sutta » sn » sn55 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.7

Veḷudvāreyyasutta

The People of Bamboo Gate

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena veḷudvāraṁ nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo 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 a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Bamboo Gate.

Assosuṁ kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā:
The brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate heard:

“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ veḷudvāraṁ anuppatto.
“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Bamboo Gate, together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.

Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:
He has this good reputation:

‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’.
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti.
He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others.

So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
He proclaims a teaching that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.
It’s good to see such perfected ones.”

Atha kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu; sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce bhagavato santike nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then the brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate went up to the Buddha. Before sitting down to one side, some bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their joined palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. Seated to one side they said to the Buddha:

“mayaṁ, bho gotama, evaṅkāmā evaṁchandā evaṁadhippāyā—
“Mister Gotama, these are our wishes, desires, and hopes.

puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvaseyyāma, kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhaveyyāma, mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhāreyyāma, jātarūparajataṁ sādiyeyyāma, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyāma.
We wish to live at home with our children; to use sandalwood imported from Kāsi; to wear garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and to accept gold and currency. And when our body breaks up, after death, we wish to be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Tesaṁ no bhavaṁ gotamo amhākaṁ evaṅkāmānaṁ evaṁchandānaṁ evaṁadhippāyānaṁ tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā mayaṁ puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvaseyyāma …pe… sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyāmā”ti.
Given that we have such wishes, may the Buddha teach us the Dhamma so that we may achieve them.”

“Attupanāyikaṁ vo, gahapatayo, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi.
“Householders, I will teach you an explanation of the Dhamma that applies to oneself.

Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Katamo ca, gahapatayo, attupanāyiko dhammapariyāyo?
“And what is the explanation of the Dhamma that applies to oneself?

Idha, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
It’s when a noble disciple reflects:

‘ahaṁ khosmi jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo.
‘I want to live and don’t want to die; I want to be happy and recoil from pain.

Yo kho maṁ jīvitukāmaṁ amaritukāmaṁ sukhakāmaṁ dukkhappaṭikūlaṁ jīvitā voropeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
Since this is so, if someone were to take my life, I wouldn’t like that.

Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ jīvitukāmaṁ amaritukāmaṁ sukhakāmaṁ dukkhappaṭikūlaṁ jīvitā voropeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.
But others also want to live and don’t want to die; they want to be happy and recoil from pain. So if I were to take the life of someone else, they wouldn’t like that either.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.
The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by others.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.
Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on someone else?’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
Reflecting in this way, they give up killing living creatures themselves. And they encourage others to give up killing living creatures, praising the giving up of killing living creatures.

Evamassāyaṁ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their bodily behavior is purified in three points.

Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘yo kho me adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
‘If someone were to steal from me, I wouldn’t like that.

Ahañceva kho pana parassa adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.
But if I were to steal from someone else, they wouldn’t like that either.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.
The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by others.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.
Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on someone else?’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, parañca adinnādānā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, adinnādānā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
Reflecting in this way, they give up stealing themselves. And they encourage others to give up stealing, praising the giving up of stealing.

Evamassāyaṁ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their bodily behavior is purified in three points.

Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘yo kho me dāresu cārittaṁ āpajjeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
‘If someone were to have sexual relations with my wives, I wouldn’t like it.

Ahañceva kho pana parassa dāresu cārittaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.
But if I were to have sexual relations with someone else’s wives, he wouldn’t like that either.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.
The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by others.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.
Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on others?’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, parañca kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
Reflecting in this way, they give up sexual misconduct themselves. And they encourage others to give up sexual misconduct, praising the giving up of sexual misconduct.

Evamassāyaṁ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their bodily behavior is purified in three points.

Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘yo kho me musāvādena atthaṁ bhañjeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
‘If someone were to distort my meaning by lying, I wouldn’t like it.

Ahañceva kho pana parassa musāvādena atthaṁ bhañjeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.
But if I were to distort someone else’s meaning by lying, they wouldn’t like it either.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.
The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by someone else.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.
Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on others?’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, parañca musāvādā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, musāvādā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
Reflecting in this way, they give up lying themselves. And they encourage others to give up lying, praising the giving up of lying.

Evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

“yo kho maṁ pisuṇāya vācāya mitte bhindeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
‘If someone were to break me up from my friends by divisive speech, I wouldn’t like it.

Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ pisuṇāya vācāya mitte bhindeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ …pe…
But if I were to break someone else from their friends by divisive speech, they wouldn’t like it either. …’

evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

“yo kho maṁ pharusāya vācāya samudācareyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
‘If someone were to attack me with harsh speech, I wouldn’t like it.

Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ pharusāya vācāya samudācareyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.
But if I were to attack someone else with harsh speech, they wouldn’t like it either. …’

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo …pe…

evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘yo kho maṁ samphabhāsena samphappalāpabhāsena samudācareyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.
‘If someone were to annoy me by talking silliness and nonsense, I wouldn’t like it.

Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ samphabhāsena samphappalāpabhāsena samudācareyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.
But if I were to annoy someone else by talking silliness and nonsense, they wouldn’t like it either.’

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.
The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by another.

Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.
Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on another?’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti, parañca samphappalāpā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, samphappalāpā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.
Reflecting in this way, they give up talking nonsense themselves. And they encourage others to give up talking nonsense, praising the giving up of talking nonsense.

Evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.
So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

So buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
And they have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti;

dhamme …pe…
the teaching …

saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti.
the Saṅgha …

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.
And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.

Yato kho, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako imehi sattahi saddhammehi samannāgato hoti imehi catūhi ākaṅkhiyehi ṭhānehi, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:
When a noble disciple has these seven good qualities and these four desirable states they may, if they wish, declare of themselves:

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’”ti.
‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am bound for awakening.’”

Evaṁ vutte, veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
When he had spoken, the brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
“Excellent, Mister Gotama! …

ete mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāma dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
We go for refuge to Mister Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.

Upāsake no bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupete saraṇaṁ gate”ti.
From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”

Sattamaṁ.