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11. Godhikattheraparinibbānavatthu4.11 The Story about the Elder Godhika’s Parinibbāna
Tesaṃ sampannasīlānanti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā rājagahaṃ upanissāya veḷuvane viharanto godhikattherassa parinibbānaṃ ārabbha kathesi.“Of those endowed with virtue,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while in residence at Veḷuvana near Rājagaha with reference to the passing into Parinibbāna by Elder Godhika.[29.90] marks page 90 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation. {1.431} marks page 431 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text. The Pāli introduction quotes the opening words of verse 57, “Of those endowed with virtue”; the original translation quoted its final clause and misspelled Parinibbāna.
So hi āyasmā isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṃ viharanto appamatto ātāpī pahitatto sāmāyikaṃ cetovimuttiṃ phusitvā ekassa anussāyikassa rogassa vasena tato parihāyi.For while this venerable elder was in residence at Black Rock on Mount Isigili, heedful, ardent, resolute, having attained temporary liberation of mind, he was attacked by a recurring illness, and fell away from a state of absorption. A second time and a third time,The Pāli says Godhika attained temporary liberation of mind, then lost it because of a recurring illness. The original translation ascribed the illness to diligent practice.
So dutiyampi tatiyampi chakkhattuṃ jhānaṃ nibbattetvā parihīno, sattame vāre uppādetvā cintesi – “ahaṃ chakkhattuṃ jhānā parihīno,and unto six times, did he enter into a state of absorption and fall away therefrom. As he entered into a state of absorption for the seventh time, he thought to himself: “Six times I have fallen away from a state of absorption.
parihīnajjhānassa kho pana aniyatā gati, idāneva satthaṃ āharissāmī”tiDoubtful is the future state of him who falls away from a state of absorption. Now is the time for me to use the razor.”
kesoropanasatthakaṃ gahetvā galanāḷiṃ chindituṃ pañcake nipajji. Māro tassa cittaṃ ñatvā “ayaṃ bhikkhu satthaṃ āharitukāmo, satthaṃ āharantā kho pana jīvite nirapekkhā honti,Accordingly he took the razor with which he shaved his hair, and lay down on his bed, intending to sever his windpipe. Māra perceived his intention and thought to himself: “This bhikkhu intends to use the razor. Those who use the razor are indifferent to life.
te vipassanaṃ paṭṭhapetvā arahattampi pāpuṇanti, sacāhaṃ etaṃ vāressāmi,Such men, having attained insight, win Arahatship. But if I try to prevent him from carrying out his intention,
na me vacanaṃ karissati, satthāraṃ vārāpessāmī”ti aññātakavesena satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha –he will pay no attention to my words. I will therefore induce the Teacher to prevent him.” So in the guise of an unknown he approached the Teacher and spoke thus:{1.432} marks page 432 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
“Mahāvīra mahāpañña, iddhiyā yasasā jalaṃ; Sabbaverabhayātīta, pāde vandāmi cakkhuma.Great Hero, One who is Great in Wisdom, shining with glory and psychic power, One who has Gone Beyond All Enmity and Fear, All-Seeing One, I bow down at your feet.Māra addresses the Buddha as having gone beyond enmity and fear; the original translation said he overcame all foes.
“Sāvako te mahāvīra, maraṇaṃ maraṇābhibhū; Ākaṅkhati cetayati, taṃ nisedha jutindhara.Your disciple, Great Hero, though having overcome death, still wishes and thinks about dying, prohibit it, Resplendent One.
“Kathañhi bhagavā tuyhaṃ, sāvako sāsane rato; Appattamānaso sekkho, kālaṃ kayirā jane sutā”ti. (saṃ. ni. 1.159);Why, Fortunate One, does your disciple, who takes delight in the Dispensation, a trainee, whose goal is not attained, die, O One Famed amongst Men?Appattamānaso means the trainee has not attained his goal; the original translation said “unattained.” Kālaṃ kayirā means “die,” not “make his time.”
Tasmiṃ khaṇe therena satthaṃ āharitaṃ hoti. Satthā “māro aya”nti viditvā imaṃ gāthamāha –At that moment the elder drew his knife. The Teacher, perceiving that it was Māra, pronounced the following verse:
“Evañhi dhīrā kubbanti, nāvakaṅkhanti jīvitaṃ; Samūlaṃ taṇhamabbuyha, godhiko parinibbuto”ti. (saṃ. ni. 1.159);Exactly this the wise ones do, they do not yearn for life, having overcome craving at the root, Godhika attained Parinibbāna.[29. 91] marks page 91 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation.
Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṃ therassa satthaṃ āharitvā nipannaṭṭhānaṃ agamāsi.Now the Fortunate One, accompanied by a large number of bhikkhus, entered the place where the elder had lain down and used his knife.
Tasmiṃ khaṇe māro pāpimā “kattha nu kho imassa paṭisandhiviññāṇaṃ patiṭṭhita”nti dhūmarāsi viya timirapuñjo viya ca hutvā sabbadisāsu therassa viññāṇaṃ samanvesati.At that moment Māra, the Wicked One, like a pillar of smoke or a mass of darkness, was searching in all directions for the elder’s consciousness. He thought: “Where has his rebirth-consciousness fixed itself?”
Bhagavā taṃ dhūmatimirabhāvaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ dassetvā “eso kho, bhikkhave,The Fortunate One pointed out to the bhikkhus the pillar of smoke and the mass of darkness and said to them: “Bhikkhus,
māro pāpimā godhikassa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṃ samanvesati ‘kattha godhikassa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṃ patiṭṭhita’nti.that is Māra, the Wicked One, searching for the consciousness of the youth of good family Godhika. Thinks he: ‘Where has the consciousness of the youth of good family Godhika fixed itself?’ But,
Apatiṭṭhitena ca, bhikkhave, viññāṇena godhiko kulaputto parinibbuto”ti āha.bhikkhus, the consciousness of the youth of good family Godhika has not fixed itself. For, bhikkhus, the youth of good family Godhika has passed into Parinibbāna.”
Māropi tassa viññāṇaṭṭhānaṃ daṭṭhuṃ asakkonto kumārakavaṇṇo hutvā beluvapaṇḍuvīṇaṃ ādāya satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā pucchi –Māra, unable to find the place where the consciousness of the elder had fixed itself, assumed the form of a young boy, and taking in his hand a lute made of the light yellow wood of the vilva tree, approached the Teacher and asked him:{1.433} marks page 433 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text. Māra appeared as a young boy, kumārakavaṇṇo; the original translation called him a prince.
“Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyaṃ, disā anudisā svahaṃ; Anvesaṃ nādhigacchāmi, godhiko so kuhiṃ gato”ti. (saṃ. ni. 1.159);Above, below, and across the middle, in every point and intermediate points, I sought him, without finding him, whereabouts has Godhika gone?
Atha naṃ satthā āha –The Teacher said to Māra:
“Yo dhīro dhitisampanno, jhāyī jhānarato sadā; Ahorattaṃ anuyuñjaṃ, jīvitaṃ anikāmayaṃ.This wise man, who is resolute, who meditates, delighting in meditation, who is devoted, day and night, without having desire for life,
“Jetvāna maccuno senaṃ, anāgantvā punabbhavaṃ; Samūlaṃ taṇhamabbuyha, godhiko parinibbuto”ti. (saṃ. ni. 1.159);having overcome the army of Death, he will never return again, having overcome craving at the root, Godhika attained Parinibbāna.The Pāli says Godhika overcame the army of Death, not death and an additional army as in the original translation.
Evaṃ vutte māro pāpimā bhagavantaṃ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi –When the Teacher had thus spoken, Māra, the Wicked One, addressed the Fortunate One with a verse:
“Tassa sokaparetassa, vīṇā kacchā abhassatha; Tato so dummano yakkho, tatthevantaradhāyathā”ti. (saṃ. ni. 1.159);He is overcome with grief, his Vīṇā dropped from the arms, then did that Yakkha, depressed, disappear right there and then.
Satthāpi “kiṃ te, pāpima, godhikassa kulaputtassa nibbattaṭṭhānena? Tassa hi nibbattaṭṭhānaṃ tumhādisānaṃ satampi sahassampi daṭṭhuṃ na sakkotī”ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –Then said the Teacher: “Wicked One, what have you to do with the place of rebirth of the youth of good family Godhika? A hundred or a thousand like you could never find it.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:Nibbattaṭṭhāna refers to a place of rebirth. The original translation described a place where Godhika’s consciousness had fixed itself.
57. “Tesaṃ sampannasīlānaṃ, appamādavihārinaṃ; Sammadaññā vimuttānaṃ, māro maggaṃ na vindatī”ti.Māra cannot find the path of those who are endowed with virtue, who live heedfully, and who are freed through right understanding.The verse describes liberation through right understanding; the original translation added “deep” knowledge. Its detailed Pāli explanation follows without translation.
Tattha tesanti yathā appatiṭṭhitena viññāṇena godhiko kulaputto parinibbuto, ye ca evaṃ parinibbāyanti, tesaṃ sampannasīlānanti paripuṇṇasīlānaṃ.
Appamādavihārinanti satiavippavāsasaṅkhātena appamādena viharantānaṃ. Sammadaññā vimuttānanti hetunā ñāyena kāraṇena jānitvā “tadaṅgavimuttiyā, vikkhambhanavimuttiyā, samucchedavimuttiyā,
paṭippassaddhivimuttiyā, nissaraṇavimuttiyā”ti imāhi pañcahi vimuttīhi vimuttānaṃ.
Māro maggaṃ na vindatīti evarūpānaṃ mahākhīṇāsavānaṃ sabbathāmena maggantopi māro gatamaggaṃ na vindati na labhati na passatīti.
Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pattā. Desanā mahājanassa sātthikā jātāti.At the end of the teaching many attained the fruition of Stream-entry and higher fruits, and many people benefited from that teaching.The Pāli includes Stream-entry and other fruits; the original translation named only Stream-entry.
Godhikattheraparinibbānavatthu ekādasamaṃ.