sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.11

Sattajaṭilasutta

Seven Matted-Hair Ascetics Seven Jaṭilas

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park in the Mansion of Migāra’s Mother.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bahidvārakoṭṭhake nisinno hoti.
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and sat outside the gate.
Now on that occasion, in the evening, the Blessed One had emerged from seclusion and was sitting by the outer gateway.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side.

Tena kho pana samayena satta ca jaṭilā satta ca nigaṇṭhā satta ca acelakā satta ca ekasāṭakā satta ca paribbājakā parūḷhakacchanakhalomā khārivividhamādāya bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti.
Now at that time seven matted-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven naked ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, and seven wanderers passed by not far from the Buddha. Their armpits and bodies were hairy, and their nails were long; and they carried their stuff with shoulder-poles.
Now on that occasion seven jaṭilas, seven nigaṇṭhas, seven naked ascetics, seven one-robed ascetics, and seven wanderers—with hairy armpits, long fingernails and long body hairs, carrying their bundles of requisites—passed by not far from the Blessed One.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena te satta ca jaṭilā satta ca nigaṇṭhā satta ca acelakā satta ca ekasāṭakā satta ca paribbājakā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā tikkhattuṁ nāmaṁ sāvesi:
Then King Pasenadi got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, raised his joined palms toward those various ascetics, and pronounced his name three times:
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt down with his right knee on the ground, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the seven jaṭilas, seven nigaṇṭhas, seven naked ascetics, seven one-robed ascetics, and seven wanderers, he announced his name three times:

“rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo …pe…
“Sirs, I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala! …
“I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi of Kosala!…

rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo”ti.
I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!”
I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi of Kosala!”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo acirapakkantesu tesu sattasu ca jaṭilesu sattasu ca nigaṇṭhesu sattasu ca acelakesu sattasu ca ekasāṭakesu sattasu ca paribbājakesu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, soon after those ascetics had left, King Pasenadi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
Then, not long after those seven jaṭilas … and seven wanderers had departed, King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to the Blessed One:

“ye te, bhante, loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā ete tesaṁ aññatarā”ti.
“Sir, are they among those in the world who are perfected ones or who are on the path to perfection?”
“Those, venerable sir, are to be included among the men in the world who are arahants or who have entered upon the path to arahantship. ”

“Dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena: ‘ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannā’ti.
“Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home with your children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, fragrance, and makeup, and accepting gold and currency, it’s hard for you to know who is perfected or on the path to perfection.
“Great king, being a layman who enjoys sensual pleasures, dwelling in a home crowded with children, enjoying the use of Kāsian sandalwood, wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, receiving gold and silver, it is difficult for you to know: ‘These are arahants or these have entered upon the path to arahantship.

Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.
You can get to know a person’s ethics by living with them. But only after a long time, not casually; only when attentive, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.
’ “It is by living together with someone, great king, that his virtue is to be known, and that after a long time, not after a short time; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is wise, not by a dullard.

Saṁvohārena kho, mahārāja, soceyyaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.
You can get to know a person’s purity by dealing with them. …
“It is by dealing with someone, great king, that his honesty is to be known, and that after a long time, not after a short time; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is wise, not by a dullard.

Āpadāsu kho, mahārāja, thāmo veditabbo. So ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.
You can get to know a person’s resilience in times of trouble. …
“It is in adversities, great king, that a person’s fortitude is to be known, and that after a long time, not after a short time; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is wise, not by a dullard.

Sākacchāya, kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññenā”ti.
You can get to know a person’s wisdom by discussion. But only after a long time, not casually; only when attentive, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.”
“It is by discussion with someone, great king, that his wisdom is to be known, and that after a long time, not after a short time; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is wise, not by a dullard. ”

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

Yāva subhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:
how well said this was by the Buddha. …
How well this has been stated by the Blessed One:

‘dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena:

“ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannā”ti.

Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.

Saṁvohārena kho, mahārāja, soceyyaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.

Āpadāsu kho, mahārāja, thāmo veditabbo. So ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.

Sākacchāya kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññenā’ti.

Ete, bhante, mama purisā carā ocarakā janapadaṁ ocaritvā āgacchanti.
Sir, these are my spies, my undercover agents returning after spying on the country.
’“These, venerable sir, are my spies, undercover agents, coming back after spying out the country.

Tehi paṭhamaṁ ociṇṇaṁ ahaṁ pacchā osāpayissāmi.
First they go undercover, then I have them report to me.
First information is gathered by them and afterwards I will make them disclose it.

Idāni te, bhante, taṁ rajojallaṁ pavāhetvā sunhātā suvilittā kappitakesamassū odātavatthā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricāressantī”ti.
And now—when they have washed off the dust and dirt, and are nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed, and dressed in white—they will amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.”
Now, venerable sir, when they have washed off the dust and dirt and are freshly bathed and groomed, with their hair and beards trimmed, clad in white garments, they will enjoy themselves supplied and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure. ”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:
Then the Blessed One, having understood the meaning of this, on that occasion recited these verses:

“Na vaṇṇarūpena naro sujāno,
“It’s not easy to know a man by his appearance.
“A man is not easily known by outward form

Na vissase ittaradassanena;
You shouldn’t trust them at first sight.
Nor should one trust a quick appraisal,

Susaññatānañhi viyañjanena,
For undisciplined men live in this world
For in the guise of the well controlled

Asaññatā lokamimaṁ caranti.
disguised as the disciplined.
Uncontrolled men move in this world.

Patirūpako mattikākuṇḍalova,
Like a fake earring made of clay,
“Like a counterfeit earring made of clay,

Lohaḍḍhamāsova suvaṇṇachanno;
like a copper halfpenny covered with gold,
Like a bronze half-pence coated with gold,

Caranti loke parivārachannā,
they live hidden in the world,
Some move about in disguise:

Anto asuddhā bahi sobhamānā”ti.
corrupt inside but impressive outside.”
Inwardly impure, outwardly beautiful. ”