AN 5.32

Cundīsutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho cundī rājakumārī pañcahi rathasatehi pañcahi ca kumārisatehi parivutā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho cundī rājakumārī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

With Cundī

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then Princess Cundī, escorted by five hundred chariots and five hundred royal maidens, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Amhākaṁ, bhante, bhātā cundo nāma rājakumāro, so evamāha: ‘yadeva so hoti itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatin’ti. Sāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ pucchāmi: ‘kathaṁrūpe kho, bhante, satthari pasanno kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatiṁ? Kathaṁrūpe dhamme pasanno kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatiṁ? Kathaṁrūpe saṅghe pasanno kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatiṁ? Kathaṁrūpesu sīlesu paripūrakārī kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatin’”ti?

“Sir, my brother, Prince Cunda, says this: ‘Take a woman or man who goes for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. Only then do they get reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when their body breaks up, after death.’ And so I ask the Buddha: Sir, what kind of teacher should you have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death? Sir, what kind of teaching should you have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death? Sir, what kind of Saṅgha should you have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death? Sir, what kind of ethics should you fulfill so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death?”

“Yāvatā, cundi, sattā apadā vā dvipadā vā catuppadā vā bahuppadā vā rūpino vā arūpino vā saññino vā asaññino vā nevasaññināsaññino vā, tathāgato tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. Ye kho, cundi, buddhe pasannā, agge te pasannā. Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

“Cundī, the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, is said to be the best of all sentient beings—be they footless, with two feet, four feet, or many feet; with form or formless; with perception or without perception or with neither perception nor non-perception. Those who have confidence in the Buddha have confidence in the best. Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.

Yāvatā, cundi, dhammā saṅkhatā, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati. Ye, cundi, ariye aṭṭhaṅgike magge pasannā, agge te pasannā, agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

The noble eightfold path is said to be the best of all conditioned things. Those who have confidence in the noble eightfold path have confidence in the best. Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.

Yāvatā, cundi, dhammā saṅkhatā vā asaṅkhatā vā, virāgo tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ— madanimmadano pipāsavinayo ālayasamugghāto vaṭṭupacchedo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ. Ye kho, cundi, virāge dhamme pasannā, agge te pasannā. Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

Fading away is said to be the best of all things whether conditioned or unconditioned. That is, the quelling of vanity, the removing of thirst, the uprooting of clinging, the breaking of the round, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment. Those who have confidence in the teaching of fading away have confidence in the best. Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.

Yāvatā, cundi, saṅghā vā gaṇā vā, tathāgatasāvakasaṅgho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ— cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. Ye kho, cundi, saṅghe pasannā, agge te pasannā. Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.

The Saṅgha of the Realized One’s disciples is said to be the best of all communities and groups. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. Those who have confidence in the Saṅgha have confidence in the best. Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.

Yāvatā, cundi, sīlāni, ariyakantāni sīlāni tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ— akhaṇḍāni acchiddāni asabalāni akammāsāni bhujissāni viññuppasatthāni aparāmaṭṭhāni samādhisaṁvattanikāni. Ye kho, cundi, ariyakantesu sīlesu paripūrakārino, agge te paripūrakārino. Agge kho pana paripūrakārīnaṁ aggo vipāko hotīti.

The ethical conduct loved by the noble ones is said to be the best of all ethics. It is intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. Those who fulfill the ethics loved by the noble ones fulfill the best. Fulfilling the best, the result is the best.

Aggato ve pasannānaṁ, aggaṁ dhammaṁ vijānataṁ; Agge buddhe pasannānaṁ, dakkhiṇeyye anuttare.

For those who, knowing the best teaching, base their confidence on the best— confident in the best Awakened One, supremely worthy of a religious donation;

Agge dhamme pasannānaṁ, virāgūpasame sukhe; Agge saṅghe pasannānaṁ, puññakkhette anuttare.

confident in the best teaching, the bliss of fading and stilling; confident in the best Saṅgha, the supreme field of merit—

Aggasmiṁ dānaṁ dadataṁ, aggaṁ puññaṁ pavaḍḍhati; Aggaṁ āyu ca vaṇṇo ca, yaso kitti sukhaṁ balaṁ.

giving gifts to the best, the best of merit grows: the best lifespan, beauty, fame, reputation, happiness, and strength.

Aggassa dātā medhāvī, aggadhammasamāhito; Devabhūto manusso vā, aggappatto pamodatī”ti.

An intelligent person gives to the best, settled on the best teaching. When they become a god or human, they rejoice at reaching the best.”