AN 10.46

Sakkasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho sambahulā sakkā upāsakā tadahuposathe yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho sakke upāsake bhagavā etadavoca: “api nu tumhe, sakkā, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasathā”ti? “Appekadā mayaṁ, bhante, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasāma, appekadā na upavasāmā”ti. “Tesaṁ vo, sakkā, alābhā tesaṁ dulladdhaṁ, ye tumhe evaṁ sokasabhaye jīvite maraṇasabhaye jīvite appekadā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasatha, appekadā na upavasatha.

With the Sakyans

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then on the sabbath several Sakyan lay followers went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them: “Sakyans, do you observe the sabbath with its eight factors?” “Sir, sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t.” “That’s your loss, Sakyans, it’s your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don’t.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā, idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ aḍḍhakahāpaṇaṁ nibbiseyya. Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who earns half a dollar for an honest day’s work. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?” “Yes, sir.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā, idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ kahāpaṇaṁ nibbiseyya. Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who earns a dollar for an honest day’s work. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?” “Yes, sir.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā, idha puriso yena kenaci kammaṭṭhānena anāpajja akusalaṁ divasaṁ dve kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … tayo kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … cattāro kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … pañca kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … cha kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … satta kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … aṭṭha kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … nava kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … dasa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … vīsa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … tiṁsa kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … cattārīsaṁ kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … paññāsaṁ kahāpaṇe nibbiseyya … kahāpaṇasataṁ nibbiseyya. Dakkho puriso uṭṭhānasampannoti alaṁvacanāyā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who, for an honest day’s work, earns two dollars … three dollars … four dollars … five dollars … six dollars … seven dollars … eight dollars … nine dollars … ten dollars … twenty dollars … thirty dollars … forty dollars … fifty dollars … a hundred dollars. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?” “Yes, sir.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā, api nu so puriso divase divase kahāpaṇasataṁ kahāpaṇasahassaṁ nibbisamāno laddhaṁ laddhaṁ nikkhipanto vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ adhigaccheyyā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Sakyans? Suppose that man earned a hundred or a thousand dollars every day and saved it all up. If he lived for a hundred years, would he not accumulate a large mass of wealth?” “Yes, sir.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sakkā, api nu so puriso bhogahetu bhoganidānaṁ bhogādhikaraṇaṁ ekaṁ vā rattiṁ ekaṁ vā divasaṁ upaḍḍhaṁ vā rattiṁ upaḍḍhaṁ vā divasaṁ ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyyā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Taṁ kissa hetu”? “Kāmā hi, bhante, aniccā tucchā musā mosadhammā”ti.

“What do you think, Sakyans? Would that man, on account of that wealth, experience absolute happiness for a single day or night, or even half a day or night?” “No, sir.” “Why is that?” “Because sensual pleasures, sir, are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive.”

“Idha pana vo, sakkā, mama sāvako dasa vassāni appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya. So ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno. Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa vassāni.

“But take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for ten years, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience absolute happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer. Let alone ten years,

Idha mama sāvako nava vassāni … aṭṭha vassāni … satta vassāni … cha vassāni … pañca vassāni … cattāri vassāni … tīṇi vassāni … dve vassāni … ekaṁ vassaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno. Tiṭṭhatu, sakkā, ekaṁ vassaṁ.

take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for nine years … eight years … seven years … six years … five years … four years … three years … two years … one year …

Idha mama sāvako dasa māse appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno. Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa māsā.

ten months …

Idha mama sāvako nava māse … aṭṭha māse … satta māse … cha māse … pañca māse … cattāro māse … tayo māse … dve māse … ekaṁ māsaṁ … aḍḍhamāsaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno. Tiṭṭhatu, sakkā, aḍḍhamāso.

nine months … eight months … seven months … six months … five months … four months … three months … two months … one month … a fortnight …

Idha mama sāvako dasa rattindive appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno. Tiṭṭhantu, sakkā, dasa rattindivā.

ten days …

Idha mama sāvako nava rattindive … aṭṭha rattindive … satta rattindive … cha rattindive … pañca rattindive … cattāro rattindive … tayo rattindive … dve rattindive … ekaṁ rattindivaṁ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṁ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni satampi vassasatāni satampi vassasahassāni ekantasukhappaṭisaṁvedī vihareyya, so ca khvassa sakadāgāmī vā anāgāmī vā apaṇṇakaṁ vā sotāpanno. Tesaṁ vo, sakkā, alābhā tesaṁ dulladdhaṁ, ye tumhe evaṁ sokasabhaye jīvite maraṇasabhaye jīvite appekadā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasatha, appekadā na upavasathā”ti. “Ete mayaṁ, bhante, ajjatagge aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasissāmā”ti.

nine days … eight days … seven days … six days … five days … four days … three days … two days … Let alone two days, take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for one day, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience absolute happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer. It’s your loss, Sakyans, it’s your misfortune. In this life with its fear of sorrow and death, you sometimes keep the sabbath and you sometimes don’t.” “Well, sir, from this day forth we will observe the sabbath with its eight factors.”