Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.91

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 3.91

9. Samaṇavagga
9. Ascetics

Saṅkavāsutta

At Paṅkadhā

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena saṅkavā nāma kosalānaṁ nigamo tadavasari.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. He arrived at a town of the Kosalans named Paṅkadhā,

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā saṅkavāyaṁ viharati.
and stayed there.

Tena kho pana samayena kassapagotto nāma bhikkhu saṅkavāyaṁ āvāsiko hoti.
Now, at that time a monk called Kassapagotta was resident at Paṅkadhā.

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti.
There the Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about the training rules.

Atha kho kassapagottassa bhikkhuno bhagavati sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassente samādapente samuttejente sampahaṁsente ahudeva akkhanti ahu appaccayo:
Kassapagotta became quite impatient and bitter, thinking,

“adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo”ti.
“This ascetic is much too strict.”

Atha kho bhagavā saṅkavāyaṁ yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena rājagahaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.
When the Buddha had stayed in Paṅkadhā as long as he pleased, he set out for Rājagaha.

Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena rājagahaṁ tadavasari.
Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Rājagaha,

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati.
and stayed there.

Atha kho kassapagottassa bhikkhuno acirapakkantassa bhagavato ahudeva kukkuccaṁ ahu vippaṭisāro:
Soon after the Buddha left, Kassapagotta became quite remorseful and regretful, thinking,

“alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ;
“It’s my loss, my misfortune,

yassa me bhagavati sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassente samādapente samuttejente sampahaṁsente ahudeva akkhanti ahu appaccayo:
that when the Buddha was talking about the training rules I became quite impatient and bitter, thinking

‘adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo’ti.
he was much too strict.

Yannūnāhaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike accayaṁ accayato deseyyan”ti.
Why don’t I go to the Buddha and confess my mistake to him?”

Atha kho kassapagotto bhikkhu senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena rājagahaṁ tena pakkāmi.
Then Kassapagotta set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Rājagaha.

Anupubbena yena rājagahaṁ yena gijjhakūṭo pabbato yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho kassapagotto bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Eventually he came to Rājagaha and the Vulture’s Peak. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, saying:

“Ekamidaṁ, bhante, samayaṁ bhagavā saṅkavāyaṁ viharati, saṅkavā nāma kosalānaṁ nigamo.

Tatra, bhante, bhagavā sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.

Tassa mayhaṁ bhagavati sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassente samādapente samuttejente sampahaṁsente ahudeva akkhanti ahu appaccayo:

‘adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo’ti.

Atha kho bhagavā saṅkavāyaṁ yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena rājagahaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. (…)

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, acirapakkantassa bhagavato ahudeva kukkuccaṁ ahu vippaṭisāro:

‘alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ;

yassa me bhagavati sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassente samādapente samuttejente sampahaṁsente ahudeva akkhanti ahu appaccayo:

“adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo”ti.

Yannūnāhaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike accayaṁ accayato deseyyan’ti.

Accayo maṁ, bhante, accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ yassa me bhagavati sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassente samādapente samuttejente sampahaṁsente ahudeva akkhanti ahu appaccayo:
“I have made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me to become impatient and bitter when the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about the training rules, and to think,

‘adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo’ti.
‘This ascetic is much too strict.’

Tassa me, bhante, bhagavā accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu, āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.
Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.”

“Taggha taṁ, kassapa, accayo accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yassa te mayi sikkhāpadapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya bhikkhū sandassente samādapente samuttejente sampahaṁsente ahudeva akkhanti ahu appaccayo:
“Indeed, Kassapa, you made a mistake.

‘adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo’ti.

Yato ca kho tvaṁ, kassapa, accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikarosi, taṁ te mayaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma.
But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it.

Vuddhihesā, kassapa, ariyassa vinaye yo accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikaroti, āyatiṁ saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.
For it is growth in the training of the Noble One to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future.

Thero cepi, kassapa, bhikkhu hoti na sikkhākāmo na sikkhāsamādānassa vaṇṇavādī, ye caññe bhikkhū na sikkhākāmā te ca na sikkhāya samādapeti, ye caññe bhikkhū sikkhākāmā tesañca na vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, evarūpassāhaṁ, kassapa, therassa bhikkhuno na vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
Kassapa, take the case of a senior mendicant who doesn’t want to train and doesn’t praise taking up the training. They don’t encourage other mendicants who don’t want to train to take up the training. And they don’t truthfully and correctly praise at the right time those mendicants who do want to train. I don’t praise that kind of senior mendicant.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Satthā hissa vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇatīti aññe naṁ bhikkhū bhajeyyuṁ, ye naṁ bhajeyyuṁ tyāssa diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ, yyāssa diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ tesaṁ taṁ assa dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyāti.
Because, hearing that I praised that mendicant, other mendicants might want to keep company with them. Then they might follow their example, which would be for their lasting harm and suffering.

Tasmāhaṁ, kassapa, evarūpassa therassa bhikkhuno na vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
That’s why I don’t praise that kind of senior mendicant.

Majjhimo cepi, kassapa, bhikkhu hoti …pe…
Take the case of a middle mendicant who doesn’t want to train …

navo cepi, kassapa, bhikkhu hoti na sikkhākāmo na sikkhāsamādānassa vaṇṇavādī, ye caññe bhikkhū na sikkhākāmā te ca na sikkhāya samādapeti, ye caññe bhikkhū sikkhākāmā tesañca na vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, evarūpassāhaṁ, kassapa, navassa bhikkhuno na vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
Take the case of a junior mendicant who doesn’t want to train …

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Tasmāhaṁ, kassapa, evarūpassa navassa bhikkhuno na vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
That’s why I don’t praise that kind of junior mendicant.

Thero cepi, kassapa, bhikkhu hoti sikkhākāmo sikkhāsamādānassa vaṇṇavādī, ye caññe bhikkhū na sikkhākāmā te ca sikkhāya samādapeti, ye caññe bhikkhū sikkhākāmā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, evarūpassāhaṁ, kassapa, therassa bhikkhuno vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
Kassapa, take the case of a senior mendicant who does want to train and praises taking up the training. They encourage other mendicants who don’t want to train to take up the training. And they truthfully and correctly praise at the right time those mendicants who do want to train. I praise that kind of senior mendicant.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Satthā hissa vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇatīti aññe naṁ bhikkhū bhajeyyuṁ, ye naṁ bhajeyyuṁ tyāssa diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ, yyāssa diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ tesaṁ taṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyāti.
Because, hearing that I praised that mendicant, other mendicants might want to keep company with them. Then they might follow their example, which would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.

Tasmāhaṁ, kassapa, evarūpassa therassa bhikkhuno vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
That’s why I praise that kind of senior mendicant.

Majjhimo cepi, kassapa, bhikkhu hoti sikkhākāmo …pe…
Take the case of a middle mendicant who wants to train …

navo cepi, kassapa, bhikkhu hoti sikkhākāmo sikkhāsamādānassa vaṇṇavādī, ye caññe bhikkhū na sikkhākāmā te ca sikkhāya samādapeti, ye caññe bhikkhū sikkhākāmā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, evarūpassāhaṁ, kassapa, navassa bhikkhuno vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmi.
Take the case of a junior mendicant who wants to train …

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Tasmāhaṁ, kassapa, evarūpassa navassa bhikkhuno vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇāmī”ti.
That’s why I praise that kind of junior mendicant.”

Ekādasamaṁ.

Samaṇavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Samaṇo gadrabho khettaṁ,

vajjiputto ca sekkhakaṁ;

Tayo ca sikkhanā vuttā,

dve sikkhā saṅkavāya cāti.