1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Angan country at a town of the Angans named Assapura. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus." — "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this:

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā aṅgesu viharati assapuraṁ nāma aṅgānaṁ nigamo. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti. "Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"‘Recluses, recluses,’ bhikkhus, that is how people perceive you. And when you are asked, ‘What are you?’ you claim that you are recluses. Since that is what you are designated and what you claim to be, you should train thus: ‘We will practise the way proper to the recluse[n.422] Where the previous sutta used the phrase "things that make one a recluse" (dhammā samaṇakaraṇā), the present sutta speaks of "the way proper to the recluse" (samīcipaṭipadā ). so that our designations may be true and our claims genuine, and so that the services of those whose robes, almsfood, resting place, and medicinal requisites we use shall bring them great fruit and benefit, and so that our going forth shall not be in vain but fruitful and fertile.’

2"Samaṇā samaṇāti vo, bhikkhave, jano sañjānāti. Tumhe ca pana ‘ke tumhe’ti puṭṭhā samānā ‘samaṇāmhā’ti paṭijānātha. Tesaṁ vo, bhikkhave, evaṁsamaññānaṁ sataṁ evaṁpaṭiññānaṁ sataṁ: ‘yā samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadā taṁ paṭipajjissāma; evaṁ no ayaṁ amhākaṁ samaññā ca saccā bhavissati paṭiññā ca bhūtā; yesañca mayaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjāma, tesaṁ te kārā amhesu mahapphalā bhavissanti mahānisaṁsā, amhākañcevāyaṁ pabbajjā avañjhā bhavissati saphalā saudrayā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ.

3"How, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu not practise the way proper to the recluse? For so long as a bhikkhu who is covetous has not abandoned covetousness, who has a mind of ill will has not abandoned ill will, who is angry has not abandoned anger, who is resentful has not abandoned resentment, who is contemptuous has not abandoned contempt, who is insolent has not abandoned insolence, who is envious has not abandoned envy, who is avaricious has not abandoned avarice, who is fraudulent has not abandoned fraud, who is deceitful has not abandoned deceit, who has evil wishes has not abandoned evil wishes, who has wrong view has not abandoned wrong view,[n.423] The first ten of these twelve "stains for a recluse" are included among the sixteen "imperfections that defile the mind" at MN 7.3. for so long he does not practise the way proper to the recluse, I say, because of his failure to abandon these stains for the recluse, these faults for the recluse, these dregs for the recluse, which are grounds for rebirth in a state of deprivation and whose results are to be experienced in an unhappy destination.

3Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti? Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhālussa abhijjhā appahīnā hoti, byāpannacittassa byāpādo appahīno hoti, kodhanassa kodho appahīno hoti, upanāhissa upanāho appahīno hoti, makkhissa makkho appahīno hoti, paḷāsissa paḷāso appahīno hoti, issukissa issā appahīnā hoti, maccharissa macchariyaṁ appahīnaṁ hoti, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ appahīnaṁ hoti, māyāvissa māyā appahīnā hoti, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā appahīnā hoti, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi appahīnā hoti — imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, samaṇamalānaṁ samaṇadosānaṁ samaṇakasaṭānaṁ āpāyikānaṁ ṭhānānaṁ duggativedaniyānaṁ appahānā ‘Na samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

"Suppose the weapon called a mataja, well whetted on both edges, were enclosed and encased in a patchwork sheath. I say that such a bhikkhu's going forth is comparable to that.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, matajaṁ nāma āvudhajātaṁ ubhatodhāraṁ pītanisitaṁ. Tadassa saṅghāṭiyā sampārutaṁ sampaliveṭhitaṁ. Tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imassa bhikkhuno pabbajjaṁ vadāmi.

4"I do not say that the recluse's status comes about in a patchwork-cloak wearer through the mere wearing of the patchwork cloak, nor in a naked ascetic through mere nakedness, nor in one caked with dust and dirt through being caked with dust and dirt, nor in a ritualistic bather through mere ritualistic bathing, nor in a tree-root dweller through mere dwelling at the root of a tree, nor in an open-air dweller through mere dwelling in the open air, nor in a practitioner of continuous standing through mere continuous standing, nor in a taker of food at stated intervals through mere taking of food at stated intervals, nor in a reciter of incantations through mere recitation of incantations; nor do I say that the recluse's status comes about in a matted-hair ascetic through mere wearing of the hair matted.

4Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅghāṭikassa saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, acelakassa acelakamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, rajojallikassa rajojallikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, udakorohakassa udakorohaṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlikassa rukkhamūlikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, abbhokāsikassa abbhokāsikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ubbhaṭṭhakassa ubbhaṭṭhakamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pariyāyabhattikassa pariyāyabhattikamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, mantajjhāyakassa mantajjhāyakamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jaṭilakassa jaṭādhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

5"Bhikkhus, if through the mere wearing of the patchwork cloak a patchwork-cloak wearer who was covetous abandoned covetousness, who had a mind of ill will abandoned ill will … who had wrong view abandoned wrong view, then his friends and companions, his kinsmen and relatives, would make him a patchwork-cloak wearer as soon as he was born and have him undertake the patchwork-cloak wearing thus: ‘Come, my dear, be a patchwork-cloak wearer so that, by the mere wearing of the patchwork-cloak, when you are covetous you will abandon covetousness, when you have a mind of ill will you will abandon ill will … when you have wrong view you will abandon wrong view.’ But I see here a patchwork-cloak wearer who is covetous, who has a mind of ill will … who has wrong view; and that is why I do not say that the recluse's status comes about in a patchwork-cloak wearer through the mere wearing of the patchwork cloak.

5Saṅghāṭikassa ce, bhikkhave, saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyetha, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyetha, kodhanassa kodho pahīyetha, upanāhissa upanāho pahīyetha, makkhissa makkho pahīyetha, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīyetha, issukissa issā pahīyetha, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīyetha, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīyetha, māyāvissa māyā pahīyetha, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyetha, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyetha, tamenaṁ mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā jātameva naṁ saṅghāṭikaṁ kareyyuṁ, saṅghāṭikattameva samādapeyyuṁ: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhadramukha, saṅghāṭiko hohi, saṅghāṭikassa te sato saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyissati, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyissati, kodhanassa kodho pahīyissati, upanāhissa upanāho pahīyissati, makkhissa makkho pahīyissati, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīyissati, issukissa issā pahīyissati, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīyissati, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīyissati, māyāvissa māyā pahīyissati, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyissati, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyissatī’ti. Yasmā ca kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅghāṭikampi idhekaccaṁ passāmi abhijjhāluṁ byāpannacittaṁ kodhanaṁ upanāhiṁ makkhiṁ paḷāsiṁ issukiṁ macchariṁ saṭhaṁ māyāviṁ pāpicchaṁ micchādiṭṭhikaṁ, tasmā na saṅghāṭikassa saṅghāṭidhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

6"If through mere nakedness a naked ascetic who was covetous abandoned covetousness … If through mere dust and dirt … If through mere ritualistic bathing … If through mere dwelling at the root of a tree … If through mere dwelling in the open air … If through mere continuous standing … If through mere taking of food at stated intervals … If through mere recitation of incantations … If through mere wearing of the hair matted … … and that is why I do not say that the recluse's status comes about in a matted-hair ascetic through the mere wearing of the hair matted.

6Acelakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … rajojallikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … udakorohakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … rukkhamūlikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … abbhokāsikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … ubbhaṭṭhakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … pariyāyabhattikassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … mantajjhāyakassa ce, bhikkhave … pe … jaṭilakassa ce, bhikkhave, jaṭādhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyetha, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyetha, kodhanassa kodho pahīyetha, upanāhissa upanāho pahīyetha, makkhissa makkho pahīyetha, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīyetha, issukissa issā pahīyetha, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīyetha, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīyetha, māyāvissa māyā pahīyetha, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyetha, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyetha, tamenaṁ mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā jātameva naṁ jaṭilakaṁ kareyyuṁ, jaṭilakattameva samādapeyyuṁ: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhadramukha, jaṭilako hohi, jaṭilakassa te sato jaṭādhāraṇamattena abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīyissati byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīyissati, kodhanassa kodho pahīyissati … pe … pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīyissati micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīyissatī’ti. Yasmā ca kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, jaṭilakampi idhekaccaṁ passāmi abhijjhāluṁ byāpannacittaṁ kodhanaṁ upanāhiṁ makkhiṁ palāsiṁ issukiṁ macchariṁ saṭhaṁ māyāviṁ pāpicchaṁ micchādiṭṭhiṁ, tasmā na jaṭilakassa jaṭādhāraṇamattena sāmaññaṁ vadāmi.

7"How, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu practise the way proper to the recluse? When any bhikkhu who was covetous has abandoned covetousness, who had a mind of ill will has abandoned ill will, who was angry has abandoned anger, who was resentful has abandoned resentment, who was contemptuous has abandoned contempt, who was insolent has abandoned insolence, who was envious has abandoned envy, who was avaricious has abandoned avarice, who was fraudulent has abandoned fraud, who was deceitful has abandoned deceit, who had evil wishes has abandoned evil wishes, who had wrong view has abandoned wrong view, then he practises the way proper to the recluse, I say, because of his abandoning these stains for the recluse, these faults for the recluse, these dregs for the recluse, which are grounds for rebirth in a state of deprivation and whose results are to be experienced in an unhappy destination.

"He sees himself purified of all these evil unwholesome states, he sees himself liberated from them. When he sees this, gladness is born in him. When he is glad, rapture is born in him; in one who is rapturous, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels pleasure; in one who feels pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated.

7Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti? Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhālussa abhijjhā pahīnā hoti, byāpannacittassa byāpādo pahīno hoti, kodhanassa kodho pahīno hoti, upanāhissa upanāho pahīno hoti, makkhissa makkho pahīno hoti, paḷāsissa paḷāso pahīno hoti, issukissa issā pahīnā hoti, maccharissa macchariyaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, saṭhassa sāṭheyyaṁ pahīnaṁ hoti, māyāvissa māyā pahīnā hoti, pāpicchassa pāpikā icchā pahīnā hoti, micchādiṭṭhikassa micchādiṭṭhi pahīnā hoti — imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, samaṇamalānaṁ samaṇadosānaṁ samaṇakasaṭānaṁ āpāyikānaṁ ṭhānānaṁ duggativedaniyānaṁ pahānā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi. So sabbehi imehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi visuddhamattānaṁ samanupassati . Tassa sabbehi imehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi visuddhamattānaṁ samanupassato pāmojjaṁ jāyati, pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

8"He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.

8So mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.

"He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion … with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … with a mind imbued with equanimity … abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.

Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe … muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ.

"Suppose there were a pond with clear, agreeable cool water, transparent, with smooth banks, delightful. If a man, scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came from the east or from the west or from the north or from the south or from where you will, having come upon the pond he would quench his thirst and his hot-weather fever. So too, bhikkhus, if anyone from a clan of nobles goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and after encountering the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, develops loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity, and thereby gains internal peace, then because of that internal peace he practises the way proper to the recluse, I say. And if anyone from a clan of brahmins goes forth … If anyone from a clan of merchants goes forth … If anyone from a clan of workers goes forth … If anyone from any clan goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and after encountering the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, develops loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity, and thereby gains internal peace, then because of that internal peace he practises the way proper to the recluse, I say.

Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pokkharaṇī acchodakā sātodakā sītodakā setakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā. Puratthimāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipāsito. So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ āgamma vineyya udakapipāsaṁ vineyya ghammapariḷāhaṁ … pe … pacchimāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya … pe … uttarāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya … pe … dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya puriso āgaccheyya. Yato kuto cepi naṁ puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto, kilanto tasito pipāsito. So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ āgamma vineyya udakapipāsaṁ, vineyya ghammapariḷāhaṁ. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, khattiyakulā cepi agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca tathāgatappaveditaṁ dhammavinayaṁ āgamma, evaṁ mettaṁ karuṇaṁ muditaṁ upekkhaṁ bhāvetvā labhati ajjhattaṁ vūpasamaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vūpasamā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi. Brāhmaṇakulā cepi … pe … vessakulā cepi … pe … suddakulā cepi … pe … yasmā kasmā cepi kulā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca tathāgatappaveditaṁ dhammavinayaṁ āgamma, evaṁ mettaṁ karuṇaṁ muditaṁ upekkhaṁ bhāvetvā labhati ajjhattaṁ vūpasamaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vūpasamā ‘samaṇasāmīcippaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno’ti vadāmi.

9"Bhikkhus, if anyone from a clan of nobles goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and by realising for himself with direct knowledge here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints, then he is already a recluse because of the destruction of the taints.[n.424] MA: Because he has quieted down (samita) all defilements, he is a recluse in the highest sense (paramatthasamaṇa ). And if anyone from a clan of brahmins goes forth … If anyone from a clan of merchants goes forth … If anyone from a clan of workers goes forth … If anyone from any clan goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and by realising for himself with direct knowledge here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints, then he is already a recluse because of the destruction of the taints."

9Khattiyakulā cepi agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti. So ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hoti. Brāhmaṇakulā cepi … pe … vessakulā cepi … suddakulā cepi … yasmā kasmā cepi kulā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, so ca āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī"ti.

10That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.

10Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Cūḷaassapurasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.
Mahāyamakavaggo niṭṭhito catuttho.