Theravadan

From: Pali, Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

9. Soreyyattheravatthu3.9 The Story about the Elder Soreyya

Na taṃ mātā pitā kayirāti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā sāvatthiyaṃ jetavane viharanto soreyyattheraṃ ārabbha kathesi. Vatthu soreyyanagare samuṭṭhitaṃ, sāvatthiyaṃ niṭṭhāpesi.“Mother and father might not do for him,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at the Jetavana in Sāvatthī with reference to the Elder Soreyya. The story begins in the city of Soreyya and ends in the city of Sāvatthī.

Sammāsambuddhe sāvatthiyaṃ viharante soreyyanagare soreyyaseṭṭhiputto ekena sahāyakena saddhiṃ sukhayānake nisīditvā mahantena parivārena nhānatthāya nagarā nikkhami.While the Sambuddha was in residence at Sāvatthī, the following incident took place in the city of Soreyya: A rich man’s son named Soreyya, together with a certain intimate friend of his,

Tasmiṃ khaṇe mahākaccāyanatthero soreyyanagaraṃ piṇḍāya pavisitukāmo hutvā bahinagare saṅghāṭiṃ pārupati. Therassa ca suvaṇṇavaṇṇaṃ sarīraṃ.sitting in a carriage, accompanied by a large retinue, drove out of the city to bathe. At that moment Elder Mahā Kaccāyana, intending to enter the city of Soreyya for alms,

Soreyyaseṭṭhiputto taṃ disvā cintesi – “aho vata ayaṃ vā thero mama bhariyā bhaveyya, mama vā bhariyāya sarīravaṇṇo etassa sarīravaṇṇo viya bhaveyyā”ti.was putting on his upper robe outside of the city. When the rich man’s son Soreyya saw the golden-hued body of the elder, he thought to himself: “Oh, that this elder might become my wife! Else may the hue of my wife’s body become like the hue of his body!”

Tassa cintitamatteyeva purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, itthiliṅgaṃ pāturahosi. So lajjamāno yānakā oruyha palāyi.The instant this thought passed through his mind Soreyya was transformed from a man into a woman. He descended from the carriage in embarrassment and took to flight. His attendants,

Parijano taṃ asañjānanto “kimeta”nti āha. Sāpi takkasilamaggaṃ paṭipajji. Sahāyakopissā ito cito ca vicaritvāpi nāddasa.not recognizing her, said: “What does this mean? What does this mean?” Soreyya, thus transformed into a woman set out on the road to Takkasilā. His carriage-companion searched everywhere for him, but failed to find him.

Sabbe nhāyitvā gehaṃ agamiṃsu. “Kahaṃ seṭṭhiputto”ti ca vutte, “nhatvā āgato bhavissatīti maññimhā”ti vadiṃsu.When all the members of the party had bathed, they returned home. They were asked: “Where is the rich man’s son?” They replied: “We supposed that, after bathing, he must have returned home.”

Athassa mātāpitaro tattha tattha pariyesitvā apassantā roditvā paridevitvā, “mato bhavissatī”ti matakabhattaṃ adaṃsu.His mother and father searched everywhere for him, but failing to find him, wept and lamented. And concluding that he must be dead, they gave the funeral feast.

Sā ekaṃ takkasilagāmiṃ satthavāhaṃ disvā yānakassa pacchato pacchato anubandhi. Atha naṃ manussā disvā, “amhākaṃ yānakassa pacchato pacchato anugacchati,Soreyya, now a woman, seeing a caravan leader bound for Takkasilā, followed close behind his wagon. Members of the caravan noticed her and said: “She keeps following close behind our wagon,

mayaṃ ‘kassesā dārikā’ti taṃ na jānāmā”ti vadiṃsu. Sāpi “tumhe attano yānakaṃ pājetha, ahaṃ padasā gamissāmī”ti gacchantī aṅgulimuddikaṃ datvā ekasmiṃ yānake okāsaṃ kāresi.but we do not know whose daughter she is.” Said she: “Masters, drive your own wagon. I will follow on foot.” Having continued her journey on foot for a considerable distance, she gave them a seal-ring to make room for her in a certain wagon.

Manussā cintayiṃsu – “takkasilanagare amhākaṃ seṭṭhiputtassa bhariyā natthi, tassa ācikkhissāma, mahāpaṇṇākāro no bhavissatī”ti. Te gehaṃ gantvā, “sāmi,The men of the caravan thought to themselves: “Our rich man’s son, who lives in the city of Takkasilā, has no wife. We will tell him about this woman, and he will give us a handsome present.” So when they reached Takkasilā,

amhehi tumhākaṃ ekaṃ itthiratanaṃ ānīta”nti āhaṃsu. So taṃ sutvā taṃ pakkosāpetvā attano vayānurūpaṃ abhirūpaṃ pāsādikaṃ disvā uppannasineho gehe akāsi.they went and said to him: “Master, we have brought you a jewel of a woman.” When the rich man’s son heard this, he sent for her. Observing that she suited his age and was exceedingly beautiful, he fell in love with her and married her.

Purisā hi itthiyo, itthiyo vā purisā abhūtapubbā nāma natthi.For there are no men who have not, at some time or other, been women; and no women who have not, at some time or other,

Purisā hi parassa dāresu aticaritvā kālaṃ katvā bahūni vassasatasahassāni niraye paccitvā manussajātiṃ āgacchantā attabhāvasate itthibhāvaṃ āpajjanti.been men. For example, men who have transgressed with the wives of other men are after death tormented in Niraya Hell for hundreds of thousands of years, and upon resuming human estate are reborn as women during a hundred successive states of existence.

Ānandattheropi kappasatasahassaṃ pūritapāramī ariyasāvako saṃsāre saṃsaranto ekasmiṃ attabhāve kammārakule nibbatto. Paradārakammaṃ katvā niraye paccitvā pakkāvasesena cuddasasu attabhāvesu purisassa pādaparicārikā itthī ahosi,For even the Elder Ānanda, who fulfilled the perfections for 100,000 aeons of time and was a Noble Disciple, reborn in a blacksmith’s family in a certain state of existence, as he passed from one state of existence to another in the round of existences, transgressed with the wife of another man. As a result he suffered torment in Niraya Hell, and thereafter, because the fruit of his wicked deed was not yet exhausted, he was obliged to spend fourteen existences as the wife of another man,

sattasu attabhāvesu bījuddharaṇaṃ pāpuṇi.and underwent castration in seven further existences.

Itthiyo pana dānādīni puññāni katvā itthibhāve chandaṃ virājetvā, “idaṃ no puññaṃ purisattabhāvapaṭilābhāya saṃvattatū”ti cittaṃ adhiṭṭhahitvā kālaṃ katvā purisattabhāvaṃ paṭilabhanti,On the other hand women, by bestowing alms and performing other works of merit, by putting away desire to continue in existence longer as women, by forming the resolution: “May this work of merit of ours avail to procure for us rebirth as men,” obtain rebirth as men after death.

patidevatā hutvā sāmike sammāpaṭipattivasenāpi purisattabhāvaṃ paṭilabhanteva. Ayaṃ pana seṭṭhiputto there ayoniso cittaṃ uppādetvā imasmiṃyeva attabhāve itthibhāvaṃ paṭilabhi.Likewise wives who regard their husbands as deities and conduct themselves properly towards them obtain rebirth as men. But this rich man’s son, having unwisely set his thought on the elder, was in that very existence transformed into a woman.

Takkasilāyaṃ seṭṭhiputtena saddhiṃ saṃvāsamanvāya pana tassā kucchiyaṃ gabbho patiṭṭhāsi.So the son of the rich man of Soreyya, transformed into a woman, was married to the son of the rich man of Takkasilā, and as a result of their living together,

Sā dasamāsaccayena puttaṃ labhitvā tassa padasā gamanakāle aparampi puttaṃ paṭilabhi.she conceived a child in her womb. When ten lunar months had elapsed, she gave birth to a son. When the latter was old enough to walk,

Evamassā kucchiyaṃ vutthā dve, soreyyanagare taṃ paṭicca nibbattā dveti cattāro puttā ahesuṃ.she gave birth to a second son. Thus Soreyyā, who was the father of two sons born in the city of Soreyya, became the mother of two more sons born in the city of Takkasilā, making four sons in all.

Tasmiṃ kāle soreyyanagarato tassā sahāyako seṭṭhiputto pañcahi sakaṭasatehi takkasilaṃ gantvā sukhayānake nisinno nagaraṃ pāvisi.Just at this time the rich man’s son who was Soreyya’s carriage-companion set out from the city of Soreyya with five hundred carts, and arriving at Takkasilā, entered town seated in his carriage.

Atha naṃ sā uparipāsādatale vātapānaṃ vivaritvā antaravīthiṃ olokayamānā ṭhitā disvā sañjānitvā dāsiṃ pesetvā pakkosāpetvā mahātale nisīdāpetvā mahantaṃ sakkārasammānaṃ akāsi.At that moment the woman Soreyyā stood at an open window on the upper floor of her palace, looking down into the street. As soon as she saw him, she recognized him, and sending a slave-woman to him,

Atha naṃ so āha – “bhadde, tvaṃ ito pubbe amhehi na diṭṭhapubbā, atha ca pana no mahantaṃ sakkāraṃ karosi, jānāsi tvaṃ amhe”ti. “Āma,she summoned him within, provided a seat for him in the great hall of the palace, and bestowed great honors upon him. Said the guest to the host: “My lady, I never saw you before, but you have been exceedingly kind to me. Do you know who I am?” – “Yes,

sāmi, jānāmi, nanu tumhe soreyyanagaravāsino”ti? “Āma, bhadde”ti. Sā mātāpitūnañca bhariyāya ca puttānañca arogabhāvaṃ pucchi. Itaro “āma, bhadde,my lord, I know perfectly well who you are. Do you not reside in the city of Soreyya?” – “Yes, my lady.” Thereupon his host enquired after the health of her mother and father and former wife and sons.

arogā”ti vatvā “jānāsi tvaṃ ete”ti āha. “Āma sāmi, jānāmi. Tesaṃ eko putto atthi, so kahaṃ, sāmī”ti?“They are very well indeed,” replied the visitor, and then queried: “Do you know them?” – “Yes, my lord, I know them very well. And, my lord, they have a son. Where is he?”

“Bhadde, mā etaṃ kathehi, mayaṃ tena saddhiṃ ekadivasaṃ sukhayānake nisīditvā nhāyituṃ nikkhantā nevassa gatiṃ jānāma, ito cito ca vicaritvā taṃ adisvā mātāpitūnaṃ ārocayimhā,“My lady, I beg you not to speak of him. One day, seated in a carriage together, we drove out of the city to bathe, and all of a sudden he disappeared. None of us know where he went or whatever became of him. We searched everywhere for him, but failed to find him.

tepissa roditvā kanditvā petakiccaṃ kiriṃsū”ti. “Ahaṃ so, sāmī”ti. “Apehi, bhadde, kiṃ kathesi mayhaṃ sahāyo devakumāro viya eko puriso”ti? “Hotu,Finally we told his mother and father, whereupon they wept and lamented and performed the rites for the dead.” – “My lord, I am he.” – “Go away, my lady. What are you saying? He was an intimate friend of mine,

sāmi, ahaṃ so”ti. “Atha idaṃ kiṃ nāmā”ti? “Taṃ divasaṃ te ayyo mahākaccāyanatthero diṭṭho”ti? “Āma, diṭṭho”ti. Ahaṃ ayyaṃ mahākaccāyanattheraṃ oloketvā,he was like a celestial youth, he was a man.” – “Nevermind, my lord; I am he, all the same.” – “What is the explanation of this?” enquired her visitor. “Do you remember seeing the noble Elder Mahā Kaccāyana that day?” enquired his host. “Yes,

“aho vata ayaṃ vā thero mama bhariyā bhaveyya, etassa vā sarīravaṇṇo viya mama bhariyāya sarīravaṇṇo bhaveyyā”ti cintesiṃ. Cintitakkhaṇeyeva me purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi,I remember seeing him.” – “Well, when I looked upon the noble Elder Mahā Kaccāyana, I thought to myself: ‘Oh, that this elder might become my wife! Else may the hue of my wife’s body become like the hue of his body!’

itthiliṅgaṃ pātubhavi. Athāhaṃ lajjamānā kassaci kiñci vattuṃ asakkuṇitvā tato palāyitvā idhāgatā, sāmīti.The instant this thought passed through my mind I was transformed from a man into a woman. Well, my lord, I was so embarrassed that I was unable to speak to anyone.

“Aho vata te bhāriyaṃ kammaṃ kataṃ, kasmā mayhaṃ nācikkhi, apica pana te thero khamāpito”ti? “Na khamāpito,Therefore I took to flight and came here.” – “Oh, it was very wrong for you to do what you did. Why did you not tell me? And did you beg the elder’s pardon?”

sāmi. Jānāsi pana tvaṃ kahaṃ thero”ti? “Imameva nagaraṃ upanissāya viharatī”ti. “Sace piṇḍāya caranto idhāgaccheyya,– “No, my lord, I did not beg his pardon. But do you know where the elder is?” – “He resides near this very city.” – “Were he to come here, my lord,

ahaṃ mama ayyassa bhikkhāhāraṃ dadeyyaṃ, sāmī”ti. “Tena hi sīghaṃ sakkāraṃ karohi, amhākaṃ ayyaṃ khamāpessāmā”tiI should like to give food in alms to my noble elder.” – “Very well, make provision for him immediately. I will prevail upon our noble elder to pardon you.”

so therassa vasanaṭṭhānaṃ gantvā vanditvā ekamantaṃ nisinno, “bhante,So Soreyya’s former carriage-companion went to the place where the elder resided, worshipped him, sat down respectfully on one side,

sve mayhaṃ bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā”ti āha. “Nanu tvaṃ, seṭṭhiputta, āgantukosī”ti. “Bhante,and said to him: “Venerable Sir, pray receive alms from me tomorrow.” The elder replied, “the rich man’s son, are you not a visitor here?” – “Venerable Sir,

mā amhākaṃ āgantukabhāvaṃ pucchatha, sve me bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā”ti. Thero adhivāsesi, gehepi therassa mahāsakkāro paṭiyatto.pray do not ask me whether I am a visitor or not. Receive alms from me tomorrow.” The elder accepted the invitation, and bounteous provisions were made ready for the elder in the house.

Thero punadivase taṃ gehadvāraṃ agamāsi. Atha naṃ nisīdāpetvā paṇītenāhārena parivisitvā seṭṭhiputto taṃ itthiṃ gahetvā therassa pādamūle nipajjāpetvā,On the following day the elder came and stood at the door of that house. The rich man’s son provided him with a seat and served him with choice food. Then, taking that woman,

“bhante, mayhaṃ sahāyikāya khamathā”ti āha. “Kimeta”nti? “Ayaṃ, bhante, pubbe mayhaṃ piyasahāyako hutvā tumhe oloketvā evaṃ nāma cintesi,he caused her to prostrate herself before the elder’s feet and said: “Venerable Sir, pardon my friend.” Said the elder: “What does this mean?” Said the rich man’s son: “Venerable Sir, this woman used to be my dearest friend.

athassa purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, itthiliṅgaṃ pātubhavi, khamatha, bhante”ti. “Tena hi uṭṭhahatha, khamāmi vo aha”nti.One day he looked upon you and thought this and that and was immediately transformed from a man into a woman. Pardon her, venerable Sir.” Said the elder: “Very well, rise. I pardon you.”

Therena “khamāmī”ti vuttamatteyeva itthiliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, purisaliṅgaṃ pātubhavi. Purisaliṅge pātubhūtamatteyeva taṃ takkasilāya seṭṭhiputto āha – “samma sahāyaka,As soon as the elder uttered the words “I pardon you,” Soreyya was transformed back from a woman into a man. As soon as she was transformed again into a man,

ime dve dārakā tava kucchiyaṃ vutthattā maṃ paṭicca nibbattattā ubhinnampino puttā eva, idheva vasissāma,the son of the rich man of Takkasilā said to him: “Good friend, since you are the mother of these two boys and I am their father, they are truly the sons of us both.

mā ukkaṇṭhī”ti. “Samma, ahaṃ ekenattabhāvena paṭhamaṃ puriso hutvā itthibhāvaṃ patvā puna puriso jātoti vippakārappatto,Therefore we may continue to live here. Be not unhappy.” Soreyya replied: “Friend, I have undergone two transformations in one state of existence. First I was a man, then I was a woman,

paṭhamaṃ maṃ paṭicca dve puttā nibbattā, idāni me kucchito dve puttā nikkhantā, svāhaṃ ekenattabhāvena vippakārappatto, puna ‘gehe vasissatī’ti saññaṃ mā kari,and now I have again become a man. First I became the father of two sons, and but recently I became the mother of two sons. Think not that, after having undergone two transformations in one state of existence,

ahaṃ mama ayyassa santike pabbajissāmi. Ime dve dārakā tava bhārāti,I shall ever live the household life again. I shall go forth under the noble elder. It is your duty to care for these two boys.

imesu mā pamajjī”ti vatvā putte sīse paricumbitvā parimajjitvā ure nipajjāpetvā pitu niyyādetvā nikkhamitvā therassa santike pabbajjaṃ yāci.Do not neglect them.” So saying, Soreyya kissed the two boys and embraced them, and handing them over to their father, departed from the house and went forth under the elder.

Theropi naṃ pabbājetvā upasampādetvā gaṇhitvāva cārikaṃ caramāno anupubbena sāvatthiṃ agamāsi. Tassa soreyyattheroti nāmaṃ ahosi.The elder gave Soreyya the going forth and his higher ordination, and then, taking him with him, set out for Sāvatthī, and in due time arrived at that city. Thereafter he was known as Elder Soreyya.

Janapadavāsino taṃ pavattiṃ ñatvā saṅkhubhitvā kotūhalajātā taṃ upasaṅkamitvā pucchiṃsu – “evaṃ kira,When the inhabitants of the country learned what had happened, they were much agitated and excited. And approaching the Elder Soreyya, they asked him: “Venerable Sir, is this report true?”

bhante”ti? “Āma, āvuso”ti. “Bhante, evarūpampi kāraṇaṃ nāma hoti”? “Tumhākaṃ kucchiyaṃ kira dve puttā nibbattā,– “Yes, friends.” – “Venerable Sir, matters stand thus: you are said to be the mother of two sons and the father of two sons as well. For which pair of sons have you the stronger affection?”

tumhe paṭicca dve jātā, tesaṃ vo kataresu balavasineho hotī”ti? “Kucchiyaṃ vutthakesu, āvuso”ti. Āgatāgatā nibaddhaṃ tatheva pucchiṃsu.– “For the pair of which I am the mother.” All those who came invariably asked the elder the same question, and again and again the elder returned the answer: “I have the stronger affection for the pair of sons of which I am the mother.”

Thero “kucchiyaṃ vuttakesu eva sineho balavā”ti punappunaṃ kathento harāyamāno ekova nisīdati, ekova tiṭṭhati.Thereupon the elder became embarrassed and withdrew himself from the multitude: when he sat, he sat alone, and when he stood, he stood alone. Having thus sought solitude,

So evaṃ ekattūpagato attabhāve khayavayaṃ samuṭṭhāpetvā saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi.he grasped firmly the thought of decay and passing away and attained Arahatship, together with the analytic knowledges.

Atha naṃ āgatāgatā pucchanti – “bhante, evaṃ kira nāma ahosī”ti? “Āmāvuso”ti. “Kataresu sineho balavā”ti? “Mayhaṃ katthaci sineho nāma natthī”ti.All those who came to see him asked the question: “Was that report true, venerable Sir?” – “Yes, friends.” – “For which pair of sons have you the stronger affection?” – “My affections are set on no one.”

Bhikkhū “ayaṃ abhūtaṃ kathesi, purimadivasesu ‘kucchiyaṃ vutthaputtesu sineho balavā’ti vatvā idāni ‘mayhaṃ katthaci sineho natthī’ti vadati,The bhikkhus said to the Teacher: “This bhikkhu speaks what is not true. On former days he used to say: ‘I have the stronger affection for the pair of sons of which I am the mother.’ Now, however,

aññaṃ byākaroti, bhante”ti āhaṃsu.he says: ‘My affections are set on no one.’ He falsely claims final knowledge, venerable Sir.”

Satthā “na, bhikkhave, mama putto aññaṃ byākaroti, mama puttassa sammāpaṇihitena cittena maggassa diṭṭhakālato paṭṭhāya na katthaci sineho jāto,The Teacher said: “Bhikkhus, my son does not falsely claim final knowledge. Since the day he saw the path, his rightly directed mind has given rise to no attachment anywhere.

yaṃ sampattiṃ neva mātā, na pitā kātuṃ sakkoti, taṃ imesaṃ sattānaṃ abbhantare pavattaṃ sammāpaṇihitaṃ cittameva detī”ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –Neither a mother nor a father can confer the benefit which a well-directed mind alone confers on these living beings.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

43. “Na taṃ mātā pitā kayirā, aññe vāpi ca ñātakā; Sammāpaṇihitaṃ cittaṃ, seyyaso naṃ tato kare”ti.Mother and father might not do for him, or other relatives, as much good as a mind that is well-directed can do for him.

Tatthana tanti taṃ kāraṇaṃ neva mātā kareyya, na pitā, na aññe ñātakā. Sammāpaṇihitanti dasasu kusalakammapathesu sammā ṭhapitaṃ.

Seyyaso naṃ tato kareti tato kāraṇato seyyaso naṃ varataraṃ uttaritaraṃ kareyya, karotīti attho.

Mātāpitaro hi puttānaṃ dhanaṃ dadamānā ekasmiṃyeva attabhāve kammaṃ akatvā sukhena jīvikakappanaṃ dhanaṃ dātuṃ sakkonti. Visākhāya mātāpitaropi tāva mahaddhanā mahābhogā,

tassā ekasmiṃyeva attabhāve sukhena jīvikakappanaṃ dhanaṃ adaṃsu. Catūsu pana dīpesu cakkavattisiriṃ dātuṃ samatthā mātāpitaropi nāma puttānaṃ natthi,

pageva dibbasampattiṃ vā paṭhamajjhānādisampattiṃ vā, lokuttarasampattidāne kathāva natthi, sammāpaṇihitaṃ pana cittaṃ sabbampetaṃ sampattiṃ dātuṃ sakkoti.

Tena vuttaṃ “seyyaso naṃ tato kare”ti.

Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pattā. Desanā mahājanassa sātthikā jātāti.At the end of the teaching many attained the fruition of Stream-entry and so on, and benefit arose to many people from the teaching.

Soreyyattheravatthu navamaṃ.

Cittavaggavaṇṇanā niṭṭhitā.

Tatiyo vaggo.

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