sutta » sn » sn7 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.9

Sundarikasutta

Sundarika With Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sundarikāya nadiyā tīre.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans on the bank of the river Sundarika.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the Kosalan lands on the bank of the Sundarikā river.

Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo sundarikāya nadiyā tīre aggiṁ juhati, aggihuttaṁ paricarati.
Now on that occasion the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja was offering a fire sacrifice and performing the fire oblation on the bank of the river Sundarika.
Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā was serving the sacred flame and performing the fire sacrifice on the bank of the Sundarikā.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo aggiṁ juhitvā aggihuttaṁ paricaritvā uṭṭhāyāsanā samantā catuddisā anuvilokesi:
Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja, having offered the fire sacrifice and performed the fire oblation, rose from his seat and surveyed the four quarters all around, wondering:
Then he looked all around the four quarters, wondering,

“ko nu kho imaṁ habyasesaṁ bhuñjeyyā”ti?
“Who now might eat this sacrificial cake?”
“Now who might eat the leftovers of this offering?”

Addasā kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle sasīsaṁ pārutaṁ nisinnaṁ.
The brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja saw the Blessed One sitting at the foot of a tree with his head covered.
He saw the Buddha meditating at the root of a certain tree with his robe pulled over his head.

Disvāna vāmena hatthena habyasesaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena kamaṇḍaluṁ gahetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.
Having seen him, he took the sacrificial cake in his left hand and the waterpot in his right hand and approached the Blessed One.
Taking the leftovers of the offering in his left hand and a pitcher in the right he approached the Buddha.

Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa padasaddena sīsaṁ vivari.
When the Blessed One heard the sound of the brahmin’s footsteps, he uncovered his head.
When he heard Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā’s footsteps the Buddha uncovered his head.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo “muṇḍo ayaṁ bhavaṁ, muṇḍako ayaṁ bhavan”ti tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi.
Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja, thinking, “This worthy is shaven-headed, this worthy is a shaveling, ” wanted to turn back;
Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā thought, “This man is shaven, he is shaven!” And he wanted to turn back.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:
but it occurred to him:
But he thought,

“muṇḍāpi hi idhekacce brāhmaṇā bhavanti;
“Some brahmins here are also shaven-headed.
“Even some brahmins are shaven.

yannūnāhaṁ taṁ upasaṅkamitvā jātiṁ puccheyyan”ti.
Let me approach him and inquire about his birth. ”
Why don’t I go to him and ask about his birth?”

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja approached the Blessed One and said to him:
Then the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā went up to the Buddha, and said to him,

“kiṁjacco bhavan”ti?
“What is the worthy one’s birth?”
“Sir, what are you by birth?”

“Mā jātiṁ puccha caraṇañca puccha,
[The Blessed One: ] “Ask not of birth but ask of conduct:
“Don’t ask about birth, ask about conduct;

Kaṭṭhā have jāyati jātavedo;
Fire is indeed produced from any wood.
for any kindling can kindle a flame.

Nīcākulīnopi muni dhitimā,
A resolute sage, though from low family,
A steadfast sage, even though from a low class family,

Ājānīyo hoti hirīnisedho.
Is a thoroughbred restrained by a sense of shame.
is a thoroughbred checked by conscience.

Saccena danto damasā upeto,
One tamed by truth, perfect by taming,
Tamed by truth, fulfilled by taming,

Vedantagū vusitabrahmacariyo;
Who has reached the end of knowledge, A fulfiller of the holy life.
a complete knowledge master <j>who has completed the spiritual journey—

Yaññopanīto tamupavhayetha,
“The sacrificer should invoke this one:
that’s who a sacrificer <j>should introduce themselves to,

Kālena so juhati dakkhiṇeyye”ti.
Then he makes a timely oblation To one worthy of offerings. ”
and make a timely offering <j>to one worthy of a religious donation.”

“Addhā suyiṭṭhaṁ suhutaṁ mama yidaṁ,
[The brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja: ] “Surely my sacrifice is well performed
“My sacrificial offering <j>must have been well performed,

Yaṁ tādisaṁ vedagumaddasāmi;
As I have seen such a knowledge-master.
since I have met such a knowledge master!

Tumhādisānañhi adassanena,
Because I had not seen those like yourself
It’s because I’d never met anyone like you

Añño jano bhuñjati habyasesan”ti.
Other people ate the sacrificial cake.
that others ate the leftover offering.

“Bhuñjatu bhavaṁ gotamo.
“Let Master Gotama eat.
Eat, Mister Gotama,

Brāhmaṇo bhavan”ti.
The worthy is a brahmin. ”
you are truly a brahmin.”

“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,
“Food over which verses have been sung
“Food enchanted by a spell isn’t fit for me to eat.

Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo;
That’s not the principle of those who see, brahmin.

Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā,
The Buddhas reject things enchanted with spells.

Dhamme sati brāhmaṇa vuttiresā.
Since there is such a principle, brahmin, <j>that’s how they live.

Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,
Serve with other food and drink

Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ;
the consummate one, the great seer,

Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,
with defilements ended and remorse stilled.

Khettañhi taṁ puññapekkhassa hotī”ti.
For he is the field for one seeking merit. ”
For he is the field for the seeker of merit.”

“Atha kassa cāhaṁ, bho gotama, imaṁ habyasesaṁ dammī”ti?
“Then, Master Gotama, should I give this sacrificial cake to someone else?”
“Then, Mister Gotama, to whom should I give the leftovers of this offering?”

“Na khvāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yasseso habyaseso bhutto sammā pariṇāmaṁ gaccheyya aññatra, brāhmaṇa, tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā.
“I do not see anyone, brahmin, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, who could eat and properly digest this sacrificial cake except the Tathāgata or a disciple of the Tathāgata.
“Brahmin, I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who can properly digest these leftovers, except for the Realized One or one of his disciples.

Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, taṁ habyasesaṁ appaharite vā chaḍḍehi appāṇake vā udake opilāpehī”ti.
Therefore, brahmin, throw away the sacrificial cake in a place where there is sparse vegetation or dispose of it in water where there are no living beings. ”
Well then, brahmin, throw out those leftovers where there is little that grows, or drop them into water that has no living creatures.”

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo taṁ habyasesaṁ appāṇake udake opilāpesi.
Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja disposed of that sacrificial cake in water where there were no living beings.
So Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā dropped the leftover offering in water that had no living creatures.

Atha kho so habyaseso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.
When it was disposed of in the water, that sacrificial cake sizzled and hissed and gave off steam and smoke.
And when those leftovers were placed in the water, they sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming.

Seyyathāpi nāma phālo divasaṁsantatto udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati;
Just as a ploughshare, heated all day, sizzles and hisses and gives off steam and smoke if placed in water,
Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you placed it in the water, it would sizzle and hiss, steaming and fuming.

evameva so habyaseso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.
so too that sacrificial cake, when disposed of in the water, sizzled and hissed and gave off steam and smoke.
In the same way, when those leftovers were placed in the water, they sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja, shocked and terrified, approached the Blessed One and stood to one side.
Then the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā, shocked and awestruck, went up to the Buddha, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho sundarikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ bhagavā gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
The Blessed One then addressed him with verses:
The Buddha addressed him in verse:

“Mā brāhmaṇa dāru samādahāno,
“When kindling wood, brahmin, do not imagine
“When you’re kindling the wood, brahmin,

Suddhiṁ amaññi bahiddhā hi etaṁ;
This external deed brings purity;
don’t imagine this is purity, for it’s just an external.

Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti,
For experts say no purity is gained
For experts say this is no way to purity,

Yo bāhirena parisuddhimicche.
By one who seeks it outwardly.
when one seeks purity in externals.

Hitvā ahaṁ brāhmaṇa dārudāhaṁ,
“Having given up the fire made from wood, I kindle, O brahmin,
I’ve given up kindling firewood, brahmin,

Ajjhattamevujjalayāmi jotiṁ;
now I just light the inner flame.

Niccagginī niccasamāhitatto,
the inner light alone. Always ablaze, my mind always concentrated,
Always blazing, always serene,

Arahaṁ ahaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carāmi.
I am an arahant living the holy life.
I am a perfected one leading the spiritual life.

Māno hi te brāhmaṇa khāribhāro,
“Conceit, O brahmin, is your shoulder-load,
Conceit, brahmin, is the burden of your possessions,

Kodho dhumo bhasmani mosavajjaṁ;
Anger the smoke, false speech the ashes;
anger your smoke, and lies your ashes.

Jivhā sujā hadayaṁ jotiṭhānaṁ,
The tongue is the ladle, the heart the altar,
The tongue is the ladle and the heart the fire altar;

Attā sudanto purisassa joti.
A well-tamed self is the light of a man.
a well-tamed self is a person’s light.

Dhammo rahado brāhmaṇa sīlatittho,
“The Dhamma is a lake with fords of virtue—
The teaching is a lake with shores of ethics, brahmin,

Anāvilo sabbhi sataṁ pasattho;
Limpid, praised by the good to the good—
unclouded, praised by the fine to the good.

Yattha have vedaguno sinātā,
Where the knowledge-masters go to bathe,
There the knowledge masters go to bathe,

Anallagattāva taranti pāraṁ.
And, dry-limbed, cross to the far shore.
and cross to the far shore without getting wet.

Saccaṁ dhammo saṁyamo brahmacariyaṁ,
“Truth, Dhamma, restraint, the holy life,
Truth, principle, restraint, the spiritual life;

Majjhe sitā brāhmaṇa brahmapatti;
Attainment of Brahmā based on the middle:
the attainment of the supreme based on the middle, <j>brahmin.

Sa tujjubhūtesu namo karohi,
Pay homage, O brahmin, to the upright ones;
Pay homage to the upright ones—

Tamahaṁ naraṁ dhammasārīti brūmī”ti.
I call that person one impelled by Dhamma. ”
I declare that man to be <j>one who follows the teaching.”

Evaṁ vutte, sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When this was said, the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One:
When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
“Magnificent, Master Gotama!”…
“Excellent, Mister Gotama …” …

aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.
And the Venerable Sundarika Bhāradvāja became one of the arahants.
And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.