Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.23
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 55.23
3. Saraṇānivagga
3. About Sarakāni
Godhasakkasutta
With Godhā the Sakyan
Kapilavatthunidānaṁ.
At Kapilavatthu.
Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena godhā sakko tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā godhaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:
Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to Godhā the Sakyan, and said to him,
“katihi tvaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan”ti?
“Godhā, how many things must a person have for you to recognize them as a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening?”
“Tīhi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.
“Mahānāma, a person must have three things for me to recognize them as a stream-enterer.
Katamehi tīhi?
What three?
Idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …
itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.
Dhamme …pe…
the teaching …
saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
and the Saṅgha …
suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti.
Imehi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, tīhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.
When a person has these three things I recognize them as a stream-enterer.
Tvaṁ pana, mahānāma, katihi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan”ti?
But Mahānāma, how many things must a person have for <em>you</em> to recognize them as a stream-enterer?”
“Catūhi khvāhaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.
“Godhā, a person must have four things for me to recognize them as a stream-enterer.
Katamehi catūhi?
What four?
Idha, godhe, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …
itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.
Dhamme …pe…
the teaching …
saṅghe …pe…
the Saṅgha …
ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.
And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.
Imehi khvāhaṁ, godhe, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan”ti.
When a person has these four things I recognize them as a stream-enterer.”
“Āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma, āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma.
“Hold on, Mahānāma, hold on!
Bhagavāva etaṁ jāneyya etehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ vā asamannāgataṁ vā”ti.
Only the Buddha would know whether or not they have these things.”
“Āyāma, godhe, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocessāmā”ti.
“Come, Godhā, let’s go to the Buddha and inform him about this.”
Atha kho mahānāmo sakko godhā ca sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Mahānāma and Godhā went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Mahānāma told the Buddha all that had happened, and then said:
“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yena godhā sakko tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā godhaṁ sakkaṁ etadavocaṁ:
‘katihi tvaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ’?
Evaṁ vutte, bhante, godhā sakko maṁ etadavoca—
Tīhi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.
Katamehi tīhi?
Idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.
Dhamme …pe…
saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti.
Imehi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, tīhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.
Tvaṁ pana, mahānāma, katamehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan’ti?
Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, godhaṁ sakkaṁ etadavocaṁ:
‘catūhi khvāhaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.
Katamehi catūhi?
Idha, godhe, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—
itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.
Dhamme …pe…
saṅghe …pe…
ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.
Imehi khvāhaṁ, godhe, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan’ti.
Evaṁ vutte, bhante, godhā sakko maṁ etadavoca:
‘āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma, āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma.
Bhagavāva etaṁ jāneyya etehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ vā asamannāgataṁ vā’ti.
Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho ca.
“Sir, some issue regarding the teaching might come up. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks the other.
Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ.
I’d side with the Buddha.
Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu.
May the Buddha remember me as having such confidence.
Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho ca.
Some issue regarding the teaching might come up. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns the other. …
Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ.
Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu.
Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho ca upāsakā ca.
The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen the other. …
Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ.
Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu.
Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho upāsakā upāsikāyo ca.
The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen and the laywomen the other. …
Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ.
Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu.
Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho upāsakā upāsikāyo sadevako ca loko samārako sabrahmako sassamaṇabrāhmaṇī pajā sadevamanussā.
The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen and the laywomen and the world—with its gods, Māras and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—the other.
Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ.
I’d side with the Buddha.
Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretū”ti.
May the Buddha remember me as having such confidence.”
“Evaṁvādī tvaṁ, godhe, mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ kiṁ vadesī”ti?
“Godhā, what do you have to say to Mahānāma when he speaks like this?”
“Evaṁvādāhaṁ, bhante, mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ na kiñci vadāmi, aññatra kalyāṇā aññatra kusalā”ti.
“Sir, I have nothing to say to Mahānāma when he speaks like this, except what is good and wholesome.”
Tatiyaṁ.