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3. Aññataraukkaṇṭhitabhikkhuvatthu3.3 The Story about a Dissatisfied Bhikkhu
Sududdasanti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā sāvatthiyaṃ viharanto aññataraṃ ukkaṇṭhitabhikkhuṃ ārabbha kathesi.“Hard to see and very subtle,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Sāvatthī with reference to a certain discontented bhikkhu.[29.8] marks page 8 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation. The VRI Pāli says the Teacher was residing at Sāvatthī. The original translation specified Jetavana, which this passage does not name.
Satthari kira sāvatthiyaṃ viharante eko seṭṭhiputto attano kulūpagattheraṃ upasaṅkamitvā, “bhante, ahaṃ dukkhā muccitukāmo,We are told that while the Teacher was in residence at Sāvatthī, a certain rich man’s son approached an elder who resorted to his house for alms and said to him: “Venerable Sir,
ekaṃ me dukkhato muccanakāraṇaṃ kathethā”ti āha. “Sādhāvuso, sacesi dukkhā muccitukāmo, salākabhattaṃ dehi, pakkhikabhattaṃ dehi, vassāvāsikaṃ dehi, cīvarādayo paccaye dehi,I desire to obtain release from suffering. Tell me some way by which I can obtain release from suffering.” The elder replied: “Good, friend. If you desire release from suffering, give ticket-food, give fortnightly food, give gifts for the rains residence,{1.298} marks page 298 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text. The gift named vassāvāsika is for the rains residence. The original translation called it lodging during the rains.
attano sāpateyyaṃ tayo koṭṭhāse katvā ekena kammantaṃ payojehi, ekena puttadāraṃ posehi, ekaṃ buddhasāsane dehī”ti āha.give robes and the other requisites. Divide your possessions into three parts: with one portion carry on your business; with another portion support son and wife; dispense the third portion in alms in the dispensation of the Buddha.”The Pāli names robes and the other requisites. The original translation additionally specified bowls.
So “sādhu, bhante”ti vuttapaṭipāṭiyā sabbaṃ katvā puna theraṃ pucchi – “tato uttariṃ aññaṃ kiṃ karomi,“Very well, venerable Sir,” said the rich man’s son, and did all in the prescribed order. Having done all, he returned to the elder and asked him: “Venerable Sir, is there anything else I ought to do?” – “Friend,
bhante”ti? “Āvuso, tīṇi saraṇāni gaṇha, pañca sīlāni gaṇhāhī”ti. Tānipi paṭiggahetvā tato uttariṃ pucchi. “Tena hi dasa sīlāni gaṇhāhī”ti.take upon yourself the three refuges and the five precepts.” The rich man’s son did so, and then asked whether there was anything else he ought to do. “Yes,” replied the Elder, “take upon yourself the ten precepts.” – “Very well, venerable Sir,”
“Sādhu, bhante”ti gaṇhi. So evaṃ anupubbena puññakammassa katattā anupubbaseṭṭhiputto nāma jāto.said the rich man’s son, and took upon himself the ten precepts. Because the rich man’s son had in this manner performed works of merit gradually (anupubbena), he came to be called Anupubba,The name in the Pāli is Anupubbaseṭṭhiputta, meaning Anupubba, the rich man’s son. It refers to his gradual sequence of meritorious acts.
Tato “uttarimpi kattabbaṃ atthi, bhante”ti puna pucchitvā, “tena hi pabbajāhī”ti vutto nikkhamitvā pabbaji.the Rich Man’s Son (Gradual). Again he asked the elder: “Venerable Sir, is there anything else I ought to do?” The elder replied: “Yes, go forth.” The rich man’s son immediately went forth.
Tasseko ābhidhammikabhikkhu ācariyo ahosi. Eko vinayadharo upajjhāyo.Now he had a teacher who was versed in the Abhidhamma and a preceptor who was versed in the Vinaya.
Tassa laddhūpasampadassa ācariyo attano santikaṃ āgatakāle abhidhamme pañhaṃ kathesi – “buddhasāsane nāma idaṃ kātuṃ vaṭṭati,After he had taken higher ordination, whenever he approached his teacher, the latter discussed questions in the Abhidhamma: “In the dispensation of the Buddha it is lawful to do this,The teacher discusses questions in the Abhidhamma; the preceptor similarly discusses questions in the Vinaya. The original translation described both as repeating questions.
idaṃ na vaṭṭatī”ti. Upajjhāyopissa attano santikaṃ āgatakāle vinaye pañhaṃ kathesi – “buddhasāsane nāma idaṃ kātuṃ vaṭṭati, idaṃ na vaṭṭati, idaṃ kappati,it is unlawful to do that.” And whenever he approached his preceptor, the latter discussed questions in the Vinaya: “In the dispensation of the Buddha it is lawful to do this, it is unlawful to do that; this is proper, this is improper.”[29.9] marks page 9 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation.
idaṃ na kappatī”ti. So cintesi – “aho bhāriyaṃ idaṃ kammaṃ, ahaṃ dukkhā muccitukāmo pabbajito, idha ca mama hatthapasāraṇaṭṭhānampi na paññāyati,After a time he thought to himself: “Oh, what a wearisome task this is! I went forth in order to obtain release from suffering, but here there is not even room for me to stretch out my hands. It is possible, however,{1.299} marks page 299 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
gehe ṭhatvāva dukkhā muccituṃ sakkā, mayā gihinā bhavituṃ vaṭṭatī”ti.to obtain release from suffering, even if one live the household life. I had best become a householder once more.”
So tato paṭṭhāya ukkaṇṭhito anabhirato dvattiṃsākāre sajjhāyaṃ na karoti,From that time forth, discontented and dissatisfied, he recited the thirty-two parts of the body no more and received instruction no more.Dvattiṃsākāre sajjhāyaṃ means reciting the thirty-two parts of the body. The original translation called this rehearsing the thirty-two-fold nature.
uddesaṃ na gaṇhāti, kiso lūkho dhamanisanthatagatto ālassiyābhibhūto kacchuparikiṇṇo ahosi.He became emaciated, his skin became rough, veins stood out all over his body, laziness oppressed him, and his body was covered with scabs.Lūkho describes a rough appearance, and ālassiya is laziness. The original translation rendered these as shriveled skin and weariness.
Atha naṃ daharasāmaṇerā, “āvuso, kiṃ tvaṃ ṭhitaṭṭhāne ṭhitova nisinnaṭṭhāne nisinnova ahosi,The young bhikkhus and novices asked him: “Friend, how is it that you remain standing where you stand and sitting where you sit,
paṇḍurogābhibhūto kiso lūkho dhamanisanthatagatto ālassiyābhibhūto kacchuparikiṇṇo, kiṃ te kata”nti pucchiṃsu. “Ukkaṇṭhitomhi,overcome by jaundice, emaciated, rough-skinned, with veins standing out all over your body, oppressed by laziness, and covered with scabs? What have you done?”The question repeats the monk’s visible symptoms, including prominent veins and laziness; both were omitted in the original translation.
āvuso”ti. “Kiṃ kāraṇā”ti? So taṃ pavattiṃ ārocesi. Te tassa ācariyupajjhāyānaṃ ācikkhiṃsu. Ācariyupajjhāyā taṃ ādāya satthu santikaṃ agamaṃsu.– “Friends, I am discontent.” – “Why?” He told them his story, and they told his teacher and his preceptor, and his teacher and his preceptor took him with them to the Teacher.
Satthā “kiṃ, bhikkhave, āgatatthā”ti āha. “Bhante, ayaṃ bhikkhu tumhākaṃ sāsane ukkaṇṭhito”ti. “Evaṃ kira bhikkhū”ti. “Āma, bhante”ti.The Teacher said: “Bhikkhus, why have you come?” – “Venerable Sir, this bhikkhu is dissatisfied in your dispensation.” – “Bhikkhu, is what they say true?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.” – “Why are you dissatisfied?”
“Kiṃ kāraṇā”ti? “Ahaṃ, bhante, dukkhā muccitukāmova pabbajito, tassa me ācariyo abhidhammakathaṃ kathesi,– “Venerable Sir, I went forth in order to obtain release from suffering. My teacher has spoken about the Abhidhamma, and my preceptor has spoken about the Vinaya.The Pāli says the teacher and preceptor spoke about the Abhidhamma and Vinaya. The original translation called these recited passages.
upajjhāyo vinayakathaṃ kathesi, svāhaṃ ‘idha me hatthapasāraṇaṭṭhānampi natthi, gihinā hutvā sakkā dukkhā muccituṃ, gihi bhavissāmī’ti sanniṭṭhānamakāsiṃ, bhante”ti.Venerable Sir, I have come to the following conclusion: ‘Here there is not even room for me to stretch out my hands. It is possible for me to obtain release from suffering as a householder.
“Sace tvaṃ, bhikkhu, ekameva rakkhituṃ sakkhissasi, avasesānaṃ rakkhanakiccaṃ natthī”ti. “Kiṃ, bhante”ti? “Tava cittameva rakkhituṃ sakkhissasī”ti. “Sakkhissāmi, bhante”ti.I will therefore become a householder.’” – “Bhikkhu, if you can guard one thing, it will not be necessary for you to guard the rest.” – “What is that, venerable Sir?” – “Can you guard your mind?” – “I can,The Teacher asks whether the monk can guard his citta, his mind. The original translation said ‘thoughts.’
“Tena hi attano cittameva rakkhāhi, sakkā dukkhā muccitu”nti imaṃ ovādaṃ datvā imaṃ gāthamāha –venerable Sir.” – “Well then, guard your mind alone; you can obtain release from suffering.” Having given this admonition, the Teacher pronounced the following verse:The Teacher adds that by guarding his mind he can be released from suffering; the original translation omitted this assurance.
36. “Sududdasaṃ sunipuṇaṃ, yatthakāmanipātinaṃ; Cittaṃ rakkhetha medhāvī, cittaṃ guttaṃ sukhāvaha”nti.Hard to see and very subtle, and flitting wherever it will, the sage should surely guard the mind, a guarded mind brings happiness.
Tattha sududdasanti suṭṭhu duddasaṃ. Sunipuṇanti suṭṭhu nipuṇaṃ paramasaṇhaṃ. Yatthakāmanipātinanti jātiādīni anoloketvā labhitabbālabhitabbayuttāyuttaṭṭhānesu yattha katthaci nipatanasīlaṃ.
Cittaṃ rakkhetha medhāvīti andhabālo dummedho attano cittaṃ rakkhituṃ samattho nāma natthi, cittavasiko hutvā anayabyasanaṃ pāpuṇāti. Medhāvī pana paṇḍitova cittaṃ rakkhituṃ sakkoti,
tasmā tvampi cittameva gopehi. Idañhi cittaṃ guttaṃ sukhāvahaṃ maggaphalanibbānasukhāni āvahatīti.
Desanāpariyosāne so bhikkhu sotāpattiphalaṃ pāpuṇi, aññepi bahū sotāpannādayo ahesuṃ, desanā mahājanassa sātthikā ahosīti.At the conclusion of that teaching the bhikkhu attained the fruition of Stream-entry, and many others became Stream-enterers and so on, and many people benefited from that teaching.
Aññataraukkaṇṭhitabhikkhuvatthu tatiyaṃ.