Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.132
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 35.132
13. Gahapativagga
13. Householders
Lohiccasutta
With Lohicca
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākaccāno avantīsu viharati makkarakate araññakuṭikāyaṁ.
At one time Venerable Mahākaccāna was staying in the land of the Avantis in a wilderness hut near Makkarakaṭa.
Atha kho lohiccassa brāhmaṇassa sambahulā antevāsikā kaṭṭhahārakā māṇavakā yenāyasmato mahākaccānassa araññakuṭikā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā parito parito kuṭikāya anucaṅkamanti anuvicaranti uccāsaddā mahāsaddā kānici kānici seleyyakāni karonti:
Then several youths, students of the brahmin Lohicca, approached Mahākaccāna’s wilderness hut while collecting firewood. They walked and wandered all around the hut, making a dreadful racket and all kinds of jeers:
“ime pana muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kaṇhā bandhupādāpaccā, imesaṁ bharatakānaṁ sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā apacitā”ti.
“These shavelings, fake ascetics, primitives, black spawn from the feet of our kinsman, the Lord! They’re honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by those who pretend to inherit Vedic culture.”
Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno vihārā nikkhamitvā te māṇavake etadavoca:
And then Mahākaccāna left his dwelling and said to those brahmin students,
“mā māṇavakā saddamakattha;
“Students, stop being so noisy.
dhammaṁ vo bhāsissāmī”ti.
I will speak to you on the teaching.”
Evaṁ vutte, te māṇavakā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
When this was said, the students fell silent.
Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno te māṇavake gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Then Mahākaccāna recited these verses for them.
“Sīluttamā pubbatarā ahesuṁ,
“The brahmins of old championed ethics
Te brāhmaṇā ye purāṇaṁ saranti;
and remembered the ancient traditions.
Guttāni dvārāni surakkhitāni,
Their sense doors were guarded, well protected,
Ahesuṁ tesaṁ abhibhuyya kodhaṁ.
and they had mastered anger.
Dhamme ca jhāne ca ratā ahesuṁ,
Those brahmins who remembered <j>the ancient traditions
Te brāhmaṇā ye purāṇaṁ saranti.
enjoyed virtue and absorption.
Ime ca vokkamma japāmaseti,
But these have lost their way. Claiming to recite,
Gottena mattā visamaṁ caranti;
they live out of balance, <j>judging everyone by their clan.
Kodhābhibhūtā puthuattadaṇḍā,
Mastered by anger, they take up many arms,
Virajjamānā sataṇhātaṇhesu.
attacking both the strong and the weak.
Aguttadvārassa bhavanti moghā,
All is vain for someone <j>who doesn’t guard the sense doors,
Supineva laddhaṁ purisassa vittaṁ;
like the wealth a person finds in a dream.
Anāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā ca,
Fasting, sleeping on bare ground,
Pāto sinānañca tayo ca vedā.
bathing at dawn, the three Vedas,
Kharājinaṁ jaṭāpaṅko,
rough hides, dreadlocks, and dirt,
mantā sīlabbataṁ tapo;
hymns, precepts and observances, <j>and fervent austerities,
Kuhanā vaṅkadaṇḍā ca,
those fake bent staffs,
udakācamanāni ca;
and rinsing with water.
Vaṇṇā ete brāhmaṇānaṁ,
These emblems of the brahmins
katā kiñcikkhabhāvanā.
are only used to generate profits.
Cittañca susamāhitaṁ,
A mind that’s serene,
vippasannamanāvilaṁ;
clear and undisturbed,
Akhilaṁ sabbabhūtesu,
kind to all creatures:
so maggo brahmapattiyā”ti.
that’s the path to attainment of Brahmā!”
Atha kho te māṇavakā kupitā anattamanā yena lohicco brāhmaṇo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā lohiccaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then those students, offended and upset, went to the brahmin Lohicca and said to him,
“yagghe bhavaṁ jāneyya, samaṇo mahākaccāno brāhmaṇānaṁ mante ekaṁsena apavadati, paṭikkosatī”ti?
“Please, master, you should know this. The ascetic Mahākaccāna condemns and rejects outright the hymns of the brahmins!”
Evaṁ vutte, lohicco brāhmaṇo kupito ahosi anattamano.
When they said this, Lohicca was offended and upset.
Atha kho lohiccassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:
Then he thought,
“na kho pana metaṁ patirūpaṁ yohaṁ aññadatthu māṇavakānaṁyeva sutvā samaṇaṁ mahākaccānaṁ akkoseyyaṁ paribhāseyyaṁ.
“But it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to abuse or insult the ascetic Mahākaccāna solely because of what I’ve heard from these students.
Yannūnāhaṁ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyan”ti.
Why don’t I go and ask him about it?”
Atha kho lohicco brāhmaṇo tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā mahākaccānena saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then the brahmin Lohicca together with those students went to Venerable Mahākaccāna and exchanged greetings with him.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho lohicco brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him,
“āgamaṁsu nu khvidha, bho kaccāna, amhākaṁ sambahulā antevāsikā kaṭṭhahārakā māṇavakā”ti?
“Mister Kaccāna, did several young students of mine come by here collecting firewood?”
“Āgamaṁsu khvidha te, brāhmaṇa, sambahulā antevāsikā kaṭṭhahārakā māṇavakā”ti.
“They did, brahmin.”
“Ahu pana bhoto kaccānassa tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo”ti?
“But did you have some discussion with them?”
“Ahu kho me, brāhmaṇa, tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ kocideva kathāsallāpo”ti.
“I did.”
“Yathā kathaṁ pana bhoto kaccānassa tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ ahosi kathāsallāpo”ti?
“But what kind of discussion did you have with them?”
“Evaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ ahosi kathāsallāpo:
“This is the discussion I had with these students.” And he repeated the verses in full.
‘Sīluttamā pubbatarā ahesuṁ,
Te brāhmaṇā ye purāṇaṁ saranti;
…pe…
Akhilaṁ sabbabhūtesu,
So maggo brahmapattiyā’ti.
Evaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ ahosi kathāsallāpo”ti.
“‘Aguttadvāro’ti bhavaṁ kaccāno āha.
“Mister Kaccāna spoke of someone who doesn’t guard the sense doors.
Kittāvatā nu kho, bho kaccāna, aguttadvāro hotī”ti?
How do you define someone who doesn’t guard the sense doors?”
“Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati, parittacetaso
“Brahmin, take someone who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart restricted.
tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.
Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …
When they hear a sound with their ears …
ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …
When they smell an odor with their nose …
jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …
When they taste a flavor with their tongue …
kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …
When they feel a touch with their body …
manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe ca dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati, parittacetaso
When they know an idea with their mind, if it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and a limited heart.
tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.
Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, aguttadvāro hotī”ti.
That’s how someone doesn’t guard the sense doors.”
“Acchariyaṁ, bho kaccāna, abbhutaṁ, bho kaccāna.
“It’s incredible, Mister Kaccāna, it’s amazing!
Yāvañcidaṁ bhotā kaccānena aguttadvārova samāno aguttadvāroti akkhāto.
How accurately you’ve explained someone whose sense doors are unguarded!
‘Guttadvāro’ti bhavaṁ kaccāno āha.
You also spoke of someone who does guard the sense doors.
Kittāvatā nu kho, bho kaccāna, guttadvāro hotī”ti?
How do you define someone who does guard the sense doors?”
“Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati, appamāṇacetaso
“Brahmin, take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.
tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.
Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …
When they hear a sound with their ears …
ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …
When they smell an odor with their nose …
jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …
When they taste a flavor with their tongue …
kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …
When they feel a touch with their body …
manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati, appamāṇacetaso
When they know an idea with their mind, if it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.
tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.
Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, guttadvāro hotī”ti.
That’s how someone guards the sense doors.”
“Acchariyaṁ, bho kaccāna, abbhutaṁ, bho kaccāna.
“It’s incredible, Mister Kaccāna, it’s amazing!
Yāvañcidaṁ bhotā kaccānena guttadvārova samāno guttadvāroti akkhāto.
How accurately you’ve explained someone whose sense doors are guarded!
Abhikkantaṁ, bho kaccāna; abhikkantaṁ, bho kaccāna.
Excellent, Mister Kaccāna! Excellent!
Seyyathāpi, bho kaccāna, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā kaccānena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.
As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, Mister Kaccāna has made the teaching clear in many ways.
Esāhaṁ, bho kaccāna, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, dhammañca, bhikkhusaṅghañca.
I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.
Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ kaccāno dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gataṁ.
From this day forth, may Mister Kaccāna remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.
Yathā ca bhavaṁ kaccāno makkarakate upāsakakulāni upasaṅkamati; evameva lohiccakulaṁ upasaṅkamatu.
Please come to my family just as you go to the families of the lay followers in Makkarakaṭa.
Tattha ye māṇavakā vā māṇavikā vā bhavantaṁ kaccānaṁ abhivādessanti paccuṭṭhissanti āsanaṁ vā udakaṁ vā dassanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.
The brahmin boys and girls there will bow to you, rise in your presence, and give you a seat and water. That will be for their lasting welfare and happiness.”
Navamaṁ.