1On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then, in the morning, the Venerable Sāriputta dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. Then, when he had walked for alms on continuous alms round in Rājagaha, [n.277] See I, n. 377. he ate that almsfood leaning against a certain wall.

Then the female wanderer Sucimukhi approached the Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:

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2"Ascetic, do you eat facing downwards?ʺ [n.278] Her name means "Pure Face." Spk explains that she approached the elder intending to mock him with her questions and to instigate a debate. Each question and reply has an implicit meaning, which is elicited just below.

"I don’t eat facing downwards, sister."

"Then, ascetic, do you eat facing upwards?"

"I don’t eat facing upwards, sister." sn.iii.239

"Then, ascetic, do you eat facing the four quarters?" [n.279] Disāmukha. Spk: Catasso disā olokento ti attho.

"I don’t eat facing the four quarters, sister."

"Then, ascetic, do you eat facing the intermediate directions?"

"I don’t eat facing the intermediate directions, sister."

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3"When you are asked, ‘Ascetic, do you eat facing downwards? ’ … ‘Do you eat facing the intermediate directions?’ you reply, ‘I don’t eat thus, sister.’

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4How then do you eat, ascetic?"

"Sister, those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by the debased art of geomancy [n.280] Vatthuvijjā, the science of sites, included among the types of wrong livelihood for ascetics at DN I 9,7. Spk explains it as the means of determining whether a site will be suitable for agricultural cultivation, but Sv I 93,14–17 as the science of determining the virtues and faults of sites selected for homes and monasteries, etc., including the protective charms to be recited over them. —a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing downwards. Those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by the debased art of astrology [n.281] Nakkhattavijjā. See DN I 10,10–31 for more detailed treatment. —a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing upwards. Those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by undertaking to go on errands and run messages [n.282] Dūteyya-pahiṇagamanānuyoga. See DN I 8,20–25. This is considered unfitting for a bhikkhu because it reduces his role to that of a messenger for others. —a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing the (four) quarters. Those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by the debased art of palmistry [n.283] Angavijjā, mentioned also at DN I 9,7. Spk explains as the science of determining a person's future from his or her bodily features. "Palmistry" is certainly too narrow, but there is no other simple English word that quite captures the sense. —a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing the intermediate directions.

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5"Sister, I do not earn my living by such wrong means of livelihood as the debased art of geomancy, or the debased art of astrology, or by undertaking to go on errands and run messages, or by the debased art of palmistry. I seek almsfood righteously and, having sought it, I eat my almsfood righteously." sn.iii.240

6Then the female wanderer Sucimukhi went from street to street and from square to square in Rājagaha announcing: "The ascetics following the Sakyan son eat righteous food; they eat blameless food. Give almsfood to the ascetics following the Sakyan son."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahe piṇḍāya pāvisi. Rājagahe sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ aññataraṁ kuṭṭamūlaṁ nissāya paribhuñjati.

Atha kho sucimukhī paribbājikā yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

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2"Kiṁ nu kho, samaṇa, adhomukho bhuñjasī"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, adhomukho bhuñjāmī"ti.

"Tena hi, samaṇa, ubbhamukho bhuñjasī"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, ubbhamukho bhuñjāmī"ti.

"Tena hi, samaṇa, disāmukho bhuñjasī"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, disāmukho bhuñjāmī"ti.

"Tena hi, samaṇa, vidisāmukho bhuñjasī"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, vidisāmukho bhuñjāmī"ti.

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3"‘Kiṁ nu, samaṇa, adhomukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, adhomukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, samaṇa, ubbhamukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, ubbhamukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, samaṇa, disāmukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, disāmukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, samaṇa, vidisāmukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, vidisāmukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi.

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4Kathañcarahi, samaṇa, bhuñjasī"ti?

"Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā vatthuvijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘adhomukhā bhuñjantī’ti. Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā nakkhattavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘ubbhamukhā bhuñjantī’ti. Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘disāmukhā bhuñjantī’ti. Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā aṅgavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘vidisāmukhā bhuñjantī’ti.

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5So khvāhaṁ, bhagini, na vatthuvijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi, na nakkhattavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi, na dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi, na aṅgavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi. Dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesāmi; dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesitvā bhuñjāmī"ti.

6Atha kho sucimukhī paribbājikā rājagahe rathiyāya rathiyaṁ, siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamārocesi: "dhammikaṁ samaṇā sakyaputtiyā āhāraṁ āhārenti; anavajjaṁ samaṇā sakyaputtiyā āhāraṁ āhārenti. Detha samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ piṇḍan"ti.

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Dasamaṁ.
Sāriputtavaggo paṭhamo.

Sāriputtasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.