Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.21

Translators: sujato and bodhi

Linked Discourses 3.21

3. Tatiyavagga
3. Kosala

Puggalasutta

Persons Persons

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“cattārome, mahārāja puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
“Great king, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world.
“Great king, these four people are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?
What four?
What four?

Tamotamaparāyano,
The one heading from darkness to darkness,
The dark bound for darkness,

tamojotiparāyano,
the one heading from darkness to light,
the dark bound for light,

jotitamaparāyano,
the one heading from light to darkness,
the light bound for darkness,

jotijotiparāyano.
the one heading from light to light.
and the light bound for light.

Kathañca, mahārāja puggalo tamotamaparāyano hoti?
“And how, great king, is a person one heading from darkness to darkness?
And how is a person dark and bound for darkness?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti, caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.
Here some person has been reborn in a low family—a family of caṇḍālas, bamboo workers, hunters, cartwrights, or flower-scavengers—a poor family in which there is little food and drink and which subsists with difficulty, one where food and clothing are obtained with difficulty;
It’s when some person is reborn in a low family—a family of corpse-workers, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or scavengers—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
and he is ugly, unsightly, deformed, chronically ill—purblind or cripple-handed or lame or paralyzed. He is not one who gains food, drink, clothing, and vehicles; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, housing, and lighting.
And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.
He engages in misconduct of body, speech, and mind.
And they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.
Having done so, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso andhakārā vā andhakāraṁ gaccheyya, tamā vā tamaṁ gaccheyya, lohitamalā vā lohitamalaṁ gaccheyya.
“Suppose, great king, a man would go from darkness to darkness, or from gloom to gloom, or from stain to stain:
This person is like someone who goes from darkness to darkness, from blackness to blackness, from bloodstain to bloodstain.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
this person, I say, is exactly similar.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo tamotamaparāyano hoti.
It is in this way, great king, that a person is one heading from darkness to darkness.
That’s how a person is dark and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti?
“And how, great king, is a person one heading from darkness to light?
And how is a person dark and bound for light?

So ca kho hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho, kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.
He engages in good conduct of body, speech, and mind.
But they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.
Having done so, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pathaviyā vā pallaṅkaṁ āroheyya, pallaṅkā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ āroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ āroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā pāsādaṁ āroheyya.
“Suppose, great king, a man would climb from the ground on to a palanquin, or from a palanquin on to horseback, or from horseback to an elephant mount, or from an elephant mount to a mansion:
This person is like someone who ascends from the ground to a couch; from a couch to horseback; from horseback to an elephant; and from an elephant to a stilt longhouse.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
this person, I say, is exactly similar.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti.
It is in this way, great king, that a person is one heading from darkness to light.
That’s how a person is dark and bound for light.

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo jotitamaparāyano hoti?
“And how, great king, is a person one heading from light to darkness?
And how is a person light and bound for darkness?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti, khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.
Here some person has been reborn in a high family—an affluent khattiya family, an affluent brahmin family, or an affluent householder family—one which is rich, with great wealth and property, with abundant gold and silver, abundant treasures and commodities, abundant wealth and grain;
It’s when some person is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
and he is handsome, attractive, graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion. He is one who gains food, drink, clothing, and vehicles; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, housing, and lighting.
And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.
He engages in misconduct of body, speech, and mind.
But they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pāsādā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ oroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ oroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā pallaṅkaṁ oroheyya, pallaṅkā vā pathaviṁ oroheyya, pathaviyā vā andhakāraṁ paviseyya.
“Suppose, great king, a man would descend from a mansion to an elephant mount, or from an elephant mount to horseback, or from horseback to a palanquin, or from a palanquin to the ground, or from the ground to underground darkness:
This person is like someone who descends from a stilt longhouse to an elephant; from an elephant to horseback; from horseback to a couch; and from a couch to the ground; and from the ground they enter darkness.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
this person, I say, is exactly similar.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo jotitamaparāyano hoti.
It is in this way, great king, that a person is one heading from light to darkness.
That’s how a person is light and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo jotijotiparāyano hoti?
“And how, great king, is a person one heading from light to light?
And how is a person light and bound for light?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti, khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.
Here some person has been reborn in a high family … with abundant wealth and grain;
It’s when some person is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
and he is handsome, attractive, graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion. He is one who gains food … and lighting.
And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.
He engages in good conduct of body, speech, and mind.
And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pallaṅkā vā pallaṅkaṁ saṅkameyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ saṅkameyya, hatthikkhandhā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ saṅkameyya, pāsādā vā pāsādaṁ saṅkameyya.
“Suppose, great king, a man would cross over from palanquin to palanquin, or from horseback to horseback, or from elephant mount to elephant mount, or from mansion to mansion:
This person is like someone who shifts from one couch to another; from the back of one horse to another; from one elephant to another; or from one stilt longhouse to another.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
this person, I say, is exactly similar.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo jotijotiparāyano hoti.
It is in this way, great king, that a person is one heading from light to light.
That’s how a person is light and bound for light.

Ime kho, mahārāja, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
“These, great king, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.
These are the four people found in the world.”

Idamavoca …pe…
That is what the Buddha said. …

“Daliddo puriso rāja,
“The person, O king, who is poor,
“O king, some people are poor,

assaddho hoti maccharī;
Lacking in faith, stingy,
faithless and stingy.

Kadariyo pāpasaṅkappo,
Niggardly, with bad intentions,
Miserly, with bad intentions,

micchādiṭṭhi anādaro.
Wrong in views, disrespectful,
they lack regard, they have wrong view.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,
Ascetics, Brahmins,
They abuse and insult

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
and other mendicants;
ascetics and brahmins

Akkosati paribhāsati,
[these he] abuses and reviles
and other renunciates.

natthiko hoti rosako.
A nihilist, a scoffer,
They’re nihilists and bullies,

Dadamānaṁ nivāreti,
who hinders another giving
who prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars.
food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,
Such a person, O king,
O king, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;
on dying, lord of the people,
when such people die

Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,
goes to the terrible hell,
they fall into the terrible hell—

tamotamaparāyano.
Heading from darkness to darkness.
from darkness they’re bound for darkness.

Daliddo puriso rāja,
“The person, O king, who is poor,
O king, some people are poor,

saddho hoti amaccharī;
Endowed with faith, generous,
but faithful and not stingy.

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,
One who gives, with best intentions,
They give with best of intentions,

abyaggamanaso naro.
A person with unscattered mind
that peaceful-hearted person.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,
Ascetics, Brahmins,
They rise for and bow to

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
and other mendicants;
ascetics and brahmins

Uṭṭhāya abhivādeti,
[these he] rises up for and venerates ,
and other nomads.

samacariyāya sikkhati.
One who trains in righteous conduct,
Training in moral conduct,

Dadamānaṁ na vāreti,
Who hinders none giving
they don’t prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars
food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,
Such a person, O king,
O king, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;
On dying, lord of the people,
when such people die

Upeti tidivaṁ ṭhānaṁ,
goes to the triple heaven.
they go to the heaven of the Three and Thirty—

tamojotiparāyano.
Heading from darkness to light.
from darkness they’re bound for light.

Aḍḍho ce puriso rāja,
“The person, O king, who is rich,
O king, some people are rich,

assaddho hoti maccharī;
Lacking in faith, stingy,
but faithless and stingy.

Kadariyo pāpasaṅkappo,
Niggardly, with bad intentions,
Miserly, with bad intentions,

micchādiṭṭhi anādaro.
Wrong in views, disrespectful,
they lack regard, they have wrong view.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,
Ascetics and Brahmins,
They abuse and insult

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
and other mendicants;
ascetics and brahmins

Akkosati paribhāsati,
[these he] abuses and reviles,
and other nomads

natthiko hoti rosako.
A nihilist, a scoffer,
They’re nihilists and bullies,

Dadamānaṁ nivāreti,
who hinders Another giving
who prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars
food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,
Such a person, O king,
O king, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;
On dying, lord of the people,
when such people die

Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,
goes to the terrible hell,
they fall into the terrible hell—

jotitamaparāyano.
Heading from light to darkness.
from light they’re bound for darkness.

Aḍḍho ce puriso rāja,
“The person, O king, who is rich,
O king, some people are rich,

saddho hoti amaccharī;
Endowed with faith, generous,
faithful and not stingy.

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,
One who gives, with best intentions,
They give with best of intentions,

abyaggamanaso naro.
A person with unscattered mind
that peaceful-hearted person.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,
Ascetics and Brahmins,
They rise for and bow to

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
and other mendicants;
ascetics and brahmins

Uṭṭhāya abhivādeti,
[these he] rises up and venerates
and other renunciates.

samacariyāya sikkhati.
One who trains in righteous conduct,
Training in moral conduct,

Dadamānaṁ na vāreti,
Who hinders none giving
they don’t prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars
food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,
Such a person, O king,
O king, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;
On dying, lord of the people,
when such people die

Upeti tidivaṁ ṭhānaṁ,
goes to the triple heaven,
they go to the heaven of the Three and Thirty—

jotijotiparāyano”ti.
Heading from light to light. ”
from light they’re bound for light.”