SN22:87 Vakkali
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion the Venerable Vakkali was dwelling in a potter's shed, sick, afflicted, gravely ill.
[n.166] Vakkali was declared by the Buddha the foremost bhikkhu of those resolved through faith (etadaggaṁ saddhādhimuttānaṁ; AN I 24,15).
Spk: After completing the rains residence, the elder was on his way to see the Blessed One when he fell ill in the middle of the city. He could not walk, so they put him on a stretcher and carried him to a potter's shed.
Then the Venerable Vakkali addressed his attendants:
"Come, friends, approach the Blessed One, pay homage to him in my name with your head at his feet, and say: ‘Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is sick, afflicted, gravely ill; he pays homage to the Blessed One with his head at his feet.’ Then say: ‘It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would approach the bhikkhu Vakkali out of compassion.’"
"Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied, and they approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and delivered their message. The Blessed One consented by silence.
2Then the Blessed One dressed and, taking bowl and robe, approached the Venerable Vakkali. sn.iii.120 The Venerable Vakkali saw the Blessed One coming in the distance and stirred on his bed. [n.167] Samadhosi. Spk: He showed his respect by making a movement; for, it is said, even a patient is obliged to show respect to a superior by making a gesture of rising. The Blessed One said to him: "Enough, Vakkali, do not stir on your bed. There are these seats ready, I will sit down there."
The Blessed One then sat down on the appointed seat and said to the Venerable Vakkali: "I hope you are bearing up, Vakkali, I hope you are getting better. I hope that your painful feelings are subsiding and not increasing, and that their subsiding, not their increase, is to be discerned."
"Venerable sir, I am not bearing up, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned."
"I hope then, Vakkali, that you are not troubled by remorse and regret."
"Indeed, venerable sir, I have quite a lot of remorse and regret."
I hope, Vakkali, that you have nothing for which to reproach yourself in regard to virtue."
"I have nothing, venerable sir, for which to reproach myself in regard to virtue."
"Then, Vakkali, if you have nothing for which to reproach yourself in regard to virtue, why are you troubled by remorse and regret?"
"For a long time, venerable sir, I have wanted to come to see the Blessed One, but I haven’t been fit enough to do so."
3"Enough, Vakkali! Why do you want to see this foul body? One who sees the Dhamma sees me; one who sees me sees the Dhamma.
[n.168] Yo kho Vakkali dhammaṁ passati, so maṁ passati. Yo maṁ passati, so dhammaṁ passati. Spk: Here the Blessed One shows (himself as) the Dhamma-body, as stated in the passage, "The Tathāgata, great king, is the Dhamma-body." For the ninefold supramundane Dhamma is called the Tathāgata's body.
I cannot trace a statement that corresponds exactly to the one cited by Spk. Spk may be misquoting DN III 84,23–24, which actually reads: "For this, Vaseṭṭha, is a designation of the Tathāgata, that is, the Dhamma-body … "(tathāgatassa h’ etaṁ Vāseṭṭha adhivacanaṁ dhammakāyo iti pi …). On the ninefold supramundane Dhamma, see n. 51. Though the second clause seems to be saying that simply by seeing the Buddha’s body one sees the Dhamma, the meaning is surely that in order to really see the Buddha one should see the Dhamma, the truth to which he awakened. Hence the following catechism, intended to guide Vakkali towards that realization.
For in seeing the Dhamma, Vakkali, one sees me; and in seeing me, one sees the Dhamma.
4"What do you think, Vakkali, is form permanent or impermanent?" sn.iii.121
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is feeling permanent or impermanent? … Is perception permanent or impermanent? … Are volitional formations permanent or impermanent? … Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Therefore any kind of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near – all of these should be seen as they really are with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness.
Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It's liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’"
5Then the Blessed One, having given this exhortation to the Venerable Vakkali, rose from his seat and departed for Mount Vulture Peak.
Then, not long after the Blessed One had left, the Venerable Vakkali addressed his attendants thus: "Come, friends, lift me up on this bed and carry me to the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope. [n.169] It was here too that the Venerable Godhika expired by his own hand; see SN4.23. How can one like me think of dying among the houses?"
"Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied and, having lifted up the Venerable Vakkali on the bed, they carried him to the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope.
The Blessed One spent the rest of that day and night on Mount Vulture Peak. Then, when the night was well advanced, two devatas of stunning beauty approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Mount Vulture Peak … . Standing to one side, one devata said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is intent on deliverance." [n.170] Vimokkhāya ceteti. Spk: For the sake of the deliverance of the path (magga-vimokkhatthāya). Although vimokkha and vimutti are derived from the same prefixed root (vi + muc), they usually appear in different contexts. To avoid confusion I have rendered the former as "deliverance," the latter as "liberation." Here they are synonymous. The other devata said: "Surely, venerable sir, he will be liberated as one well liberated." [n.171] Suvimutto vimuccissati. Spk: He will be liberated as one liberated by the liberation of the fruit of arahantship. Those devas spoke thus because they knew, "By whatever method he arouses insight, he will attain arahantship immediately." This is what those devatas said. Having said this, they paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on their right, they disappeared right there.
6Then, when the night had passed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Come, bhikkhus, approach the bhikkhu Vakkali and say to him:
7‘Friend Vakkali, listen to the word of the Blessed One sn.iii.122 and two devatas. Last night, friend, when the night was well advanced, two devatas of stunning beauty approached the Blessed One. One devata said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is intent on deliverance." The other devata said: "Surely, venerable sir, he will be liberated as one well liberated." And the Blessed One says to you, friend Vakkali: "Do not be afraid, Vakkali, do not be afraid! Your death will not be a bad one. Your demise will not be a bad one."’"
"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied, and they approached the Venerable Vakkali and said to him: "Friend Vakkali, listen to the word of the Blessed One and two devatas."
8Then the Venerable Vakkali addressed his attendants: "Come, friends, lower me from the bed. How can one like me think of listening to the Blessed One's teaching while seated on a high seat."
"Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied, and they lowered the Venerable Vakkali from the bed.
"Last night, friend, two devatas of stunning beauty approached the Blessed One. One devata said to the Blessed One: ‘Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is intent on deliverance.’ The other devata said: ‘Surely, venerable sir, he will be liberated as one well liberated.’ And the Blessed One says to you, friend Vakkali: ‘Do not be afraid, Vakkali, do not be afraid! Your death will not be a bad one. Your demise will not be a bad one.’"
"Well then, friends, pay homage to the Blessed One in my name with your head at his feet and say: ‘Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is sick, afflicted, gravely ill; he pays homage to the Blessed One with his head at his feet.’ Then say: ‘Form is impermanent: I have no perplexity about this, venerable sir, I do not doubt that whatever is impermanent is suffering. I do not doubt that in regard to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, I have no more desire, lust, or affection. sn.iii.123 Feeling is impermanent … Perception is impermanent … Volitional formations are impermanent … Consciousness is impermanent: I have no perplexity about this, venerable sir, I do not doubt that whatever is impermanent is suffering. I do not doubt that in regard to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, I have no more desire, lust, or affection.’"
"Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied, and then they departed. Then, not long after those bhikkhus had left, the Venerable Vakkali used the knife. [n.172] Vakkali's message to the Buddha implies that he already considered himself an arahant. Spk, however, explains: "The elder, it is said, overestimated himself. As he had suppressed the defilements by concentration and insight, he did not see himself assailed by them and thus thought he was an arahant. Disgusted with his miserable life, he cut his jugular vein with a sharp knife. Just then, painful feelings arose in him. Realizing he was still a worldling, he took up his main meditation subject, explored it with knowledge, and attained arahantship just as he died." On the basis of the sutta alone it is impossible to tell whether the commentary is right. For another account of a monk who took his life while thinking he was an arahant, see SN35.87. Godhika (in SN4.23) did not have this conviction, but took his life from despair due to his illness. He too, however, attained arahantship at the time of death. The sequel is as at SN4.23; see I, nn. 313, 314..
9Then those bhikkhus approached the Blessed One … and delivered their message.
10The Blessed One then addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Come, bhikkhus, let us go to the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope, where the clansman Vakkali has used the knife."
"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied. Then the Blessed One, together with a number of bhikkhus, went to the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope. The Blessed One saw in the distance the Venerable Vakkali lying on the bed with his shoulder turned. sn.iii.124
11Now on that occasion a cloud of smoke, a swirl of darkness, was moving to the east, then to the west, to the north, to the south, upwards, downwards, and to the intermediate quarters. The Blessed One then addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Do you see, bhikkhus, that cloud of smoke, that swirl of darkness, moving to the east, then to the west, to the north, to the south, upwards, downwards, and to the intermediate quarters?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"That, bhikkhus, is Māra the Evil One searching for the consciousness of the clansman Vakkali, wondering: ‘Where now has the consciousness of the clansman Vakkali been established?’ However, bhikkhus, with consciousness unestablished, the clansman Vakkali has attained final Nibbāna."
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā vakkali kumbhakāranivesane vihārati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
"Etha tumhe, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha: ‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadetha: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampāṁ upādāyā’"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati; evañca pana vadeti: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampāṁ upādāyā’"ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
2Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā vakkali bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavoca: "Alaṁ, vakkali, mā tvaṁ mañcake samadhosi. Santimāni āsanāni paññattāni; tatthāhaṁ nisīdissāmī"ti.
Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavoca: "Kacci te, vakkali, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo"ti?
"Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ; bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo"ti.
"Kacci te, vakkali, na kiñci kukkuccaṁ, na koci vippaṭisāro"ti?
"Taggha me, bhante, anappakaṁ kukkuccaṁ, anappako vippaṭisāro"ti.
"Kacci pana taṁ, vakkali, attā sīlato na upavadatī"ti?
"Na kho maṁ, bhante, attā sīlato upavadatī"ti.
"No ce kira taṁ, vakkali, attā sīlato upavadati; atha kiñca te kukkuccaṁ ko ca vippaṭisāro"ti?
"Cirapaṭikāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamitukāmo, natthi ca me kāyasmiṁ tāvatikā balamattā, yāvatāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkameyyan"ti.
3"Alaṁ, vakkali, kiṁ te iminā pūtikāyena diṭṭhena? Yo kho, vakkali, dhammaṁ passati so maṁ passati; yo maṁ passati so dhammaṁ passati. Dhammañhi, vakkali, passanto maṁ passati; maṁ passanto dhammaṁ passati.
4Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, vakkali, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
"Aniccaṁ, bhante".
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?
"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
"Aniccaṁ, bhante" … pe … eso me attā’"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Tasmātiha … pe …
Evaṁ passaṁ … pe
… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti'ti.
5Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena gijjhakūṭo pabbato tena pakkāmi.
Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantassa bhagavato upaṭṭhāke āmantesi: "etha maṁ, āvuso, mañcakaṁ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamatha. Kathañhi nāma mādiso antaraghare kālaṁ kattabbaṁ maññeyyā"ti?
"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.
Atha kho bhagavā tañca rattiṁ tañca divāvasesaṁ gijjhakūṭe pabbate vihāsi. Atha kho dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu … pe … ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī"ti. Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī"ti. Idamavocuṁ tā devatāyo. Idaṁ vatvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
6Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi: "etha tumhe, bhikkhave, yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā vakkaliṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadetha:
7‘Suṇāvuso tvaṁ, vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṁ dvinnañca devatānaṁ. Imaṁ, āvuso, rattiṁ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca – vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetīti. Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca – so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatīti. Bhagavā ca taṁ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha – mā bhāyi, vakkali; mā bhāyi, vakkali. Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavocuṁ: "suṇāvuso vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṁ dvinnañca devatānan"ti.
8Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi: "etha maṁ, āvuso, mañcakā oropetha. Kathañhi nāma mādiso ucce āsane nisīditvā tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ sotabbaṁ maññeyyā"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ mañcakā oropesuṁ.
"Imaṁ, āvuso, rattiṁ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā … pe … ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: ‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī’ti. Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: ‘so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī’ti. Bhagavā ca taṁ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha: ‘mā bhāyi, vakkali; mā bhāyi, vakkali. Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’"ti.
"Tena hāvuso, mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha: ‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadetha: ‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ. Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi. Vedanā aniccā. Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi. Saññā … saṅkhārā aniccā. Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi. Viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ. Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmī’"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā pakkamiṁsu. Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantesu tesu bhikkhūsu satthaṁ āharesi.
9Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno; so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati; evañca vadeti: ‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ. Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi. Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ. Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmī’"ti.
10Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "āyāma, bhikkhave, yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamissāma; yattha vakkalinā kulaputtena satthamāharitan"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ dūratova mañcake vivattakkhandhaṁ semānaṁ.
11Tena kho pana samayena dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati pacchimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uttaraṁ disaṁ, gacchati dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uddhaṁ disaṁ, gacchati adho disaṁ, gacchati anudisaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ … pe … gacchati anudisan"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante".
"Eso kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ samanvesati: ‘kattha vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ patiṭṭhitan’ti? Appatiṭṭhitena ca, bhikkhave, viññāṇena vakkali kulaputto parinibbuto"ti.
Pañcamaṁ.