Saṁyutta Nikāya 42.10

Translators: sujato

Linked Discourses 42.10

1. Gāmaṇivagga
1. Chiefs

Maṇicūḷakasutta

With Maṇicūḷaka

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 rājantepure rājaparisāya sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:
Now at that time while the king’s retinue was sitting together in the royal compound this discussion came up among them,

“kappati samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ jātarūparajataṁ, sādiyanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajataṁ, paṭiggaṇhanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajatan”ti.
“Gold and currency are proper for Sakyan ascetics. They accept and receive gold and currency.”

Tena kho pana samayena maṇicūḷako gāmaṇi tassaṁ parisāyaṁ nisinno hoti.
Now at that time the chief Maṇicūḷaka was sitting in that assembly.

Atha kho maṇicūḷako gāmaṇi taṁ parisaṁ etadavoca:
He said to that retinue,

“mā ayyo evaṁ avacuttha.
“Good masters, don’t say that.

Na kappati samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ jātarūparajataṁ, na sādiyanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajataṁ, nappaṭiggaṇhanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajataṁ, nikkhittamaṇisuvaṇṇā samaṇā sakyaputtiyā apetajātarūparajatā”ti.
Gold and currency are not proper for Sakyan ascetics. They neither accept nor receive gold and currency. They have set aside gems and gold, and rejected gold and currency.”

Asakkhi kho maṇicūḷako gāmaṇi taṁ parisaṁ saññāpetuṁ.
He was able to persuade that assembly.

Atha kho maṇicūḷako gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho maṇicūḷako gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Maṇicūḷaka went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. He then said,

“idha, bhante, rājantepure rājaparisāya sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

‘kappati samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ jātarūparajataṁ, sādiyanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajataṁ, paṭiggaṇhanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajatan’ti.

Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, taṁ parisaṁ etadavocaṁ:

‘mā ayyo evaṁ avacuttha.

Asakkhiṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, taṁ parisaṁ saññāpetuṁ.

Kaccāhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ byākaramāno vuttavādī ceva bhagavato homi, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhāmi, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaromi, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti?
“Answering this way, I trust that I repeat what the Buddha has said, and don’t misrepresent him with an untruth. I trust my explanation is in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”

“Taggha tvaṁ, gāmaṇi, evaṁ byākaramāno vuttavādī ceva me hosi, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhasi, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākarosi, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchati.
“Indeed, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.

Na hi, gāmaṇi, kappati samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ jātarūparajataṁ, na sādiyanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajataṁ, nappaṭiggaṇhanti samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jātarūparajataṁ, nikkhittamaṇisuvaṇṇā samaṇā sakyaputtiyā apetajātarūparajatā.
Gold and currency are not proper for Sakyan ascetics. They neither accept nor receive gold and currency. They have set aside gems and gold, and rejected gold and currency.

Yassa kho, gāmaṇi, jātarūparajataṁ kappati, pañcapi tassa kāmaguṇā kappanti.
If gold and currency were proper for them, then the five kinds of sensual stimulation would also be proper.

Yassa pañca kāmaguṇā kappanti (…), ekaṁsenetaṁ, gāmaṇi, dhāreyyāsi assamaṇadhammo asakyaputtiyadhammoti.
And if the five kinds of sensual stimulation are proper for them, you should categorically regard them as not having the qualities of an ascetic or a follower of the Sakyan.

Api cāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, evaṁ vadāmi—
Rather, chief, I say this:

tiṇaṁ tiṇatthikena pariyesitabbaṁ, dāru dārutthikena pariyesitabbaṁ, sakaṭaṁ sakaṭatthikena pariyesitabbaṁ, puriso purisatthikena pariyesitabbo.
Straw may be looked for by one needing straw; wood may be looked for by one needing wood; a cart may be looked for by one needing a cart; a workman may be looked for by one needing a workman.

Na tvevāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, kenaci pariyāyena ‘jātarūparajataṁ sāditabbaṁ pariyesitabban’ti vadāmī”ti.
But I say that there is no way they can accept or look for gold and currency.”

Dasamaṁ.