sutta » sn » sn22 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.87

Vakkalisutta

With Vakkali

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā vakkali kumbhakāranivesane viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
Now at that time Venerable Vakkali was staying in a potter’s shed, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
Then he addressed his carers,

“etha tumhe, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha:
“Please, reverends, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.
‘Sir, the mendicant Vakkali is sick, suffering, and gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’

Evañca vadetha:
And then say:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.
‘Sir, please go to the mendicant Vakkali out of compassion.’”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied. They did as he asked.

“vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati;

evañca pana vadeti:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
The Buddha consented with silence.

Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkami.
Then the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robes, went to Venerable Vakkali.

Addasā kho āyasmā vakkali bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi.
Venerable Vakkali saw the Buddha coming off in the distance and tried to rise on his cot.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavoca:
But the Buddha said to him,

“alaṁ, vakkali, mā tvaṁ mañcake samadhosi.
“It’s all right, Vakkali, don’t get up.

Santimāni āsanāni paññattāni; tatthāhaṁ nisīdissāmī”ti.
There are some seats spread out, I will sit there.”

Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavoca:
He sat on the seat spread out and said to Vakkali,

“kacci te, vakkali, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?
“I hope you’re keeping well, Vakkali; I hope you’re getting by. And I hope the pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ; bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.
“Sir, I’m not all right, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is apparent, not its fading.”

“Kacci te, vakkali, na kiñci kukkuccaṁ, na koci vippaṭisāro”ti?
“I hope you don’t have any remorse or regret?”

“Taggha me, bhante, anappakaṁ kukkuccaṁ, anappako vippaṭisāro”ti.
“Indeed, sir, I have no little remorse and regret.”

“Kacci pana taṁ, vakkali, attā sīlato na upavadatī”ti?
“I hope you have no reason to blame yourself when it comes to ethical conduct?”

“Na kho maṁ, bhante, attā sīlato upavadatī”ti.
“No sir, I have no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct.”

“No ce kira taṁ, vakkali, attā sīlato upavadati; atha kiñca te kukkuccaṁ ko ca vippaṭisāro”ti?
“In that case, Vakkali, why do you have remorse and regret?”

“Cirapaṭikāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamitukāmo, natthi ca me kāyasmiṁ tāvatikā balamattā, yāvatāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkameyyan”ti.
“For a long time I’ve wanted to go and see the Buddha, but I was physically too weak.”

“Alaṁ, vakkali, kiṁ te iminā pūtikāyena diṭṭhena?
“Enough, Vakkali! Why would you want to see this rotten body?

Yo kho, vakkali, dhammaṁ passati so maṁ passati;
One who sees the teaching sees me.

yo maṁ passati so dhammaṁ passati.
One who sees me sees the teaching.

Dhammañhi, vakkali, passanto maṁ passati;
Seeing the teaching, you see me.

maṁ passanto dhammaṁ passati.
Seeing me, you see the teaching.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, vakkali,
What do you think, Vakkali?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Suffering, sir.”

“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”

“Vedanā …
“Is feeling …

saññā …
perception …

saṅkhārā …
choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…
“Impermanent, sir.” …

eso me attāti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Tasmātiha …pe…
“So you should truly see …

evaṁ passaṁ …pe…
Seeing this …

nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.
They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena gijjhakūṭo pabbato tena pakkāmi.
And then, after giving Venerable Vakkali this advice, the Buddha got up from his seat and went to the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantassa bhagavato upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
Then Venerable Vakkali addressed his carers,

“etha maṁ, āvuso, mañcakaṁ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamatha.
“Come on, reverends, lift my cot and take me to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili.

Kathañhi nāma mādiso antaraghare kālaṁ kattabbaṁ maññeyyā”ti?
It’s unthinkable for one like me to die in an inhabited area!”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.
“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants, and did as he asked.

Atha kho bhagavā tañca rattiṁ tañca divāvasesaṁ gijjhakūṭe pabbate vihāsi.
Meanwhile, the Buddha spent the rest of that night and day on Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Atha kho dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Then, late at night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
One deity said to him,

“vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī”ti.
“Sir, the mendicant Vakkali is intent on liberation!”

Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And another deity said to him,

“so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī”ti.
“He’ll definitely be well-freed!”

Idamavocuṁ tā devatāyo.
This is what those deities said.

Idaṁ vatvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
Then they bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right side, before vanishing right there.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“etha tumhe, bhikkhave, yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā vakkaliṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadetha:
“Come, mendicants, go to the mendicant Vakkali and tell him:

‘Suṇāvuso tvaṁ, vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṁ dvinnañca devatānaṁ.
‘Vakkali, hear the word of the Buddha and two deities.

Imaṁ, āvuso, rattiṁ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Late last night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—
One deity said to him,

vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetīti.
“Sir, the mendicant Vakkali is intent on liberation!”

Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—
The other deity said to him,

so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatīti.
“He’ll definitely be well-freed!”

Bhagavā ca taṁ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha—
And the Buddha said,

mā bhāyi, vakkali;
“Do not fear, Vakkali,

mā bhāyi, vakkali.
do not fear!

Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’”ti.
Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one.”’”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavocuṁ:
“Yes, sir,” those monks replied. They went to Vakkali and said to him:

“suṇāvuso vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṁ dvinnañca devatānan”ti.
“Vakkali, hear the word of the Buddha and two deities.”

Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
Then Vakkali addressed his carers,

“etha maṁ, āvuso, mañcakā oropetha.
“Please, reverends, help me off my cot.

Kathañhi nāma mādiso ucce āsane nisīditvā tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ sotabbaṁ maññeyyā”ti.
It’s unthinkable for one like me to listen to the Buddha’s instructions sitting on a high seat.”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ mañcakā oropesuṁ.
“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants, and helped him off his cot.

“Imaṁ, āvuso, rattiṁ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā …pe… ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
They repeated what the Buddha had said.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī’ti.

Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

‘so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī’ti.

Bhagavā ca taṁ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha:

‘mā bhāyi, vakkali;

mā bhāyi, vakkali.

Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’”ti.

“Tena hāvuso, mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha:
Vakkali said, “Well then, reverends, in my name bow with your head at the Buddha’s feet. Say to him:

‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
‘Sir, the mendicant Vakkali is sick, suffering, gravely ill.

So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.
He bows with his head to your feet.’

Evañca vadetha:
And then say:

‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ.
‘Form is impermanent.

Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
I have no doubt of that.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
I’m certain that what is impermanent is suffering.

Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.
And I’m certain that I have no desire or greed or fondness for what is impermanent, suffering, and perishable.

Vedanā aniccā.
Feeling is impermanent …

Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.

Saññā …
Perception is impermanent …

saṅkhārā aniccā.
Choices are impermanent …

Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.

Viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ.
Consciousness is impermanent.

Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
I have no doubt of that.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
I’m certain that what is impermanent is suffering.

Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmī’”ti.
And I’m certain that I have no desire or greed or fondness for what is impermanent, suffering, and perishable.’”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā pakkamiṁsu.
“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied, and left.

Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantesu tesu bhikkhūsu satthaṁ āharesi.
And then, not long after those mendicants had left, Venerable Vakkali slit his wrists.

Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then those mendicants went up to the Buddha and told him Vakkali’s message.

“vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno;

so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati;

evañca vadeti:

‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ.

Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.

Vedanā …

saññā …

saṅkhārā …

viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ.

Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.

Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmī’”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then the Buddha said to the mendicants,

“āyāma, bhikkhave, yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamissāma;
“Come, mendicants, let’s go to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili,

yattha vakkalinā kulaputtena satthamāharitan”ti.
where Vakkali, the gentleman, slit his wrists.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkami.
Then the Buddha together with several mendicants went to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ dūratova mañcake vivattakkhandhaṁ semānaṁ.
The Buddha saw Vakkali off in the distance lying on his cot, having cast off the aggregates.

Tena kho pana samayena dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati pacchimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uttaraṁ disaṁ, gacchati dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uddhaṁ disaṁ, gacchati adho disaṁ, gacchati anudisaṁ.
Now at that time a cloud of black smoke was moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
The Buddha said to the mendicants,

“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ …pe… gacchati anudisan”ti.
“Mendicants, do you see that cloud of black smoke moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”

“Eso kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ samanvesati:
“That’s Māra the Wicked searching for Vakkali’s consciousness, wondering:

‘kattha vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ patiṭṭhitan’ti?
‘Where is Vakkali’s consciousness established?’

Appatiṭṭhitena ca, bhikkhave, viññāṇena vakkali kulaputto parinibbuto”ti.
But since his consciousness is not established, Vakkali is extinguished.”

Pañcamaṁ.