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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Connected Discourses

SN35: Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Bases

SN35:127 Bharadvaja

1On one occasion the Venerable Piṇḍola Bharadvaja was dwelling at Kosambı in Ghosita's Park.[n.116] At AN1.195 (AN I 23,25) he is declared the foremost of those who sound a lion's roar (etadaggaṁ sīhanādikīṇaṁ). His declaration of arahantship is at SN48.49; see too Vin II 111–12. Then King Udena approached the Venerable Piṇḍola Bharadvaja and exchanged greetings with him.[n.117] He was the king of Kosambı; for details of his story, see Dhp-a I 161–227; BL 1:247–93. Spk: One day the king had gone to his park and was lying down while some of his concubines massaged his feet and others entertained him with music and song. When he dozed off the women left him to take a walk around the park. They saw the Venerable Bharadvaja meditating under a tree and approached him to pay their respects. Meanwhile the king awoke and, seeing his concubines sitting around the ascetic, he became furious and tried to attack the elder with a nest of biting ants. His plan backfired and the ants fell over him and bit him all over. The women reproached him for his rude conduct and he became repentant. On the next occasion when the elder came to the park, the king approached him and asked his questions. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to him:

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo kosambiyaṁ vihārati ghositārāme. Atha kho rājā udeno yenāyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā piṇḍolabhāradvājena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā udeno āyasmantaṁ piṇḍolabhāradvājaṁ etadavoca:

"Master Bharadvaja, what is the cause and reason why these young bhikkhus, lads with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, who have not dallied with sensual pleasures, lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously?"[n.118] Addhānaṃ āpādenti. Spk glosses: paveṇiṃ paṭipādenti; dīgharattaṃ anubandhāpenti; "they extend it continuously; they pursue it for a long time."

"ko nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, hetu ko paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī"ti?

"Great king, this was said by the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One: ‘Come, bhikkhus, towards women old enough to be your mother set up the idea that they are your mother;[n.119] Mātumattīsu mātucittaṃ upaṭṭhapetha. Lit. "Set up a mother-mind towards those of a mother-measure," and similarly with the other two. Spk says that one's mother, sisters, and daughters are the three "respected objects" (garukārammaṇa) who are not to be transgressed against. Interestingly, this saying, though ascribed to the Buddha as if it were a common piece of advice, is not found elsewhere in the Nikāyas. sn.iv.111 towards those of an age to be your sisters set up the idea that they are your sisters; towards those young enough to be your daughters set up the idea that they are your daughters.’ This is a cause and reason, great king, why these young bhikkhus … lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously."

"Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, mātumattīsu mātucittaṁ upaṭṭhapetha, bhaginimattīsu bhaginicittaṁ upaṭṭhapetha, dhītumattīsu dhītucittaṁ upaṭṭhapethā’ti. Ayaṁ kho, mahārāja, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī"ti.

2"The mind is wanton, Master Bharadvaja. Sometimes states of lust arise even towards women old enough to be one's mother; sometimes they arise towards women of an age to be one's sister; sometimes they arise towards women young enough to be one's daughter. Is there any other cause and reason why these young bhikkhus … lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously?"

2"Lolaṁ kho, bho bhāradvāja, cittaṁ. Appekadā mātumattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti, bhaginimattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti, dhītumattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti. Atthi nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, añño ca hetu, añño ca paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā … pe … addhānañca āpādentī"ti?

3"Great king, this was said by the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One: ‘Come, bhikkhus, review this very body upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, as full of many kinds of impurities:[n.120] This is the meditation subject called subhasaññā, perception of foulness e.g., at AN10.60 (AN V 109,18–27), or kāyagatāsati, explained in detail at Vism 239–66 (Ppn 8:42–144). "There are in this body head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, contents of the stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, fluid of the joints, urine."’ This too, great king, is a cause and reason why these young bhikkhus … lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously."

3"Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhatha – atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttan’ti. Ayampi kho, mahārāja, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā … pe … addhānañca āpādentī"ti.

"That is easy, Master Bharadvaja, for those bhikkhus who are developed in body, developed in virtue, developed in mind, developed in wisdom. But it is difficult for those bhikkhus who are undeveloped in body,[n.121] Abhāvitakāyā. Spk: Undeveloped in the "body" of the five (sense) doors (abhāvitapañcadvārikakākyā), i.e., lacking in sense restraint. undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Sometimes, though one thinks, ‘I will attend to the body as foul,’ one beholds it as beautiful. sn.iv.112 Is there any other cause and reason why these young bhikkhus … lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously?"

"Ye te, bho bhāradvāja, bhikkhū bhāvitakāyā bhāvitasīlā bhāvitacittā bhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ sukaraṁ hoti. Ye ca kho te, bho bhāradvāja, bhikkhū abhāvitakāyā abhāvitasīlā abhāvitacittā abhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ dukkaraṁ hoti. Appekadā, bho bhāradvāja, asubhato manasi karissāmīti subhatova āgacchati. Atthi nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, añño ca kho hetu añño ca paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā … pe … addhānañca āpādentī"ti?

4"Great king, this was said by the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One: ‘Come, bhikkhus, dwell guarding the doors of the sense faculties. Having seen a form with the eye, do not grasp its signs and features. Since, if you leave the eye faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might invade you, practise the way of its restraint, guard the eye faculty, undertake the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear… Having smelt an odour with the nose … Having savoured a taste with the tongue … Having felt a tactile object with the body … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, do not grasp its signs and features. Since, if you leave the mind faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might invade you, practise the way of its restraint, guard the mind faculty, undertake the restraint of the mind faculty.’ This too, great king, is a cause and reason why these young bhikkhus … lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously."

4"Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, indriyesu guttadvārā vihāratha. Cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā mā nimittaggāhino ahuvattha, mānubyañjanaggāhino. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjatha. Rakkhatha cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjatha. Sotena saddaṁ sutvā … pe … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya mā nimittaggāhino ahuvattha, mānubyañjanaggāhino. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjatha. Rakkhatha manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjathā’ti. Ayampi kho, mahārāja, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī"ti.

5"It is wonderful, Master Bharadvaja! It is amazing, Master Bharadvaja! How well this has been stated by the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One. So this is the cause and reason why these young bhikkhus, lads with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, who have not dallied with sensual pleasures, lead the complete and pure holy life all their lives and maintain it continuously. In my case too, when I enter my harem unguarded in body, speech, and mind, without setting up mindfulness, unrestrained in the sense faculties, on that occasion states of lust assail me forcefully. But when I enter my harem guarded in body, speech, and mind, sn.iv.113 with mindfulness set up, restrained in the sense faculties, on that occasion states of lust do not assail me in such a way.

5"Acchariyaṁ, bho bhāradvāja; abbhutaṁ, bho bhāradvāja. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena. Esova kho, bho bhāradvāja, hetu, esa paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentīti. Ahampi kho, bho bhāradvāja, yasmiṁ samaye arakkhiteneva kāyena, arakkhitāya vācāya, arakkhitena cittena, anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā, asaṁvutehi indriyehi antepuraṁ pavisāmi, ativiya maṁ tasmiṁ samaye lobhadhammā parisahanti. Yasmiñca khvāhaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, samaye rakkhiteneva kāyena, rakkhitāya vācāya, rakkhitena cittena, upaṭṭhitāya satiyā, saṁvutehi indriyehi antepuraṁ pavisāmi, na maṁ tathā tasmiṁ samaye lobhadhammā parisahanti.

"Magnificent, Master Bharadvaja! Magnificent, Master Bharadvaja! The Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by Master Bharadvaja, as though he were turning upright what had been turned upside down, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms. Master Bharadvaja, I go for refuge to the Blessed One, and to the Dhamma, and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. From today let Master Bharadvaja remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life."

Abhikkantaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, abhikkantaṁ, bho bhāradvāja. Seyyathāpi, bho bhāradvāja, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā bhāradvājena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, dhammañca, bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ bhāradvājo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.

Catutthaṁ.