AN 10.119

Paṭhamapaccorohaṇīsutta

Tena kho pana samayena jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhāto navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivattho allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya bhagavato avidūre ekamantaṁ ṭhito hoti.

The Ceremony of Descent (1st)

Now, at that time it was the sabbath. The brahmin Jānussoṇi had bathed his head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes. Holding a handful of fresh grass, he stood to one side not far from the Buddha.

Addasā kho bhagavā jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhātaṁ navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivatthaṁ allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ. Disvāna jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca: “kiṁ nu tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhāto navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivattho allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya ekamantaṁ ṭhito? Kiṁ nvajja brāhmaṇakulassā”ti? “Paccorohaṇī, bho gotama, ajja brāhmaṇakulassā”ti.

The Buddha saw him, and said, “Brahmin, why have you bathed your head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes? Why are you standing to one side holding a handful of fresh grass? What’s going on today with the brahmin clan?” “Worthy Gotama, today is the ceremony of descent for the brahmin clan.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hotī”ti? “Idha, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhātā navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivatthā allena gomayena pathaviṁ opuñjitvā haritehi kusehi pattharitvā antarā ca velaṁ antarā ca agyāgāraṁ seyyaṁ kappenti. Te taṁ rattiṁ tikkhattuṁ paccuṭṭhāya pañjalikā aggiṁ namassanti: ‘paccorohāma bhavantaṁ, paccorohāma bhavantan’ti. Bahukena ca sappitelanavanītena aggiṁ santappenti. Tassā ca rattiyā accayena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena brāhmaṇe santappenti. Evaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“But how do the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent?” “Well, worthy Gotama, on the sabbath the brahmins bathe their heads and dress in a new pair of linen robes. They make a heap of fresh cow dung and spread it with green grass. Then they make their beds between the boundary and the fire chamber. That night they rise three times and worship the fire with cupped palms: ‘We descend, lord! We descend, lord!’ And they serve the fire with abundant ghee, oil, and butter. And when the night has passed they serve the brahmins with delicious fresh and cooked foods. That’s how the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent.”

“Aññathā kho, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hoti, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti. “Yathā kathaṁ pana, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hoti? Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One.” “But worthy Gotama, how is the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One? Worthy Gotama, please teach me this.”

“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bho”ti kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” Jānussoṇi replied. The Buddha said this:

“Idha, brāhmaṇa, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘micchādiṭṭhiyā kho pāpako vipāko diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchādiṭṭhiṁ pajahati; micchādiṭṭhiyā paccorohati.

“It’s when a noble disciple reflects: ‘Wrong view has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view, they descend from wrong view.

… ‘Micchāsaṅkappassa kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāsaṅkappaṁ pajahati; micchāsaṅkappā paccorohati.

‘Wrong purpose has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong purpose, they descend from wrong purpose.

… ‘Micchāvācāya kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāvācaṁ pajahati; micchāvācāya paccorohati.

‘Wrong speech has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong speech, they descend from wrong speech.

… ‘Micchākammantassa kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchākammantaṁ pajahati; micchākammantā paccorohati.

‘Wrong action has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong action, they descend from wrong action.

… ‘Micchāājīvassa kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāājīvaṁ pajahati; micchāājīvā paccorohati.

‘Wrong livelihood has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong livelihood, they descend from wrong livelihood.

… ‘Micchāvāyāmassa kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāvāyāmaṁ pajahati; micchāvāyāmā paccorohati.

‘Wrong effort has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong effort, they descend from wrong effort.

… ‘Micchāsatiyā kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāsatiṁ pajahati; micchāsatiyā paccorohati.

‘Wrong mindfulness has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong mindfulness, they descend from wrong mindfulness.

… ‘Micchāsamādhissa kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāsamādhiṁ pajahati; micchāsamādhimhā paccorohati.

‘Wrong immersion has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong immersion, they descend from wrong immersion.

… ‘Micchāñāṇassa kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāñāṇaṁ pajahati; micchāñāṇamhā paccorohati.

‘Wrong knowledge has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong knowledge, they descend from wrong knowledge.

… ‘Micchāvimuttiyā kho pāpako vipāko— diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāvimuttiṁ pajahati; micchāvimuttiyā paccorohati. Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

‘Wrong freedom has a bad result in both this life and the next.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong freedom, they descend from wrong freedom. This is the ceremony of descent in the training of the Noble One.”

“Aññathā, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hoti. Imissā ca, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇiyā brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

“The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One. And, worthy Gotama, the ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part of a master of the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One. Excellent, worthy Gotama! … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”