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 went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
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:

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

Katame cattāro?
What four?
What four?

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

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

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

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

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

So ca 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, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.
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.

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

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.
When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
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.

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

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

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

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti?
And how is a person dark and bound for light?
“And how, great king, is a person one heading from darkness to 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, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

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

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

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pathaviyā vā pallaṅkaṁ āroheyya, pallaṅkā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ āroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ āroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā pāsādaṁ āroheyya.
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.
“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:

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

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

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

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti, khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.
It’s when a 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.
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;

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.
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.

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

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

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

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

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

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pallaṅkā vā pallaṅkaṁ saṅkameyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ saṅkameyya, hatthikkhandhā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ saṅkameyya, pāsādā vā pāsādaṁ saṅkameyya.
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.
“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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
ascetics and brahmins
and other mendicants;

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

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

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

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars.
food to beggars.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
ascetics and brahmins
and other mendicants;

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

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

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

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars.
food to beggars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
ascetics and brahmins
and other mendicants;

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

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

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

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars.
food to beggars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

aññe vāpi vanibbake;
ascetics and brahmins
and other mendicants;

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

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

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

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;
food to beggars.
food to beggars

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

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

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

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