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Kusinārasutta

At Kusinārā

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati baliharaṇe vanasaṇḍe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā, in the Forest of Offerings.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā upanissāya viharati.
“Mendicants, take the case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village.

Tamenaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti.
A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day’s meal.

Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti.
The mendicant accepts if they want.

So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati.
When the night has passed, they robe up in the morning, take their bowl and robe, and approach that householder’s home, where they sit on the seat spread out.

Tamenaṁ so gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.
The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Tassa evaṁ hoti:
The mendicant thinks:

‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti.
‘It’s so good that this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods.’

Evampissa hoti:
Then they think:

‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti.
‘I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.’

So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.
They eat that food tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape.

So tattha kāmavitakkampi vitakketi, byāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, vihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi.
They think about it with sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts.

Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ na mahapphalanti vadāmi.
A gift to such a mendicant is not very fruitful, I say.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Pamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharati.
Because that mendicant is negligent.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā upanissāya viharati.
Take another case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village.

Tamenaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti.
A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day’s meal.

Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti.
The mendicant accepts if they want.

So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati.
When the night has passed, they robe up in the morning, take their bowl and robe, and approach that householder’s home, where they sit on the seat spread out.

Tamenaṁ so gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.
The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Tassa na evaṁ hoti:
It never occurs to them:

‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti.
‘It’s so good that the householder or their child serves and satisfies me with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.’

Evampissa na hoti:
They don’t think:

‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti.
‘I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.’

So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.
They eat that almsfood untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape.

So tattha nekkhammavitakkampi vitakketi, abyāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, avihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi.
They think about it with thoughts of renunciation, good will, or harmlessness.

Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ mahapphalanti vadāmi.
A gift to such a mendicant is very fruitful, I say.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Appamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharatī”ti.
Because that mendicant is diligent.”

Paṭhamaṁ.