AN 7.22

Vassakārasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Tena kho pana samayena rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto vajjī abhiyātukāmo hoti. So evamāha: “ahaṁ hime vajjī evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve ucchecchāmi, vajjī vināsessāmi, vajjī anayabyasanaṁ āpādessāmī”ti.

With Vassakāra

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Now at that time King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, wanted to invade the Vajjis. He said: “I shall wipe out these Vajjis, so mighty and powerful! I shall destroy them, and lay ruin and devastation upon them!”

Atha kho rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto vassakāraṁ brāhmaṇaṁ māgadhamahāmattaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ puccha: ‘rājā, bhante, māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchatī’ti. Evañca vadehi: ‘rājā, bhante, māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto vajjī abhiyātukāmo. So evamāha— ahaṁ hime vajjī evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve ucchecchāmi, vajjī vināsessāmi, vajjī anayabyasanaṁ āpādessāmī’ti. Yathā te bhagavā byākaroti, taṁ sādhukaṁ uggahetvā mama āroceyyāsi. Na hi tathāgatā vitathaṁ bhaṇantī”ti.

And then King Ajātasattu addressed Vassakāra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, “Please, brahmin, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. And then say: ‘Sir, King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, wants to invade the Vajjis. He said: “I shall wipe out these Vajjis, so mighty and powerful! I shall destroy them, and lay ruin and devastation upon them!”’ Remember well how the Buddha answers and tell it to me. For Realized Ones say nothing that is not so.”

“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo māgadhamahāmatto rañño māgadhassa ajātasattussa vedehiputtassa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo māgadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “rājā, bho gotama, māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto bhoto gotamassa pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchati. Rājā, bho gotama, māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto vajjī abhiyātukāmo. So evamāha: ‘ahaṁ hime vajjī evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve ucchecchāmi, vajjī vināsessāmi, vajjī anayabyasanaṁ āpādessāmī’”ti.

“Yes, worthy sir,” Vassakāra replied. He went to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “Worthy Gotama, King Ajātasattu bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. King Ajātasattu wants to invade the Vajjis. He said: ‘I shall wipe out these Vajjis, so mighty and powerful! I shall destroy them, and lay ruin and devastation upon them!’”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando bhagavato piṭṭhito ṭhito hoti bhagavantaṁ bījayamāno. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjī abhiṇhaṁ sannipātā sannipātabahulā’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjī abhiṇhaṁ sannipātā sannipātabahulā’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjī abhiṇhaṁ sannipātā bhavissanti sannipātabahulā; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Now at that time Venerable Ānanda was standing behind the Buddha fanning him. Then the Buddha said to him: “Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis meet frequently and have many meetings?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis meet frequently and have many meetings, they can expect growth, not decline.

Kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjī samaggā sannipatanti, samaggā vuṭṭhahanti, samaggā vajjikaraṇīyāni karontī’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjī samaggā sannipatanti, samaggā vuṭṭhahanti, samaggā vajjikaraṇīyāni karontī’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjī samaggā sannipatissanti, samaggā vuṭṭhahissanti, samaggā vajjikaraṇīyāni karissanti; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis meet in harmony, leave in harmony, and carry on their business in harmony?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis meet in harmony, leave in harmony, and carry on their business in harmony, they can expect growth, not decline.

Kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjī apaññattaṁ na paññāpenti, paññattaṁ na samucchindanti, yathāpaññatte porāṇe vajjidhamme samādāya vattantī’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjī apaññattaṁ na paññāpenti, paññattaṁ na samucchindanti, yathāpaññatte porāṇe vajjidhamme samādāya vattantī’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjī apaññattaṁ na paññāpessanti, paññattaṁ na samucchindissanti, yathāpaññatte porāṇe vajjidhamme samādāya vattissanti; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis don’t make new decrees or abolish existing decrees, but proceed having undertaken the ancient Vajjian principles as they have been decreed?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis don’t make new decrees or abolish existing decrees, but proceed having undertaken the ancient Vajjian principles as they have been decreed, they can expect growth, not decline.

Kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjī ye te vajjīnaṁ vajjimahallakā te sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, tesañca sotabbaṁ maññantī’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjī ye te vajjīnaṁ vajjimahallakā te sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, tesañca sotabbaṁ maññantī’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjī ye te vajjīnaṁ vajjimahallakā te sakkarissanti garuṁ karissanti mānessanti pūjessanti, tesañca sotabbaṁ maññissanti; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis honor, respect, esteem, and venerate Vajjian elders, and think them worth listening to?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis honor, respect, esteem, and venerate Vajjian elders, and think them worth listening to, they can expect growth, not decline.

Kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjī yā tā kulitthiyo kulakumāriyo tā na okassa pasayha vāsentī’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjī yā tā kulitthiyo kulakumāriyo tā na okassa pasayha vāsentī’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjī yā tā kulitthiyo kulakumāriyo tā na okassa pasayha vāsessanti; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis don’t forcibly abduct the women or girls of the clans and make them live with them?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis don’t forcibly abduct the women or girls of the clans and make them live with them, they can expect growth, not decline.

Kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjī yāni tāni vajjīnaṁ vajjicetiyāni abbhantarāni ceva bāhirāni ca tāni sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, tesañca dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ dhammikaṁ baliṁ no parihāpentī’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjī yāni tāni vajjīnaṁ vajjicetiyāni abbhantarāni ceva bāhirāni ca tāni sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, tesañca dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ dhammikaṁ baliṁ no parihāpentī’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjī yāni tāni vajjīnaṁ vajjicetiyāni abbhantarāni ceva bāhirāni ca tāni sakkarissanti garuṁ karissanti mānessanti pūjessanti, tesañca dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ dhammikaṁ baliṁ no parihāpessanti; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.

Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the Vajjian shrines, whether inner or outer, not neglecting the proper spirit-offerings that were given and made in the past?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the Vajjian shrines, whether inner or outer, not neglecting the proper spirit-offerings that were given and made in the past, they can expect growth, not decline.

Kinti te, ānanda, sutaṁ: ‘vajjīnaṁ arahantesu dhammikā rakkhāvaraṇagutti susaṁvihitā—kinti anāgatā ca arahanto vijitaṁ āgaccheyyuṁ, āgatā ca arahanto vijite phāsuṁ vihareyyun’”ti? “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: ‘vajjīnaṁ arahantesu dhammikā rakkhāvaraṇagutti susaṁvihitā bhavissati—kinti anāgatā ca arahanto vijitaṁ āgaccheyyuṁ, āgatā ca arahanto vijite phāsuṁ vihareyyun’”ti. “Yāvakīvañca, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ arahantesu dhammikā rakkhāvaraṇagutti susaṁvihitā bhavissati: ‘kinti anāgatā ca arahanto vijitaṁ āgaccheyyuṁ, āgatā ca arahanto vijite phāsuṁ vihareyyun’ti; vuddhiyeva, ānanda, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānī”ti.

Ānanda, have you heard that the Vajjis organize proper protection, shelter, and security for perfected ones, so that more perfected ones might come to the realm and those already here may live in comfort?” “I have heard that, sir.” “As long as the Vajjis organize proper protection, shelter, and security for perfected ones, so that more perfected ones might come to the realm and those already here may live in comfort, they can expect growth, not decline.”

Atha kho bhagavā vassakāraṁ brāhmaṇaṁ māgadhamahāmattaṁ āmantesi: “ekamidāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, samayaṁ vesāliyaṁ viharāmi sārandade cetiye. Tatrāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vajjīnaṁ ime satta aparihāniye dhamme desesiṁ. Yāvakīvañca, brāhmaṇa, ime satta aparihāniyā dhammā vajjīsu ṭhassanti, imesu ca sattasu aparihāniyesu dhammesu vajjī sandississanti; vuddhiyeva, brāhmaṇa, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānī”ti.

Then the Buddha said to Vassakāra: “Brahmin, this one time I was staying near Vesālī at the Sārandada Shrine. There I taught the Vajjis these principles that prevent decline. As long as these seven principles that prevent decline last among the Vajjis, and as long as the Vajjis are seen following them, they can expect growth, not decline.”

“Ekamekenapi, bho gotama, aparihāniyena dhammena samannāgatānaṁ vajjīnaṁ vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni; ko pana vādo sattahi aparihāniyehi dhammehi. Akaraṇīyā ca, bho gotama, vajjī raññā māgadhena ajātasattunā vedehiputtena yadidaṁ yuddhassa, aññatra upalāpanāya, aññatra mithubhedā. Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho gotama, gacchāma, bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā”ti. “Yassadāni tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, kālaṁ maññasī”ti. Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo māgadhamahāmatto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.

When the Buddha had spoken, Vassakāra said to him: “Worthy Gotama, if the Vajjis follow even a single one of these principles they can expect growth, not decline. How much more so all seven! King Ajātasattu cannot defeat the Vajjis in war, unless by bribery or by sowing dissension. Well, now, worthy Gotama, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, brahmin, go at your convenience.” Then Vassakāra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, rose from his seat and left.