Sutta Nipāta 4.16
Translators: sujato
Anthology of Discourses 4.16
Sāriputtasutta
With Sāriputta
“Na me diṭṭho ito pubbe,
“Never before have I seen,”
(iccāyasmā sāriputto)
said Venerable Sāriputta,
Na suto uda kassaci;
“or heard from anyone
Evaṁ vagguvado satthā,
about a teacher of such graceful speech,
Tusitā gaṇimāgato.
come from Tusita heaven to lead a community.
Sadevakassa lokassa,
To all the world with its gods
yathā dissati cakkhumā;
he appears as a Clear-eyed One
Sabbaṁ tamaṁ vinodetvā,
who has dispelled all darkness,
ekova ratimajjhagā.
and alone attained to bliss.
Taṁ buddhaṁ asitaṁ tādiṁ,
On behalf of the many here still bound,
akuhaṁ gaṇimāgataṁ;
I have come seeking with a question
Bahūnamidha baddhānaṁ,
to that Buddha, unattached and impartial,
atthi pañhena āgamaṁ.
free of deceit, come to lead a community.
Bhikkhuno vijigucchato,
Suppose a mendicant who loathes attachment
bhajato rittamāsanaṁ;
frequents a lonely lodging—
Rukkhamūlaṁ susānaṁ vā,
the root of a tree, a charnel ground,
pabbatānaṁ guhāsu vā.
on mountains, or in caves.
Uccāvacesu sayanesu,
In these many different lodgings,
kīvanto tattha bheravā;
how many dangers are there
Yehi bhikkhu na vedheyya,
at which a mendicant in their silent lodging
nigghose sayanāsane.
ought not tremble?
Katī parissayā loke,
On their journey to the untrodden place,
gacchato agataṁ disaṁ;
how many adversities are there in the world
Ye bhikkhu abhisambhave,
that must they overcome
pantamhi sayanāsane.
in their remote lodging?
Kyāssa byappathayo assu,
What ways of speech should they have?
kyāssassu idha gocarā;
Of what kind is their alms resort?
Kāni sīlabbatānāssu,
What precepts and vows
pahitattassa bhikkhuno.
should a resolute mendicant uphold?
Kaṁ so sikkhaṁ samādāya,
Having undertaken what training,
ekodi nipako sato;
unified, alert, and mindful,
Kammāro rajatasseva,
would they purge their own stains,
niddhame malamattano”.
like a smith smelting silver?”
“Vijigucchamānassa yadidaṁ phāsu,
“If one who loathes attachment <j>frequents a lonely lodging,”
(sāriputtāti bhagavā)
said the Buddha to Sāriputta,
Rittāsanaṁ sayanaṁ sevato ce;
“in their search for awakening—<j>as accords with the teaching—
Sambodhikāmassa yathānudhammaṁ,
I shall tell you, as I understand it,
Taṁ te pavakkhāmi yathā pajānaṁ.
what is comfortable for them.
Pañcannaṁ dhīro bhayānaṁ na bhāye,
An attentive one, a mindful mendicant living on the periphery
Bhikkhu sato sapariyantacārī;
should not be afraid of five perils:
Ḍaṁsādhipātānaṁ sarīsapānaṁ,
flies, mosquitoes, snakes,
Manussaphassānaṁ catuppadānaṁ.
human contact, or four-legged creatures.
Paradhammikānampi na santaseyya,
Nor should they fear followers of other teachings,
Disvāpi tesaṁ bahubheravāni;
even having seen the many threats they pose.
Athāparāni abhisambhaveyya,
And then one seeking the good
Parissayāni kusalānuesī.
should overcome any other adversities.
Ātaṅkaphassena khudāya phuṭṭho,
Afflicted by illness and hunger,
Sītaṁ athuṇhaṁ adhivāsayeyya;
they should endure cold and excessive heat.
So tehi phuṭṭho bahudhā anoko,
Though afflicted by many such things, <j>the homeless one
Viriyaṁ parakkammadaḷhaṁ kareyya.
should exert energy, firmly striving.
Theyyaṁ na kāre na musā bhaṇeyya,
They must not steal or lie;
Mettāya phasse tasathāvarāni;
and should touch creatures firm or frail with love.
Yadāvilattaṁ manaso vijaññā,
If they notice any clouding of the mind,
Kaṇhassa pakkhoti vinodayeyya.
they should dispel it as Māra’s ally.
Kodhātimānassa vasaṁ na gacche,
They must not fall under the sway <j>of anger or arrogance;
Mūlampi tesaṁ palikhañña tiṭṭhe;
having dug them out by the root, <j>they would stand firm.
Athappiyaṁ vā pana appiyaṁ vā,
Then, withstanding likes and dislikes,
Addhā bhavanto abhisambhaveyya.
they would overcome.
Paññaṁ purakkhatvā kalyāṇapīti,
Putting wisdom in the foremost place, <j>rejoicing in goodness,
Vikkhambhaye tāni parissayāni;
they would put an end to those adversities.
Aratiṁ sahetha sayanamhi pante,
They’d vanquish discontent in their remote lodging.
Caturo sahetha paridevadhamme.
And they’d vanquish the four lamentations:
Kiṁsū asissāmi kuva vā asissaṁ,
‘What will I eat? Where will I eat?
Dukkhaṁ vata settha kvajja sessaṁ;
Oh, I slept badly! Where will I sleep?’
Ete vitakke paridevaneyye,
The trainee, the migrant without abode,
Vinayetha sekho aniketacārī.
would dispel these lamentable thoughts.
Annañca laddhā vasanañca kāle,
Receiving food and clothes in due season,
Mattaṁ so jaññā idha tosanatthaṁ;
they would know moderation <j>for the sake of contentment.
So tesu gutto yatacāri gāme,
Guarded in these things, <j>walking restrained in the village,
Rusitopi vācaṁ pharusaṁ na vajjā.
they wouldn’t speak harshly even when provoked.
Okkhittacakkhu na ca pādalolo,
Eyes downcast, not footloose,
Jhānānuyutto bahujāgarassa;
devoted to absorption, they’d be very wakeful.
Upekkhamārabbha samāhitatto,
Grounded in equanimity, serene,
Takkāsayaṁ kukkucciyūpachinde.
they should cut off worrisome habits of thought.
Cudito vacībhi satimābhinande,
A mindful one would welcome reproach,
Sabrahmacārīsu khilaṁ pabhinde;
and would dissolve hard-heartedness <j>toward their spiritual companions.
Vācaṁ pamuñce kusalaṁ nātivelaṁ,
They may utter skillful speech, but not for too long,
Janavādadhammāya na cetayeyya.
and they shouldn’t provoke people to blame.
Athāparaṁ pañca rajāni loke,
And there are five more taints in the world,
Yesaṁ satīmā vinayāya sikkhe;
for the removal of which <j>the mindful one should train,
Rūpesu saddesu atho rasesu,
vanquishing desire for sights,
Gandhesu phassesu sahetha rāgaṁ.
sounds, flavors, smells, and touches.
Etesu dhammesu vineyya chandaṁ,
Having removed desire for these things,
Bhikkhu satimā suvimuttacitto;
a mindful mendicant, their heart well freed,
Kālena so sammā dhammaṁ parivīmaṁsamāno,
rightly investigating the Dhamma in good time,
Ekodibhūto vihane tamaṁ so”ti.
at one, would banish the darkness.”
Sāriputtasuttaṁ soḷasamaṁ.
Aṭṭhakavaggo catuttho.
Tassuddānaṁ
Kāmaṁ guhañca duṭṭhā ca,
suddhañca paramā jarā;
Metteyyo ca pasūro ca,
māgaṇḍi purābhedanaṁ.
Kalahaṁ dve ca byūhāni,
punadeva tuvaṭṭakaṁ;
Attadaṇḍavaraṁ suttaṁ,
therapuṭṭhena soḷasa;
Iti etāni suttāni,
sabbānaṭṭhakavaggikāti.