Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.8
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 47.8
1. Ambapālivagga
1. In Ambapālī’s Mango Grove
Sūdasutta
Cooks
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattaṁ vā nānaccayehi sūpehi paccupaṭṭhito assa—
“Mendicants, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskillful cook was to serve a ruler or their minister with an excessive variety of curries:
ambilaggehipi, tittakaggehipi, kaṭukaggehipi, madhuraggehipi, khārikehipi, akhārikehipi, loṇikehipi, aloṇikehipi.
superbly sour, bitter, pungent, and sweet; hot and mild, and salty and bland.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṁ na uggaṇhāti:
But that cook didn’t take their master’s hint:
‘idaṁ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṁ ruccati, imassa vā abhiharati, imassa vā bahuṁ gaṇhāti, imassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
‘Today my master preferred this sauce, or he reached for it, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.
Ambilaggaṁ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṁ ruccati, ambilaggassa vā abhiharati, ambilaggassa vā bahuṁ gaṇhāti, ambilaggassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Tittakaggaṁ vā me ajja … kaṭukaggaṁ vā me ajja … madhuraggaṁ vā me ajja … khārikaṁ vā me ajja … akhārikaṁ vā me ajja … loṇikaṁ vā me ajja … aloṇikaṁ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṁ ruccati, aloṇikassa vā abhiharati, aloṇikassa vā bahuṁ gaṇhāti, aloṇikassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsatī’ti.
Today my master preferred the sour or bitter or pungent or sweet or hot or mild or salty sauce. Or he preferred the bland sauce, or he reached for the bland one, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.’
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo na ceva lābhī hoti acchādanassa, na lābhī vetanassa, na lābhī abhihārānaṁ.
That foolish, incompetent, unskillful cook doesn’t get presented with clothes, wages, or bonuses.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṁ na uggaṇhāti.
Because they don’t take their master’s hint.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
In the same way, a foolish, incompetent, unskillful mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato cittaṁ na samādhiyati, upakkilesā na pahīyanti.
As they meditate observing an aspect of the body, their mind doesn’t enter immersion, and their corruptions aren’t given up.
So taṁ nimittaṁ na uggaṇhāti.
But they don’t take the hint.
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
citte cittānupassī viharati …pe…
mind …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṁ na samādhiyati, upakkilesā na pahīyanti.
As they meditate observing an aspect of principles, the mind doesn’t enter immersion, and the corruptions aren’t given up.
So taṁ nimittaṁ na uggaṇhāti.
But they don’t take the hint.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu na ceva lābhī hoti diṭṭheva dhamme sukhavihārānaṁ, na lābhī satisampajaññassa.
That foolish, incompetent, unskillful mendicant doesn’t get blissful meditations in this very life, nor do they get mindfulness and situational awareness.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu sakassa cittassa nimittaṁ na uggaṇhāti.
Because they don’t take their mind’s hint.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattaṁ vā nānaccayehi sūpehi paccupaṭṭhito assa—
Suppose an astute, competent, skillful cook was to serve a ruler or their minister with an excessive variety of curries:
ambilaggehipi, tittakaggehipi, kaṭukaggehipi, madhuraggehipi, khārikehipi, akhārikehipi, loṇikehipi, aloṇikehipi.
superbly sour, bitter, pungent, and sweet; hot and mild, and salty and bland.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṁ uggaṇhāti:
And that cook took their master’s hint:
‘idaṁ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṁ ruccati, imassa vā abhiharati, imassa vā bahuṁ gaṇhāti, imassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
‘Today my master preferred this sauce, or he reached for it, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.
Ambilaggaṁ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṁ ruccati, ambilaggassa vā abhiharati, ambilaggassa vā bahuṁ gaṇhāti, ambilaggassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Tittakaggaṁ vā me ajja … kaṭukaggaṁ vā me ajja … madhuraggaṁ vā me ajja … khārikaṁ vā me ajja … akhārikaṁ vā me ajja … loṇikaṁ vā me ajja … aloṇikaṁ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṁ ruccati, aloṇikassa vā abhiharati, aloṇikassa vā bahuṁ gaṇhāti, aloṇikassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsatī’ti.
Today my master preferred the sour or bitter or pungent or sweet or hot or mild or salty sauce. Or he preferred the bland sauce, or he reached for the bland one, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.’
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo lābhī ceva hoti acchādanassa, lābhī vetanassa, lābhī abhihārānaṁ.
That astute, competent, skillful cook gets presented with clothes, wages, and bonuses.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṁ uggaṇhāti.
Because they take their master’s hint.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
In the same way, an astute, competent, skillful mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato cittaṁ samādhiyati, upakkilesā pahīyanti.
As they meditate observing an aspect of the body, their mind enters immersion, and their corruptions are given up.
So taṁ nimittaṁ uggaṇhāti.
They take the hint.
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
citte cittānupassī viharati …pe…
mind …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṁ samādhiyati, upakkilesā pahīyanti.
As they meditate observing an aspect of principles, their mind enters immersion, and their corruptions are given up.
So taṁ nimittaṁ uggaṇhāti.
They take the hint.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu lābhī ceva hoti diṭṭheva dhamme sukhavihārānaṁ, lābhī hoti satisampajaññassa.
That astute, competent, skillful mendicant gets blissful meditations in this very life, and they get mindfulness and situational awareness.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu sakassa cittassa nimittaṁ uggaṇhātī”ti.
Because they take their mind’s hint.”
Aṭṭhamaṁ.