sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.14

Gandhatthenasutta

The Thief of Scent The Thief of Scent

Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.
On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket.

Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto pokkharaṇiṁ ogāhetvā padumaṁ upasiṅghati.
Now at that time, after the meal, on their return from almsround, that mendicant plunged into a lotus pond and sniffed a pink lotus.
Now on that occasion, when he had returned from his alms round, after his meal that bhikkhu used to descend into a pond and sniff a red lotus.

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:
Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him and addressed him in verse:

“Yametaṁ vārijaṁ pupphaṁ,
“This water flower has not been given.
“When you sniff this lotus flower, An item that has not been given,

adinnaṁ upasiṅghasi;
When you sniff it,
This is one factor of theft:

Ekaṅgametaṁ theyyānaṁ,
this is one factor of theft.
You, dear sir, are a thief of scent.”

gandhatthenosi mārisā”ti.
Good sir, you are a thief of scent!”
You, dear sir, are a thief of scent.”

“Na harāmi na bhañjāmi,
“I do not take, nor do I break;
“I do not take, I do not damage,

ārā siṅghāmi vārijaṁ;
I sniff the water flower from afar.
I sniff the lotus from afar;

Atha kena nu vaṇṇena,
So based on what evidence
So for what reason do you say

gandhatthenoti vuccati.
do you call me a thief of scent?
That I am a thief of scent?

Yvāyaṁ bhisāni khanati,
Why don’t you accuse someone
“One who digs up the lotus stalks,

puṇḍarīkāni bhañjati;
who does such vandalizing
One who damages the flowers,

Evaṁ ākiṇṇakammanto,
as digging up the roots,
One of such rough behaviour:

kasmā eso na vuccatī”ti.
or breaking off the flowers?”
Why is he not spoken to?”

“Ākiṇṇaluddo puriso,
“I have nothing to say
“When a person is rough and fierce, Badly soiled like a nursing cloth,

dhāticelaṁva makkhito;
to a person who is a crude vandal,
I have nothing to say to him;

Tasmiṁ me vacanaṁ natthi,
soiled like a used nappy.
But it’s to you that I ought to speak.

tvañcārahāmi vattave.
You’re the one who deserves to be spoken to.
But it’s to you that I ought to speak.

Anaṅgaṇassa posassa,
To the man who has not a blemish
“For a person without blemish, Always in quest of purity,

niccaṁ sucigavesino;
who is always seeking purity,
Always in quest of purity,

Vālaggamattaṁ pāpassa,
even a hair-tip of evil
Even a mere hair’s tip of evil

abbhāmattaṁva khāyatī”ti.
seems as big as a cloud.”
Appears as big as a cloud.”

“Addhā maṁ yakkha jānāsi,
“Indeed, O spirit, you understand me,
“Surely, spirit, you understand me,

atho me anukampasi;
and you empathize with me.
And you have compassion for me.

Punapi yakkha vajjāsi,
Please speak to me again,
Please, O spirit, speak to me again,

yadā passasi edisan”ti.
whenever you see something like this.”
Whenever you see such a deed.”

“Neva taṁ upajīvāma,
“I’m no dependent of yours,
“We don’t live with your support,

napi te bhatakāmhase;
nor am I your servant.
Nor are we your hired servant.

Tvameva bhikkhu jāneyya,
You yourself should know, mendicant,
You, bhikkhu, should know for yourself

yena gaccheyya suggatin”ti.
the way that leads to a good place.”
The way to a good destination.”

Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.
Then that bhikkhu, stirred by that devatā, acquired a sense of urgency.

Vanavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Vivekaṁ upaṭṭhānañca,

Kassapagottena sambahulā;

Ānando anuruddho ca,

Nāgadattañca kulagharaṇī.

Vajjiputto ca vesālī,

Sajjhāyena ayoniso;

Majjhanhikālamhi pākatindriya—

Padumapupphena cuddasa bhaveti.

Vanasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses in the Forest are completed.
The Linked Discourses in the Forest are completed.