1On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's Park. Then a certain householder, a disciple of the Ājīvakas, [n.490] The school of Makkhali Gosāla, which taught strict determinism and emphasized extreme austerities. approached the Venerable Ānanda, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2(1) "Bhante Ānanda, whose Dhamma is well expounded? (2) Who in the world are practicing the good way? (3) Who in the world are the fortunate ones?" [n.491] Here and below the plural sugatā is used. Thus in this context the word has a wider range than merely the Buddha, its usual application.

"Well then, householder, I will question you about this matter. You should answer as you see fit.

(1) "What do you think, householder? Is the Dhamma of those who teach the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion well expounded or not, or how do you take it?"

"The Dhamma of those who teach the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion is well expounded. So I take it."

3(2) "What do you think, householder? Are those practicing for the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion practicing the good way in the world or not, or how do you take it?"

"Those practicing for the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion are practicing the good way in the world. So I take it."

4(3) "What do you think, householder? Are those who have abandoned lust, hatred, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so that they are no more subject to future arising fortunate ones in the world or not, or how do you take it?.

"Those who have abandoned lust, hatred, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so that they are no more subject to future arising are fortunate ones in the world. So I take it."

5"Thus, householder, you have declared: ‘The Dhamma of those who teach the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion is well expounded.’ You have declared: ‘Those practicing for the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion are practicing the good way in the world.’ And you have declared: ‘Those who have abandoned lust, hatred, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so that they are no more subject to future arising are fortunate ones in the world.’"

6"It is astounding and amazing, Bhante, that there is no extolling of one's own Dhamma nor any denigration of the Dhamma of others, but just the teaching of the Dhamma in its own sphere. The meaning is stated, but one does not bring oneself into the picture. [n.492] Attho ca vutto, attā ca anupanīto. There is a word play here between attho, "meaning,"and attā, "self."

"Bhante Ānanda, you teach the Dhamma for the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion, so your Dhamma is well expounded. You are practicing for the abandoning of lust, hatred, and delusion, so you are practicing the good way in the world. You have abandoned lust, hatred, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so that they are no more subject to future arising, so you are the fortunate ones in the world.

7"Excellent, Bhante! Excellent, Bhante! The noble Ānanda has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness so those with good eyesight can see forms. Bhante Ānanda, I now go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Let the Noble Ānanda consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Atha kho aññataro ājīvakasāvako gahapati yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so ājīvakasāvako gahapati āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

2"Kesaṁ no, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto? Ke loke suppaṭipannā? Ke loke sukatā"ti.

"Tena hi, gahapati, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, ye rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto no vā? Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī"ti.

"Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto. Evaṁ me ettha hotī"ti.

3"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, ye rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā no vā? Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī"ti.

"Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā. Evaṁ me ettha hotī"ti.

4"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, yesaṁ rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā no vā? Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī"ti.

"Yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno … pe … yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā. Evaṁ me ettha hotī"ti.

5"Iti kho, gahapati, tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto’ti. Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā’ti. Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno … pe … yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā’"ti.

6"Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Na ceva nāma sadhammukkaṁsanā bhavissati, na ca paradhammāpasādanā. Āyataneva dhammadesanā, attho ca vutto, attā ca anupanīto.

Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetha, dosassa … pe … mohassa pahanāya dhammaṁ desetha. Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto. Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa … pe … mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā. Tumhe, bhante, loke suppaṭipannā. Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, tumhākaṁ doso pahīno … pe … tumhākaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo. Tumhe loke sukatā.

7Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante. Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ ayyena ānandena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bhante ānanda, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ ayyo ānando dhāretu, ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.

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Dutiyaṁ.