādhetī”ti?
that which“Yvāyaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo committed to the practice of mortifying themselvesattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto thisayaṁ myme individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ does not pleasenārādheti;
that whichyopāyaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo other-mortifyingparantapo committed to the practice of mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto this tooayampi myme individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ does not pleasenārādheti;

“Brahmin, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves. One individual mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others. One individual mortifies themselves and others, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others. One individual doesn’t mortify either themselves or others, 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. Which one of these four individuals do you like the sound of?” “Worthy Udena, I don’t like the sound of the first three individuals.

who is thisyopāyaṁ, sirbho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo self-tormentingattantapo andca devoted to self-mortificationattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto tormenting othersparantapo andca devoted to mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto this one tooayampi myme individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ does not satisfynārādheti;
whoyo andca indeedkho thisayaṁ, sirbho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo neither self-tormentingnevattantapo not devoted to self-mortificationnāttaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto notna tormenting othersparantapo notna devoted to mortifying othersparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso not self-tormentinganattantapo not tormenting othersaparantapo in this very lifediṭṭheva in the dhammadhamme hungerlessnicchāto quenchednibbuto cooledsītībhūto experiencing happinesssukhappaṭisaṁvedī with brahma-like selfbrahmabhūtena with selfattanā dwellsviharati.
this very oneAyameva myme individualpuggalo mindcittaṁ satisfiesārādhetī”ti.

I only like the sound of the last individual, who doesn’t mortify either themselves or others.”

why“Kasmā thenpana to youte, brahminbrāhmaṇa, theseime threetayo individualspuggalā the mindcittaṁ they do not pleasenārādhentī”ti?
this one“Yvāyaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo devoted to the practice of self-mortificationattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso himselfattānaṁ desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ tormentsātāpeti mortifiesparitāpeti;
by thisiminā meme thisayaṁ individualpuggalo the mindcittaṁ does not pleasenārādheti.
this oneYopāyaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo other-mortifyingparantapo devoted to the practice of other-mortificationparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso anotherparaṁ desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ tormentsātāpeti mortifiesparitāpeti;
by thisiminā meme thisayaṁ individualpuggalo the mindcittaṁ does not pleasenārādheti.
this oneYopāyaṁ, worthybho Udenaudena, individualpuggalo self-mortifyingattantapo andca devoted to the practice of self-mortificationattaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto other-mortifyingparantapo andca devoted to the practice of other-mortificationparaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto heso himselfattānañca othersparañca desiring happinesssukhakāmaṁ recoiling from paindukkhapaṭikkūlaṁ tormentsātāpeti mortifiesparitāpeti;
by thisiminā meme thisayaṁ individualpuggalo the mindcittaṁ does not pleasenārādheti.

“But why don’t you like the sound of those three individuals?” “Worthy Udena, the individual who mortifies themselves does so even though they want to be happy and recoil from pain. That’s why I don’t like the sound of that individual. The individual who mortifies others does so even though others want to be happy and recoil from pain. That’s why I don’t like the sound of that individual. The individual who mortifies themselves and others does so even though both themselves and others want to be happy and recoil from pain. That’s why I don’t like the sound of that individual.

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