AN 3.126

Bharaṇḍukālāmasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno yena kapilavatthu tadavasari. Assosi kho mahānāmo sakko: “bhagavā kira kapilavatthuṁ anuppatto”ti. Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Bharaṇḍu Kālāma

At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans when he arrived at Kapilavatthu. Mahānāma the Sakyan heard that he had arrived. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“Gaccha, mahānāma, kapilavatthusmiṁ, tathārūpaṁ āvasathaṁ jāna yatthajja mayaṁ ekarattiṁ vihareyyāmā”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavato paṭissutvā kapilavatthuṁ pavisitvā kevalakappaṁ kapilavatthuṁ anvāhiṇḍanto nāddasa kapilavatthusmiṁ tathārūpaṁ āvasathaṁ yatthajja bhagavā ekarattiṁ vihareyya.

“Go into Kapilavatthu, Mahānāma, and check if there’s a suitable guest house where I can spend the night.” “Yes, sir,” replied Mahānāma. He returned to Kapilavatthu and searched all over the city, but he couldn’t see a suitable guest house for the Buddha to spend the night.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “natthi, bhante, kapilavatthusmiṁ tathārūpo āvasatho yatthajja bhagavā ekarattiṁ vihareyya. Ayaṁ, bhante, bharaṇḍu kālāmo bhagavato purāṇasabrahmacārī. Tassajja bhagavā assame ekarattiṁ viharatū”ti. “Gaccha, mahānāma, santharaṁ paññāpehī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavato paṭissutvā yena bharaṇḍussa kālāmassa assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā santharaṁ paññāpetvā udakaṁ ṭhapetvā pādānaṁ dhovanāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “santhato, bhante, santhāro, udakaṁ ṭhapitaṁ pādānaṁ dhovanāya. Yassadāni, bhante, bhagavā kālaṁ maññatī”ti.

Then Mahānāma went up to the Buddha, and said to him, “Sir, there’s no suitable guest house in Kapilavatthu for you to spend the night. But there is this Bharaṇḍu the Kālāma, who used to be the Buddha’s spiritual companion. Why don’t you spend the night at his hermitage?” “Go, Mahānāma, and set out a mat.” “Yes, sir,” replied Mahānāma. He went to Bharaṇḍu’s hermitage, where he set out a mat, and got foot-washing water ready. Then he went back to the Buddha and said to him, “The mat and foot-washing water are set out. Please, sir, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho bhagavā yena bharaṇḍussa kālāmassa assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā pāde pakkhālesi. Atha kho mahānāmassa sakkassa etadahosi: “akālo kho ajja bhagavantaṁ payirupāsituṁ. Kilanto bhagavā. Sve dānāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāsissāmī”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then the Buddha went to Bharaṇḍu’s hermitage, sat down on the seat spread out, and washed his feet. Then it occurred to Mahānāma, “It’s too late to pay homage to the Buddha today. He’s tired. Tomorrow I’ll pay homage to the Buddha.” He bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko tassā rattiyā accayena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “tayo khome, mahānāma, satthāro santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Idha, mahānāma, ekacco satthā kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti; na rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, na vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti. Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco satthā kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti; na vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti. Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco satthā kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti. Ime kho, mahānāma, tayo satthāro santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, mahānāma, tiṇṇaṁ satthārānaṁ ekā niṭṭhā udāhu puthu niṭṭhā”ti?

Then, when the night had passed, Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Mahānāma, there are these three teachers found in the world. What three? One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, but not of forms or feelings. One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures and forms, but not of feelings. One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, forms, and feelings. These are the three teachers found in the world. Do these three teachers have the same end or different ends?”

Evaṁ vutte, bharaṇḍu kālāmo mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “ekāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti. Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “nānāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti. Dutiyampi kho bharaṇḍu kālāmo mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “ekāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti. Dutiyampi kho bhagavā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “nānāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti. Tatiyampi kho bharaṇḍu kālāmo mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “ekāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti. Tatiyampi kho bhagavā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “nānāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

When he said this, Bharaṇḍu said to Mahānāma, “Say they’re the same, Mahānāma!” The Buddha said, “Say they’re different, Mahānāma!” For a second time, Bharaṇḍu said, “Say they’re the same, Mahānāma!” The Buddha said, “Say they’re different, Mahānāma!” For a third time, Bharaṇḍu said, “Say they’re the same, Mahānāma!” The Buddha said, “Say they’re different, Mahānāma!”

Atha kho bharaṇḍu kālāmassa etadahosi: “mahesakkhassa vatamhi mahānāmassa sakkassa sammukhā samaṇena gotamena yāvatatiyaṁ apasādito. Yannūnāhaṁ kapilavatthumhā pakkameyyan”ti. Atha kho bharaṇḍu kālāmo kapilavatthumhā pakkāmi. Yaṁ kapilavatthumhā pakkāmi tathā pakkantova ahosi na puna paccāgacchīti.

Then it occurred to Bharaṇḍu, “The Buddha has rebuked me three times in front of this illustrious Mahānāma. Why don’t I leave Kapilavatthu?” Then Bharaṇḍu the Kālāma left Kapilavatthu, never to return.