Subhasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 99

With Subha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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brahmins“Brāhmaṇā, worthybho Gotamagotama, fivepañca thingsdhamme prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāyā”ti.
those“Ye thesete, studentmāṇava, brahminsbrāhmaṇā fivepañca thingsdhamme prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāya—
ifsace youte not troubleagaru—
pleasesādhu youte fivepañca thingsdhamme in thisimasmiṁ assemblyparisati explainbhāsassū”ti.
not“Na indeedkho to meme, worthybho Gotamagotama, troublegaru when such are sittingyatthassu good fellowsbhavanto orvā seatednisinno sorts like yourselvesbhavantarūpo orvā”ti.
so“Tena thenhi, studentmāṇava, explainbhāsassū”ti.

“Worthy Gotama, the brahmins prescribe five things for making merit and succeeding in the skillful.” “If you don’t mind, please explain these in this assembly.” “It’s no trouble when good fellows such as yourself are sitting here.” “Well, speak then, student.”

truth“Saccaṁ indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, brahminsbrāhmaṇā firstpaṭhamaṁ thingdhammaṁ prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāya.
fervorTapaṁ indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, brahminsbrāhmaṇā seconddutiyaṁ thingdhammaṁ prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāya.
chastityBrahmacariyaṁ indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, brahminsbrāhmaṇā thirdtatiyaṁ thingdhammaṁ prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāya.
recitationAjjhenaṁ indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, brahminsbrāhmaṇā fourthcatutthaṁ thingdhammaṁ prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāya.
generosityCāgaṁ indeedkho, worthybho Gotamagotama, brahminsbrāhmaṇā fifthpañcamaṁ thingdhammaṁ prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāya.
brahminsBrāhmaṇā, worthybho Gotamagotama, theseime fivepañca thingsdhamme prescribepaññapenti of meritpuññassa for makingkiriyāya, in the skillfulkusalassa for succeedingārādhanāyāti.
hereIdha worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo what does he say?kimāhā”ti?
what“Kiṁ wellpana, studentmāṇava, is thereatthi anykoci of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ even a single brahminekabrāhmaṇopi whoyo says thusevamāha:
I‘ahaṁ of theseimesaṁ of the fivepañcannaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ with my ownsayaṁ with insightabhiññā after realizingsacchikatvā the resultvipākaṁ I declarepavedemī’”ti?
no“No indeed thishidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“Worthy Gotama, truth is the first thing. Fervor is the second thing. Chastity is the third thing. Recitation is the fourth thing. Generosity is the fifth thing. These are the five things that the brahmins prescribe for making merit and succeeding in the skillful. What do you say about this?” “Well, student, is there even a single one of the brahmins who says this: ‘I declare the result of these five things after realizing it with my own insight’?” “No, worthy Gotama.”

what“Kiṁ thenpana, studentmāṇava, there isatthi anykoci of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ even a single tutorekācariyopi or a tutor's tutorekācariyapācariyopi back toyāva seventhsattamā generation of tutorsācariyamahayugāpi whoyo says thusevamāha:
I‘ahaṁ of theseimesaṁ of the fivepañcannaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ with my ownsayaṁ insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā resultvipākaṁ I declarepavedemī’”ti?
no“No indeedhidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
what“Kiṁ thenpana, studentmāṇava, whoyepi thosete of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ ancientpubbakā seersisayo of hymnsmantānaṁ authorskattāro of hymnsmantānaṁ propagatorspavattāro whoseyesamidaṁ nowetarahi brahminsbrāhmaṇā ancientporāṇaṁ hymnalmantapadaṁ sunggītaṁ propagatedpavuttaṁ compiledsamihitaṁ continue to sing ittadanugāyanti continue to chant ittadanubhāsanti chant what was chantedbhāsitamanubhāsanti teach what was taughtvācitamanuvācenti, namelyseyyathidaṁ—aṭṭhako Vāmakavāmako Vāmadevavāmadevo Vessāmittavessāmitto Yamadaggiyamataggi Aṅgīrasaaṅgīraso Bhāradvājabhāradvājo Vāseṭṭhavāseṭṭho Kassapakassapo Bhagubhagu,
they tootepi did say thusevamāhaṁsu:
we‘mayaṁ of theseimesaṁ of the fivepañcannaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ with our ownsayaṁ insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā resultvipākaṁ we declarepavedemā’”ti?
no“No indeedhidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
so“Iti it seemskira, studentmāṇava, there is notnatthi anykoci of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ a single brahminekabrāhmaṇopi whoyo says thusevamāha:
I‘ahaṁ of theseimesaṁ of the fivepañcannaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ with my ownsayaṁ insightabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā resultvipākaṁ I declarepavedemī’ti;

“Well, is there even a single tutor of the brahmins, or a tutor’s tutor, or anyone back to the seventh generation of tutors, who says this: ‘I declare the result of these five things after realizing it with my own insight’?” “No, worthy Gotama.” “Well, what of the ancient seers of the brahmins, namely Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu? They were the authors and propagators of the hymns. Their hymnal was sung and propagated and compiled in ancient times; and these days, brahmins continue to sing and chant it, chanting what was chanted and teaching what was taught. Did even they say: ‘We declare the result of these five things after realizing it with our own insight’?” “No, worthy Gotama.” “So, student, it seems that there is not a single one of the brahmins,

there is notnatthi anyonekoci of brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ even back one teacherekācariyopi even back to teacher's teacherekācariyapācariyopi as far asyāva seventhsattamā even back to seventh generation of teachersācariyamahayugāpi whoyo speaks thusevamāha:
I‘ahaṁ of theseimesaṁ of fivepañcannaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ oneselfsayaṁ with direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā resultvipākaṁ I declarepavedemī’ti;
who evenyepi thosete of brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ ancientpubbakā seersisayo of mantrasmantānaṁ makerskattāro of mantrasmantānaṁ promulgatorspavattāro, whose thisyesamidaṁ nowetarahi brahminsbrāhmaṇā ancientporāṇaṁ mantra textmantapadaṁ sunggītaṁ recitedpavuttaṁ compiledsamihitaṁ, they sing after ittadanugāyanti they recite after ittadanubhāsanti they recite what was spokenbhāsitamanubhāsanti they recite what was taughtvācitamanuvācenti, that is to say—Aṭṭhakaseyyathidaṁ—aṭṭhako Vāmakavāmako Vāmadevavāmadevo Vessāmittavessāmitto Yamataggiyamataggi Aṅgīrasaaṅgīraso Bhāradvājabhāradvājo Vāseṭṭhavāseṭṭho Kassapakassapo Bhagubhagu.
they evenTepi notna spoke thusevamāhaṁsu:
we‘mayaṁ of theseimesaṁ of fivepañcannaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ ourselvessayaṁ with direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā resultvipākaṁ we declarepavedemā’ti.
just asSeyyathāpi, studentmāṇava, a queue of blind menandhaveṇi joined by a successionparamparāsaṁsattā the first evenpurimopi notna seespassati the middle one evenmajjhimopi notna seespassati the last one evenpacchimopi notna seespassati;
just soevameva indeedkho, studentmāṇava, comparable to a queue of blind menandhaveṇūpamaṁ I thinkmaññe of brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ statementbhāsitaṁ turns out to be—the first evensampajjati—purimopi notna seespassati the middle one evenmajjhimopi notna seespassati the last one evenpacchimopi notna seespassatī”ti.

not even anyone back to the seventh generation of tutors, nor even the ancient seers of the brahmins who says: ‘We declare the result of these five things after realizing it with our own insight.’ Suppose there was a queue of blind men, each holding the one in front: the first one does not see, the middle one does not see, and the last one does not see. In the same way, it seems to me that the brahmins’ statement turns out to be comparable to a queue of blind men: the first one does not see, the middle one does not see, and the last one does not see.”

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Subhasubho young brahminmāṇavo son of Todeyyatodeyyaputto by the Blessed Onebhagavatā with the simile of the queue of blind menandhaveṇūpamena being addressedvuccamāno angrykupito upsetanattamano the Blessed One himselfbhagavantaṁyeva attackingkhuṁsento the Blessed One himselfbhagavantaṁyeva badmouthingvambhento the Blessed One himselfbhagavantaṁyeva sayingvadamāno:
ascetic“samaṇo Gotamagotamo worstedpāpito will bebhavissatī”ti to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
brahmin“brāhmaṇo, worthybho Gotamagotama, Pokkharasātipokkharasāti Upamaññaopamañño of the Subhaga Forestsubhagavaniko says thusevamāha:
exactly so‘evameva but here somepanidhekacce ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā superhumanuttari beyond the human statemanussadhammā distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble onesalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ they claimpaṭijānanti.
their statementTesamidaṁ statementbhāsitaṁ a joke indeedhassakaṁyeva turns outsampajjati, mere words indeednāmakaṁyeva turns outsampajjati, vacuous indeedrittakaṁyeva turns outsampajjati, hollow indeedtucchakaṁyeva turns outsampajjati.
for howKathañhi on earthnāma being humanmanussabhūto superhumanuttari beyond the human statemanussadhammā distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble onesalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ will knowñassati orvā will seedakkhati orvā realizesacchi orvā will makekarissatīti—
that is notnetaṁ possibleṭhānaṁ is foundvijjatī’”ti?

When he said this, Subha became angry and upset with the Buddha because of the simile of the queue of blind men. He even attacked and badmouthed the Buddha himself, saying, “The ascetic Gotama will be worsted!” He said to the Buddha: “Worthy Gotama, the brahmin Pokkharasāti Upamañña of the Subhaga Forest says: ‘This is exactly what happens with some ascetics and brahmins. They claim to have a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. But their statement turns out to be a joke—mere words, vacuous and hollow. For how on earth can a human being know or see or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones? That is not possible.’”

what“Kiṁ butpana, studentmāṇava, brahminbrāhmaṇo Pokkharasātipokkharasāti Opamaññaopamañño Subhagavanikasubhagavaniko of allsabbesaṁyeva of ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ with mindcetasā mindceto having encompassedparicca understandspajānātī”ti?
even of his own“Sakāyapi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, Puṇṇikāpuṇṇikāya bonded maiddāsiyā brahminbrāhmaṇo Pokkharasātipokkharasāti Opamaññaopamañño Subhagavanikasubhagavaniko with mindcetasā mindceto having encompassedparicca notna understandspajānāti, howkuto butpana of allsabbesaṁyeva of ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ with mindcetasā mindceto having encompassedparicca will understandpajānissatī”ti?

“But student, does Pokkharasāti understand the minds of all these ascetics and brahmins, having encompassed them with his mind?” “Worthy Gotama, Pokkharasāti doesn’t even understand the mind of his own bonded maid Puṇṇikā, so how could he know all those ascetics and brahmins?”

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