sutta » sn » sn4 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.21

Sambahulasutta

Several A Number

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
Thus have I heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati silāvatiyaṁ.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans near Silāvatī.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Silāvatī.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū bhagavato avidūre appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharanti.
Now at that time several mendicants were meditating not far from the Buddha, diligent, keen, and resolute.
Now on that occasion a number of bhikkhus were dwelling not far from the Blessed One—diligent, ardent, and resolute.

Atha kho māro pāpimā brāhmaṇavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā mahantena jaṭaṇḍuvena ajinakkhipanivattho jiṇṇo gopānasivaṅko ghurughurupassāsī udumbaradaṇḍaṁ gahetvā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca:
Then Māra the Wicked manifested in the form of a brahmin with a large matted dreadlock, wearing an antelope hide. He was old, bent double, wheezing, and held a staff made of cluster fig tree wood. He went up to those mendicants and said,
Then Māra the Evil One manifested himself in the form of a brahmin, with a large matted topknot, clad in an antelope hide, old, crooked like a roof bracket, wheezing, holding a staff of udumbara wood. He approached those bhikkhus and said to them:

“daharā bhavanto pabbajitā susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikkīḷitāvino kāmesu.
“You’ve gone forth while young, reverends. With pristine black hair, you’re blessed with youth, in the prime of life, and you’ve never flirted with sensual pleasures.
“You, sirs, have gone forth while young, lads with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, without having dallied with sensual pleasures.

Bhuñjantu bhavanto mānusake kāme.
Enjoy human sensual pleasures.
Enjoy human sensual pleasures,

Mā sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvitthā”ti.
Don’t give up what is apparent in the present to chase after what takes effect over time.”
do not abandon what is directly visible in order to pursue what takes time. ”

“Na kho mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvāma.
“Brahmin, that’s not what we’re doing.
“We have not abandoned what is directly visible, brahmin, in order to pursue what takes time.

Kālikañca kho mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, hitvā sandiṭṭhikaṁ anudhāvāma.
We’re giving up what takes effect over time to chase after what is apparent in the present.
We have abandoned what takes time in order to pursue what is directly visible.

Kālikā hi, brāhmaṇa, kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo.
For the Buddha says that sensual pleasures take effect over time; they give much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.
For the Blessed One, brahmin, has stated that sensual pleasures are time-consuming, full of suffering, full of despair, and the danger in them is still greater,

Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.
But this teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”
while this Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. ”

Evaṁ vutte, māro pāpimā sīsaṁ okampetvā jivhaṁ nillāletvā tivisākhaṁ nalāṭe nalāṭikaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā daṇḍamolubbha pakkāmi.
When they had spoken, Māra the Wicked shook his head, waggled his tongue, raised his eyebrows until his brow puckered in three furrows, and departed leaning on his staff.
When this was said, Māra the Evil One shook his head, lolled his tongue, knit his brow into three furrows, and departed leaning on his staff.

Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then those mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said,
Then those bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported everything in full.

“idha mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavato avidūre appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharāma.

Atha kho, bhante, aññataro brāhmaṇo mahantena jaṭaṇḍuvena ajinakkhipanivattho jiṇṇo gopānasivaṅko ghurughurupassāsī udumbaradaṇḍaṁ gahetvā yena mayaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā amhe etadavoca:

‘daharā bhavanto pabbajitā susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikkīḷitāvino kāmesu.

Bhuñjantu bhavanto mānusake kāme.

Mā sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvitthā’ti.

Evaṁ vutte, mayaṁ, bhante, taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavocumha:

‘na kho mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvāma.

Kālikañca kho mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, hitvā sandiṭṭhikaṁ anudhāvāma.

Kālikā hi, brāhmaṇa, kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo.

Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.

Evaṁ vutte, bhante, so brāhmaṇo sīsaṁ okampetvā jivhaṁ nillāletvā tivisākhaṁ nalāṭe nalāṭikaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā daṇḍamolubbha pakkanto”ti.

“Neso, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo.
“Mendicants, that was no brahmin.
“That was not a brahmin, bhikkhus.

Māro eso pāpimā tumhākaṁ vicakkhukammāya āgato”ti.
That was Māra the Wicked who came to pull the wool over your eyes!”
That was Māra the Evil One, who had come in order to confound you. ”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited this verse:
Then the Blessed One, having understood the meaning of this, on that occasion recited this verse:

“Yo dukkhamaddakkhi yatonidānaṁ,
“When a person has seen where suffering comes from
Who has seen the source whence suffering springs,

Kāmesu so jantu kathaṁ nameyya;
how could they incline towards sensual pleasures?
“How could that person incline to sensual pleasures?

Upadhiṁ viditvā saṅgoti loke,
Realizing that attachment is a snare in the world,
Having known acquisition as a tie in the world,

Tasseva jantu vinayāya sikkhe”ti.
a person would train to remove it.”
A person should train for its removal. ”