sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.12

Pañcarājasutta

Five Kings Five Kings

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena pañcannaṁ rājūnaṁ pasenadipamukhānaṁ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṁ samaṅgībhūtānaṁ paricārayamānānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:
Now at that time five kings headed by Pasenadi were amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, and this discussion came up among them:
Now on that occasion five kings headed by King Pasenadi were enjoying themselves supplied and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure when this conversation arose among them:

“kiṁ nu kho kāmānaṁ aggan”ti?
“What’s the best of sensual pleasures?”
“What is the chief of sensual pleasures?”

Tatrekacce evamāhaṁsu:
Some of them said,
Some among them said:

“rūpā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.
“Sights are the best of sensual pleasures!”
“Forms are the chief of sensual pleasures. ”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:
Others said,
Some said:

“saddā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.
“Sounds are best!”
“Sounds are the chief. ”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:
Others said,

“gandhā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.
“Smells are best!”
“Odours are the chief. ”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:
Others said,

“rasā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.
“Tastes are best!”
“Tastes are the chief. ”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:
Others said,

“phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.
“Touches are best!”
“Tactile objects are the chief. ”

Yato kho te rājāno nāsakkhiṁsu aññamaññaṁ saññāpetuṁ.
Since those kings were unable to persuade each other,
Since those kings were unable to convince one another,

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo te rājāno etadavoca:
King Pasenadi said to them,
King Pasenadi of Kosala said to them:

“āyāma, mārisā, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipucchissāma.
“Come, good sirs, let’s go to the Buddha and ask him about this.
“Come, dear sirs, let us approach the Blessed One and question him about this matter.

Yathā no bhagavā byākarissati tathā naṁ dhāressāmā”ti.
As he answers, so we’ll remember it.”
As the Blessed One answers us, so we should remember it. ”

“Evaṁ, mārisā”ti kho te rājāno rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, dear sir,” replied those kings.
“All right, dear sir, ” those kings replied.

Atha kho te pañca rājāno pasenadipamukhā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then those five kings headed by Pasenadi went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. King Pasenadi reported their conversation to the Buddha, and said,
Then those five kings, headed by King Pasenadi, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. King Pasenadi then reported their entire discussion to the Blessed One, asking:

“idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pañcannaṁ rājūnaṁ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṁ samaṅgībhūtānaṁ paricārayamānānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

‘kiṁ nu kho kāmānaṁ aggan’ti?
“What now, venerable sir, is the chief of sensual pleasures?”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘rūpā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘saddā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘gandhā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘rasā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, kāmānaṁ aggan”ti?
“Sir, what’s the best of sensual pleasures?”

“Manāpapariyantaṁ khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pañcasu kāmaguṇesu agganti vadāmi.
“Great king, which kind of sensual stimulation is best is defined by which is most agreeable, I say.
“Great king, I say that what is chief among the five cords of sensual pleasure is determined by whatever is most agreeable.

Teva, mahārāja, rūpā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rūpā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.
The very same sights that are agreeable to some are disagreeable to others.
Those same forms that are agreeable to one person, great king, are disagreeable to another.

Yehi ca yo rūpehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rūpehi aññaṁ rūpaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.
When you’re happy with certain sights, as you’ve got all you wished for, you don’t want any other sight that’s better or finer.
When one is pleased and completely satisfied with certain forms, then one does not yearn for any other form higher or more sublime than those forms.

Te tassa rūpā paramā honti.
For you, those sights are perfect
For him those forms are then supreme;

Te tassa rūpā anuttarā honti.
and supreme.
for him those forms are unsurpassed.

Teva, mahārāja, saddā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva saddā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.
The very same sounds …
“Those same sounds …

Yehi ca yo saddehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi saddehi aññaṁ saddaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

Te tassa saddā paramā honti.

Te tassa saddā anuttarā honti.

Teva, mahārāja, gandhā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva gandhā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.
smells …
Those same odours …

Yehi ca yo gandhehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi gandhehi aññaṁ gandhaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

Te tassa gandhā paramā honti.

Te tassa gandhā anuttarā honti.

Teva, mahārāja, rasā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rasā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.
tastes …
Those same tastes …

Yehi ca yo rasehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rasehi aññaṁ rasaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

Te tassa rasā paramā honti.

Te tassa rasā anuttarā honti.

Teva, mahārāja, phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.
touches that are agreeable to some are disagreeable to others.
Those same tactile objects that are agreeable to one person, great king, are disagreeable to another.

Yehi ca yo phoṭṭhabbehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi phoṭṭhabbehi aññaṁ phoṭṭhabbaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.
When you’re happy with certain touches, as you’ve got all you wished for, you don’t want any other touch that’s better or finer.
When one is pleased and completely satisfied with certain tactile objects, then one does not yearn for any other tactile object higher or more sublime than those tactile objects. For him those tactile objects are then supreme; for him those tactile objects are unsurpassed.

Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā paramā honti.
For you, those touches are perfect

Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā anuttarā hontī”ti.
and supreme.”

Tena kho pana samayena candanaṅgaliko upāsako tassaṁ parisāyaṁ nisinno hoti.
Now at that time the lay follower Candanaṅgalika was sitting in that assembly.
Now on that occasion the lay follower Candanaṅgalika was sitting in that assembly.

Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then he got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said,
Then the lay follower Candanaṅgalika rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him:

“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.
“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”
“An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”

“Paṭibhātu taṁ, candanaṅgalikā”ti bhagavā avoca.
“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.
“Then express your inspiration, Candanaṅgalika, ”, the Blessed One said.

Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako bhagavato sammukhā tadanurūpāya gāthāya abhitthavi:
Then the lay follower Candanaṅgalika extolled the Buddha in his presence with an appropriate verse:
Then the lay follower Candanaṅgalika, in the presence of the Blessed One, extolled him with an appropriate verse:

“Padumaṁ yathā kokanadaṁ sugandhaṁ,
“Like a fragrant pink lotus
“As the fragrant red lotus Kokanada

Pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṁ;
that blooms in the morning, its fragrance unfaded—
Blooms in the morning, its fragrance unspent,

Aṅgīrasaṁ passa virocamānaṁ,
see Aṅgīrasa shine,
Behold Aṅgīrasa, the Radiant One,

Tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.
bright as the sun in the sky!”
Like the sun beaming in the sky. ”

Atha kho te pañca rājāno candanaṅgalikaṁ upāsakaṁ pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi acchādesuṁ.
Then those five kings clothed Candanaṅgalika with five upper robes.
Then those five kings bestowed five upper robes upon the lay follower Candanaṅgalika.

Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi bhagavantaṁ acchādesīti.
And Candanaṅgalika in turn endowed the Buddha with those robes.
But the lay follower Candanaṅgalika bestowed those five upper robes upon the Blessed One.