sutta » sn » sn41 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.9

Acelakassapasutta

With Kassapa, the Naked Ascetic

Tena kho pana samayena acelo kassapo macchikāsaṇḍaṁ anuppatto hoti cittassa gahapatino purāṇagihisahāyo.
Now at that time the naked ascetic Kassapa, an old friend of Citta in the lay life, had arrived at Macchikāsaṇḍa.

Assosi kho citto gahapati: “acelo kira kassapo macchikāsaṇḍaṁ anuppatto amhākaṁ purāṇagihisahāyo”ti.
Citta the householder heard that he had arrived.

Atha kho citto gahapati yena acelo kassapo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā acelena kassapena saddhiṁ sammodi.
So he went up to him, and they exchanged greetings.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati acelaṁ kassapaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the naked ascetic Kassapa,

“kīvaciraṁ pabbajitassa, bhante kassapā”ti?
“Honorable Kassapa, how long has it been since you went forth?”

“Tiṁsamattāni kho me, gahapati, vassāni pabbajitassā”ti.
“It’s been thirty years, householder.”

“Imehi pana te, bhante, tiṁsamattehi vassehi atthi koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato phāsuvihāro”ti?
“But sir, in these thirty years have you achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a meditation at ease?”

“Imehi kho me, gahapati, tiṁsamattehi vassehi pabbajitassa natthi koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato phāsuvihāro, aññatra naggeyyā ca muṇḍeyyā ca pāvaḷanipphoṭanāya cā”ti.
“I have no such achievement, householder, only nakedness, baldness, and pokes in the buttocks.”

Evaṁ vutte, citto gahapati acelaṁ kassapaṁ etadavoca:
Citta said to him,

“acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho.
“Oh, how incredible, how amazing,

Dhammassa svākkhātatā yatra hi nāma tiṁsamattehi vassehi na koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato abhavissa phāsuvihāro, aññatra naggeyyā ca muṇḍeyyā ca pāvaḷanipphoṭanāya cā”ti.
how well explained the teaching is. For in thirty years you have achieved no superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, no meditation at ease, only nakedness, baldness, and pokes in the buttocks.”

“Tuyhaṁ pana, gahapati, kīvaciraṁ upāsakattaṁ upagatassā”ti?
“But householder, how long have you been a lay follower?”

“Mayhampi kho pana, bhante, tiṁsamattāni vassāni upāsakattaṁ upagatassā”ti.
“It’s been thirty years, sir.”

“Imehi pana te, gahapati, tiṁsamattehi vassehi atthi koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato phāsuvihāro”ti?
“But householder, in these thirty years have you achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a meditation at ease?”

“Gihinopi siyā, bhante.
“How, sir, could I not?

Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.
For whenever I want, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.
And whenever I want, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled … I enter and remain in the second absorption.

Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, pītiyā ca virāgā …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.
And whenever I want, with the fading away of rapture … I enter and remain in the third absorption.

Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.
And whenever I want, giving up pleasure and pain … I enter and remain in the fourth absorption.

Sace kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato paṭhamataraṁ kālaṁ kareyyaṁ, anacchariyaṁ kho panetaṁ yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evaṁ byākareyya:
If I pass away before the Buddha, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Buddha declares of me:

‘natthi taṁ saṁyojanaṁ yena saṁyojanena saṁyutto citto gahapati puna imaṁ lokaṁ āgaccheyyā’”ti.
‘The householder Citta is bound by no fetter that might return him to this world.’”

Evaṁ vutte, acelo kassapo cittaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca:
When this was said, Kassapa said to Citta,

“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.
“Oh, how incredible, how amazing,

Dhammassa svākkhātatā, yatra hi nāma gihī odātavasano evarūpaṁ uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ adhigamissati phāsuvihāraṁ.
how well explained the teaching is. For a white-clothed layperson can achieve such a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a meditation at ease.

Labheyyāhaṁ, gahapati, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.
Householder, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training?”

Atha kho citto gahapati acelaṁ kassapaṁ ādāya yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca:
Then Citta the householder took the naked ascetic Kassapa to see the senior mendicants, and said to them:

“ayaṁ, bhante, acelo kassapo amhākaṁ purāṇagihisahāyo.
“Sirs, this is the naked ascetic Kassapa, who in lay life was an old friend of mine.

Imaṁ therā pabbājentu upasampādentu.
May the senior monks give him the going forth, the ordination.

Ahamassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti.
I’ll make sure that he’s provided with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

Alattha kho acelo kassapo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.
And the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training.

Acirūpasampanno ca panāyasmā kassapo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.
Not long after his ordination, Venerable Kassapa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.”

Aññataro ca panāyasmā kassapo arahataṁ ahosīti.
And Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfected.

Navamaṁ.