Subhasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 99

With Subha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Ye te, māṇava, brāhmaṇā pañca dhamme paññapenti puññassa kiriyāya kusalassa ārādhanāya cittassāhaṁ ete parikkhāre vadāmi—
yadidaṁ cittaṁ averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ tassa bhāvanāya.
Idha, māṇava, bhikkhu saccavādī hoti.
So ‘saccavādīmhī’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ.
Yaṁ taṁ kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ, cittassāhaṁ etaṁ parikkhāraṁ vadāmi—
yadidaṁ cittaṁ averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ tassa bhāvanāya.
Idha, māṇava, bhikkhu tapassī hoti …pe…
brahmacārī hoti …pe…
sajjhāyabahulo hoti …pe…
cāgabahulo hoti.
So ‘cāgabahulomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ.
Yaṁ taṁ kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ, cittassāhaṁ etaṁ parikkhāraṁ vadāmi—
yadidaṁ cittaṁ averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ tassa bhāvanāya.

“I say that the five things prescribed by the brahmins for making merit are prerequisites of the mind for developing a mind free of enmity and ill will. Take a mendicant who speaks the truth. Thinking, ‘I’m truthful,’ they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching. And I say that joy connected with the skillful is a prerequisite of the mind for developing a mind free of enmity and ill will. Take a mendicant who is fervent … is chaste … rehearses a lot … and is very generous. Thinking, ‘I’m very generous,’ they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching. And I say that joy connected with the skillful is a prerequisite of the mind for developing a mind free of enmity and ill will.

Ye te, māṇava, brāhmaṇā pañca dhamme paññapenti puññassa kiriyāya kusalassa ārādhanāya, cittassāhaṁ ete parikkhāre vadāmi—
yadidaṁ cittaṁ averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ tassa bhāvanāyā”ti.

I say that these five things prescribed by the brahmins for making merit are prerequisites of the mind for developing a mind free of enmity and ill will.”

Evaṁ vutte, subho māṇavo todeyyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama:
‘samaṇo gotamo brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggaṁ jānātī’”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, māṇava,
āsanne ito naḷakāragāmo, na yito dūre naḷakāragāmo”ti?
“Evaṁ, bho, āsanne ito naḷakāragāmo, na yito dūre naḷakāragāmo”ti.
“Taṁ, kiṁ maññasi, māṇava, idhassa puriso naḷakāragāme jātavaddho;
tamenaṁ naḷakāragāmato tāvadeva avasaṭaṁ naḷakāragāmassa maggaṁ puccheyyuṁ;
siyā nu kho, māṇava, tassa purisassa naḷakāragāme jātavaddhassa naḷakāragāmassa maggaṁ puṭṭhassa dandhāyitattaṁ vā vitthāyitattaṁ vā”ti?
“No hidaṁ, bho gotama”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Amu hi, bho gotama, puriso naḷakāragāme jātavaddho. Tassa sabbāneva naḷakāragāmassa maggāni suviditānī”ti.

When he had spoken, Subha said to him, “Worthy Gotama, I have heard that the ascetic Gotama knows a path to company with divinity.” “What do you think, student? Is the village of Naḷakāra nearby?” “Yes it is, sir.” “What do you think, student? Suppose a person was born and raised in Naḷakāra. And as soon as they left the town some people asked them for the road to Naḷakāra. Would they be slow or hesitant to answer?” “No, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because they were born and raised in Naḷakāra. They’re well acquainted with all the roads to the village.”

“Siyā nu kho, māṇava, tassa purisassa naḷakāragāme jātavaddhassa naḷakāragāmassa maggaṁ puṭṭhassa dandhāyitattaṁ vā vitthāyitattaṁ vāti, na tveva tathāgatassa brahmalokaṁ vā brahmalokagāminiṁ vā paṭipadaṁ puṭṭhassa dandhāyitattaṁ vā vitthāyitattaṁ vā.
Brahmānañcāhaṁ, māṇava, pajānāmi brahmalokañca brahmalokagāminiñca paṭipadaṁ; yathāpaṭipanno ca brahmalokaṁ upapanno tañca pajānāmī”ti.

“Still, it’s possible they might be slow or hesitant to answer. But the Realized One is never slow or hesitant when questioned about the realm of divinity or the practice that leads to the realm of divinity. I understand the Divinity, the realm of divinity, and the practice that leads to the realm of divinity, practicing in accordance with which one is reborn in the realm of divinity.”

“Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama:
‘samaṇo gotamo brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggaṁ desetī’ti.
Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggaṁ desetū”ti.
“Tena hi, māṇava, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho subho māṇavo todeyyaputto bhagavato paccassosi.
Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Worthy Gotama, I have heard that the ascetic Gotama teaches a path to company with divinity. Please teach me that path.” “Well then, student, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” replied Subha. The Buddha said this:

“Katamo ca, māṇava, brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggo?
Idha, māṇava, bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.
Evaṁ bhāvitāya kho, māṇava, mettāya cetovimuttiyā yaṁ pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhati.
Seyyathāpi, māṇava, balavā saṅkhadhamo appakasireneva cātuddisā viññāpeyya;
evameva kho, māṇava …pe… evaṁ bhāvitāya kho, māṇava, mettāya cetovimuttiyā yaṁ pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhati.
Ayampi kho, māṇava, brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggo.

“And what is a path to company with divinity? Firstly, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. When the heart’s release by love has been developed like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there. Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They’d easily make themselves heard in the four quarters. In the same way, when the heart’s release by love has been developed like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there. This is a path to company with divinity.

“Puna caparaṁ, māṇava, bhikkhu karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…
muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…
upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.
Evaṁ bhāvitāya kho, māṇava, upekkhāya cetovimuttiyā yaṁ pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhati.
Seyyathāpi, māṇava, balavā saṅkhadhamo appakasireneva cātuddisā viññāpeyya;
evameva kho, māṇava …pe… evaṁ bhāvitāya kho, māṇava, upekkhāya cetovimuttiyā yaṁ pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhati.
Ayampi kho, māṇava, brahmānaṁ sahabyatāya maggo”ti.

Furthermore, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of compassion … They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing … They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. When the heart’s release by equanimity has been developed and cultivated like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there. Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They’d easily make themselves heard in the four quarters. In the same way, when the heart’s release by equanimity has been developed and cultivated like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there. This too is a path to company with divinity.”

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