Dhanañjānisutta

Majjhima Nikāya 97

With Dhanañjāni · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena dhanañjānissa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā sāriputto dhanañjāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:
“kacci te, dhanañjāni, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti? Paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

He robed up, and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Dhanañjāni’s home, where he sat down on the seat spread out and said to Dhanañjāni, “I hope you’re keeping well, Dhanañjāni, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Na me, bho sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti. Abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.
Seyyathāpi, bho sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho, bho sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ca ūhananti.
Na me, bho sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti. Abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.
Seyyathāpi, bho sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho, bho sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā.
Na me, bho sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti. Abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

“I’m not keeping well, Mister Sāriputta, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading. The winds piercing my head are so severe, it feels like a strong man drilling into my head with a sharp point. I’m not keeping well. The pain in my head is so severe, it feels like a strong man tightening a strong leather strap around my head. I’m not keeping well.

Seyyathāpi, bho sāriputta, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho, bho sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti.
Na me, bho sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti. Abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.
Seyyathāpi, bho sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho, bho sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho.
Na me, bho sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti. Abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.

The winds slicing my belly are so severe, like a deft butcher or their apprentice were slicing open a cow’s belly with a sharp meat cleaver. I’m not keeping well. The burning in my body is so severe, it feels like two strong men grabbing a weaker man by the arms to burn and scorch him on a pit of glowing coals. I’m not keeping well, Mister Sāriputta, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
nirayo vā tiracchānayoni vā”ti?
“Nirayā, bho sāriputta, tiracchānayoni seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
tiracchānayoni vā pettivisayo vā”ti?
“Tiracchānayoniyā, bho sāriputta, pettivisayo seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
pettivisayo vā manussā vā”ti?
“Pettivisayā, bho sāriputta, manussā seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
manussā vā cātumahārājikā vā devā”ti?
“Manussehi, bho sāriputta, cātumahārājikā devā seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
cātumahārājikā vā devā tāvatiṁsā vā devā”ti?
“Cātumahārājikehi, bho sāriputta, devehi tāvatiṁsā devā seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
tāvatiṁsā vā devā yāmā vā devā”ti?
“Tāvatiṁsehi, bho sāriputta, devehi yāmā devā seyyo”ti.

“Dhanañjāni, which do you think is better: hell or the animal realm?” “The animal realm is better.” “Which do you think is better: the animal realm or the ghost realm?” “The ghost realm is better.” “Which do you think is better: the ghost realm or human life?” “Human life is better.” “Which do you think is better: human life or as one of the gods of the four great kings?” “The gods of the four great kings.” “Which do you think is better: the gods of the four great kings or the gods of the thirty-three?” “The gods of the thirty-three.” “Which do you think is better: the gods of the thirty-three or the gods of Yama?” “The gods of Yama.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
yāmā vā devā tusitā vā devā”ti?
“Yāmehi, bho sāriputta, devehi tusitā devā seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
tusitā vā devā nimmānaratī vā devā”ti?
“Tusitehi, bho sāriputta, devehi nimmānaratī devā seyyo”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo—
nimmānaratī vā devā paranimmitavasavattī vā devā”ti?
“Nimmānaratīhi, bho sāriputta, devehi paranimmitavasavattī devā seyyo”ti.

“Which do you think is better: the gods of Yama or the joyful gods?” “The joyful gods.” “Which do you think is better: the joyful gods or the gods who love to create?” “The gods who love to create.” “Which do you think is better: the gods who love to create or the gods who control what is created by others?” “The gods who control what is created by others.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, dhanañjāni, katamaṁ seyyo
paranimmitavasavattī vā devā brahmaloko vā”ti?
“‘Brahmaloko’ti—bhavaṁ sāriputto āha;
‘brahmaloko’ti—bhavaṁ sāriputto āhā”ti.
Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:
“ime kho brāhmaṇā brahmalokādhimuttā.
Yannūnāhaṁ dhanañjānissa brāhmaṇassa brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggaṁ deseyyan”ti.
“Brahmānaṁ te, dhanañjāni, sahabyatāya maggaṁ desessāmi;
taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho dhanañjāni brāhmaṇo āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi.
Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:

“Which do you think is better: the gods who control what is created by others or the realm of divinity?” “Worthy Sāriputta speaks of the realm of divinity! Worthy Sāriputta speaks of the realm of divinity!” Then Sāriputta thought: “These brahmins are devoted to the realm of divinity. Why don’t I teach him a path to the company of Divinity?” “Dhanañjāni, I shall teach you a path to the company of Divinity. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” replied Dhanañjāni. Venerable Sāriputta said this:

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