Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.180
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 5.180
18. Upāsakavagga
18. A Lay Follower
Gavesīsutta
About Gavesī
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.
Addasā kho bhagavā addhānamaggappaṭipanno aññatarasmiṁ padese mahantaṁ sālavanaṁ;
While traveling along a road the Buddha saw a large sal grove in a certain spot.
disvāna maggā okkamma yena taṁ sālavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ sālavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi.
He left the road, went to the sal grove, and plunged deep into it. And at a certain spot he smiled.
Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:
Then Venerable Ānanda thought,
“ko nu kho hetu ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya?
“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled?
Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.
Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”
Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
So Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,
“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya?
“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled?
Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.
Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”
“Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese nagaraṁ ahosi iddhañceva phītañca bahujanaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ.
“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a city in this spot that was successful and prosperous, populous, full of people.
Taṁ kho panānanda, nagaraṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi.
And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by that city.
Kassapassa kho panānanda, bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa gavesī nāma upāsako ahosi sīlesu aparipūrakārī.
He had a lay follower called Gavesī who had not fulfilled all the precepts.
Gavesinā kho, ānanda, upāsakena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭidesitāni samādapitāni ahesuṁ sīlesu aparipūrakārino.
And the five hundred lay followers who were taught and advised by Gavesī also had not fulfilled all the precepts.
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:
Then Gavesī thought:
‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā, ahañcamhi sīlesu aparipūrakārī, imāni ca pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu aparipūrakārino.
‘I’m the helper, leader, and adviser of these five hundred lay followers, yet neither I nor they have fulfilled the precepts.
Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;
We’re the same, I’m in no way better.
handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.
So let me do better.’
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:
Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:
‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto sīlesu paripūrakāriṁ dhārethā’ti.
‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who has fulfilled the precepts.’
Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:
Then those five hundred lay followers thought:
‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.
‘Master Gavesī is our helper, leader, and adviser,
Ayyo hi nāma gavesī sīlesu paripūrakārī bhavissati.
and now he will fulfill the precepts.
Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.
Why don’t we do the same?’
Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then those five hundred lay followers went to Gavesī and said to him:
‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino dhāretū’ti.
‘From this day forth may Master Gavesī remember these five hundred lay followers as having fulfilled the precepts.’
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:
Then Gavesī thought:
‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā, ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī, imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.
‘I’m the helper, leader, and adviser of these five hundred lay followers, and both I and they have fulfilled the precepts.
Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;
We’re the same, I’m in no way better.
handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.
So let me do better.’
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:
Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:
‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto brahmacāriṁ dhāretha ārācāriṁ virataṁ methunā gāmadhammā’ti.
‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who is celibate, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex.’
Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:
Then those five hundred lay followers did the same. …
‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.
Ayyo hi nāma gavesī brahmacārī bhavissati ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.
Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.
Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:
‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino dhāretu ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā’ti.
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:
Then Gavesī thought:
‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.
‘These five hundred lay followers …
Ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī.
Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.
Ahañcamhi brahmacārī ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.
Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā.
are celibate, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex.
Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;
We’re the same, I’m in no way better.
handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.
So let me do better.’
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:
Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:
‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto ekabhattikaṁ dhāretha rattūparataṁ virataṁ vikālabhojanā’ti.
‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who eats in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and from food at the wrong time.’
Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:
Then those five hundred lay followers did the same. …
‘ayyo kho gavesī bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.
Ayyo hi nāma gavesī ekabhattiko bhavissati rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā.
Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.
Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:
‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni ekabhattike dhāretu rattūparate virate vikālabhojanā’ti.
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:
Then Gavesī thought:
‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.
‘These five hundred lay followers …
Ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī.
Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.
Ahañcamhi brahmacārī ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.
Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā.
Ahañcamhi ekabhattiko rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā.
Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā.
eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and food at the wrong time.
Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;
We’re the same, I’m in no way better.
handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.
So let me do better.’
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:
Then the lay follower Gavesī went up to the blessed one Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha and said to him:
‘labheyyāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ labheyyaṁ upasampadan’ti.
‘Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence?’
Alattha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.
And he received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.
Acirūpasampanno kho panānanda, gavesī bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.
Not long after his ordination, the mendicant Gavesī, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsi.
He understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.’
Aññataro ca panānanda, gavesī bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosi.
And the mendicant Gavesī became one of the perfected.
Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:
Then those five hundred lay followers thought:
‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.
‘Master Gavesī is our helper, leader, and adviser,
Ayyo hi nāma gavesī kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajissati.
He has shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness.
Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.
Why don’t we do the same?’
Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then those five hundred lay followers went up to the blessed one Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha and said to him:
‘labheyyāma mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyāma upasampadan’ti.
‘Sir, may we receive the going forth and ordination in the Buddha’s presence?’
Alabhiṁsu kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alabhiṁsu upasampadaṁ.
And they did receive the going forth and ordination in the Buddha’s presence.
Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa bhikkhuno etadahosi:
Then the mendicant Gavesī thought:
‘ahaṁ kho imassa anuttarassa vimuttisukhassa nikāmalābhī homi akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.
‘I get the supreme bliss of freedom whenever I want, without trouble or difficulty.
Aho vatimānipi pañca bhikkhusatāni imassa anuttarassa vimuttisukhassa nikāmalābhino assu akicchalābhino akasiralābhino’ti.
Oh, may these five hundred mendicants do the same!’
Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca bhikkhusatāni vūpakaṭṭhā appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharantā nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—
Then those five hundred mendicants, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. They lived having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihariṁsu.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññiṁsu.
They understood: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’
Iti kho, ānanda, tāni pañca bhikkhusatāni gavesīpamukhāni uttaruttari paṇītapaṇītaṁ vāyamamānā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchākaṁsu.
And so, Ānanda, those five hundred mendicants headed by Gavesī, trying to go higher and higher, better and better, realized the supreme bliss of freedom.
Tasmātiha, ānanda, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
So you should train like this:
‘uttaruttari paṇītapaṇītaṁ vāyamamānā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchikarissāmā’ti.
‘Trying to go higher and higher, better and better, we will realize the supreme bliss of freedom.’
Evañhi vo, ānanda, sikkhitabban”ti.
That’s how you should train.”
Dasamaṁ.
Upāsakavaggo tatiyo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Sārajjaṁ visārado nirayaṁ,
Veraṁ caṇḍālapañcamaṁ;
Pīti vaṇijjā rājāno,
Gihī ceva gavesināti.