sutta » sn » sn42 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 42.9

Kulasutta

Families

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena nāḷandā tadavasari.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at Nāḷandā.

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.
There he stayed near Nāḷandā in Pāvārika’s mango grove.

Tena kho pana samayena nāḷandā dubbhikkhā hoti dvīhitikā setaṭṭhikā salākāvuttā.
Now that was a time of famine and scarcity in Nāḷandā, with blighted crops turned to straw.

Tena kho pana samayena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto nāḷandāyaṁ paṭivasati mahatiyā nigaṇṭhaparisāya saddhiṁ.
At that time the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan was residing at Nāḷandā together with a large assembly of Jain ascetics.

Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi nigaṇṭhasāvako yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho asibandhakaputtaṁ gāmaṇiṁ nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto etadavoca:
Then Asibandhaka’s son the chief, who was a disciple of the Jains, went up to the Jain Ñātika, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Jain Ñātika said to him:

“ehi tvaṁ, gāmaṇi, samaṇassa gotamassa vādaṁ āropehi.
“Come, chief, refute the ascetic Gotama’s doctrine.

Evaṁ te kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati:
Then you will get a good reputation:

‘asibandhakaputtena gāmaṇinā samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁmahiddhikassa evaṁmahānubhāvassa vādo āropito’”ti.
‘Asibandhaka’s son the chief refuted the doctrine of the ascetic Gotama, so mighty and powerful!’”

“Kathaṁ panāhaṁ, bhante, samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁmahiddhikassa evaṁmahānubhāvassa vādaṁ āropessāmī”ti?
“But sir, how am I to do this?”

“Ehi tvaṁ, gāmaṇi, yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ vadehi:
“Here, brahmin, go to the ascetic Gotama and say to him:

‘nanu, bhante, bhagavā anekapariyāyena kulānaṁ anuddayaṁ vaṇṇeti, anurakkhaṁ vaṇṇeti, anukampaṁ vaṇṇetī’ti?
‘Sir, don’t you in many ways praise kindness, protection, and sympathy for families?’

Sace kho, gāmaṇi, samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:
When he’s asked this, if he answers:

‘evaṁ, gāmaṇi, tathāgato anekapariyāyena kulānaṁ anuddayaṁ vaṇṇeti, anurakkhaṁ vaṇṇeti, anukampaṁ vaṇṇetī’ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:
‘Indeed I do, chief,’ say this to him:

‘atha kiñcarahi, bhante, bhagavā dubbhikkhe dvīhitike setaṭṭhike salākāvutte mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ cārikaṁ carati?
‘So what exactly are you doing, wandering together with this large Saṅgha of mendicants during a time of famine and scarcity, with blighted crops turned to straw?

Ucchedāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno, anayāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno, upaghātāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno’ti.
The Buddha is practicing to annihilate, collapse, and ruin families!’

Imaṁ kho te, gāmaṇi, samaṇo gotamo ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho neva sakkhati uggilituṁ, neva sakkhati ogilitun”ti.
When you put this dilemma to him, the Buddha won’t be able to either spit it out or swallow it down.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Yes, sir,” replied Asibandhaka’s son. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Jain Ñātika, keeping him on his right. Then he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Nanu, bhante, bhagavā anekapariyāyena kulānaṁ anuddayaṁ vaṇṇeti, anurakkhaṁ vaṇṇeti, anukampaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti?
“Sir, don’t you in many ways praise kindness, protection, and sympathy for families?”

“Evaṁ, gāmaṇi, tathāgato anekapariyāyena kulānaṁ anuddayaṁ vaṇṇeti, anurakkhaṁ vaṇṇeti, anukampaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti.
“Indeed I do, chief.”

“Atha kiñcarahi, bhante, bhagavā dubbhikkhe dvīhitike setaṭṭhike salākāvutte mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ cārikaṁ carati?
“So what exactly are you doing, wandering together with this large Saṅgha of mendicants during a time of famine and scarcity, with blighted crops turned to straw?

Ucchedāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno, anayāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno, upaghātāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno”ti.
The Buddha is practicing to annihilate, collapse, and ruin families!”

“Ito so, gāmaṇi, ekanavutikappe yamahaṁ anussarāmi, nābhijānāmi kiñci kulaṁ pakkabhikkhānuppadānamattena upahatapubbaṁ.
“Well, chief, I recollect ninety-one eons back but I’m not aware of any family that’s been ruined merely by offering some cooked almsfood.

Atha kho yāni tāni kulāni aḍḍhāni mahaddhanāni mahābhogāni pahūtajātarūparajatāni pahūtavittūpakaraṇāni pahūtadhanadhaññāni, sabbāni tāni dānasambhūtāni ceva saccasambhūtāni ca sāmaññasambhūtāni ca.
Rather, rich, affluent, and wealthy families—with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain—all acquired their wealth because of generosity, truth, and restraint.

Aṭṭha kho, gāmaṇi, hetū, aṭṭha paccayā kulānaṁ upaghātāya.
Chief, there are eight causes and reasons for the ruin of families.

Rājato vā kulāni upaghātaṁ gacchanti, corato vā kulāni upaghātaṁ gacchanti, aggito vā kulāni upaghātaṁ gacchanti, udakato vā kulāni upaghātaṁ gacchanti, nihitaṁ vā ṭhānā vigacchati, duppayuttā vā kammantā vipajjanti, kule vā kulaṅgāroti uppajjati, yo te bhoge vikirati vidhamati viddhaṁseti, aniccatāyeva aṭṭhamīti.
Their ruin stems from rulers, bandits, fire, or flood. Or their savings vanish. Or their business fails due to not applying themselves to work. Or a wastrel is born into the family who squanders and fritters away their wealth. And impermanence is the eighth.

Ime kho, gāmaṇi, aṭṭha hetū, aṭṭha paccayā kulānaṁ upaghātāya.
These are the eight causes and reasons for the ruin of families.

Imesu kho, gāmaṇi, aṭṭhasu hetūsu, aṭṭhasu paccayesu saṁvijjamānesu yo maṁ evaṁ vadeyya:
Given that these eight reasons are found, suppose someone says this:

‘ucchedāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno, anayāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno, upaghātāya bhagavā kulānaṁ paṭipanno’ti,
‘The Buddha is practicing to annihilate, collapse, and ruin families!’

taṁ, gāmaṇi, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye”ti.
Unless they give up that speech and that thought, and let go of that view, they will be cast down to hell.”

Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Asibandhaka’s son the chief said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…
“Excellent, sir! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Navamaṁ.