Majjhima Nikāya 88

Translators: sujato

Middle Discourses 88

Bāhitikasutta

The Imported Cloth

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya.
He wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother, for the day’s meditation.

Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo ekapuṇḍarīkaṁ nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā sāvatthiyā niyyāti divā divassa.
Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala mounted the Single Lotus Elephant and drove out from Sāvatthī in the middle of the day.

Addasā kho rājā pasenadi kosalo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
He saw Ānanda coming off in the distance

Disvāna sirivaḍḍhaṁ mahāmattaṁ āmantesi:
and said to the minister Sirivaḍḍha,

“āyasmā no eso, samma sirivaḍḍha, ānando”ti.
“My dear Sirivaḍḍha, isn’t that Venerable Ānanda?”

“Evaṁ, mahārāja, āyasmā eso ānando”ti.
“Indeed it is, great king.”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi:
Then King Pasenadi addressed a man,

“ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena āyasmato ānandassa pāde sirasā vandāhi:
“Please, mister, go to Venerable Ānanda, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

‘rājā, bhante, pasenadi kosalo āyasmato ānandassa pāde sirasā vandatī’ti;
‘Sir, King Pasenadi of Kosala bows with his head at your feet.’

evañca vadehi:
And then say:

‘sace kira, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa na kiñci accāyikaṁ karaṇīyaṁ, āgametu kira, bhante, āyasmā ānando muhuttaṁ anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.
‘Sir, if you have no urgent business, please wait a moment out of compassion.’”

“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho so puriso rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho so puriso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
“Yes, Your Majesty,” that man replied. He did as the king asked.

“rājā, bhante, pasenadi kosalo āyasmato ānandassa pāde sirasā vandati;

evañca vadeti:

‘sace kira, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa na kiñci accāyikaṁ karaṇīyaṁ, āgametu kira, bhante, āyasmā ānando muhuttaṁ anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā ānando tuṇhībhāvena.
Ānanda consented with silence.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yāvatikā nāgassa bhūmi nāgena gantvā nāgā paccorohitvā pattikova yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho rājā pasenadi kosalo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
Then King Pasenadi rode on the elephant as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached Ānanda on foot. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to Ānanda,

“sace, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa na kiñci accāyikaṁ karaṇīyaṁ, sādhu, bhante, āyasmā ānando yena aciravatiyā nadiyā tīraṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.
“Sir, if you have no urgent business, it would be nice of you to go to the bank of the Aciravatī river out of compassion.”

Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā ānando tuṇhībhāvena.
Ānanda consented with silence.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena aciravatiyā nadiyā tīraṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle paññatte āsane nisīdi.
He went to the river bank and sat at the root of a certain tree on a seat spread out.

“idha, bhante, āyasmā ānando hatthatthare nisīdatū”ti.
“Here, Venerable Ānanda, sit on this elephant rug.”

“Alaṁ, mahārāja.
“Enough, great king,

Nisīda tvaṁ;
you sit on it.

nisinno ahaṁ sake āsane”ti.
I’m sitting on my own seat.”

Nisīdi kho rājā pasenadi kosalo paññatte āsane.
So the king sat down on the seat spread out,

Nisajja kho rājā pasenadi kosalo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
and said,

“kiṁ nu kho, bhante ānanda, so bhagavā tathārūpaṁ kāyasamācāraṁ samācareyya, yvāssa kāyasamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehī”ti?
“Honorable Ānanda, would the Buddha engage in the sort of behavior—by way of body, speech, or mind—that is faulted by ascetics and brahmins?”

“Na kho, mahārāja, so bhagavā tathārūpaṁ kāyasamācāraṁ samācareyya, yvāssa kāyasamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti.
“No, great king, the Buddha would not engage in the sort of behavior that is faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins.”

“Kiṁ pana, bhante ānanda, so bhagavā tathārūpaṁ vacīsamācāraṁ …pe…

manosamācāraṁ samācareyya, yvāssa manosamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehī”ti?

“Na kho, mahārāja, so bhagavā tathārūpaṁ manosamācāraṁ samācareyya, yvāssa manosamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti.

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Yañhi mayaṁ, bhante, nāsakkhimhā pañhena paripūretuṁ taṁ, bhante, āyasmatā ānandena pañhassa veyyākaraṇena paripūritaṁ.
For I couldn’t fully express the question, but Venerable Ānanda’s answer completed it for me.

Ye te, bhante, bālā abyattā ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā paresaṁ vaṇṇaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ vā bhāsanti, na mayaṁ taṁ sārato paccāgacchāma;
I don’t believe that praise or criticism of others spoken by incompetent fools, without examining or scrutinizing, is the most important thing.

ye pana te, bhante, paṇḍitā viyattā medhāvino anuvicca pariyogāhetvā paresaṁ vaṇṇaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ vā bhāsanti, mayaṁ taṁ sārato paccāgacchāma.
Rather, I believe that praise or criticism of others spoken by competent and intelligent people after examining and scrutinizing is the most important thing.

Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, kāyasamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti?
But Honorable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behavior is faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro akusalo”.
“Unskillful behavior.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro akusalo”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior is unskillful?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro sāvajjo”.
“Blameworthy behavior.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro sāvajjo”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior is blameworthy?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro sabyābajjho”.
“Hurtful behavior.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro sabyābajjho”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior is hurtful?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro dukkhavipāko”.
“Behavior that results in suffering.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro dukkhavipāko”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior results in suffering?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro attabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, parabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, ubhayabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati.
“Bodily behavior that leads to hurting yourself, hurting others, and hurting both,

Tassa akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti;
and which makes unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline.

evarūpo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti.
That kind of bodily behavior is faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins.”

“Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, vacīsamācāro …pe…
“But what kind of verbal behavior …

manosamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti?
mental behavior is faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins?” …

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro akusalo”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro akusalo”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro sāvajjo”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro sāvajjo”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro sabyābajjho”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro sabyābajjho”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro dukkhavipāko”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro dukkhavipāko”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro attabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, parabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, ubhayabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati.
“Mental behavior that leads to hurting yourself, hurting others, and hurting both,

Tassa akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti;
and which makes unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline.

evarūpo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro opārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti.
That kind of mental behavior is faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante ānanda, so bhagavā sabbesaṁyeva akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti?
“Sir, does the Buddha praise giving up all these unskillful things?”

“Sabbākusaladhammapahīno kho, mahārāja, tathāgato kusaladhammasamannāgato”ti.
“Great king, the Realized One has given up all unskillful things and possesses skillful things.”

“Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, kāyasamācāro anopārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti?
“But sir, what kind of bodily behavior is not faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro kusalo”.
“Skillful behavior.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro kusalo”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior is skillful?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro anavajjo”.
“Blameless behavior.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro anavajjo”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior is blameless?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro abyābajjho”.
“Pleasing behavior.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro abyābajjho”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior is pleasing?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro sukhavipāko”.
“Behavior that results in happiness.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, kāyasamācāro sukhavipāko”?
“But what kind of bodily behavior results in happiness?”

“Yo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro nevattabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, na parabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati.
“Bodily behavior that leads to pleasing yourself, pleasing others, and pleasing both,

Tassa akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti.
and which makes unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow.

Evarūpo kho, mahārāja, kāyasamācāro anopārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti.
That kind of bodily behavior is not faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins.”

“Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, vacīsamācāro …pe…
“But what kind of verbal behavior …

manosamācāro anopārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti?
mental behavior is not faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins?” …

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro kusalo”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro kusalo”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro anavajjo”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro anavajjo”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro abyābajjho”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro abyābajjho”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro sukhavipāko”.

“Katamo pana, bhante, manosamācāro sukhavipāko”?

“Yo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro nevattabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, na parabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi saṁvattati.
“Mental behavior that leads to pleasing yourself, pleasing others, and pleasing both,

Tassa akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti.
and which makes unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow.

Evarūpo kho, mahārāja, manosamācāro anopārambho samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhī”ti.
That kind of mental behavior is not faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins.”

“Kiṁ pana, bhante ānanda, so bhagavā sabbesaṁyeva kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti?
“Sir, does the Buddha praise embracing all these skillful things?”

“Sabbākusaladhammapahīno kho, mahārāja, tathāgato kusaladhammasamannāgato”ti.
“Great king, the Realized One has given up all unskillful things and possesses skillful things.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, āyasmatā ānandena.
How well this was said by Venerable Ānanda!

Iminā ca mayaṁ, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa subhāsitena attamanābhiraddhā.
I’m delighted and satisfied with what you’ve expressed so well.

Evaṁ attamanābhiraddhā ca mayaṁ, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa subhāsitena.
So much so that

Sace, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa hatthiratanaṁ kappeyya, hatthiratanampi mayaṁ āyasmato ānandassa dadeyyāma.
if an elephant-treasure was suitable for you, I would give you one.

Sace, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa assaratanaṁ kappeyya, assaratanampi mayaṁ āyasmato ānandassa dadeyyāma.
If a horse-treasure was suitable for you, I would give you one.

Sace, bhante, āyasmato ānandassa gāmavaraṁ kappeyya, gāmavarampi mayaṁ āyasmato ānandassa dadeyyāma.
If a prize village was suitable for you, I would give you one.

Api ca, bhante, mayampetaṁ jānāma:
But, sir, I know that

‘netaṁ āyasmato ānandassa kappatī’ti.
these things are not suitable for you.

Ayaṁ me, bhante, bāhitikā raññā māgadhena ajātasattunā vedehiputtena vatthanāḷiyā pakkhipitvā pahitā soḷasasamā āyāmena, aṭṭhasamā vitthārena.
This imported cloth was sent to me by King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, packed in a parasol case. It’s exactly sixteen measures long and eight wide.

Taṁ, bhante, āyasmā ānando paṭiggaṇhātu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.
May Venerable Ānanda please accept it out of compassion.”

“Alaṁ, mahārāja, paripuṇṇaṁ me ticīvaran”ti.
“Enough, great king. My three robes are complete.”

“Ayaṁ, bhante, aciravatī nadī diṭṭhā āyasmatā ceva ānandena amhehi ca.
“Sir, we have both seen this river Aciravatī

Yadā uparipabbate mahāmegho abhippavuṭṭho hoti, athāyaṁ aciravatī nadī ubhato kūlāni saṁvissandantī gacchati;
when it has rained heavily in the mountains, and the river overflows both its banks.

evameva kho, bhante, āyasmā ānando imāya bāhitikāya attano ticīvaraṁ karissati.
In the same way, Venerable Ānanda can make a set of three robes for himself from this imported cloak,

Yaṁ panāyasmato ānandassa purāṇaṁ ticīvaraṁ taṁ sabrahmacārīhi saṁvibhajissati.
and you can share your old robes with your fellow monks.

Evāyaṁ amhākaṁ dakkhiṇā saṁvissandantī maññe gamissati.
In this way my religious donation will come to overflow, it seems to me.

Paṭiggaṇhātu, bhante, āyasmā ānando bāhitikan”ti.
Please accept the imported cloth.”

Paṭiggahesi kho āyasmā ānando bāhitikaṁ.
So Ānanda accepted it.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
Then King Pasenadi said to him,

“handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bhante ānanda, gacchāma;
“Well, now, sir, I must go.

bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā”ti.
I have many duties, and much to do.”

“Yassadāni tvaṁ, mahārāja, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.
“Please, great king, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo āyasmato ānandassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
Then King Pasenadi approved and agreed with what Ānanda said. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled Ānanda, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando acirapakkantassa rañño pasenadissa kosalassa yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Soon after he left, Ānanda went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando yāvatako ahosi raññā pasenadinā kosalena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.
and told him what had happened.

Tañca bāhitikaṁ bhagavato pādāsi.
He presented the cloth to the Buddha.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then the Buddha said to the mendicants,

“lābhā, bhikkhave, rañño pasenadissa kosalassa, suladdhalābhā, bhikkhave, rañño pasenadissa kosalassa;
“Mendicants, King Pasenadi is lucky, so very lucky,

yaṁ rājā pasenadi kosalo labhati ānandaṁ dassanāya, labhati payirupāsanāyā”ti.
to get to see Ānanda and pay homage to him.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.

Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Bāhitikasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.