sutta » an » an7 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.73

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 7.73

7. Mahāvagga
7. The Great Chapter

Sunettasutta

About Sunetta

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sunetto nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo.
“Once upon a time, mendicants, there was a Teacher called Sunetta. He was a religious founder and was free of sensual desire.

Sunettassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ.
He had many hundreds of disciples.

Sunetto satthā sāvakānaṁ brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desesi.
He taught them the path to rebirth in the company of Brahmā.

Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni nappasādesuṁ te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjiṁsu.
Those lacking confidence in Sunetta were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni pasādesuṁ te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjiṁsu.
Those full of confidence in Sunetta were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, mūgapakkho nāma satthā ahosi …pe…
Once upon a time there was a teacher called Mūgapakkha …

aranemi nāma satthā ahosi …pe…
Aranemi …

kuddālako nāma satthā ahosi …pe…
Kuddālaka …

hatthipālo nāma satthā ahosi …pe…
Hatthipāla …

jotipālo nāma satthā ahosi …pe…
Jotipāla …

arako nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo.
Araka. He was a religious founder and was free of sensual desire.

Arakassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ.
He had many hundreds of disciples.

Arako nāma satthā sāvakānaṁ brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desesi.
He taught them the way to rebirth in the company of Brahmā.

Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, arakassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni nappasādesuṁ, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjiṁsu.
Those lacking confidence in Araka were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, arakassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni pasādesuṁ, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjiṁsu.
Those full of confidence in Araka were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
What do you think, mendicants?

yo ime satta satthāre titthakare kāmesu vītarāge anekasataparivāre sasāvakasaṅghe paduṭṭhacitto akkoseyya paribhāseyya, bahuṁ so apuññaṁ pasaveyyā”ti?
If someone with malicious intent were to abuse and insult these seven teachers with their hundreds of followers, would they not create much wickedness?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”

“Yo, bhikkhave, ime satta satthāre titthakare kāmesu vītarāge anekasataparivāre sasāvakasaṅghe paduṭṭhacitto akkoseyya paribhāseyya, bahuṁ so apuññaṁ pasaveyya.
“They would indeed.

Yo ekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ puggalaṁ paduṭṭhacitto akkosati paribhāsati, ayaṁ tato bahutaraṁ apuññaṁ pasavati.
But someone who abuses and insults a single person accomplished in view with malicious intent creates even more wickedness.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ito bahiddhā evarūpiṁ khantiṁ vadāmi yathāmaṁ sabrahmacārīsu.
I say that any injury done by those outside of the Buddhist community does not compare with what is done to one’s own spiritual companions.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
So you should train like this:

‘na no sabrahmacārīsu cittāni paduṭṭhāni bhavissantī’ti.
‘We will have no malicious intent for our spiritual companions.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
That’s how you should train.”

Navamaṁ.