sutta » an » an4 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.35

Vassakārasutta

With Vassakāra

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then Vassakāra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“Catūhi kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpema.
“Mister Gotama, when someone has four qualities we describe him as a great man with great wisdom.

Katamehi catūhi?
What four?

Idha, bho gotama, bahussuto hoti tassa tasseva sutajātassa
They are very learned in diverse fields of learning.

tassa tasseva kho pana bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānāti: ‘ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho, ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho’ti.
They understand the meaning of diverse statements, saying: ‘This is what that statement means; that is what this statement means.’

Satimā kho pana hoti cirakatampi cirabhāsitampi saritā anussaritā
They are mindful, able to remember and recollect what was said and done long ago.

yāni kho pana tāni gahaṭṭhakāni kiṅkaraṇīyāni, tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ.
They are deft and tireless in household duties, understanding how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work.

Imehi kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpema.
When someone has these four qualities we describe him as a great man with great wisdom.

Sace me, bho gotama, anumoditabbaṁ anumodatu me bhavaṁ gotamo;
If Mister Gotama agrees with me, please say so.

sace pana me, bho gotama, paṭikkositabbaṁ paṭikkosatu me bhavaṁ gotamo”ti.
If he disagrees, please say so.”

“Neva kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anumodāmi na paṭikkosāmi.
“Brahmin, I neither agree nor disagree with you,

Catūhi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpemi.
but when someone has four qualities I describe him as a great man with great wisdom.

Katamehi catūhi?
What four?

Idha, brāhmaṇa, bahujanahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanasukhāya;
It’s when someone practices for the welfare and happiness of the people.

bahu’ssa janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.
They’ve established many people in the noble system, that is, the principles of goodness and skillfulness.

So yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi;
They think what they want to think, and don’t think what they don’t want to think.

yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti.
They consider what they want to consider, and don’t consider what they don’t want to consider.

Iti cetovasippatto hoti vitakkapathe.
Thus they have achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.

Catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.
They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

Āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Neva kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anumodāmi na pana paṭikkosāmi.
Brahmin, I neither agree nor disagree with you,

Imehi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpemī”ti.
but when someone has these four qualities I describe him as a great man with great wisdom.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama.
“It’s incredible, Mister Gotama, it’s amazing!

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena.
How well said this was by Mister Gotama!

Imehi ca mayaṁ, bho gotama, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ dhārema;
And we will remember Mister Gotama as someone who has these four qualities.

bhavañhi gotamo bahujanahitāya paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya;
For Mister Gotama practices for the welfare and happiness of the people …

bahu te janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.

Bhavañhi gotamo yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti.

Bhavañhi gotamo cetovasippatto vitakkapathe.
Mister Gotama has achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.

Bhavañhi gotamo catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.
Mister Gotama gets the four absorptions … when he wants, without trouble or difficulty.

Bhavañhi gotamo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.
Mister Gotama has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. He lives having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements.”

“Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, āsajja upanīya vācā bhāsitā.
“Your words are clearly invasive and intrusive, brahmin.

Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi:
Nevertheless, I will answer you.

‘ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, bahujanahitāya paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya;
For I do practice for the welfare and happiness of the people …

bahu me janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.

Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhāmi vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkemi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhāmi vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkemi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhāmi saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappemi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhāmi saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappemi.

Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, cetovasippatto vitakkapathe.
I have achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.

Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.
I do get the four absorptions … when I want, without trouble or difficulty.

Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmī’ti.
I have realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. I live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Yo vedi sabbasattānaṁ,
He discovered release from the snare of death

maccupāsappamocanaṁ;
for all beings,

Hitaṁ devamanussānaṁ,
and explained the system of the teaching

ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ pakāsayi;
for the welfare of gods and humans.

Yaṁ ve disvā ca sutvā ca,
When they see him or hear him,

pasīdanti bahū janā.
many people become confident.

Maggāmaggassa kusalo,
He is skilled in what is the path <j>and what is not the path,

Katakicco anāsavo;
he has completed the task <j>and is free of defilements.

Buddho antimasārīro,
The Buddha, bearing his final body,

Mahāpañño mahāpurisoti vuccatī”ti.
is called ‘a great man, of great wisdom’.”

Pañcamaṁ.