Majjhima Nikāya 145
Translators: sujato
Middle Discourses 145
Puṇṇovādasutta
Advice to Puṇṇa
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 puṇṇo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Puṇṇa came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha,
“sādhu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadatu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.
“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”
“Tena hi, puṇṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Well then, Puṇṇa, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes, sir,” replied Puṇṇa.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
“Santi kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
“Puṇṇa, there are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,
Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.
this gives rise to relishing.
‘Nandīsamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.
Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say.
Santi kho, puṇṇa, sotaviññeyyā saddā …
There are sounds known by the ear …
ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …
smells known by the nose …
jivhāviññeyyā rasā …
tastes known by the tongue …
kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā …
touches known by the body …
manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
ideas known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,
Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.
this gives rise to relishing.
‘Nandīsamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.
Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say.
Santi ca kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them,
Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati.
relishing ceases.
‘Nandīnirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.
When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say.
Santi ca kho, puṇṇa, sotaviññeyyā saddā …
There are sounds known by the ear …
ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …
smells known by the nose …
jivhāviññeyyā rasā …
tastes known by the tongue …
kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā …
touches known by the body …
manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
ideas known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them,
Tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nandī nirujjhati.
relishing ceases.
‘Nandīnirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.
When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say.
Iminā ca tvaṁ, puṇṇa, mayā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito katarasmiṁ janapade viharissasī”ti?
Puṇṇa, now that I’ve given you this brief advice, what country will you live in?”
“Imināhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito, atthi sunāparanto nāma janapado, tatthāhaṁ viharissāmī”ti.
“Sir, there’s a country named Sunāparanta. I shall live there.”
“Caṇḍā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā;
“The people of Sunāparanta are wild and rough, Puṇṇa.
pharusā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā.
Sace taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tattha te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
If they abuse and insult you, what will you think of them?”
“Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
“If they abuse and insult me, I will think:
‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime pāṇinā pahāraṁ dentī’ti.
‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t hit me with their fists.’
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One.
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”
“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
“But if they do hit you with their fists, what will you think of them then?”
“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
“If they hit me with their fists, I’ll think:
‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dentī’ti.
‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t throw stones at me.’
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One.
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”
“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
“But if they do throw stones at you, what will you think of them then?”
“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
“If they throw stones at me, I’ll think:
‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime daṇḍena pahāraṁ dentī’ti.
‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t beat me with a club.’
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One.
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”
“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā daṇḍena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
“But if they do beat you with a club, what will you think of them then?”
“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā daṇḍena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
“If they beat me with a club, I’ll think:
‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime satthena pahāraṁ dentī’ti.
‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t stab me with a knife.’
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One.
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”
“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā satthena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
“But if they do stab you with a knife, what will you think of them then?”
“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā satthena pahāraṁ dassanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
“If they stab me with a knife, I’ll think:
‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ maṁ nayime tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropentī’ti.
‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t take my life with a sharp knife.’
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One.
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”
“Sace pana taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tattha pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?
“But if they do take your life with a sharp knife, what will you think of them then?”
“Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tattha me evaṁ bhavissati:
“If they take my life with a sharp knife, I’ll think:
‘santi kho bhagavato sāvakā kāye ca jīvite ca aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti. Taṁ me idaṁ apariyiṭṭhaṁyeva satthahārakaṁ laddhan’ti.
‘There are disciples of the Buddha who looked for someone to assist with slitting their wrists because they were horrified, repelled, and disgusted with the body and with life. And I have found this without looking!’
Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati;
That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One.
evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.
That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”
“Sādhu sādhu, puṇṇa.
“Good, good Puṇṇa!
Sakkhissasi kho tvaṁ, puṇṇa, iminā damūpasamena samannāgato sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharituṁ.
Having such self-control and peacefulness, you will be quite capable of living in Sunāparanta.
Yassadāni tvaṁ, puṇṇa, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.
Now, Puṇṇa, go at your convenience.”
Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sunāparanto janapado tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.
And then Puṇṇa welcomed and agreed with the Buddha’s words. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sunāparanta.
Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sunāparanto janapado tadavasari.
Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Sunāparanta,
Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā puṇṇo sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharati.
and stayed there.
Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭivedesi, tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsikasatāni paṭivedesi, tenevantaravassena tisso vijjā sacchākāsi.
Within that rainy season he confirmed around five hundred male and five hundred female lay followers. And within that same rainy season he realized the three knowledges.
Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo aparena samayena parinibbāyi.
Some time later he became fully extinguished.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“yo so, bhante, puṇṇo nāma kulaputto bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito so kālaṅkato.
“Sir, the gentleman named Puṇṇa, who was advised in brief by the Buddha, has passed away.
Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?
Where has he been reborn in his next life?”
“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ viheṭhesi.
“Mendicants, Puṇṇa was astute. He practiced in line with the teachings, and did not trouble me about the teachings.
Parinibbuto, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto”ti.
Puṇṇa has become completely extinguished.”
Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
Puṇṇovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.