MN129: Bālapaṇḍitasutta - The Foolish and the Astute
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
mn129:1.1So I have heard.This discourse is a fundamental statement on the role of kamma. It identifies a fool with one who acts badly, and describes the suffering that awaits them in this life and the next. An astute person who acts well, by contrast, will experience countless joys. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
mn129:1.5“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
mn129:2.1“These are the three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of a fool.“Fool” is bāla, originally “infant”.
A much simplified exposition of this theme is found at AN3.3. What three? A fool thinks poorly, speaks poorly, and acts poorly. If a fool didn’t think poorly, speak poorly, and act poorly, then how would the astute know of them, ‘This worthy one is a fool, an untrue person’? But since a fool does think poorly, speak poorly, and act poorly, then the astute do know of them, ‘This worthy one is a fool, an untrue person’.
mn129:3.1A fool experiences three kinds of suffering and sadness in this very life.
mn129:3.2Suppose a fool is sitting in a council hall, a street, or a crossroad, where people are discussing what is proper and fitting. And suppose that fool is someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. Then that fool thinks, ‘These people are discussing what is proper and fitting. But those bad things are found in me and I exhibit them!’ This is the first kind of suffering and sadness that a fool experiences in this very life.
mn129:4.1Furthermore, a fool sees that the kings have arrested a bandit, a criminal, and subjected them to various punishments—whipping, caning, and clubbing; cutting off hands or feet, or both; cutting off ears or nose, or both; the ‘porridge pot’, the ‘shell-shave’, the ‘Rāhu’s mouth’, the ‘garland of fire’, the ‘burning hand’, the ‘bulrush twist’, the ‘bark dress’, the ‘antelope’, the ‘meat hook’, the ‘coins’, the ‘caustic pickle’, the ‘twisting bar’, the ‘straw mat’; being splashed with hot oil, being fed to the dogs, being impaled alive, and being beheaded.The commentary explains these punishments thus. “Porridge pot”: remove the top of the skull and drop in a hot iron ball so that the brains boil over. “Shell-shave”: grind the skull with gravel until it is smooth. “Rāhu”s mouth’: force open the mouth with a skewer, put in oil and wick, and light it so it burns like the sun swallowed by the titan Rāhu (SN2.8). “Garland of fire”: smear the body with oil and set it alight. “Burning hand”: wrap the hand with oiled rags and set it alight. “Bulrush twist”: flay the skin from the neck down, then twist it into a band by which to hang the victim. “Bark dress”: cut the skin in strips and make it into a garment. “Antelope”: pin the bound victim to the ground and roast them alive. “Meat hook”: flay with double fish-hooks. “Coins”: slice off disks of flesh like coins. “Caustic pickle”: beat the victim, then rub the wounds with caustic solution. “Twisting bar”: pin the victim to the ground by the ears and twirl them by the feet. “Straw mat”: beat them until every bone is broken and the body becomes limp as a mattress. Then that fool thinks, ‘The kinds of deeds for which the kings inflict such punishments—those things are found in me and I exhibit them! If the kings find out about me, they will inflict the same kinds of punishments on me!’ This is the second kind of suffering and sadness that a fool experiences in this very life.
mn129:5.1Furthermore, when a fool is resting on a chair or a bed or on the ground, their past bad deeds—misconduct of body, speech, and mind—settle down upon them, rest down upon them, and lay down upon them. It is like the shadow of a great mountain peak in the evening as it settles down, rests down, and lays down upon the earth. In the same way, when a fool is resting on a chair or a bed or on the ground, their past bad deeds—misconduct of body, speech, and mind—settle down upon them, rest down upon them, and lay down upon them. Then that fool thinks, ‘Alas, I haven’t done good and skillful things that keep me safe. And I have done bad things, violence and sin. When I depart, I’ll go to the place where people who’ve done such things go.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breasts and falling into confusion. This is the third kind of suffering and sadness that a fool experiences in this very life.
mn129:6.1Having done bad things by way of body, speech, and mind, when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
mn129:7.1And if there’s anything of which it may be rightly said that it is utterly unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable, it is of hell that this should be said.“Hell” is niraya, “bereft of good things”. So much so that it’s not easy to give a simile for how painful hell is.”
mn129:7.5When he said this, one of the mendicants asked the Buddha, “But sir, is it possible to give a simile?”
mn129:8.1“It’s possible,” said the Buddha.
mn129:8.2“Suppose they arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to the king, saying,At SN12.63 verse 6 - this simile is applied to consciousness as a fuel or nutriment. ‘Your Majesty, this is a bandit, a criminal. Punish him as you will.’ The king would say, ‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the morning with a hundred spears!’ The king’s men did as they were told. Then at midday the king would say, ‘My men, how is that man?’ ‘He’s still alive, Your Majesty.’ The king would say, ‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the midday with a hundred spears!’ The king’s men did as they were told. Then late in the afternoon the king would say, ‘My men, how is that man?’ ‘He’s still alive, Your Majesty.’ The king would say, ‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the late afternoon with a hundred spears!’ The king’s men did as they were told.
mn129:8.19What do you think, mendicants? Would that man experience pain and distress from being struck with three hundred spears?”
mn129:8.21“Sir, that man would experience pain and distress from being struck with one spear, let alone three hundred spears!”
mn129:9.1Then the Buddha, picking up a stone the size of his palm, addressed the mendicants,Related similes are collected in SN13.1ff. and SN56.49ff., but this particular one is unique. “What do you think, mendicants? Which is bigger: the stone the size of my palm that I’ve picked up, or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?”
mn129:9.4“Sir, the stone you’ve picked up is tiny. Compared to the Himalayas, it doesn’t count, it’s not worth a fraction, there’s no comparison.”
mn129:9.5“In the same way, compared to the suffering in hell, the pain and distress experienced by that man due to being struck with three hundred spears doesn’t count, it’s not worth a fraction, there’s no comparison.
mn129:10.1The wardens of hell punish them with the five-fold crucifixion.The Buddhist traditions were uncomfortable with the idea that the “wardens of hell” (nirayapāla) are sentient beings, since this would imply that they are not merely working off the results of their own bad deeds, but actively creating new bad kamma by tormenting others. The commentary cites “certain elders” who argue that there are no wardens of hell because kamma works “like a machine” (yantarūpaṁ viya). These elders are probably the Mahāsaṅghikas of Andhra who, according to the commentary on Kv 20.3, say the torments are inflicted by the deeds themselves in the form of wardens of hell. The Theravadin commentator responds by analogy, since there are those who inflict punishment in the human realm. The situation was comparable in northern Indian Buddhism, for Vasubandhu at Abhidharmakośabhāṣya 3.59a–c cites a number of opinions on both sides. In his Viṁśikā vv. 4–7 and commentary he makes his own position clear, arguing that the wardens are mental projections, not sentient beings. They drive red-hot stakes through the hands and feet, and another in the middle of the chest. And there they feel painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.
mn129:11.1The wardens of hell throw them down and hack them with axes. …
mn129:12.1They hang them upside-down and hack them with hatchets. …
mn129:13.1They harness them to a chariot, and drive them back and forth across burning ground, blazing and glowing. …
mn129:14.1They make them climb up and down a huge mountain of burning coals, blazing and glowing. …
mn129:15.1The wardens of hell turn them upside down and throw them into a red-hot copper pot, burning, blazing, and glowing. There they’re seared in boiling scum, and they’re swept up and down and round and round. And there they feel painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.
mn129:16.1The wardens of hell toss them in the Great Hell.Identified by the commentary with Avīci hell; cf. the reference to Avīci with its four doors at Iti 89 verse 5 - . Now, about that Great Hell:Here the text appears to quote a saying.
mn129:16.3‘Four are its corners, four its doors,
neatly divided section by section.
Surrounded by an iron wall,
of iron is its roof.
mn129:16.7The ground is even made of iron,
it burns with fierce fire.
The heat forever radiates
a hundred leagues around.’
mn129:17.1I could tell you many different things about hell.From the “five-fold crucifixion” up to here is also found at AN3.36 verse 13 -. In MN130:10.1ff., the Buddha makes good on his claim here, and extends the description of the hells. See there for notes. So much so that it’s not easy to completely describe the suffering in hell.
mn129:18.1There are, mendicants, animals that feed on grass. They eat by cropping fresh or dried grass with their teeth. And what animals feed on grass? Elephants, horses, cattle, donkeys, goats, deer, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who feed on grass.
mn129:19.1There are animals that feed on dung. When they catch a whiff of dung they run to it, thinking, ‘There we’ll eat! There we’ll eat!’ It’s like when brahmins smell a burnt offering, they run to it, thinking, ‘There we’ll eat! There we’ll eat!’Compare Chāndogya Upaniṣad 1:12.5, where white dogs sing hymns for food. The Brahmanical tradition does not treat that story as derogatory; rather, the dogs are sages in disguise, and the story illustrates how even dogs would avoid eating unclean food. In the same way, there are animals that feed on dung. When they catch a whiff of dung they run to it, thinking, ‘There we’ll eat! There we’ll eat!’ And what animals feed on dung? Chickens, pigs, dogs, jackals, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who feed on dung.
mn129:20.1There are animals who are born, live, and die in darkness. And what animals are born, live, and die in darkness? Moths, maggots, earthworms, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who are born, live, and die in darkness.
mn129:21.1There are animals who are born, live, and die in water. And what animals are born, live, and die in water? Fish, turtles, crocodiles, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who are born, live, and die in water.
mn129:22.1There are animals who are born, live, and die in filth. And what animals are born, live, and die in filth? Those animals that are born, live, and die in a rotten fish, a rotten carcass, rotten porridge, or a sewer. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who are born, live, and die in filth.
mn129:23.1I could tell you many different things about the animal realm. So much so that it’s not easy to completely describe the suffering in the animal realm.
mn129:24.1Mendicants, suppose a person were to throw a yoke with a single hole into the ocean.See SN56.47 and SN56.48. The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north. And there was a one-eyed turtle who popped up once every hundred years.
mn129:24.4What do you think, mendicants? Would that one-eyed turtle still poke its neck through the hole in that yoke?”
mn129:24.6“No, sir. Only after a very long time, sir, if ever.”
mn129:24.8“That one-eyed turtle would poke its neck through the hole in that yoke sooner than a fool who has fallen to the underworld would be reborn as a human being, I say. Why is that? Because in that place there’s no principled or moral conduct, and no doing what is good and skillful. There they just prey on each other, preying on the weak.
mn129:25.1And suppose that fool, after a very long time, returned to the human realm. They’d be reborn in a low class family—a family of corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo-workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers. Such families are poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find. And they’d be ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting. And they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
mn129:26.1Suppose a gambler were to lose his wife and child, all his property, and then get thrown in jail with his first losing hand. Such a losing hand is trivial compared to the losing hand whereby a fool, having done bad things by way of body, speech, and mind, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. This is the total fulfillment of the fool’s level.
mn129:27.1There are these three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of an astute person.An “astute person” is paṇḍita, used for a scholar. What three? An astute person thinks well, speaks well, and acts well. If an astute person didn’t think well, speak well, and act well, then how would the astute know of them, ‘This worthy one is astute, a true person’?
mn129:28.1But since an astute person does think well, speak well, and act well, then the astute do know of them, ‘This worthy one is astute, a true person’. An astute person experiences three kinds of pleasure and happiness in this very life. Suppose an astute person is sitting in a council hall, a street, or a crossroad, where people are discussing about what is proper and fitting. And suppose that astute person is someone who refrains from killing living creatures, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, and beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. Then that astute person thinks, ‘These people are discussing what is proper and fitting. And those good things are found in me and I exhibit them.’ This is the first kind of pleasure and happiness that an astute person experiences in this very life.
mn129:29.1Furthermore, an astute person sees that the kings have arrested a bandit, a criminal, and subjected them to various punishments—whipping, caning, and clubbing; cutting off hands or feet, or both; cutting off ears or nose, or both; the ‘porridge pot’, the ‘shell-shave’, the ‘Rāhu’s mouth’, the ‘garland of fire’, the ‘burning hand’, the ‘bulrush twist’, the ‘bark dress’, the ‘antelope’, the ‘meat hook’, the ‘coins’, the ‘caustic pickle’, the ‘twisting bar’, the ‘straw mat’; being splashed with hot oil, being fed to the dogs, being impaled alive, and being beheaded. Then that astute person thinks, ‘The kinds of deeds for which the kings inflict such punishments—those things are not found in me and I do not exhibit them!’ This is the second kind of pleasure and happiness that an astute person experiences in this very life.
mn129:30.1Furthermore, when an astute person is resting on a chair or a bed or on the ground, their past good deeds—good conduct of body, speech, and mind—settle down upon them, rest down upon them, and lay down upon them. It is like the shadow of a great mountain peak in the evening as it settles down, rests down, and lays down upon the earth. In the same way, when an astute person is resting on a chair or a bed or on the ground, their past good deeds—good conduct of body, speech, and mind—settle down upon them, rest down upon them, and lay down upon them. Then that astute person thinks, ‘Well, I haven’t done bad things, violence and sin. And I have done good and skillful deeds that keep me safe. When I pass away, I’ll go to the place where people who’ve done such things go.’ So they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This is the third kind of pleasure and happiness that an astute person experiences in this very life.
mn129:31.1When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
mn129:32.1And if there’s anything of which it may be rightly said that it is utterly likable, desirable, and agreeable, it is of heaven that this should be said. So much so that it’s not easy to give a simile for how pleasurable heaven is.”
mn129:32.5When he said this, one of the mendicants asked the Buddha, “But sir, is it possible to give a simile?”
mn129:33.1“It’s possible,” said the Buddha.
mn129:33.2“Suppose there was a king, a wheel-turning monarch who possessed seven treasures and four blessings, and experienced pleasure and happiness because of them.
mn129:34.1What seven? It’s when, on the fifteenth day sabbath, an anointed aristocratic king has bathed his head and gone upstairs in the royal longhouse to observe the sabbath. And the heavenly wheel-treasure appears to him, with a thousand spokes, with rim and hub, complete in every detail.The wheel is firstly the sun and secondly the wheel of the chariots that drove the Indo-Europeans in their conquests. It is the manifestation of unstoppable power. The whole story reflects the Indo-European dream of universal domination.
Compare DN17:1.7.3 and DN26. Seeing this, the king thinks, ‘I have heard that when the heavenly wheel-treasure appears to a king in this way, he becomes a wheel-turning monarch. Am I then a wheel-turning monarch?’
mn129:35.1Then the anointed aristocratic king, taking a ceremonial vase in his left hand, besprinkled the wheel-treasure with his right hand, saying,Many of the details in this myth echo the Brahmanical horse sacrifice. Since the horse was the primary source of Indo-European dominion, its sacrifice served to authorize the power of a king. It was a costly and dangerous rite that was attempted only by the greatest of sovereigns.
Bhiṅkāra (“ceremonial vase”) and abbhukkirati (“besprinkled”) are elevated terms. ‘Roll forth, O wheel-treasure! Triumph, O wheel-treasure!’ Then the wheel-treasure rolls towards the east. And the king follows it together with his army of four divisions. In whatever place the wheel-treasure stands still, there the king comes to stay together with his army.In the horse sacrifice, the horse is released for a year, while the king follows it with his army, claiming any land that it wanders on as his. And any opposing rulers of the eastern quarter come to the wheel-turning monarch and say, ‘Come, great king! Welcome, great king! We are yours, great king, instruct us.’ The wheel-turning monarch says, ‘Do not kill living creatures. Do not steal. Do not commit sexual misconduct. Do not lie. Do not drink liquor. Maintain the current level of taxation.’Read bhuñjati at MN98:10.29 with yathābhuttañca bhuñjatha at DN17:1.9.3, DN26:6.3, and MN129:35.1. These have sometimes been rendered “eat”, “enjoy”, or “govern”. But compare the archaic English “use” meaning “the benefit or profit of lands”. Thus yathābhuttañca bhuñjatha means “use as has been used”, i.e. “maintain the current level of taxation”. And so the opposing rulers of the eastern quarter become his vassals.
mn129:35.9Then the wheel-treasure, having plunged into the eastern ocean and emerged again, rolls towards the south. …The Wheel plunges into the seas, while the sacrificial horse is born in the western and eastern seas. Having plunged into the southern ocean and emerged again, it rolls towards the west. … Having plunged into the western ocean and emerged again, it rolls towards the north, followed by the king together with his army of four divisions. In whatever place the wheel-treasure stands still, there the king comes to stay together with his army.
mn129:35.12And any opposing rulers of the northern quarter come to the wheel-turning monarch and say, ‘Come, great king! Welcome, great king! We are yours, great king, instruct us.’ The wheel-turning monarch says, ‘Do not kill living creatures. Do not steal. Do not commit sexual misconduct. Do not lie. Do not drink liquor. Maintain the current level of taxation.’ And so the opposing rulers of the eastern quarter become his vassals.Historically, India has usually been divided into squabbling realms, but from an early age there was a dream of a unified and peaceful continent.
mn129:35.17And then the wheel-treasure, having triumphed over this land surrounded by ocean, returns to the royal capital. There it stands still at the gate to the royal compound as if fixed to an axle, illuminating the royal compound.The phrase “fixed to an axle” is used of an ordinary wheel at AN3.15:3.4.
This passage is also found at DN17:1.11.1 and DN26:7.16 with the additional mention of the “High Court”. Such is the wheel-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:36.1Next, the elephant-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. It was an all-white sky-walker with psychic power, touching the ground in seven places, a king of elephants named Sabbath.The white elephant is a symbol of royalty to this day. The description recalls Indra’s elephant Airāvata.
For sattappatiṭṭho, the commentary has susaṇṭhitaaṅgapaccaṅga (“well-grounded on each and every limb”), a sense confirmed by the Mūlasarvāstivāda Bhaiṣajyavastu which has saptāṅgaḥ supratiṣṭhito (“well-established on seven limbs”). The subcommentary lists the four feet, trunk, tail, and penis (varaṅga). Seeing him, the king was impressed, ‘This would truly be a fine elephant vehicle, if he would submit to taming.’ Then the elephant-treasure submitted to taming, as if he were a fine thoroughbred elephant that had been tamed for a long time. Once it so happened that the wheel-turning monarch, testing that same elephant-treasure, mounted him in the morning and traversed the land surrounded by ocean before returning to the royal capital in time for breakfast. Such is the elephant-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:37.1Next, the horse-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. It was an all-white sky-walker with psychic power, with head of black and mane like woven reeds, a royal steed named Thundercloud.The sacrificial horse is likewise white with black head or forequarters. It is identified with the sun, thus being a “sky-walker”. “Thundercloud” (valāhaka; Sanskrit balāhaka) is the name of one of the four horses of Kṛṣṇa’s chariot in the Mahābharata. The description here also recalls the Vedic sacred horse uccaiḥśravas. Seeing him, the king was impressed, ‘This would truly be a fine horse vehicle, if he would submit to taming.’ Then the horse-treasure submitted to taming, as if he were a fine thoroughbred horse that had been tamed for a long time. Once it so happened that the wheel-turning monarch, testing that same horse-treasure, mounted him in the morning and traversed the land surrounded by ocean before returning to the royal capital in time for breakfast. Such is the horse-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:38.1Next, the jewel-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. It is a beryl gem that’s naturally lustrous, eight-faceted, well-worked. And the radiance of that jewel spreads all-round for a league. Once it so happened that the wheel-turning monarch, testing that same jewel-treasure, mobilized his army of four divisions and, with the jewel hoisted on his banner, set out in the dark of the night. Then the villagers around them set off to work, thinking that it was day. Such is the jewel-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:39.1Next, the woman-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. She is attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. She’s neither too tall nor too short; neither too thin nor too fat; neither too dark nor too light. She outdoes human beauty without reaching heavenly beauty. And her touch is like a tuft of cotton-wool or kapok. When it’s cool her limbs are warm, and when it’s warm her limbs are cool. The fragrance of sandal floats from her body, and lotus from her mouth. She gets up before the king and goes to bed after him, and is obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely. The woman-treasure does not betray the wheel-turning monarch even in thought, still less in deed. Such is the woman-treasure who appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:40.1Next, the householder-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. The power of clairvoyance manifests in him as a result of past deeds, by which he sees treasure troves, both owned and ownerless. He approaches the wheel-turning monarch and says, ‘Relax, sire. I will take care of the treasury.’ Once it so happened that the wheel-turning monarch, testing that same householder-treasure, boarded a boat and sailed to the middle of the Ganges river. Then he said to the householder-treasure, ‘Householder, I need gold, both coined and uncoined.’ ‘Well then, great king, draw the boat up to one shore.’ ‘It’s right here, householder, that I need gold, both coined and uncoined.’ Then that householder-treasure, immersing both hands in the water, pulled up a pot full of gold, both coined and uncoined, and said to the king, ‘Is this sufficient, great king? Has enough been done, great king, enough offered?’ The wheel-turning monarch said, ‘That is sufficient, householder. Enough has been done, enough offered.’ Such is the householder-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:41.1Next, the commander-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. He is astute, competent, intelligent, and capable of getting the king to appoint who should be appointed, dismiss who should be dismissed, and retain who should be retained. He approaches the wheel-turning monarch and says, ‘Relax, sire. I shall issue instructions.’ Such is the commander-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.
These are the seven treasures possessed by a wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:42.1And what are the four blessings?“Blessing” is iddhi, which normally means “psychic power”.
mn129:42.2A wheel-turning monarch is attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty, more so than other humans. This is the first blessing.
mn129:43.1Furthermore, he is long-lived, more so than other humans. This is the second blessing.
mn129:44.1Furthermore, he is rarely ill or unwell, and his stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, more so than other humans. This is the third blessing.
mn129:45.1Furthermore, a wheel-turning monarch is as dear and beloved to the brahmins and householders“Householders” (gahapati) is literal; it means land owners. Thus the “brahmins and householders” (not “brahmin householders”) were the wealthy class. as a father is to his children. And the brahmins and householders are as dear to the wheel-turning monarch as children are to their father.
mn129:45.7Once it so happened that a wheel-turning monarch went with his army of four divisions to visit a park. Then the brahmins and householders went up to him and said, ‘Slow down, Your Majesty, so we may see you longer!’ And the king addressed his charioteer, ‘Drive slowly, charioteer, so I can see the brahmins and householders longer!’ This is the fourth blessing.
mn129:45.13These are the four blessings possessed by a wheel-turning monarch.
mn129:46.1What do you think, mendicants? Would a wheel-turning monarch who possessed these seven treasures and these four blessings experience pleasure and happiness because of them?”
mn129:46.3“Sir, a wheel-turning monarch who possessed even a single one of these treasures would experience pleasure and happiness because of that, let alone all seven treasures and four blessings!”
mn129:47.1Then the Buddha, picking up a stone the size of his palm, addressed the mendicants, “What do you think, mendicants? Which is bigger: the stone the size of my palm that I’ve picked up, or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?”
mn129:47.4“Sir, the stone you’ve picked up is tiny. Compared to the Himalayas, it doesn’t count, it’s not worth a fraction, there’s no comparison.”
mn129:47.5“In the same way, compared to the happiness of heaven, the pleasure and happiness experienced by a wheel-turning monarch due to those seven treasures and those four blessings doesn’t even count, it’s not even a fraction, there’s no comparison.
mn129:48.1And suppose that astute person, after a very long time, returned to the human realm. They’d be reborn in a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain. And they’d be attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They’d get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and a bed, house, and lighting. And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
mn129:49.1Suppose a gambler was to win a big pile of money with the first perfect hand. Such a perfect hand is trivial compared to the perfect hand whereby an astute person, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. This is the total fulfillment of the astute person’s level.”
mn129:49.5That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.
"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
2"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Idha, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca. No cetaṁ, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca abhavissa dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ: ‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti? Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti: ‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo tividhaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
3Sace, bhikkhave, bālo sabhāyaṁ vā nisinno hoti, rathikāya vā nisinno hoti, siṅghāṭake vā nisinno hoti; tatra ce jano tajjaṁ tassāruppaṁ kathaṁ manteti. Sace, bhikkhave, bālo pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tatra, bhikkhave, bālassa evaṁ hoti: ‘Yaṁ kho jano tajjaṁ tassāruppaṁ kathaṁ manteti, saṁvijjanteva te dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, bālo paṭhamaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bālo passati rājāno coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā vividhā kammakāraṇā kārente – kasāhipi tāḷente vettehipi tāḷente addhadaṇḍakehipi tāḷente hatthampi chindante pādampi chindante hatthapādampi chindante kaṇṇampi chindante nāsampi chindante kaṇṇanāsampi chindante bilaṅgathālikampi karonte saṅkhamuṇḍikampi karonte rāhumukhampi karonte jotimālikampi karonte hatthapajjotikampi karonte erakavattikampi karonte cīrakavāsikampi karonte eṇeyyakampi karonte baḷisamaṁsikampi karonte kahāpaṇikampi karonte khārāpatacchikampi karonte palighaparivattikampi karonte palālapīṭhakampi karonte tattenapi telena osiñcante sunakhehipi khādāpente jīvantampi sūle uttāsente asināpi sīsaṁ chindante. Tatra, bhikkhave, bālassa evaṁ hoti: ‘yathārūpānaṁ kho pāpakānaṁ kammānaṁ hetu rājāno coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā vividhā kammakāraṇā kārenti — kasāhipi tāḷenti … pe … asināpi sīsaṁ chindanti; saṁvijjanteva te dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmi. Mañcepi rājāno jāneyyuṁ, mampi rājāno gahetvā vividhā kammakāraṇā kāreyyuṁ — kasāhipi tāḷeyyuṁ … pe … jīvantampi sūle uttāseyyuṁ, asināpi sīsaṁ chindeyyun’ti. Idampi, bhikkhave, bālo dutiyaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bālaṁ pīṭhasamārūḷhaṁ vā mañcasamārūḷhaṁ vā chamāyaṁ vā semānaṁ, yānissa pubbe pāpakāni kammāni katāni kāyena duccaritāni vācāya duccaritāni manasā duccaritāni tānissa tamhi samaye olambanti ajjholambanti abhippalambanti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahataṁ pabbatakūṭānaṁ chāyā sāyanhasamayaṁ pathaviyā olambanti ajjholambanti abhippalambanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bālaṁ pīṭhasamārūḷhaṁ vā mañcasamārūḷhaṁ vā chamāyaṁ vā semānaṁ, yānissa pubbe pāpakāni kammāni katāni kāyena duccaritāni vācāya duccaritāni manasā duccaritāni tānissa tamhi samaye olambanti ajjholambanti abhippalambanti. Tatra, bhikkhave, bālassa evaṁ hoti: ‘akataṁ vata me kalyāṇaṁ, akataṁ kusalaṁ, akataṁ bhīruttāṇaṁ; kataṁ pāpaṁ, kataṁ luddaṁ, kataṁ kibbisaṁ. Yāvatā, bho, akatakalyāṇānaṁ akatakusalānaṁ akatabhīruttāṇānaṁ katapāpānaṁ kataluddānaṁ katakibbisānaṁ gati taṁ gatiṁ pecca gacchāmī’ti. So socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. Idampi, bhikkhave, bālo tatiyaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
6Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.
Yaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ekantaṁ aniṭṭhaṁ ekantaṁ akantaṁ ekantaṁ amanāpan’ti, nirayameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ekantaṁ aniṭṭhaṁ ekantaṁ akantaṁ ekantaṁ amanāpan’ti. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, upamāpi na sukarā yāva dukkhā nirayā"ti.
7Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "sakkā pana, bhante, upamaṁ kātun"ti?
"Sakkā, bhikkhū"ti bhagavā avoca.
"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ: ‘Ayaṁ kho, deva, coro āgucārī, imassa yaṁ icchasi taṁ daṇḍaṁ paṇehī’ti. Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha, bho, imaṁ purisaṁ pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sattisatena hanathā’ti. Tamenaṁ pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sattisatena haneyyuṁ. Atha rājā majjhanhikasamayaṁ evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ambho, kathaṁ so puriso’ti? ‘Tatheva, deva, jīvatī’ti. Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha, bho, taṁ purisaṁ majjhanhikasamayaṁ sattisatena hanathā’ti. Tamenaṁ majjhanhikasamayaṁ sattisatena haneyyuṁ. Atha rājā sāyanhasamayaṁ evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ambho, kathaṁ so puriso’ti? ‘Tatheva, deva, jīvatī’ti. Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha, bho, taṁ purisaṁ sāyanhasamayaṁ sattisatena hanathā’ti. Tamenaṁ sāyanhasamayaṁ sattisatena haneyyuṁ.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu so puriso tīhi sattisatehi haññamāno tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyethā"ti?
"Ekissāpi, bhante, sattiyā haññamāno so puriso tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha, ko pana vādo tīhi sattisatehī"ti?
8Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ pāṇimattaṁ pāsāṇaṁ gahetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: "taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamo nu kho mahantataro — yo cāyaṁ mayā paritto pāṇimatto pāsāṇo gahito, yo ca himavā pabbatarājā"ti?
"Appamattako ayaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā paritto pāṇimatto pāsāṇo gahito, himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya saṅkhampi na upeti, kalabhāgampi na upeti, upanidhampi na upe"ti.
"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ so puriso tīhi sattisatehi haññamāno tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti taṁ nirayakassa dukkhassa upanidhāya saṅkhampi na upeti, kalabhāgampi na upeti, upanidhampi na upeti.
9Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā pañcavidhabandhanaṁ nāma kammakāraṇaṁ karonti – tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ hatthe gamenti, tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ dutiye hatthe gamenti, tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ pāde gamenti, tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ dutiye pāde gamenti, tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ majjhe urasmiṁ gamenti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedeti, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā saṁvesetvā kuṭhārīhi tacchanti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā … pe … byantīhoti.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā uddhampādaṁ adhosiraṁ gahetvā vāsīhi tacchanti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā … pe … byantīhoti.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā rathe yojetvā ādittāya pathaviyā sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya sārentipi paccāsārentipi. So tattha dukkhā tibbā … pe … byantīhoti.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahantaṁ aṅgārapabbataṁ ādittaṁ sampajjalitaṁ sajotibhūtaṁ āropentipi oropentipi. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedeti, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā uddhampādaṁ adhosiraṁ gahetvā tattāya lohakumbhiyā pakkhipanti ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya. So tattha pheṇuddehakaṁpaccati. So tattha pheṇuddehakaṁ paccamāno sakimpi uddhaṁ gacchati, sakimpi adho gacchati, sakimpi tiriyaṁ gacchati. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedeti, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahāniraye pakkhipanti. So kho pana, bhikkhave, mahānirayo –
10Catukkaṇṇo catudvāro,
vibhatto bhāgaso mito;
Ayopākārapariyanto,
ayasā paṭikujjito.
11Tassa ayomayā bhūmi,
jalitā tejasā yutā;
Samantā yojanasataṁ,
pharitvā tiṭṭhati sabbadā.
12Anekapariyāyenapi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayakathaṁ katheyyaṁ; yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, na sukarā akkhānena pāpuṇituṁ yāva dukkhā nirayā.
13Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā tiṇabhakkhā. Te allānipi tiṇāni sukkhānipi tiṇāni dantullehakaṁ khādanti. Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā tiṇabhakkhā? Hatthī assā goṇā gadrabhā ajā migā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā tiṇabhakkhā. Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā tiṇabhakkhā.
14Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā. Te dūratova gūthagandhaṁ ghāyitvā dhāvanti: ‘ettha bhuñjissāma, ettha bhuñjissāmā’ti. Seyyathāpi nāma brāhmaṇā āhutigandhena dhāvanti: ‘ettha bhuñjissāma, ettha bhuñjissāmā’ti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, santi tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā, te dūratova gūthagandhaṁ ghāyitvā dhāvanti: ‘ettha bhuñjissāma, ettha bhuñjissāmā’ti. Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā? Kukkuṭā sūkarā soṇā siṅgālā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā. Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā gūthabhakkhā.
15Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti. Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti? Kīṭā puḷavā gaṇḍuppādā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti. Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo, idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti.
16Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti. Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti? Macchā kacchapā susumārā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti. Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti.
17Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti. Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti? Ye te, bhikkhave, sattā pūtimacche vā jāyanti pūtimacche vā jīyanti pūtimacche vā mīyanti pūtikuṇape vā … pe … pūtikummāse vā … candanikāya vā … oligalle vā jāyanti, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti
. Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti.
18Anekapariyāyenapi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, tiracchānayonikathaṁ katheyyaṁ; yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, na sukaraṁ akkhānena pāpuṇituṁ yāva dukkhā tiracchānayoni.
19Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso ekacchiggalaṁ yugaṁ mahāsamudde pakkhipeyya. Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya. Tatrāssa kāṇo kacchapo, so vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena sakiṁ ummujjeyya.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu so kāṇo kacchapo amusmiṁ ekacchiggale yuge gīvaṁ paveseyyā"ti?
" No hetaṁ, bhante". " Yadi pana, bhante, kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayenā"ti.
"Khippataraṁ kho so, bhikkhave, kāṇo kacchapo amusmiṁ ekacchiggale yuge gīvaṁ paveseyya, ato dullabhatarāhaṁ, bhikkhave, manussattaṁ vadāmi sakiṁ vinipātagatena bālena. Taṁ kissa hetu? Na hettha, bhikkhave, atthi dhammacariyā samacariyā kusalakiriyā puññakiriyā. Aññamaññakhādikā ettha, bhikkhave, vattati dubbalakhādikā.
20Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo sace kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena manussattaṁ āgacchati, yāni tāni nīcakulāni — caṇḍālakulaṁ vā nesādakulaṁ vā venakulaṁ vā rathakārakulaṁ vā pukkusakulaṁ vā. Tathārūpe kule paccājāyati dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati. So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khujjo vā pakkhahato vā na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa. So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati vācāya duccaritaṁ carati manasā duccaritaṁ carati. So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.
21Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, akkhadhutto paṭhameneva kaliggahena puttampi jīyetha, dārampi jīyetha, sabbaṁ sāpateyyampi jīyetha, uttaripi adhibandhaṁ nigaccheyya. Appamattako so, bhikkhave, kaliggaho yaṁ so akkhadhutto paṭhameneva kaliggahena puttampi jīyetha, dārampi jīyetha, sabbaṁ sāpateyyampi jīyetha, uttaripi adhibandhaṁ nigaccheyya. Atha kho ayameva tato mahantataro kaliggaho yaṁ so bālo kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, kevalā paripūrā bālabhūmīti.
22Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Idha, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca. No cetaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca abhavissa subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ: ‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti? Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti: ‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito tividhaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti. Sace, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sabhāyaṁ vā nisinno hoti, rathikāya vā nisinno hoti, siṅghāṭake vā nisinno hoti; tatra ce jano tajjaṁ tassāruppaṁ kathaṁ manteti. Sace, bhikkhave, paṇḍito pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti; tatra, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa evaṁ hoti: ‘Yaṁ kho jano tajjaṁ tassāruppaṁ kathaṁ manteti; saṁvijjanteva te dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito paṭhamaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
23Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito passati rājāno coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā vividhā kammakāraṇā kārente — kasāhipi tāḷente vettehipi tāḷente addhadaṇḍakehipi tāḷente hatthampi chindante pādampi chindante hatthapādampi chindante kaṇṇampi chindante nāsampi chindante kaṇṇanāsampi chindante bilaṅgathālikampi karonte saṅkhamuṇḍikampi karonte rāhumukhampi karonte jotimālikampi karonte hatthapajjotikampi karonte erakavattikampi karonte cīrakavāsikampi karonte eṇeyyakampi karonte balisamaṁsikampi karonte kahāpaṇikampi karonte khārāpatacchikampi karonte palighaparivattikampi karonte palālapīṭhakampi karonte tattenapi telena osiñcante sunakhehipi khādāpente jīvantampi sūle uttāsente asināpi sīsaṁ chindante. Tatra, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa evaṁ hoti: ‘yathārūpānaṁ kho pāpakānaṁ kammānaṁ hetu rājāno coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā vividhā kammakāraṇā kārenti kasāhipi tāḷenti, vettehipi tāḷenti, addhadaṇḍakehipi tāḷenti, hatthampi chindanti, pādampi chindanti, hatthapādampi chindanti, kaṇṇampi chindanti, nāsampi chindanti, kaṇṇanāsampi chindanti, bilaṅgathālikampi karonti, saṅkhamuṇḍikampi karonti, rāhumukhampi karonti, jotimālikampi karonti, hatthapajjotikampi karonti, erakavattikampi karonti, cīrakavāsikampi karonti, eṇeyyakampi karonti, balisamaṁsikampi karonti, kahāpaṇikampi karonti, khārāpatacchikampi karonti, palighaparivattikampi karonti, palālapīṭhakampi karonti, tattenapi telena osiñcanti, sunakhehipi khādāpenti, jīvantampi sūle uttāsenti, asināpi sīsaṁ chindanti, na te dhammā mayi saṁvijjanti, ahañca na tesu dhammesu sandissāmī’ti. Idampi, bhikkhave, paṇḍito dutiyaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
24Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍitaṁ pīṭhasamārūḷhaṁ vā mañcasamārūḷhaṁ vā chamāyaṁ vā semānaṁ, yānissa pubbe kalyāṇāni kammāni katāni kāyena sucaritāni vācāya sucaritāni manasā sucaritāni tānissa tamhi samaye olambanti … pe … seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahataṁ pabbatakūṭānaṁ chāyā sāyanhasamayaṁ pathaviyā olambanti ajjholambanti abhippalambanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, paṇḍitaṁ pīṭhasamārūḷhaṁ vā mañcasamārūḷhaṁ vā chamāyaṁ vā semānaṁ yānissa pubbe kalyāṇāni kammāni katāni kāyena sucaritāni vācāya sucaritāni manasā sucaritāni tānissa tamhi samaye olambanti ajjholambanti abhippalambanti. Tatra, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa evaṁ hoti: ‘akataṁ vata me pāpaṁ, akataṁ luddaṁ, akataṁ kibbisaṁ; kataṁ kalyāṇaṁ, kataṁ kusalaṁ, kataṁ bhīruttāṇaṁ. Yāvatā, bho, akatapāpānaṁ akataluddānaṁ akatakibbisānaṁ katakalyāṇānaṁ katakusalānaṁ katabhīruttāṇānaṁ gati taṁ gatiṁ pecca gacchāmī’ti. So na socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Idampi, bhikkhave, paṇḍito tatiyaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
25Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.
Yaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ekantaṁ iṭṭhaṁ ekantaṁ kantaṁ ekantaṁ manāpan’ti, saggameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ekantaṁ iṭṭhaṁ ekantaṁ kantaṁ ekantaṁ manāpan’ti. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, upamāpi na sukarā yāva sukhā saggā"ti.
26Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "sakkā pana, bhante, upamaṁ kātun"ti?
"Sakkā, bhikkhū"ti bhagavā avoca.
"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī sattahi ratanehi samannāgato catūhi ca iddhīhi tatonidānaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.
Katamehi sattahi? Idha, bhikkhave, rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa tadahuposathe pannarase sīsaṁnhātassa uposathikassa uparipāsādavaragatassa dibbaṁ cakkaratanaṁ pātubhavati sahassāraṁ sanemikaṁ sanābhikaṁ sabbākāraparipūraṁ. Taṁ disvāna rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa evaṁ hoti: ‘sutaṁ kho pana metaṁ yassa rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa tadahuposathe pannarase sīsaṁnhātassa uposathikassa uparipāsādavaragatassa dibbaṁ cakkaratanaṁ pātubhavati sahassāraṁ sanemikaṁ sanābhikaṁ sabbākāraparipūraṁ, so hoti rājā cakkavattīti. Assaṁ nu kho ahaṁ rājā cakkavattī’ti?
27Atha kho, bhikkhave, rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto vāmena hatthena bhiṅkāraṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena cakkaratanaṁ abbhukkirati: ‘pavattatu bhavaṁ cakkaratanaṁ, abhivijinātu bhavaṁ cakkaratanan’ti. Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, cakkaratanaṁ puratthimaṁ disaṁ pavattati. Anvadeva rājā cakkavattī saddhiṁ caturaṅginiyā senāya. Yasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, padese cakkaratanaṁ patiṭṭhāti tattha rājā cakkavattī vāsaṁ upeti saddhiṁ caturaṅginiyā senāya. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, puratthimāya disāya paṭirājāno te rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāhaṁsu: ‘ehi kho, mahārāja. Svāgataṁ te, mahārāja. Sakaṁ te, mahārāja. Anusāsa, mahārājā’ti. Rājā cakkavattī evamāha: ‘pāṇo na hantabbo, adinnaṁ nādātabbaṁ, kāmesumicchā na caritabbā, musā na bhāsitabbā, majjaṁ na pātabbaṁ, yathābhuttañca bhuñjathā’ti. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, puratthimāya disāya paṭirājāno te rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti.
28Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, cakkaratanaṁ puratthimaṁ samuddaṁ ajjhogāhetvā paccuttaritvā dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ pavattati … pe … dakkhiṇaṁ samuddaṁ ajjhogāhetvā paccuttaritvā pacchimaṁ disaṁ pavattati … pe … pacchimaṁ samuddaṁ ajjhogāhetvā paccuttaritvā uttaraṁ disaṁ pavattati anvadeva rājā cakkavattī saddhiṁ caturaṅginiyā senāya. Yasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, padese cakkaratanaṁ patiṭṭhāti tattha rājā cakkavattī vāsaṁ upeti saddhiṁ caturaṅginiyā senāya.
29Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, uttarāya disāya paṭirājāno te rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāhaṁsu: ‘ehi kho, mahārāja. Svāgataṁ te, mahārāja. Sakaṁ te, mahārāja. Anusāsa, mahārājā’ti. Rājā cakkavattī evamāha: ‘pāṇo na hantabbo, adinnaṁ nādātabbaṁ, kāmesumicchā na caritabbā, musā na bhāsitabbā, majjaṁ na pātabbaṁ; yathābhuttañca bhuñjathā’ti. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, uttarāya disāya paṭirājāno te rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti.
30Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, cakkaratanaṁ samuddapariyantaṁ pathaviṁ abhivijinitvā tameva rājadhāniṁ paccāgantvā rañño cakkavattissa antepuradvāre akkhāhataṁ maññe tiṭṭhati rañño cakkavattissa antepuradvāraṁ upasobhayamānaṁ. Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ cakkaratanaṁ pātubhavati. (1)
31Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño cakkavattissa hatthiratanaṁ pātubhavati – sabbaseto sattappatiṭṭho iddhimā vehāsaṅgamo uposatho nāma nāgarājā. Taṁ disvāna rañño cakkavattissa cittaṁ pasīdati: ‘bhaddakaṁ vata bho hatthiyānaṁ, sace damathaṁ upeyyā’ti. Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, hatthiratanaṁ seyyathāpi nāma bhaddo hatthājānīyo dīgharattaṁ suparidanto evameva damathaṁ upeti. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī tameva hatthiratanaṁ vīmaṁsamāno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ abhiruhitvā samuddapariyantaṁ pathaviṁ anusaṁyāyitvā tameva rājadhāniṁ paccāgantvā pātarāsamakāsi. Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ hatthiratanaṁ pātubhavati. (2)
32Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño cakkavattissa assaratanaṁ pātubhavati – sabbaseto kāḷasīso muñjakeso iddhimā vehāsaṅgamo valāhako nāma assarājā. Taṁ disvāna rañño cakkavattissa cittaṁ pasīdati: ‘bhaddakaṁ vata bho assayānaṁ, sace damathaṁ upeyyā’ti. Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, assaratanaṁ seyyathāpi nāma bhaddo assājānīyo dīgharattaṁ suparidanto evameva damathaṁ upeti. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī tameva assaratanaṁ vīmaṁsamāno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ abhiruhitvā samuddapariyantaṁ pathaviṁ anusaṁyāyitvā tameva rājadhāniṁ paccāgantvā pātarāsamakāsi. Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ assaratanaṁ pātubhavati. (3)
33Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño cakkavattissa maṇiratanaṁ pātubhavati. So hoti maṇi veḷuriyo subho jātimā aṭṭhaṁso suparikammakato. Tassa kho pana, bhikkhave, maṇiratanassa ābhā samantā yojanaṁ phuṭā hoti. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī tameva maṇiratanaṁ vīmaṁsamāno caturaṅginiṁ senaṁ sannayhitvā maṇiṁ dhajaggaṁ āropetvā rattandhakāratimisāya pāyāsi. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, samantā gāmā ahesuṁ te tenobhāsena kammante payojesuṁ ‘divā’ti maññamānā. Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ maṇiratanaṁ pātubhavati. (4)
34Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño cakkavattissa itthiratanaṁ pātubhavati. Sā abhirūpā dassanīyā pāsādikā paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgatā nātidīghā nātirassā nātikisā nātithūlā nātikāḷikā nāccodātā, atikkantā mānusaṁ vaṇṇaṁ, appattā dibbaṁ vaṇṇaṁ. Tassa kho pana, bhikkhave, itthiratanassa evarūpo kāyasamphasso hoti, seyyathāpi nāma tūlapicuno vā kappāsapicuno vā. Tassa kho pana, bhikkhave, itthiratanassa sīte uṇhāni gattāni honti, uṇhe sītāni gattāni honti. Tassa kho pana, bhikkhave, itthiratanassa kāyato candanagandho vāyati, mukhato uppalagandho vāyati. Taṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, itthiratanaṁ rañño cakkavattissa pubbuṭṭhāyinī hoti pacchānipātinī kiṁkārapaṭissāvinī manāpacārinī piyavādinī. Taṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, itthiratanaṁ rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ manasāpi no aticarati, kuto pana kāyena? Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ itthiratanaṁ pātubhavati. (5)
35Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño cakkavattissa gahapatiratanaṁ pātubhavati. Tassa kammavipākajaṁ dibbacakkhu pātubhavati, yena nidhiṁ passati sassāmikampi assāmikampi. So rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: ‘appossukko tvaṁ, deva, hohi. Ahaṁ te dhanena dhanakaraṇīyaṁ karissāmī’ti. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī tameva gahapatiratanaṁ vīmaṁsamāno nāvaṁ abhiruhitvā majjhe gaṅgāya nadiyā sotaṁ ogāhitvā gahapatiratanaṁ etadavoca: ‘attho me, gahapati, hiraññasuvaṇṇenā’ti. ‘Tena hi, mahārāja, ekaṁ tīraṁ nāvā upetū’ti. ‘Idheva me, gahapati, attho hiraññasuvaṇṇenā’ti. Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, gahapatiratanaṁ ubhohi hatthehi udake omasitvā pūraṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇassa kumbhiṁ uddharitvā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ etadavoca: ‘alamettāvatā, mahārāja. Katamettāvatā, mahārāja. Pūjitamettāvatā, mahārājā’ti. Rājā cakkavattī evamāha: ‘alamettāvatā, gahapati. Katamettāvatā, gahapati. Pūjitamettāvatā, gahapatī’ti. Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ gahapatiratanaṁ pātubhavati. (6)
36Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño cakkavattissa pariṇāyakaratanaṁ pātubhavati – paṇḍito byatto medhāvī paṭibalo rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ upayāpetabbaṁ upayāpetuṁ apayāpetabbaṁ apayāpetuṁ ṭhapetabbaṁ ṭhapetuṁ. So rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: ‘appossukko tvaṁ, deva, hohi. Ahamanusāsissāmī’ti. Rañño, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa evarūpaṁ pariṇāyakaratanaṁ pātubhavati.
Rājā, bhikkhave, cakkavattī imehi sattahi ratanehi samannāgato hoti. (7)
37Katamāhi catūhi iddhīhi?
Idha, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī abhirūpo hoti dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato ativiya aññehi manussehi. Rājā, bhikkhave, cakkavattī imāya paṭhamāya iddhiyā samannāgato hoti.
38Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī dīghāyuko hoti ciraṭṭhitiko ativiya aññehi manussehi. Rājā, bhikkhave, cakkavattī imāya dutiyāya iddhiyā samannāgato hoti.
39Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī appābādho hoti appātaṅko samavepākiniyā gahaṇiyā samannāgato nātisītāya nāccuṇhāya ativiya aññehi manussehi. Rājā, bhikkhave, cakkavattī imāya tatiyāya iddhiyā samannāgato hoti.
40Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ piyo hoti manāpo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pitā puttānaṁ piyo hoti manāpo; evameva kho, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ piyo hoti manāpo. Raññopi, bhikkhave, cakkavattissa brāhmaṇagahapatikā piyā honti manāpā. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pitu puttā piyā honti manāpā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, raññopi cakkavattissa brāhmaṇagahapatikā piyā honti manāpā.
41Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā cakkavattī caturaṅginiyā senāya uyyānabhūmiṁ niyyāsi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇagahapatikā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāhaṁsu: ‘ataramāno, deva, yāhi yathā taṁ mayaṁ cirataraṁ passeyyāmā’ti. Rājāpi, bhikkhave, cakkavattī sārathiṁ āmantesi: ‘ataramāno, sārathi, pesehi yathā maṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikā cirataraṁ passeyyun’ti. Rājā, bhikkhave, cakkavattī imāya catutthāya iddhiyā samannāgato hoti.
Rājā, bhikkhave, cakkavattī imāhi catūhi iddhīhi samannāgato hoti.
42Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu kho rājā cakkavattī imehi sattahi ratanehi samannāgato imāhi catūhi ca iddhīhi tatonidānaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyethā"ti?
"Ekamekenapi, bhante, ratanena samannāgato rājā cakkavattī tatonidānaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha, ko pana vādo sattahi ratanehi catūhi ca iddhīhī"ti?
43Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ pāṇimattaṁ pāsāṇaṁ gahetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: "taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamo nu kho mahantataro — yo cāyaṁ mayā paritto pāṇimatto pāsāṇo gahito yo ca himavā pabbatarājā"ti?
"Appamattako ayaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā paritto pāṇimatto pāsāṇo gahito; himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya saṅkhampi na upeti; kalabhāgampi na upeti; upanidhampi na upetī"ti.
"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ rājā cakkavattī sattahi ratanehi samannāgato catūhi ca iddhīhi tatonidānaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti taṁ dibbassa sukhassa upanidhāya saṅkhampi na upeti; kalabhāgampi na upeti; upanidhampi na upeti.
44Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sace kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena manussattaṁ āgacchati, yāni tāni uccākulāni — khattiyamahāsālakulaṁ vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakulaṁ vā gahapatimahāsālakulaṁ vā tathārūpe kule paccājāyati aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe. So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa. So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati. So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, akkhadhutto paṭhameneva kaṭaggahena mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ adhigaccheyya; appamattako so, bhikkhave, kaṭaggaho yaṁ so akkhadhutto paṭhameneva kaṭaggahena mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ adhigaccheyya. Atha kho ayameva tato mahantataro kaṭaggaho yaṁ so paṇḍito kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, kevalā paripūrā paṇḍitabhūmī"ti.
45Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Bālapaṇḍitasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ navamaṁ.