Saṁyutta Nikāya 21.4

Translators: sujato

Linked Discourses 21.4

1. Bhikkhuvagga
1. Monks

Navasutta

A Junior Mendicant

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena aññataro navo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati, na bhikkhūnaṁ veyyāvaccaṁ karoti cīvarakārasamaye.
Now at that time a certain junior monk, after his meal, on his return from almsround, entered his dwelling, where he adhered to passivity and silence. And he didn’t help the mendicants out when it was time to sew robes.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

“idha, bhante, aññataro navo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati, na bhikkhūnaṁ veyyāvaccaṁ karoti cīvarakārasamaye”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:
So the Buddha addressed one of the monks,

“ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena taṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehi ‘satthā taṁ, āvuso, āmantetī’”ti.
“Please, monk, in my name tell that monk that the Teacher summons him.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:
“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to that monk and said to him,

“satthā taṁ, āvuso, āmantetī”ti.
“Reverend, the teacher summons you.”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho so bhikkhu tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ bhikkhuṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, reverend,” that monk replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyasi, na bhikkhūnaṁ veyyāvaccaṁ karosi cīvarakārasamaye”ti?
“Is it really true, monk, that after your meal, on your return from almsround, you entered your dwelling, where you adhered to passivity and silence, and you didn’t help the mendicants out when it was time to sew robes?”

“Ahampi kho, bhante, sakaṁ kiccaṁ karomī”ti.
“Sir, I am doing my own work.”

Atha kho bhagavā tassa bhikkhuno cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then the Buddha, knowing that monk’s train of thought, addressed the mendicants:

“mā kho tumhe, bhikkhave, etassa bhikkhuno ujjhāyittha.
“Mendicants, don’t complain about this monk.

Eso kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.
This monk gets the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when he wants, without trouble or difficulty. He has realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Nayidaṁ sithilamārabbha,
“Not by being slack,

nayidaṁ appena thāmasā;
or with little strength

Nibbānaṁ adhigantabbaṁ,
is extinguishment realized,

sabbadukkhappamocanaṁ.
the freedom from all suffering.

Ayañca daharo bhikkhu,
This young monk,

ayamuttamapuriso;
this best of men,

Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ,
bears his final body,

jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.
having vanquished Māra and his mount.”

Catutthaṁ.