Sutta Pitaka
Dīgha Nikāya – The Long Discourses
DN3: Ambaṭṭha Sutta – With Ambaṭṭha
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
dn3:1.1.1So I have heard.This sutta marks a turning point where the Buddha’s teachings were embraced by the leading brahmin Pokkharasāti. The suttas that follow reverberate with the consequences of this encounter. He was one of the most influential brahmins of his time, although the Buddha elsewhere denied that he had any special knowledge (MN99.10). Brahmanical texts confirm that he was a real person, an influential teacher around the time of the Buddha known as Pauṣkarasādi in Sanskrit. He is cited on grammar by Kātyāyana and Patañjali, and in the Taittirīya-prātiśākhya; on allowable food and theft in the Āpastamba Dharmasūtra; and on Vedic ritual in the Śāṅkhāyana-Āraṇyaka. His name identifies him as descended from a man of Puṣkarāvati, capital of Gandhāra. MN99.10 also clarifies that he is of the Upamañña lineage.At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Icchānaṅgala.Icchānaṅgala was a center east of Sāvatthī for the innovative brahmins of the Kosala region. He stayed in a forest near Icchānaṅgala.
1. The Section on Pokkharasāti
dn3:1.2.1Now at that time the brahmin Pokkharasāti was living in Ukkaṭṭhā. It was a crown property given by King Pasenadi of Kosala, teeming with living creatures, full of hay, wood, water, and grain, a royal park endowed to a brahmin.Ukkaṭṭhā is mentioned only rarely, and always in the context of extraordinary teachings and events that emphasize the cosmic grandeur of the Buddha against the brahmins (DN14.178, MN1, MN49). Sanskrit sources call it a droṇamukha, a leading market town accessible by land and water (Divyāvadāna 319.010). At MN99 Pokkharasāti is said to be “of the Subhaga Forest”.
“Royal park” is rājadāya (cp. migadāya, “deer park”).
A brahmadeyya is a gift of land by a king to a brahmin, which was an outstanding feature of Indian feudalism.
Pokkharasāti heard:
dn3:1.2.3“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Icchānaṅgala and is staying in a forest nearby. He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others.Contrast with his rejection of this possibility at MN 99:10.7. He proclaims a teaching that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. It’s good to see such perfected ones.”Pokkharasāti does not care whether the Buddha identified as a follower of the Vedas. The wise do not concern themselves with religious identity.
2. The Student Ambaṭṭha
dn3:1.3.1Now at that time Pokkharasāti had a student named Ambaṭṭha as his resident pupil. He was one who recited and remembered the hymns, and had mastered in the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knew them word-by-word, and their grammar. He was well versed in cosmology “Cosmology” (lokāyata) in early Buddhist texts is not, as it later became known, the heterodox school of materialism. Rather, it was a branch of worldly knowledge within regular Vedic studies concerned with the nature and extent of the world and how this may be known (AN9.38, SN12.48; cf. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.3.1). and the marks of a great man. He had been authorized as a master “Authorized as a master” (anuññātapaṭiññāta) see MN98 and Snp3.9. in his own tutor’s scriptural heritage For “scriptural heritage of the three Vedas” (tevijjake pāvacane) see MN95. of the three Vedas with the words:“Vocabularies” is nighaṇḍu (Sanskrit nighaṇṭu), known from the Nirukta of Yāska.
Keṭubha lacks an obvious Sanskrit form. The commentary explains, “The study of proper and improper actions for the assistance of poets.” This suggests a connection with ritual performance, which is the special area of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa. There we often find phrases such as kṛtam bhavati, “it is performed”, of which keṭubha is perhaps a contraction.
Akkhara (literally “syllable”) is explained by the commentary as sikkhā (Sanskrit śikṣā), which is the study of pronunciation. This can be traced back to Pāṇinī, and is sometimes referred to as akṣara-samāmnāya, “collation of syllables”.
Pabheda is found in Buddhist Sanskrit texts as padaprabheda, “classification of words”, such as into the different parts of speech. The commentary identifies it with nirutti.
Padaka is one skilled in the padapāṭha recitation of Vedas, which separates the individual words.
For “testaments” (itihāsa) see itihāsa-purāṇa in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.5.6.8, explained by the commentator there as legends of creation and olden times (see also Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.1.4). “What I know, you know.Almost the same words are spoken to the bodhisatta by his first teachers, Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta (MN36). This connects Pokkharasāti with Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta, and suggests that the anointing of a talented student in this way was a regular practice of wise brahmins. And what you know, I know.”
dn3:1.4.1Then Pokkharasāti addressed Ambaṭṭha, “Dear Ambaṭṭha, the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Icchānaṅgala and is staying in a forest nearby. He has this good reputation … It’s good to see such perfected ones. Please, dear Ambaṭṭha, go to the ascetic Gotama and find out whether or not he lives up to his reputation. Through you I shall learn about the worthy Gotama.”Following PTS and BJT editions of the parallel phrase at MN91, which read tayā for tathā.
dn3:1.5.1“But sir, how shall I find out whether or not the ascetic Gotama lives up to his reputation?”
dn3:1.5.2“Dear Ambaṭṭha, the thirty-two marks of a great man have been handed down in our hymns. A great man who possesses these has only two possible destinies, no other.The thirty-two marks are detailed in DN14, DN30, and MN91. In Buddhist texts they are presented as the fulfillment of Brahmanical prophecy, but they are not found in any Brahmanical texts of the Buddha’s time. However, later astrological texts such as the Gārgīyajyotiṣa (1st century BCE?) and Bṛhatsaṁhitā (6th century CE?) contain references to many of these marks, albeit in a different context, so it seems likely the Buddhist texts are drawing on now-lost Brahmanical scriptures.
The notion of a two-fold course for a great hero—worldly success or spiritual—can be traced back as far as the epic of Gilgamesh. If he stays at home he becomes a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion extends to all four sides, he achieves stability in the country, and he possesses the seven treasures.The idea of the wheel-turning monarch draws from the Vedic horse sacrifice, which establishes the authority of a king from sea to sea. The Buddhist telling is divested of all coarse and violent elements. The wheeled chariot gave military supremacy to the ancient Indo-Europeans, allowing them to spread from their ancient homeland north of the Black Sea. In Buddhism, the wheel, which also has solar connotations, symbolizes unstoppable power. For a legendary account of such a king, see the Mahāsudassanasutta (DN 17). Rig Veda 8.63.8 speaks of Indra as the “wheel turner”. He has the following seven treasures: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel, the woman, the householder, and the commander as the seventh treasure. He has over a thousand sons who are valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of his enemies.The sacrificial horse on its journey across the land is protected by a hundred sons. After conquering this land girt by sea, he reigns by principle, without rod or sword. But if he goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, he becomes a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, who draws back the veil from the world. But, dear Ambaṭṭha, I am the one who gives the hymns,The relation between Pokkharasāti and Ambaṭṭha is similar to that between the Buddha and his followers. They share the same understanding, but the Buddha is distinguished as the teacher. and you are the one who receives them.”
dn3:1.6.1“Yes, worthy sir,” replied Ambaṭṭha. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled Pokkharasāti, keeping him to his right. He mounted a chariot drawn by mares and, together with several young students, set out for the forest near Icchānaṅgala.In this sutta, māṇava is always applied to Ambaṭṭha and māṇavaka to the rest. It seems that the diminutive māṇavaka means “young student”.
There are said to be sambahula students, a word that is often translated as “many”. But later we see that they all fit inside the Buddha’s hut, so the sense must be “several”. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and entered the monastery on foot.
dn3:1.7.1At that time several mendicants were walking mindfully in the open air.This is the practice of walking meditation. Meditators pace mindfully up and down a smooth path, keeping attention on their body. Then the student Ambaṭṭha went up to those mendicants and said, “Good fellows, where is the worthy Gotama at present?Bho is a respectful term of address used by brahmins. The forms of address used in Pali are complex, and it is rarely possible to map them to modern English with any precision. For we have come here to see him.”The parallel passage at MN35 has a different phrase here.
dn3:1.8.1Then those mendicants thought, “This Ambaṭṭha is from a well-known family, and he is the pupil of the well-known brahmin Pokkharasāti. The Buddha won’t mind having a discussion together with such gentlemen.”The term kulaputta (literally, “son of a family”) typically refers to someone from a well-to-do or respected family, a “gentleman”. It is a gendered term which assumes the social status of men.
dn3:1.8.4They said to Ambaṭṭha, “Ambaṭṭha, that’s his dwelling, with the door closed. Approach it quietly, without hurrying; go onto the porch, clear your throat, and knock on the door-panel. The Buddha will open the door.”The introduction has told us that the Buddha was staying in a forest at this time. Nonetheless, this was not a wilderness, but was developed enough to have huts with latched doors.
dn3:1.9.1So he approached the Buddha’s dwelling, cleared his throat and knocked on the door-panel, and the Buddha opened the door. Ambaṭṭha and the young students entered the dwelling. The young students exchanged greetings with the Buddha, and when the greetings and polite conversation were over, sat down to one side. But while the Buddha was sitting, Ambaṭṭha spoke some polite words or other while walking around or standing.
dn3:1.9.4So the Buddha said to him, “Ambaṭṭha, is this how you hold a discussion with elderly and senior brahmins, the tutors of tutors: walking around or standing while I’m sitting, speaking some polite words or other?”The Buddha draws attention to Ambaṭṭha’s rude behavior. Throughout the suttas, the manner in which people greet the Buddha gives us a hint as to their attitudes and qualities.
2.1. The First Use of the Word “Primitives”
dn3:1.10.1“No, worthy Gotama. For it is proper for one brahmin to converse with another while both are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. But as to these shavelings, fake ascetics, primitives, black spawn from the feet of our kinsman, I converse with them as I do with the worthy Gotama.”Note the racial connotations of using kaṇha (“black”) as a slur. The brahmin caste hailed from the (relatively) fair-skinned Indo-Europeans who entered India from the north. Vedic texts indicate that there was Brahmanical prejudice against dark-skinned natives, but also that they were assimilated and raised to positions of honor.
dn3:1.11.1“But Ambaṭṭha, you must have come here for some purpose. You should focus on that. Though this Ambaṭṭha is unqualified, he thinks he’s qualified. What is that but lack of qualifications?”Ambaṭṭha is “qualified” (vusita) in scripture, but far from “qualified” in spiritual development. Vusita is normally an expression of arahantship: vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ (“the spiritual journey has been completed”).
dn3:1.12.1When he said this, Ambaṭṭha became angry and upset with the Buddha because of being described as unqualified. He even attacked and badmouthed the Buddha himself, saying, “The ascetic Gotama will be worsted!” He said to the Buddha, “Worthy Gotama, the Sakyans are rude, harsh, touchy, and argumentative.The PTS reading rabhasa means “violent, aggressive”. But the commentary reads bhassa, explained as “speaking much”. Moreover, the story below does not demonstrate violence. Primitive they are, and primitive they remain! They don’t honor, respect, revere, worship, or venerate brahmins.Ambaṭṭha despises the Sakyans as “primitives” (ibbha) who do not respect Vedic culture. The word ibbha (“primitive”) stems from a non-Aryan word for “elephant” (ibha). It originally referred to the native inhabitants who tamed elephants; see eg. Chāndogya Upaniṣad 1.10. At Snp3.1 the Buddha describes his own people as “natives” (niketino), those who have a long connection with the land. It is neither proper nor appropriate that the Sakyans—primitives that they are—don’t honor, respect, revere, worship, or venerate brahmins.”
dn3:1.12.9And that’s how Ambaṭṭha denigrated the Sakyans with the word “primitives” for the first time.
2.2. The Second Use of the Word “Primitives”
dn3:1.13.1“But Ambaṭṭha, how have the Sakyans wronged you?”
dn3:1.13.2“This one time, worthy Gotama, I went to Kapilavatthu on some business for my tutor, the brahmin Pokkharasāti. I approached the Sakyans in their town hall. Now at that time several Sakyans and Sakyan princes were sitting on high seats, poking each other with their fingers, giggling and playing together. In fact, they even presumed to giggle at me, and didn’t invite me to a seat. It is neither proper nor appropriate that the Sakyans—primitives that they are—don’t honor, respect, revere, worship, or venerate brahmins.”
dn3:1.13.6And that’s how Ambaṭṭha denigrated the Sakyans with the word “primitives” for the second time.
2.3. The Third Use of the Word “Primitives”
dn3:1.14.1“Even a little quail, Ambaṭṭha, speaks as she likes in her own nest. Kapilavatthu is the Sakyans’ own place, Ambaṭṭha. It’s not worthy of the Venerable Ambaṭṭha to lose his temper over such a small thing.”The Buddha’s use of āyasmā is noteworthy here: he is taking a conciliatory tone.
dn3:1.14.3“Worthy Gotama, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. Three of these classes—aristocrats, peasants, and menials—in fact succeed only when serving the brahmins. It is neither proper nor appropriate that the Sakyans—primitives that they are—don’t honor, respect, revere, worship, or venerate brahmins.”
dn3:1.14.9And that’s how Ambaṭṭha denigrated the Sakyans with the word “primitives” for the third time.
2.4. The Word “Son of a Slavegirl” is Used
dn3:1.15.1Then it occurred to the Buddha, “This Ambaṭṭha puts the Sakyans down way too much by calling them primitives. Why don’t I ask him about his own clan?”
dn3:1.15.3So the Buddha said to him, “What is your clan, Ambaṭṭha?”The Ambaṭṭhas were a people in the north-west of greater India (eg. Mahābhārata 7.4.5c, 7.132.23a). They were evidently the Abastanians whose rout at the hands of Alexander is recorded by Arrian (The Anabasis of Alexander, chapter 15). They were probably located near what is today the northern Sindh province in Pakistan. Later texts such as Manusmṛti 1.8 say that an ambaṣṭha is born of a brahmin father and vaiśya mother.
dn3:1.15.5“I am a Kaṇhāyana, worthy Gotama.”Kaṇhāyana means “descendant of the dark one (kaṇha)”. Since no clan of that name is attested it is perhaps a confusion with the Kāṇvāyanas of Rig Veda 8.55.4. But the confusion, if it is such, has an old history, for Rig Veda 1.117.8 refers to “Dark Kaṇva” (Śyāva Kaṇva).
dn3:1.15.6“But, recollecting the ancient name and clan of your mother and father, the Sakyans were the children of the masters, while you’re descended from the son of a slavegirl of the Sakyans.Normally I take ayyaputta as a simple honorific, but here the sense is not that the Sakyans were the masters, but were descended from them. But the Sakyans regard King Okkāka as their grandfather.Okkāka (Sanskrit Ikṣvāku) was the legendary son of the first man, Manu, and the founder of the solar dynasty of Kosala. It is a Munda name, which may be associated with the introduction of cane sugar (ikṣuḥ) from eastern Asia, a theory endorsed by the 9th century Jain scholar Jinasena (Natubhai Shah, Jainism, the World of Conquerors, 2004, vol. 1, pg. 15).
dn3:1.15.8Once upon a time, King Okkāka, wishing to divert the royal succession to the son of his most beloved queen, banished the elder princes from the realm—Okkāmukha, Karakaṇḍa, Hatthinika, and Sinisūra. They made their home beside a lotus pond on the slopes of the Himalayas, where there was a large grove of sakhua trees.The words for “teak” (sāka) and “sal” (sāla) have evidently been confused from the Munda root sarja (both appear at MN93). But teak does not grow so far north, so the sal must be meant here. To maintain the pun I use sakhua, which is an alternate Hindi name for the sal tree. This story suggests that when they settled in their northern home in the shadow of the Himalayas, harvesting sal was a primary source of wealth. Compare Gilgamesh, for whom Lebanese cedar was the foundation of his royal capital. For fear of breaking their line of birth, they slept with their own (saka) sisters.“Own” is saka, the second pun on the Sakyan name. Incest is, of course, common among royal families for exactly the reason stated here. Marriage between cousins persisted even in the Buddha’s day.
For sambheda in the sense of “dissolving, leaking”, see AN2.9 = DN26, AN5.103, AN10.45.
dn3:1.15.12Then King Okkāka addressed his ministers and councillors, ‘Where, sirs, have the princes settled now?’For this sense of sammati, see SN11.9, SN11.10.
dn3:1.15.14‘Sire, there is a lotus pond on the slopes of the Himalayas, by a large grove of sakhua trees. They’ve settled there. For fear of breaking their line of birth, they are sleeping with their own sisters.’
dn3:1.15.16Then, Ambaṭṭha, King Okkāka expressed this heartfelt sentiment: ‘The princes are indeed Sakyans! The princes are indeed the best Sakyans!’This draws on both the puns above. But the commentary also explains sakya here as “capable” (samatthā, paṭibalā) in reference to their survival against all odds, thus connecting Sakya with sakka (“able”). From that day on the Sakyans were recognized and he was their founder.
dn3:1.16.1Now, King Okkāka had a slavegirl named Disā.Vedic dāsa (“slave, bondservant”) refers to the “dark-wombed” (kṛṣṇayoni, Rig Veda 2.20.7) foes of the Aryan peoples (Rig Veda 10.22.8) who upon defeat were enslaved (Rig Veda 10.62.10). The name disā therefore probably means “foe” (Sanskrit dviṣa).
She gave birth to a boy named “Black”.The passage wavers between treating kaṇha (Sanskrit kṛṣṇa, i.e. Krishna) as a personal name, a description, and a word for a goblin. I try to capture this ambiguity by using variations of “black boy”.
The passage does not say who the father was. According to Arthaśāstra 3.13, a female slave is protected against sexual harassment by the master, but should she have a child by him, both mother and child are to be set free, and if the sex was not consensual, he must pay her a fine. When he was born, Black Boy said: ‘Wash me, mum, bathe me! Get this filth off of me! I will be useful for you!’Like Siddhattha, he spoke as soon as he was born. The boy was no common child, but had a larger destiny. His words are a dramatic contrast with Siddhattha’s words of confident proclamation, and his birth which was devoid of filth or impurity. Whereas these days when people see goblins they recognize them as goblins, in those days they recognized goblins as ‘blackboys’.
dn3:1.16.7They said: ‘He spoke as soon as he was born—a blackboy is born! A goblin is born!’ From that day on the Kaṇhāyanas were proclaimed, and he was their founder. That’s how, recollecting the ancient name and clan of your mother and father, the Sakyans were the children of the masters, while you’re descended from the son of a slavegirl of the Sakyans.”
dn3:1.17.1When he said this, those young students said to him, “Worthy Gotama, please don’t put Ambaṭṭha down too much by calling him the son of a slavegirl.Lineage was important to brahmins, but the Brāhmaṇa and Upaniṣad literature shows that, as here, many were more concerned with conduct and wisdom than with birth. He’s well-born, a gentleman, learned, who enunciates well, and is astute. He is capable of debating with the worthy Gotama about this.”
dn3:1.18.1So the Buddha said to them, “Well, young students, if you think that Ambaṭṭha is ill-born, not a gentleman, unlearned, a poor speaker, witless, and not capable of debating with me about this, then leave him aside and you can debate with me. But if you think that he’s well-born, a gentleman, learned, who enunciates well, is astute, and is capable of debating with me about this, then you should stand aside and let him debate with me.”
dn3:1.19.1“He is capable of debating you. We will be silent, and let Ambaṭṭha debate with the worthy Gotama about this.”
dn3:1.20.1So the Buddha said to Ambaṭṭha, “Well, Ambaṭṭha, there’s a legitimate question that comes up. You won’t like it, but you ought to answer anyway. If you fail to answer—by dodging the issue, remaining silent, or leaving—your head will explode into seven pieces right here.The threat of losing one’s head is found at eg. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.24, or at 3.9.26 when it actually did fall off. I cannot trace the detail of heads being split in seven to any early Sanskrit texts, but it is found in later texts such as Rāmāyaṇa 7.26.44c and Mahābhārata 14.7.2c. What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? According to what you have heard from elderly and senior brahmins, the tutors of tutors, what is the origin of the Kaṇhāyanas, and who is their founder?”
dn3:1.20.6When he said this, Ambaṭṭha kept silent.
dn3:1.20.7For a second time, the Buddha put the question, and for a second time Ambaṭṭha kept silent.
dn3:1.20.10So the Buddha said to him, “Answer now, Ambaṭṭha. Now is not the time for silence. If someone fails to answer a legitimate question when asked three times by the Buddha, their head explodes into seven pieces there and then.”
dn3:1.21.1Now at that time the spirit Vajirapāṇī, holding a massive iron spear, burning, blazing, and glowing, stood in the air above Ambaṭṭha, thinking,Vajirapāṇī (“lightning-bolt in hand”) appears here and in the parallel passage at MN35. The synonymous Vajrahasta (Pali vajirahattha, DN20) is a frequent epithet of Indra in the Vedas (eg. Rig Veda 1.173.10a: indro vajrahastaḥ), confirming the commentary’s identification with Sakka. Much later, Mahayana texts adopted the name for a fierce Bodhisattva who was protector of the Dhamma. “If this Ambaṭṭha doesn’t answer when asked a third time, I’ll blow his head into seven pieces there and then!” And both the Buddha and Ambaṭṭha could see Vajirapāṇī.
dn3:1.21.4Ambaṭṭha was terrified, shocked, and awestruck. Looking to the Buddha for shelter, protection, and refuge, he sat down close by the Buddha and said, “What did you say? Please repeat the question.”
dn3:1.21.7“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? According to what you have heard from elderly and senior brahmins, the tutors of tutors, what is the origin of the Kaṇhāyanas, and who is their founder?”
dn3:1.21.9“I have heard, worthy Gotama, that it is just as you say. That’s the origin of the Kaṇhāyanas, and that’s who their founder is.”
2.5. The Discussion of Ambaṭṭha’s Heritage
dn3:1.22.1When he said this, those young students made an uproar, “It turns out Ambaṭṭha is ill-born, not a gentleman, son of a Sakyan slavegirl, and that the Sakyans are sons of his masters! And it seems that the ascetic Gotama spoke only the truth, though we presumed to rebuke him!”
dn3:1.23.1Then it occurred to the Buddha, “These young students put Ambaṭṭha down too much by calling him the son of a slavegirl. Why don’t I get him out of this?”
dn3:1.23.3So the Buddha said to the young students, “Young students, please don’t put Ambaṭṭha down too much by calling him the son of a slavegirl. That Black Boy was an eminent seer.The contemptuous senses of “black boy” represent the conservative brahmanical view, presented not as endorsement, but as a rhetorical means to undermine Ambaṭṭha’s pride. The Buddha now shows how a man of a supposedly low birth rose to great spiritual eminence. He went to a southern country and memorized the Divine Spell. Then he approached King Okkāka and asked for the hand of his daughter Maddarūpī.“Divine Spell” is brahmamanta, a term also found in the commentary to the Morajātaka Jataka 159, where it refers to a verse which, in Vedic style, worships the sun as the “one king”. In modern Hinduism it is used for a verse of praise for Brahmā.
Kaṇha is one of several “dark hermits” who accrued mighty and lineage-busting powers in the south.
dn3:1.23.7The king said to him, ‘Who the hell is this son of a slavegirl to ask for the hand of my daughter!’ Angry and upset he fastened a razor-tipped arrow.The Hindu deity Krishna won the hand of his seventh wife Lakṣmaṇā, also known as Madrī, at an archery contest. This detail is too precise to be a coincidence, and proves there must be some shared basis between the two figures. But he wasn’t able to either shoot it or to relax it.
dn3:1.23.10Then the ministers and councillors approached the seer Black Boy and said: ‘Spare the king, sir, spare him!’
dn3:1.23.13‘The king will be safe. But if he shoots the arrow downwards, there will be an earthquake across the entire realm.’This draws on the ancient belief that the king’s acts affect the natural order of things.
dn3:1.23.14‘Spare the king, sir, and spare the country!’
dn3:1.23.15‘Both king and country will be safe. But if he shoots the arrow upwards, the heavens will not rain in the entire realm for seven years.’
dn3:1.23.16‘Spare the king, sir, spare the country, and let the heavens rain!’This sequence seems to be an etiological myth explaining certain rites of kingship and succession, providing an origin story for this prayer.
dn3:1.23.17‘Both king and country will be safe, and the heavens rain will rain. And if the king shoots the crown prince with an arrow, he will be safe and unruffled.’National prosperity is ensured through symbolic regicide. This example was omitted from Frazer’s accounts of such substitute sacrifices. Here there is a double substitution: the prince substitutes for the king, then a threat substitutes for the act of killing. This suggests that, even from the legendary perspective of this story within a story, the rite was an ancient one that had evolved through multiple stages.
dn3:1.23.18So the ministers said to Okkāka:The use of the bare personal name for the king is unusual. ‘Okkāka must shoot the crown prince with an arrow. He will be safe and unruffled.’
dn3:1.23.20So King Okkāka shot the crown prince with an arrow. And he was safe and unruffled. Then the king was terrified, shocked, and awestruck. Scared by the divine punishment, he gave the hand of his daughter Maddarūpī.“Divine punishment” is brahmadaṇḍa, harking back to the Divine Spell (brahmamantra). The Buddha had his own version of the brahmadaṇḍa, which was to give the silent treatment (DN16).
dn3:1.23.22Young students, please don’t put Ambaṭṭha down too much by calling him the son of a slavegirl. That Black Boy was an eminent seer.”
3. The Supremacy of the Aristocrats
dn3:1.24.1Then the Buddha addressed Ambaṭṭha, “What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Suppose an aristocrat boy was to sleep with a brahmin girl, and they had a son. Would he receive a seat and water from the brahmins?”
dn3:1.24.5“He would, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:1.24.6“And would the brahmins feed him at an offering of food for ancestors, an offering of a dish of milk-rice, a sacrifice, or a feast for guests?”
dn3:1.24.7“They would.”
dn3:1.24.8“And would the brahmins teach him the hymns or not?”
dn3:1.24.9“They would.”
dn3:1.24.10“And would he be kept from the women or not?”In MN56 āvaṭa/anāvaṭa is used in reference to Upāli “shutting his gate” against the Jains and opening it for the Buddhists. In DN17 anāvaṭa means “open to the public”.
dn3:1.24.11“He would not.”
dn3:1.24.12“And would the aristocrats anoint him as king?”
dn3:1.24.13“No, worthy Gotama.
Why is that?
Because his maternity is unsuitable.”
dn3:1.25.1“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Suppose a brahmin boy was to sleep with an aristocrat girl, and they had a son. Would he receive a seat and water from the brahmins?”
dn3:1.25.4“He would, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:1.25.5“And would the brahmins feed him at an offering of food for ancestors, an offering of a dish of milk-rice, a sacrifice, or a feast for guests?”
dn3:1.25.6“They would.”
dn3:1.25.7“And would the brahmins teach him the hymns or not?”
dn3:1.25.8“They would.”
dn3:1.25.9“And would he be kept from the women or not?”
dn3:1.25.10“He would not.”
dn3:1.25.11“And would the aristocrats anoint him as king?”
dn3:1.25.12“No, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because his paternity is unsuitable.”
dn3:1.26.1“And so, Ambaṭṭha, the aristocrats are superior and the brahmins inferior, whether comparing women with women or men with men. What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Suppose the brahmins for some reason were to shave a brahmin’s head, inflict him with a sack of ashes, and banish him from the nation or the city. Would he receive a seat and water from the brahmins?”
dn3:1.26.5“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:1.26.6“And would the brahmins feed him at an offering of food for ancestors, an offering of a dish of milk-rice, a sacrifice, or a feast for guests?”
dn3:1.26.7“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:1.26.8“And would the brahmins teach him the hymns or not?”
dn3:1.26.9“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:1.26.10“And would he be kept from the women or not?”
dn3:1.26.11“He would be.”
dn3:1.27.1“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Suppose the aristocrats for some reason were to shave an aristocrat’s head, inflict him with a sack of ashes, and banish him from the nation or the city. Would he receive a seat and water from the brahmins?”
dn3:1.27.4“He would, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:1.27.5“And would the brahmins feed him at an offering of food for ancestors, an offering of a dish of milk-rice, a sacrifice, or a feast for guests?”
dn3:1.27.6“They would.”
dn3:1.27.7“And would the brahmins teach him the hymns or not?”
dn3:1.27.8“They would.”
dn3:1.27.9“And would he be kept from the women or not?”
dn3:1.27.10“He would not.”
dn3:1.27.11“At this point, Ambaṭṭha, that aristocrat has reached rock bottom, with head shaven, inflicted with a sack of ashes, and banished from city or nation. Yet still the aristocrats are superior and the brahmins inferior. The divinity Sanaṅkumāra also spoke this verse:Sanaṅkumāra (“Everyoung”) became a Hindu deity closely associated with the worship of Krishna. He first appears in the seventh chapter of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad. There he teaches the learned Nārada what lies beyond the mere surface of words (nāma) by giving a progressive meditation that ultimately reveals the highest Self. Thus he is a perfect foil for Ambaṭṭha. The occasion he spoke this verse is recorded at SN6.11, and it is repeated several times in the suttas.
dn3:1.28.2‘The aristocrat is best among people
who take clan as the standard.
But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct
is first among gods and humans.’
dn3:1.28.6That verse was well sung by the Divinity Sanaṅkumāra, not poorly sung; well spoken, not poorly spoken, beneficial, not harmful, and it was approved by me. For I also say this:
dn3:1.28.8The aristocrat is best among people
who take clan as the standard.
But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct
is first among gods and humans.”
The first recitation section.
4. Knowledge and Conduct
dn3:2.1.1“But what, worthy Gotama, is that conduct, and what is that knowledge?”To his credit, after that thorough humiliation, Ambaṭṭha is ready to learn.
dn3:2.1.2“Ambaṭṭha, in the supreme knowledge and conduct there is no discussion of genealogy or clan or pride—Reading anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya as locative, in agreement with yattha below. ‘You deserve me’ or ‘You don’t deserve me.’ Wherever there is giving and taking in marriage there is such discussion. Whoever is shackled to questions of genealogy or clan or pride, or to giving and taking in marriage, is far from the supreme knowledge and conduct. The realization of supreme knowledge and conduct occurs when you’ve given up such things.”The Buddha emphasizes that his “knowledge and conduct” rejects the notion of birth that is so essential to Brahmanism.
dn3:2.2.1“But what, worthy Gotama, is that conduct, and what is that knowledge?”
dn3:2.2.2“Ambaṭṭha, it’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He proclaims a teaching that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. A householder hears that teaching, or a householder’s child, or someone reborn in a good family. They gain faith in the Realized One and reflect …The Pali text abbreviates the gradual training in this sutta and those that follow. The reader is expected to understand it as in DN2. Note, however, that the suttas sometimes have small differences in their perspective that make reconstruction tricky.
dn3:2.2.8Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption … This pertains to their conduct.
dn3:2.2.10Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant enters and remains in the second absorption … This pertains to their conduct.
dn3:2.2.12Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption … This pertains to their conduct.
dn3:2.2.14Furthermore, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption … This pertains to their conduct. This is that conduct.
dn3:2.2.17When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they project it and extend it toward knowledge and vision. This pertains to their knowledge. … They understand: ‘There is nothing further for this place.’ This pertains to their knowledge. This is that knowledge.
dn3:2.2.22This mendicant is said to be ‘accomplished in knowledge’, and also ‘accomplished in conduct’, and also ‘accomplished in knowledge and conduct’. And, Ambaṭṭha, there is no accomplishment in knowledge and conduct that is better or finer than this.
5. Four Causes of Quitting
dn3:2.3.1There are these four causes of quitting this supreme knowledge and conduct.In later Theravada, apāyamukha refers to deeds that cause rebirth in lower realms. However this does not apply in the early texts; the acts described here are not evil. Rather, it means an “opening” (mukha) for “departure” (apāya). What four? Firstly, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, plunges into a wilderness region carrying their pack with a shoulder-pole, thinking they will get by eating fallen fruit.A common practice of pre-Buddhist hermits, who avoided the slightest harm to plants. Buddhist mendicants may also not harm plants, but they rely on alms and only eat fallen fruit in case of famine. In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct.The Buddha inverts Ambaṭṭha’s earlier claim that the other three castes only succeed in serving brahmins (dn3:1.14.3 above). This is the first cause of quitting this supreme knowledge and conduct.
dn3:2.3.7Furthermore, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct or to get by eating fallen fruit, plunges into a wilderness region carrying a spade and basket, thinking they will get by eating tubers and fruit.They are less strict than the previous ascetics, for they dig the soil and harm the plants. In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct. This is the second cause of quitting this supreme knowledge and conduct.
dn3:2.3.11Furthermore, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, or to get by eating fallen fruit, or to get by eating tubers and fruit, sets up a fire chamber in the neighborhood of a village or town and dwells there serving the sacred flame. In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct. This is the third cause of quitting this supreme knowledge and conduct.
dn3:2.3.14Furthermore, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, or to get by eating fallen fruit, or to get by eating tubers and fruit, or to serve the sacred flame, sets up a four-doored fire chamber at the crossroads and dwells there, thinking: ‘When an ascetic or brahmin comes from the four quarters, I will honor them as best I can.’ In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct.
This is the fourth cause of quitting this supreme knowledge and conduct. These are the four causes of quitting this supreme knowledge and conduct.
dn3:2.4.1What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Is this supreme knowledge and conduct seen in your own tradition?”“Tradition” renders sācariyaka, “that which stems from one’s own teacher”.
dn3:2.4.3“No, worthy Gotama. Who am I and my tradition compared with the supreme knowledge and conduct? We are far from that.”
dn3:2.4.6“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Since you’re not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, have you with your tradition plunged into a wilderness region carrying your pack with a shoulder-pole, thinking you will get by eating fallen fruit?”
dn3:2.4.9“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.4.10“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you with your tradition … plunged into a wilderness region carrying a spade and basket, thinking you will get by eating tubers and fruit?”
dn3:2.4.13“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.4.14“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you with your tradition … set up a fire chamber in the neighborhood of a village or town and dwelt there serving the sacred flame?”
dn3:2.4.16“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.4.17“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you with your tradition … set up a four-doored fire chamber at the crossroads and dwelt there, thinking: ‘When an ascetic or brahmin comes from the four quarters, I will honor them as best I can’?”
dn3:2.4.20“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.5.1“So you with your tradition are not only inferior to the supreme knowledge and conduct, you are even inferior to the four causes of quitting the supreme knowledge and conduct. But you have been told this by your tutor, the brahmin Pokkharasāti: ‘Who are these shavelings, fake ascetics, primitives, black spawn from the feet of our kinsman compared with conversation with the brahmins of the three knowledges?” Yet he himself has not even fulfilled one of the quittings! See, Ambaṭṭha, how your tutor Pokkharasāti has wronged you.
6. Being Like the Seers of the Past
dn3:2.6.1Pokkharasāti lives off an endowment provided by King Pasenadi of Kosala. But the king won’t even grant him an audience face to face. When he consults, he does so behind a curtain.This practice is not elsewhere attested in early Pali. Why wouldn’t the king grant a face to face audience with someone who’d receive his legitimate presentation of food? See, Ambaṭṭha, how your tutor Pokkharasāti has wronged you.
dn3:2.7.1What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Suppose King Pasenadi was holding consultations with warrior-chiefs or chieftains while sitting on an elephant’s neck or on horseback, or while standing on the mat in a chariot.Ugga is a rare word whose root sense is “mighty”, but here it must be a noun. Given that it is a military man who consults with the king, I translate as “warrior-chief”.
Rājañña is used occasionally in the suttas; it is an archaic synonym for khattiya. And suppose he’d get down from that place and stand aside. Then along would come a worker or their bondservant, who’d stand in the same place and continue the consultation: ‘This is what King Pasenadi says, and this too is what the king says.’ Though he spoke the king’s words and gave the king’s advice,Taking this and the next as one sentence, despite the punctuation of the Mahāsaṅgīti text. does that qualify him to be the king or the king’s minister?”
dn3:2.7.8“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.8.1“In the same way, Ambaṭṭha, the ancient seers of the brahmins were 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.The “hymns” (mantā) are the verses of the Rig Veda. The ten names here all correspond with Vedic authors according to the Brahmanical tradition. Note that in Sanskrit the names of the rishis are distinguished from the lineage holders, which take the patronymic. For example, Bharadvāja is the rishi, the Bhāradvājas are his descendants; Vasiṣṭha is the rishi, the Vāsiṣṭhas are his descendants. Pali texts do not make this distinction, but use the patronymic, although the two forms are not always readily distinguishable.
“Seer” is isi (Sanskrit ṛṣi), for which the Proto-Dravidian root icai (“sing”) has been proposed. It was taken to mean that they had “seen” the Vedas (mantradraṣṭa) or directly “heard” them from Brahmā through divine inspiration, rather than “composing” them like ordinary authors. Here, however, the Buddha says they were “authors” (kattāro). The Buddha adopted isi in the sense “enlightened sage”. You might imagine that, since you’ve learned their hymns by heart in your own tradition, that makes you a seer or someone on the path to becoming a seer. But that is not possible.
dn3:2.9.1What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? According to what you have heard from elderly and senior brahmins, the tutors of tutors, did those ancient brahmin seers—nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed, bedecked with jewels, earrings, and bracelets, dressed in white—amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, like you do today in your tradition?”
dn3:2.9.5“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.10.1“Did they eat boiled fine rice, garnished with clean meat, with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces, like you do today in your tradition?”
dn3:2.10.3“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.10.4“Did they amuse themselves with girls wearing thongs that show off their curves, like you do today in your tradition?”Veṭhakanatapassāhi is otherwise unattested. At MN55 veṭhaka evidently means “collar”. In the Lokuttaravāda Bhikṣuṇī Vinaya, the brazen nun Thullānandā gets out of the water and wraps herself in a veṭhaka, which here seems synonymous with paṭṭaka, a strip of cloth. It is allowable if used to tie a basket. Nata is “curve”, passa is “side, flank”. Walshe has “flounces and furbelows”, Rhys Davids has “fringes and furbelows round their loins”. These are prissy descriptions of what is evidently stripper gear.
dn3:2.10.6“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.10.7“Did they drive about in chariots drawn by mares with plaited manes, whipping and lashing them onward with long goads, like you do today in your tradition?”The Buddha calls back to earlier in the sutta, where Ambaṭṭha drove a mare-drawn chariot.
The verbs here (vitudenti vitacchenti) are elsewhere applied to the pecking and slashing of vultures, crows, or hawks (SN19.1, MN54, etc.). The Buddha was disgusted with this maltreatment of the mares.
dn3:2.10.9“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.10.10“Did they get men with long swords to guard them in fortresses with moats dug and barriers in place, like you do today in your tradition?”Remembering that Pokkharasāti lived in a wealthy property that was a royal endowment. Just as today, excessive wealth breeds insecurity.
dn3:2.10.12“No, worthy Gotama.”
dn3:2.10.13“So, Ambaṭṭha, in your own tradition you are neither seer nor someone on the path to becoming a seer. Whoever has any doubt or uncertainty about me, let them ask me and I will clear up their doubts with my answer.”The Buddha has been hard on Ambaṭṭha, but he is not unfair. He invites the same level of scrutiny for himself.
7. Seeing the Two Marks
dn3:2.11.1Then the Buddha came out of his dwelling and proceeded to begin walking mindfully,This transition occurs nowhere else. and Ambaṭṭha did likewise. Then while walking beside the Buddha, Ambaṭṭha scrutinized his body for the thirty-two marks of a great man.Finally he remembers what his teacher Pokkharasāti told him above ... he will know the Buddha by his marks. He saw all of them except for two, which he had doubts about: whether the private parts are covered in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.
dn3:2.12.1Then it occurred to the Buddha, “This student Ambaṭṭha sees all the marks except for two, which he has doubts about: whether the private parts are covered in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.” Then the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Ambaṭṭha would see his private parts covered in a foreskin.This exceedingly strange “miracle” is also found at MN91, MN92, and Snp3.7. And he stuck out his tongue and stroked back and forth on his ear holes and nostrils, and covered his entire forehead with his tongue.
dn3:2.12.7Then Ambaṭṭha thought, “The ascetic Gotama possesses the thirty-two marks completely, lacking none.”
dn3:2.12.9He said to the Buddha, “Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.”
dn3:2.12.11“Please, Ambaṭṭha, go at your convenience.” Then Ambaṭṭha mounted his chariot drawn by mares and left.
dn3:2.13.1Now at that time the brahmin Pokkharasāti had come out from Ukkaṭṭhā together with a large group of brahmins and was sitting in his own park just waiting for Ambaṭṭha. Then Ambaṭṭha entered the park. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached the brahmin Pokkharasāti on foot.
He bowed and sat down to one side, and Pokkharasāti said to him:
dn3:2.14.2“I hope, dear Ambaṭṭha, you saw the worthy Gotama?”
dn3:2.14.3“I saw him, sir.”
dn3:2.14.4“Well, does he live up to his reputation or not?”
dn3:2.14.6“He does, sir. The worthy Gotama possesses the thirty-two marks completely, lacking none.”
dn3:2.14.8“And did you have some discussion with him?”
dn3:2.14.9“I did.”
dn3:2.14.10“And what kind of discussion did you have with him?”
Then Ambaṭṭha informed Pokkharasāti of all they had discussed.
dn3:2.15.1Then Pokkharasāti said to Ambaṭṭha, “Oh, our bloody fake scholar, our fake learned man, who pretends to be proficient in the three Vedas! A man who behaves like this ought, when their body breaks up, after death, to be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.The diminutive ending for paṇḍitaka is the same as in samaṇaka, which Ambaṭṭha used of the Buddha.
For re (“bloody”), compare cara pi re at Bhikkhu Pācittiya 70 and he je kāḷī at MN21. Hard as the Buddha was on Ambaṭṭha, his own teacher was harder. It’s only because you repeatedly attacked the worthy Gotama like that that he kept bringing up charges against us!”Pokkharasāti shows his astuteness, for in many other dialogues the Buddha engaged with brahmins perfectly politely, as he does in the (next sutta). Angry and upset, he kicked Ambaṭṭha over,Illustrating the lack of restraint of even a senior brahmin teacher. and wanted to go and see the Buddha right away.
8. Pokkharasāti Visits the Buddha
dn3:2.16.1Then those brahmins said to Pokkharasāti, “It’s much too late to visit the ascetic Gotama today. You can visit him tomorrow.”Given Pokkharasāti’s mood, this was probably a diplomatic move.
dn3:2.16.4So Pokkharasāti had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home. Then he mounted a carriage and, with attendants carrying torches, set out from Ukkaṭṭhā for the forest near Icchānaṅgala.Khādanīya and bhojanīya are food categories commonly mentioned in Pali. Etymologically they stem from “hard and soft”. Bhojanīya is defined in Bhikkhu Pācittiya 37 as grain, porridge, flour products, fish, and meat, thus being foods that are typically eaten cooked and “mooshed up” in with the fingers in the bowl. Khādanīya is not so readily defined, being essentially everything not included in other categories. But it would have included such “crunchy” things as fruit and vegetables, which may be eaten uncooked. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and entered the monastery on foot. He went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,
“Master Gotama, has my resident pupil, the student Ambaṭṭha, come here?”
dn3:2.17.3“Yes he has, brahmin.”
dn3:2.17.4“And did you have some discussion with him?”
dn3:2.17.5“I did.”
dn3:2.17.6“And what kind of discussion did you have with him?”Pokkharasāti makes sure he hears both sides of the story.
Then the Buddha informed Pokkharasāti of all they had discussed.
dn3:2.17.8Then Pokkharasāti said to the Buddha,
“Ambaṭṭha is a fool, worthy Gotama. Please forgive him.So far has Ambaṭṭha fallen from the learned sage we were introduced to at the start of the sutta.
dn3:2.17.10“May the student Ambaṭṭha be happy, brahmin.”The Buddha bears no ill will. Sukhī hotu is one of the most recognizable Pali phrases, but in early texts it is spoken only a few times: by the Buddha at DN21 and Snp5.1; by Punabbasu’s Mother at SN10.7; and by various women at Bhikkhu's Saṅghādisesa 5.
dn3:2.18.1Then Pokkharasāti scrutinized the Buddha’s body for the thirty-two marks of a great man. He saw all of them except for two, which he had doubts about: whether the private parts are covered in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.
dn3:2.18.5Then it occurred to the Buddha, “Pokkharasāti sees all the marks except for two, which he has doubts about: whether the private parts are covered in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.” Then the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Pokkharasāti would see his private parts covered in a foreskin. And he stuck out his tongue and stroked back and forth on his ear holes and nostrils, and covered his entire forehead with his tongue.
dn3:2.19.1Pokkharasāti thought, “The ascetic Gotama possesses the thirty-two marks completely, lacking none.”
dn3:2.19.3He said to the Buddha, “Would the worthy Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept today’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented with silence.
dn3:2.20.1Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Pokkharasāti announced the time to him, “It’s time, worthy Gotama, the meal is ready.” Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of Pokkharasāti together with the mendicant Saṅgha, where he sat on the seat spread out.“Robed up” because inside the monastery, monks would normally wear just a lower robe, and would don the upper and (sometimes) outer robes when visiting a layperson’s home. Then Pokkharasāti served and satisfied the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods, while his young students served the Saṅgha. When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Pokkharasāti took a low seat and sat to one side.
dn3:2.21.1Then the Buddha taught him step by step, with a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven. He explained the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation.While all these teachings feature commonly in the suttas, there is no text that depicts this framework in detail. And when the Buddha knew that Pokkharasāti’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he explained the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.This is the briefest expression of the four noble truths. Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye, in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in the brahmin Pokkharasāti:This indicates that he became a stream-enterer (sotāpanna), the first of four stages of Awakening. Such details of personal attainment are typically found in the narrative rather than the teaching attributed to the Buddha, and hence were added by redactors at some point. They vary considerably in different versions. In this case, the parallel at DA 20 says that he became a stream-enterer and later a non-returner. T 20 said that he understood the teaching and went for refuge, and agrees that he became a non-returner before his death. “Everything that has a beginning has an end.”This is the insight into universal impermanence and dependent origination.
9. Pokkharasāti Declares Himself a Lay Follower
dn3:2.22.1Then Pokkharasāti saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. He went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. He said to the Buddha,
“Excellent, worthy Gotama! 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, just so has the worthy Gotama made the Teaching clear in many ways. Together with my children, wives, retinue, and ministers, I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.
dn3:2.22.6Just as the worthy Gotama visits other devoted families in Ukkaṭṭhā, may he visit mine.When wandering for alms, mendicants would often roam randomly through the village (sapadānacārī). However if an invitation such as this were issued, the mendicant may visit that place for a meal. It was considered a special ascetic practice to refuse such invitations. The same invitation was issued by Lohicca to Mahākaccāna at SN35.132. The brahmin boys and girls there will bow to you, rise in your presence, give you a seat and water, and gain confidence in their hearts. That will be for their lasting welfare and happiness.”Māṇavikā is also mentioned at MN56 and Ud2.6 of a young married woman; and at AN5.192 of a baby being born. Thus it does not seem that it meant “female student of the Vedas”.
dn3:2.22.8“That’s nice of you to say, householder.”Kalyāṇaṁ vuccati is a politely ambiguous phrase. It is spoken twice elsewhere in the Pali, and both times the mendicant who said it immediately departed and never returned (SN41.3, SN41.4).
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi yena icchānaṅgalaṁ nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe.
1. Pokkharasātivatthu
2Tena kho pana samayena brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti ukkaṭṭhaṁ ajjhāvasati sattussadaṁ satiṇakaṭṭhodakaṁ sadhaññaṁ rājabhoggaṁ raññā pasenadinā kosalena dinnaṁ rājadāyaṁ brahmadeyyaṁ.
Assosi kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti:
"Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṁghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi icchānaṅgalaṁ anuppatto icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe. Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato: 'itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā '. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ, sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī"ti.
2. Ambaṭṭhamāṇava
3Tena kho pana samayena brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa ambaṭṭho nāma māṇavo antevāsī hoti ajjhāyako mantadharo tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ padako veyyākaraṇo lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo anuññātapaṭiññāto sake ācariyake tevijjake pāvacane: "yamahaṁ jānāmi taṁ tvaṁ jānāsi; yaṁ tvaṁ jānāsi tamahaṁ jānāmī"ti.
4Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: "Ayaṁ, tāta ambaṭṭha, samaṇo gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi icchānaṅgalaṁ anuppatto icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe. Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato: 'itipi so bhagavā, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ, sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī'ti. Ehi tvaṁ, tāta ambaṭṭha, yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ jānāhi, yadi vā taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ tathāsantaṁyeva saddo abbhuggato, yadi vā no tathā. Yadi vā so bhavaṁ gotamo tādiso, yadi vā na tādiso, tathā mayaṁ taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ vedissāmā"ti.
5"Yathā kathaṁ panāhaṁ, bho, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ jānissāmi: 'yadi vā taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ tathāsantaṁyeva saddo abbhuggato, yadi vā no tathā.
Yadi vā so bhavaṁ gotamo tādiso, yadi vā na tādiso'"ti?
6"Āgatāni kho, tāta ambaṭṭha, amhākaṁ mantesu dvattiṁsa mahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, yehi samannāgatassa mahāpurisassa dveyeva gatiyo bhavanti anaññā. Sace agāraṁ ajjhāvasati, rājā hoti cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato. Tassimāni satta ratanāni bhavanti. Seyyathidaṁ — cakkaratanaṁ, hatthiratanaṁ, assaratanaṁ, maṇiratanaṁ, itthiratanaṁ, gahapatiratanaṁ, pariṇāyakaratanameva sattamaṁ. Parosahassaṁ kho panassa puttā bhavanti sūrā vīraṅgarūpā parasenappamaddanā. So imaṁ pathaviṁ sāgarapariyantaṁ adaṇḍena asatthena dhammena abhivijiya ajjhāvasati. Sace kho pana agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati, arahaṁ hoti sammāsambuddho loke vivaṭṭacchado. Ahaṁ kho pana, tāta ambaṭṭha, mantānaṁ dātā; tvaṁ mantānaṁ paṭiggahetā"ti.
7"Evaṁ, bho"ti kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā brāhmaṇaṁ pokkharasātiṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā vaḷavārathamāruyha sambahulehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ yena icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍo tena pāyāsi. Yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi yānena gantvā yānā paccorohitvā pattikova ārāmaṁ pāvisi.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū abbhokāse caṅkamanti. Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca: "kahaṁ nu kho, bho, etarahi so bhavaṁ gotamo viharati? Tañhi mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ dassanāya idhūpasaṅkantā"ti.
8Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: "Ayaṁ kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo abhiññātakolañño ceva abhiññātassa ca brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa antevāsī. Agaru kho pana bhagavato evarūpehi kulaputtehi saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo hotī"ti.
Te ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavocuṁ: "eso, ambaṭṭha, vihāro saṁvutadvāro, tena appasaddo upasaṅkamitvā ataramāno āḷindaṁ pavisitvā ukkāsitvā aggaḷaṁ ākoṭehi, vivarissati te bhagavā dvāran"ti.
9Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo yena so vihāro saṁvutadvāro, tena appasaddo upasaṅkamitvā ataramāno āḷindaṁ pavisitvā ukkāsitvā aggaḷaṁ ākoṭesi. Vivari bhagavā dvāraṁ. Pāvisi ambaṭṭho māṇavo. Māṇavakāpi pavisitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ambaṭṭho pana māṇavo caṅkamantopi nisinnena bhagavatā kañci kañci kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāreti, ṭhitopi nisinnena bhagavatā kañci kañci kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāreti.
10Atha kho bhagavā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: "evaṁ nu te, ambaṭṭha, brāhmaṇehi vuddhehi mahallakehi ācariyapācariyehi saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo hoti, yathayidaṁ caraṁ tiṭṭhaṁ nisinnena mayā kiñci kiñci kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretī"ti?
2.1. Paṭhamaibbhavāda
11"No hidaṁ, bho gotama. Gacchanto vā hi, bho gotama, gacchantena brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ sallapitumarahati, ṭhito vā hi, bho gotama, ṭhitena brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ sallapitumarahati, nisinno vā hi, bho gotama, nisinnena brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ sallapitumarahati, sayāno vā hi, bho gotama, sayānena brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ sallapitumarahati. Ye ca kho te, bho gotama, muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kaṇhā bandhupādāpaccā, tehipi me saddhiṁ evaṁ kathāsallāpo hoti, yathariva bhotā gotamenā"ti.
"Atthikavato kho pana te, ambaṭṭha, idhāgamanaṁ ahosi, yāyeva kho panatthāya āgaccheyyātha, tameva atthaṁ sādhukaṁ manasi kareyyātha. Avusitavāyeva kho pana, bho, ayaṁ ambaṭṭho māṇavo vusitamānī kimaññatra avusitattā"ti.
12Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhagavatā avusitavādena vuccamāno kupito anattamano bhagavantaṁyeva khuṁsento bhagavantaṁyeva vambhento bhagavantaṁyeva upavadamāno: "Samaṇo ca me bho gotamo pāpito bhavissatī"ti bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "caṇḍā, bho gotama, sakyajāti; pharusā, bho gotama, sakyajāti; lahusā, bho gotama, sakyajāti; bhassā, bho gotama, sakyajāti; ibbhā santā ibbhā samānā na brāhmaṇe sakkaronti, na brāhmaṇe garuṁ karonti, na brāhmaṇe mānenti, na brāhmaṇe pūjenti, na brāhmaṇe apacāyanti. Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, nacchannaṁ, tayidaṁ nappatirūpaṁ, yadime sakyā ibbhā santā ibbhā samānā na brāhmaṇe sakkaronti, na brāhmaṇe garuṁ karonti, na brāhmaṇe mānenti, na brāhmaṇe pūjenti, na brāhmaṇe apacāyantī"ti.
Itiha ambaṭṭho māṇavo idaṁ paṭhamaṁ sakyesu ibbhavādaṁ nipātesi.
2.2. Dutiyaibbhavāda
13"Kiṁ pana te, ambaṭṭha, sakyā aparaddhun"ti?
"Ekamidāhaṁ, bho gotama, samayaṁ ācariyassa brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa kenacideva karaṇīyena kapilavatthuṁ agamāsiṁ. Yena sakyānaṁ sandhāgāraṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁ. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā sakyā ceva sakyakumārā ca sandhāgāre uccesu āsanesu nisinnā honti aññamaññaṁ aṅgulipatodakehi sañjagghantā saṅkīḷantā, aññadatthu mamaññeva maññe anujagghantā, na maṁ koci āsanenapi nimantesi. Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, nacchannaṁ, tayidaṁ nappatirūpaṁ, yadime sakyā ibbhā santā ibbhā samānā na brāhmaṇe sakkaronti, na brāhmaṇe garuṁ karonti, na brāhmaṇe mānenti, na brāhmaṇe pūjenti, na brāhmaṇe apacāyantī"ti.
Itiha ambaṭṭho māṇavo idaṁ dutiyaṁ sakyesu ibbhavādaṁ nipātesi.
2.3. Tatiyaibbhavāda
14"Laṭukikāpi kho, ambaṭṭha, sakuṇikā sake kulāvake kāmalāpinī hoti. Sakaṁ kho panetaṁ, ambaṭṭha, sakyānaṁ yadidaṁ kapilavatthuṁ, nārahatāyasmā ambaṭṭho imāya appamattāya abhisajjitun"ti.
"Cattārome, bho gotama, vaṇṇā — khattiyā brāhmaṇā vessā suddā. Imesañhi, bho gotama, catunnaṁ vaṇṇānaṁ tayo vaṇṇā — khattiyā ca vessā ca suddā ca — aññadatthu brāhmaṇasseva paricārakā sampajjanti. Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, nacchannaṁ, tayidaṁ nappatirūpaṁ, yadime sakyā ibbhā santā ibbhā samānā na brāhmaṇe sakkaronti, na brāhmaṇe garuṁ karonti, na brāhmaṇe mānenti, na brāhmaṇe pūjenti, na brāhmaṇe apacāyantī"ti.
Itiha ambaṭṭho māṇavo idaṁ tatiyaṁ sakyesu ibbhavādaṁ nipātesi.
2.4. Dāsiputtavāda
15Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: "atibāḷhaṁ kho ayaṁ ambaṭṭho māṇavo sakyesu ibbhavādena nimmādeti, yannūnāhaṁ gottaṁ puccheyyan"ti. Atha kho bhagavā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca:
"Kathaṁ gottosi, ambaṭṭhā"ti?
"Kaṇhāyanohamasmi, bho gotamā"ti.
"Porāṇaṁ kho pana te, ambaṭṭha, mātāpettikaṁ nāmagottaṁ anussarato ayyaputtā sakyā bhavanti; dāsiputto tvamasi sakyānaṁ. Sakyā kho pana, ambaṭṭha, rājānaṁ okkākaṁ pitāmahaṁ dahanti.
16Bhūtapubbaṁ, ambaṭṭha, rājā okkāko yā sā mahesī piyā manāpā, tassā puttassa rajjaṁ pariṇāmetukāmo jeṭṭhakumāre raṭṭhasmā pabbājesi — okkāmukhaṁ karakaṇḍaṁ hatthinikaṁ sinisūraṁ. Te raṭṭhasmā pabbājitā himavantapasse pokkharaṇiyā tīre mahāsākasaṇḍo, tattha vāsaṁ kappesuṁ. Te jātisambhedabhayā sakāhi bhaginīhi saddhiṁ saṁvāsaṁ kappesuṁ.
17Atha kho, ambaṭṭha, rājā okkāko amacce pārisajje āmantesi: 'kahaṁ nu kho, bho, etarahi kumārā sammantī'ti?
'Atthi, deva, himavantapasse pokkharaṇiyā tīre mahāsākasaṇḍo, tatthetarahi kumārā sammanti. Te jātisambhedabhayā sakāhi bhaginīhi saddhiṁ saṁvāsaṁ kappentī'ti.
Atha kho, ambaṭṭha, rājā okkāko udānaṁ udānesi: 'sakyā vata, bho, kumārā, paramasakyā vata, bho, kumārā'ti.
Tadagge kho pana, ambaṭṭha, sakyā paññāyanti; so ca nesaṁ pubbapuriso.
18Rañño kho pana, ambaṭṭha, okkākassa disā nāma dāsī ahosi. Sā kaṇhaṁ nāma janesi. Jāto kaṇho pabyāhāsi: 'dhovatha maṁ, amma, nahāpetha maṁ amma, imasmā maṁ asucismā parimocetha, atthāya vo bhavissāmī'ti.
Yathā kho pana, ambaṭṭha, etarahi manussā pisāce disvā 'pisācā'ti sañjānanti; evameva kho, ambaṭṭha, tena kho pana samayena manussā pisāce 'kaṇhā'ti sañjānanti.
Te evamāhaṁsu: 'ayaṁ jāto pabyāhāsi, kaṇho jāto, pisāco jāto'ti. Tadagge kho pana, ambaṭṭha, kaṇhāyanā paññāyanti, so ca kaṇhāyanānaṁ pubbapuriso. Iti kho te, ambaṭṭha, porāṇaṁ mātāpettikaṁ nāmagottaṁ anussarato ayyaputtā sakyā bhavanti, dāsiputto tvamasi sakyānan"ti.
19Evaṁ vutte, te māṇavakā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "mā bhavaṁ gotamo ambaṭṭhaṁ atibāḷhaṁ dāsiputtavādena nimmādesi. Sujāto ca, bho gotama, ambaṭṭho māṇavo, kulaputto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, bahussuto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, kalyāṇavākkaraṇo ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, paṇḍito ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, pahoti ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhotā gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun"ti.
20Atha kho bhagavā te māṇavake etadavoca: "Sace kho tumhākaṁ māṇavakānaṁ evaṁ hoti: 'dujjāto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, akulaputto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, appassuto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, akalyāṇavākkaraṇo ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, duppañño ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, na ca pahoti ambaṭṭho māṇavo samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun'ti, tiṭṭhatu ambaṭṭho māṇavo, tumhe mayā saddhiṁ mantavho asmiṁ vacane. Sace pana tumhākaṁ māṇavakānaṁ evaṁ hoti: 'sujāto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, kulaputto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, bahussuto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, kalyāṇavākkaraṇo ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, paṇḍito ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, pahoti ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun'ti, tiṭṭhatha tumhe; ambaṭṭho māṇavo mayā saddhiṁ paṭimantetū"ti.
21"Sujāto ca, bho gotama, ambaṭṭho māṇavo, kulaputto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, bahussuto ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, kalyāṇavākkaraṇo ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, paṇḍito ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo, pahoti ca ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhotā gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetuṁ, tuṇhī mayaṁ bhavissāma, ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhotā gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetū"ti.
22Atha kho bhagavā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: "Ayaṁ kho pana te, ambaṭṭha, sahadhammiko pañho āgacchati, akāmā byākātabbo. Sace tvaṁ na byākarissasi, aññena vā aññaṁ paṭicarissasi, tuṇhī vā bhavissasi, pakkamissasi vā ettheva te sattadhā muddhā phalissati. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, kinti te sutaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ kutopabhutikā kaṇhāyanā, ko ca kaṇhāyanānaṁ pubbapuriso"ti?
23Evaṁ vutte, ambaṭṭho māṇavo tuṇhī ahosi.
Dutiyampi kho bhagavā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: "taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, kinti te sutaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ kutopabhutikā kaṇhāyanā, ko ca kaṇhāyanānaṁ pubbapuriso"ti? Dutiyampi kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo tuṇhī ahosi.
Atha kho bhagavā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: "byākarohi dāni, ambaṭṭha, na dāni, te tuṇhībhāvassa kālo. Yo kho, ambaṭṭha, tathāgatena yāvatatiyakaṁ sahadhammikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho na byākaroti, etthevassa sattadhā muddhā phalissatī"ti.
24Tena kho pana samayena vajirapāṇī yakkho mahantaṁ ayokūṭaṁ ādāya ādittaṁ sampajjalitaṁ sajotibhūtaṁ ambaṭṭhassa māṇavassa upari vehāsaṁ ṭhito hoti: "sacāyaṁ ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhagavatā yāvatatiyakaṁ sahadhammikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho na byākarissati, etthevassa sattadhā muddhaṁ phālessāmī"ti. Taṁ kho pana vajirapāṇiṁ yakkhaṁ bhagavā ceva passati ambaṭṭho ca māṇavo.
25Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhīto saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto bhagavantaṁyeva tāṇaṁ gavesī bhagavantaṁyeva leṇaṁ gavesī bhagavantaṁyeva saraṇaṁ gavesī upanisīditvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: " kimetaṁ bhavaṁ gotamo āha? Punabhavaṁ gotamo bravitū"ti.
26"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, kinti te sutaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ kutopabhutikā kaṇhāyanā, ko ca kaṇhāyanānaṁ pubbapuriso"ti?
"Evameva me, bho gotama, sutaṁ yatheva bhavaṁ gotamo āha. Tatopabhutikā kaṇhāyanā; so ca kaṇhāyanānaṁ pubbapuriso"ti.
2.5. Ambaṭṭhavaṁsakathā
27Evaṁ vutte, te māṇavakā unnādino uccāsaddamahāsaddā ahesuṁ: "dujjāto kira, bho, ambaṭṭho māṇavo; akulaputto kira, bho, ambaṭṭho māṇavo; dāsiputto kira, bho, ambaṭṭho māṇavo sakyānaṁ. Ayyaputtā kira, bho, ambaṭṭhassa māṇavassa sakyā bhavanti. Dhammavādiṁyeva kira mayaṁ samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ apasādetabbaṁ amaññimhā"ti.
28Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: "atibāḷhaṁ kho ime māṇavakā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ dāsiputtavādena nimmādenti, yannūnāhaṁ parimoceyyan"ti.
Atha kho bhagavā te māṇavake etadavoca: "Mā kho tumhe, māṇavakā, ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ atibāḷhaṁ dāsiputtavādena nimmādetha. Uḷāro so kaṇho isi ahosi. So dakkhiṇajanapadaṁ gantvā brahmamante adhīyitvā rājānaṁ okkākaṁ upasaṅkamitvā maddarūpiṁ dhītaraṁ yāci.
Tassa rājā okkāko: 'ko nevaṁ re ayaṁ mayhaṁ dāsiputto samāno maddarūpiṁ dhītaraṁ yācatī'ti, kupito anattamano khurappaṁ sannayhi. So taṁ khurappaṁ neva asakkhi muñcituṁ, no paṭisaṁharituṁ.
29Atha kho, māṇavakā, amaccā pārisajjā kaṇhaṁ isiṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ: 'sotthi, bhaddante, hotu rañño; sotthi, bhaddante, hotu rañño'ti.
'Sotthi bhavissati rañño, api ca rājā yadi adho khurappaṁ muñcissati, yāvatā rañño vijitaṁ, ettāvatā pathavī undriyissatī'ti.
'Sotthi, bhaddante, hotu rañño, sotthi janapadassā'ti.
'Sotthi bhavissati rañño, sotthi janapadassa, api ca rājā yadi uddhaṁ khurappaṁ muñcissati, yāvatā rañño vijitaṁ, ettāvatā satta vassāni devo na vassissatī'ti.
'Sotthi, bhaddante, hotu rañño sotthi janapadassa devo ca vassatū'ti.
'Sotthi bhavissati rañño sotthi janapadassa devo ca vassissati, api ca rājā jeṭṭhakumāre khurappaṁ patiṭṭhāpetu, sotthi kumāro pallomo bhavissatī'ti.
Atha kho, māṇavakā, amaccā okkākassa ārocesuṁ: 'Okkāko jeṭṭhakumāre khurappaṁ patiṭṭhāpetu. Sotthi kumāro pallomo bhavissatī'ti.
Atha kho rājā okkāko jeṭṭhakumāre khurappaṁ patiṭṭhapesi, sotthi kumāro pallomo samabhavi. Atha kho tassa rājā okkāko bhīto saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto brahmadaṇḍena tajjito maddarūpiṁ dhītaraṁ adāsi.
Mā kho tumhe, māṇavakā, ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ atibāḷhaṁ dāsiputtavādena nimmādetha, uḷāro so kaṇho isi ahosī"ti.
3. Khattiyaseṭṭhabhāva
30Atha kho bhagavā ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: "taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, idha khattiyakumāro brāhmaṇakaññāya saddhiṁ saṁvāsaṁ kappeyya, tesaṁ saṁvāsamanvāya putto jāyetha. Yo so khattiyakumārena brāhmaṇakaññāya putto uppanno, api nu so labhetha brāhmaṇesu āsanaṁ vā udakaṁ vā"ti?
"Labhetha, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā"ti?
"Bhojeyyuṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā mante vāceyyuṁ vā no vā"ti?
"Vāceyyuṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nussa itthīsu āvaṭaṁ vā assa anāvaṭaṁ vā"ti?
"Anāvaṭaṁ hissa, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ khattiyā khattiyābhisekena abhisiñceyyun"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
"Taṁ kissa hetu?"
"Mātito hi, bho gotama, anupapanno"ti.
31"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, idha brāhmaṇakumāro khattiyakaññāya saddhiṁ saṁvāsaṁ kappeyya, tesaṁ saṁvāsamanvāya putto jāyetha. Yo so brāhmaṇakumārena khattiyakaññāya putto uppanno, api nu so labhetha brāhmaṇesu āsanaṁ vā udakaṁ vā"ti?
"Labhetha, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā"ti?
"Bhojeyyuṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā mante vāceyyuṁ vā no vā"ti?
"Vāceyyuṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nussa itthīsu āvaṭaṁ vā assa anāvaṭaṁ vā"ti?
"Anāvaṭaṁ hissa, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ khattiyā khattiyābhisekena abhisiñceyyun"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
"Taṁ kissa hetu"?
"Pitito hi, bho gotama, anupapanno"ti.
32"Iti kho, ambaṭṭha, itthiyā vā itthiṁ karitvā purisena vā purisaṁ karitvā khattiyāva seṭṭhā, hīnā brāhmaṇā.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, idha brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇaṁ kismiñcideva pakaraṇe khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā bhassapuṭena vadhitvā raṭṭhā vā nagarā vā pabbājeyyuṁ. Api nu so labhetha brāhmaṇesu āsanaṁ vā udakaṁ vā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā mante vāceyyuṁ vā no vā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nussa itthīsu āvaṭaṁ vā assa anāvaṭaṁ vā"ti?
"Āvaṭaṁ hissa, bho gotama".
33"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, idha khattiyā khattiyaṁ kismiñcideva pakaraṇe khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā bhassapuṭena vadhitvā raṭṭhā vā nagarā vā pabbājeyyuṁ. Api nu so labhetha brāhmaṇesu āsanaṁ vā udakaṁ vā"ti?
"Labhetha, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā"ti?
"Bhojeyyuṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nu naṁ brāhmaṇā mante vāceyyuṁ vā no vā"ti?
"Vāceyyuṁ, bho gotama".
"Api nussa itthīsu āvaṭaṁ vā assa anāvaṭaṁ vā"ti?
"Anāvaṭaṁ hissa, bho gotama".
34"Ettāvatā kho, ambaṭṭha, khattiyo paramanihīnataṁ patto hoti, yadeva naṁ khattiyā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā bhassapuṭena vadhitvā raṭṭhā vā nagarā vā pabbājenti. Iti kho, ambaṭṭha, yadā khattiyo paramanihīnataṁ patto hoti, tadāpi khattiyāva seṭṭhā, hīnā brāhmaṇā.
Brahmunā pesā, ambaṭṭha, sanaṅkumārena gāthā bhāsitā:
35
'Khattiyo seṭṭho janetasmiṁ,
ye gottapaṭisārino;
Vijjācaraṇasampanno,
so seṭṭho devamānuse'ti.
36Sā kho panesā, ambaṭṭha, brahmunā sanaṅkumārena gāthā sugītā no duggītā, subhāsitā no dubbhāsitā, atthasaṁhitā no anatthasaṁhitā, anumatā mayā. Ahampi hi, ambaṭṭha, evaṁ vadāmi –
37
Khattiyo seṭṭho janetasmiṁ,
ye gottapaṭisārino;
Vijjācaraṇasampanno,
so seṭṭho devamānuse"ti.
Bhāṇavāro paṭhamo.
4. Vijjācaraṇakathā
38"Katamaṁ pana taṁ, bho gotama, caraṇaṁ, katamā ca pana sā vijjā"ti?
"Na kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya jātivādo vā vuccati, gottavādo vā vuccati, mānavādo vā vuccati: 'arahasi vā maṁ tvaṁ, na vā maṁ tvaṁ arahasī'ti. Yattha kho, ambaṭṭha, āvāho vā hoti, vivāho vā hoti, āvāhavivāho vā hoti, etthetaṁ vuccati jātivādo vā itipi gottavādo vā itipi mānavādo vā itipi: 'arahasi vā maṁ tvaṁ, na vā maṁ tvaṁ arahasī'ti. Ye hi keci, ambaṭṭha, jātivādavinibaddhā vā gottavādavinibaddhā vā mānavādavinibaddhā vā āvāhavivāhavinibaddhā vā, ārakā te anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya. Pahāya kho, ambaṭṭha, jātivādavinibaddhañca gottavādavinibaddhañca mānavādavinibaddhañca āvāhavivāhavinibaddhañca anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya sacchikiriyā hotī"ti.
39"Katamaṁ pana taṁ, bho gotama, caraṇaṁ, katamā ca sā vijjā"ti?
"Idha, ambaṭṭha, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Taṁ dhammaṁ suṇāti gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā aññatarasmiṁ vā kule paccājāto. So taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā tathāgate saddhaṁ paṭilabhati. So tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati … pe …
40So vivicceva kāmehi, vivicca akusalehi dhammehi, savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati … pe … idampissa hoti caraṇasmiṁ.
41Puna caparaṁ, ambaṭṭha, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati … pe … idampissa hoti caraṇasmiṁ.
42Puna caparaṁ, ambaṭṭha, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: 'upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī'ti, tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati … pe … idampissa hoti caraṇasmiṁ.
43Puna caparaṁ, ambaṭṭha, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati … pe … idampissa hoti caraṇasmiṁ. Idaṁ kho taṁ, ambaṭṭha, caraṇaṁ.
44So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte ñāṇadassanāya cittaṁ abhinīharati abhininnāmeti … pe … idampissa hoti vijjāya … pe … nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti, idampissa hoti vijjāya. Ayaṁ kho sā, ambaṭṭha, vijjā.
45Ayaṁ vuccati, ambaṭṭha, bhikkhu 'vijjāsampanno' itipi, 'caraṇasampanno' itipi, 'vijjācaraṇasampanno' itipi. Imāya ca, ambaṭṭha, vijjāsampadāya caraṇasampadāya ca aññā vijjāsampadā ca caraṇasampadā ca uttaritarā vā paṇītatarā vā natthi.
5. Catuapāyamukha
46Imāya kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya cattāri apāyamukhāni bhavanti. Katamāni cattāri?
Idha, ambaṭṭha, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā imaññeva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno khārividhamādāya araññāyatanaṁ ajjhogāhati: 'pavattaphalabhojano bhavissāmī'ti. So aññadatthu vijjācaraṇasampannasseva paricārako sampajjati. Imāya kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya idaṁ paṭhamaṁ apāyamukhaṁ bhavati.
47Puna caparaṁ, ambaṭṭha, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā imañceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno pavattaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno kudālapiṭakaṁ ādāya araññavanaṁ ajjhogāhati: 'kandamūlaphalabhojano bhavissāmī'ti. So aññadatthu vijjācaraṇasampannasseva paricārako sampajjati. Imāya kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya idaṁ dutiyaṁ apāyamukhaṁ bhavati.
48Puna caparaṁ, ambaṭṭha, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā imañceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno pavattaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno kandamūlaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno gāmasāmantaṁ vā nigamasāmantaṁ vā agyāgāraṁ karitvā aggiṁ paricaranto acchati. So aññadatthu vijjācaraṇasampannasseva paricārako sampajjati. Imāya kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya idaṁ tatiyaṁ apāyamukhaṁ bhavati.
49Puna caparaṁ, ambaṭṭha, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā imaṁ ceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno pavattaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno kandamūlaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno aggipāricariyañca anabhisambhuṇamāno cātumahāpathe catudvāraṁ agāraṁ karitvā acchati: 'yo imāhi catūhi disāhi āgamissati samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā, tamahaṁ yathāsatti yathābalaṁ paṭipūjessāmī'ti. So aññadatthu vijjācaraṇasampannasseva paricārako sampajjati. Imāya kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya idaṁ catutthaṁ apāyamukhaṁ bhavati.
Imāya kho, ambaṭṭha, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya imāni cattāri apāyamukhāni bhavanti.
50Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, api nu tvaṁ imāya anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya sandissasi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama. Kocāhaṁ, bho gotama, sācariyako, kā ca anuttarā vijjācaraṇasampadā? Ārakāhaṁ, bho gotama, anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya sācariyako"ti.
51"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, api nu tvaṁ imañceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno khārividhamādāya araññavanamajjhogāhasi sācariyako: 'pavattaphalabhojano bhavissāmī'"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
52"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, api nu tvaṁ imañceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno pavattaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno kudālapiṭakaṁ ādāya araññavanamajjhogāhasi sācariyako: 'kandamūlaphalabhojano bhavissāmī'"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
53"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, api nu tvaṁ imañceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno pavattaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno kandamūlaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno gāmasāmantaṁ vā nigamasāmantaṁ vā agyāgāraṁ karitvā aggiṁ paricaranto acchasi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
54"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, api nu tvaṁ imañceva anuttaraṁ vijjācaraṇasampadaṁ anabhisambhuṇamāno pavattaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno kandamūlaphalabhojanatañca anabhisambhuṇamāno aggipāricariyañca anabhisambhuṇamāno cātumahāpathe catudvāraṁ agāraṁ karitvā acchasi sācariyako: 'yo imāhi catūhi disāhi āgamissati samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā, taṁ mayaṁ yathāsatti yathābalaṁ paṭipūjessāmā'"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
55"Iti kho, ambaṭṭha, imāya ceva tvaṁ anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya parihīno sācariyako. Ye cime anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya cattāri apāyamukhāni bhavanti, tato ca tvaṁ parihīno sācariyako. Bhāsitā kho pana te esā, ambaṭṭha, ācariyena brāhmaṇena pokkharasātinā vācā: 'ke ca muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kaṇhā bandhupādāpaccā, kā ca tevijjānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ sākacchā'ti attanā āpāyikopi aparipūramāno. Passa, ambaṭṭha, yāva aparaddhañca te idaṁ ācariyassa brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa.
6. Pubbakaisibhāvānuyoga
56Brāhmaṇo kho pana, ambaṭṭha, pokkharasāti rañño pasenadissa kosalassa dattikaṁ bhuñjati. Tassa rājā pasenadi kosalo sammukhībhāvampi na dadāti. Yadāpi tena manteti, tirodussantena manteti. Yassa kho pana, ambaṭṭha, dhammikaṁ payātaṁ bhikkhaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya, kathaṁ tassa rājā pasenadi kosalo sammukhībhāvampi na dadeyya. Passa, ambaṭṭha, yāva aparaddhañca te idaṁ ācariyassa brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa.
57Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, idha rājā pasenadi kosalo hatthigīvāya vā nisinno assapiṭṭhe vā nisinno rathūpatthare vā ṭhito uggehi vā rājaññehi vā kiñcideva mantanaṁ manteyya. So tamhā padesā apakkamma ekamantaṁ tiṭṭheyya. Atha āgaccheyya suddo vā suddadāso vā, tasmiṁ padese ṭhito tadeva mantanaṁ manteyya: 'evampi rājā pasenadi kosalo āha, evampi rājā pasenadi kosalo āhā'ti. Api nu so rājabhaṇitaṁ vā bhaṇati rājamantanaṁ vā manteti? Ettāvatā so assa rājā vā rājamatto vā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
58"Evameva kho tvaṁ, ambaṭṭha, ye te ahesuṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ pubbakā isayo mantānaṁ kattāro mantānaṁ pavattāro, yesamidaṁ etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇaṁ mantapadaṁ gītaṁ pavuttaṁ samihitaṁ, tadanugāyanti tadanubhāsanti bhāsitamanubhāsanti vācitamanuvācenti, seyyathidaṁ — aṭṭhako vāmako vāmadevo vessāmitto yamataggi aṅgīraso bhāradvājo vāseṭṭho kassapo bhagu: 'tyāhaṁ mante adhiyāmi sācariyako'ti, tāvatā tvaṁ bhavissasi isi vā isitthāya vā paṭipannoti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
59Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, kinti te sutaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ — ye te ahesuṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ pubbakā isayo mantānaṁ kattāro mantānaṁ pavattāro, yesamidaṁ etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇaṁ mantapadaṁ gītaṁ pavuttaṁ samihitaṁ, tadanugāyanti tadanubhāsanti bhāsitamanubhāsanti vācitamanuvācenti, seyyathidaṁ — aṭṭhako vāmako vāmadevo vessāmitto yamataggi aṅgīraso bhāradvājo vāseṭṭho kassapo bhagu, evaṁ su te sunhātā suvilittā kappitakesamassū āmukkamaṇikuṇḍalābharaṇā odātavatthavasanā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricārenti, seyyathāpi tvaṁ etarahi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
60" … pe … Evaṁ su te sālīnaṁ odanaṁ sucimaṁsūpasecanaṁ vicitakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ paribhuñjanti, seyyathāpi tvaṁ etarahi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
61" … pe … Evaṁ su te veṭhakanatapassāhi nārīhi paricārenti, seyyathāpi tvaṁ etarahi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
62" … pe … Evaṁ su te kuttavālehi vaḷavārathehi dīghāhi patodalaṭṭhīhi vāhane vitudentā vipariyāyanti, seyyathāpi tvaṁ etarahi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
63" … pe … Evaṁ su te ukkiṇṇaparikhāsu okkhittapalighāsu nagarūpakārikāsu dīghāsivudhehi purisehi rakkhāpenti, seyyathāpi tvaṁ etarahi sācariyako"ti?
"No hidaṁ, bho gotama".
64"Iti kho, ambaṭṭha, neva tvaṁ isi na isitthāya paṭipanno sācariyako. Yassa kho pana, ambaṭṭha, mayi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā so maṁ pañhena, ahaṁ veyyākaraṇena sodhissāmī"ti.
7. Dvelakkhaṇādassana
65Atha kho bhagavā vihārā nikkhamma caṅkamaṁ abbhuṭṭhāsi. Ambaṭṭhopi māṇavo vihārā nikkhamma caṅkamaṁ abbhuṭṭhāsi. Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhagavantaṁ caṅkamantaṁ anucaṅkamamāno bhagavato kāye dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni samannesi. Addasā kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhagavato kāye dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni yebhuyyena ṭhapetvā dve. Dvīsu mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati — kosohite ca vatthaguyhe pahūtajivhatāya ca.
66Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: "passati kho me ayaṁ ambaṭṭho māṇavo dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni yebhuyyena ṭhapetvā dve. Dvīsu mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati – kosohite ca vatthaguyhe pahūtajivhatāya cā"ti. Atha kho bhagavā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi. Yathā addasa ambaṭṭho māṇavo bhagavato kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā jivhaṁ ninnāmetvā ubhopi kaṇṇasotāni anumasi paṭimasi, ubhopi nāsikasotāni anumasi paṭimasi, kevalampi nalāṭamaṇḍalaṁ jivhāya chādesi.
Atha kho ambaṭṭhassa māṇavassa etadahosi: "Samannāgato kho samaṇo gotamo dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi paripuṇṇehi, no aparipuṇṇehī"ti.
Bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho gotama, gacchāma, bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā"ti. "Yassadāni tvaṁ, ambaṭṭha, kālaṁ maññasī"ti.
Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo vaḷavārathamāruyha pakkāmi.
67Tena kho pana samayena brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti ukkaṭṭhāya nikkhamitvā mahatā brāhmaṇagaṇena saddhiṁ sake ārāme nisinno hoti ambaṭṭhaṁyeva māṇavaṁ paṭimānento. Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo yena sako ārāmo tena pāyāsi. Yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi, yānena gantvā yānā paccorohitvā pattikova yena brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā brāhmaṇaṁ pokkharasātiṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
68Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti etadavoca:
"Kacci, tāta ambaṭṭha, addasa taṁ bhavantaṁ gotaman"ti?
"Addasāma kho mayaṁ, bho, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotaman"ti.
"Kacci, tāta ambaṭṭha, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ tathā santaṁyeva saddo abbhuggato no aññathā; kacci pana so bhavaṁ gotamo tādiso no aññādiso"ti?
"Tathā santaṁyeva, bho, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saddo abbhuggato no aññathā, tādisova so bhavaṁ gotamo no aññādiso. Samannāgato ca so bhavaṁ gotamo dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi paripuṇṇehi no aparipuṇṇehī"ti.
"Ahu pana te, tāta ambaṭṭha, samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo"ti?
"Ahu kho me, bho, samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo"ti.
"Yathā kathaṁ pana te, tāta ambaṭṭha, ahu samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo"ti?
Atha kho ambaṭṭho māṇavo yāvatako ahosi bhagavatā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo, taṁ sabbaṁ brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa ārocesi.
69Evaṁ vutte, brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: "aho vata re amhākaṁ, paṇḍitaka, aho vata re amhākaṁ, bahussutaka, aho vata re amhākaṁ, tevijjaka, evarūpena kira, bho, puriso atthacarakena kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya. Yadeva kho tvaṁ, ambaṭṭha, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ āsajja āsajja avacāsi, atha kho so bhavaṁ gotamo amhepi evaṁ upaneyya upaneyya avaca. Aho vata re amhākaṁ, paṇḍitaka, aho vata re amhākaṁ, bahussutaka, aho vata re amhākaṁ, tevijjaka, evarūpena kira, bho, puriso atthacarakena kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā"ti, kupito anattamano ambaṭṭhaṁ māṇavaṁ padasāyeva pavattesi. Icchati ca tāvadeva bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.
8. Pokkharasātibuddhūpasaṅkamana
70Atha kho te brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇaṁ pokkharasātiṁ etadavocuṁ: "ativikālo kho, bho, ajja samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Svedāni bhavaṁ pokkharasāti samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissatī"ti.
Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti sake nivesane paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā yāne āropetvā ukkāsu dhāriyamānāsu ukkaṭṭhāya niyyāsi, yena icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍo tena pāyāsi. Yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi yānena gantvā, yānā paccorohitvā pattikova yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
71Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"Āgamā nu khvidha, bho gotama, amhākaṁ antevāsī ambaṭṭho māṇavo"ti?
"Āgamā kho te, brāhmaṇa, antevāsī ambaṭṭho māṇavo"ti.
"Ahu pana te, bho gotama, ambaṭṭhena māṇavena saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo"ti?
"Ahu kho me, brāhmaṇa, ambaṭṭhena māṇavena saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo"ti.
"Yathākathaṁ pana te, bho gotama, ahu ambaṭṭhena māṇavena saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo"ti?
Atha kho bhagavā yāvatako ahosi ambaṭṭhena māṇavena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo, taṁ sabbaṁ brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa ārocesi.
Evaṁ vutte, brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"Bālo, bho gotama, ambaṭṭho māṇavo, khamatu bhavaṁ gotamo ambaṭṭhassa māṇavassā"ti.
"Sukhī hotu, brāhmaṇa, ambaṭṭho māṇavo"ti.
72Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavato kāye dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni samannesi. Addasā kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavato kāye dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni yebhuyyena ṭhapetvā dve. Dvīsu mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati — kosohite ca vatthaguyhe pahūtajivhatāya ca.
73Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: "passati kho me ayaṁ brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni yebhuyyena ṭhapetvā dve. Dvīsu mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati – kosohite ca vatthaguyhe pahūtajivhatāya cā"ti. Atha kho bhagavā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi yathā addasa brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavato kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā jivhaṁ ninnāmetvā ubhopi kaṇṇasotāni anumasi paṭimasi, ubhopi nāsikasotāni anumasi paṭimasi, kevalampi nalāṭamaṇḍalaṁ jivhāya chādesi.
74Atha kho brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa etadahosi: "samannāgato kho samaṇo gotamo dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi paripuṇṇehi no aparipuṇṇehī"ti.
Bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo ajjatanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā"ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
75Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocesi: "kālo, bho gotama, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan"ti. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena yena brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavantaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi, māṇavakāpi bhikkhusaṅghaṁ. Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
76Ekamantaṁ nisinnassa kho brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa bhagavā anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ — dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ; kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ, nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi. Yadā bhagavā aññāsi brāhmaṇaṁ pokkharasātiṁ kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā, taṁ pakāsesi – dukkhaṁ samudayaṁ nirodhaṁ maggaṁ. Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya; evameva brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa tasmiññeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi: "yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman"ti.
9. Pokkharasātiupāsakattapaṭivedanā
77Atha kho brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṁkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: 'cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī'ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bho gotama, saputto sabhariyo sapariso sāmacco bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṁghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gataṁ.
Yathā ca bhavaṁ gotamo ukkaṭṭhāya aññāni upāsakakulāni upasaṅkamati, evameva bhavaṁ gotamo pokkharasātikulaṁ upasaṅkamatu. Tattha ye te māṇavakā vā māṇavikā vā bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ abhivādessanti vā paccuṭṭhissanti vā āsanaṁ vā udakaṁ vā dassanti cittaṁ vā pasādessanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.
"Kalyāṇaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā"ti.
Ambaṭṭhasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.