AN 8.19

Pahārādasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā verañjāyaṁ viharati naḷerupucimandamūle. Atha kho pahārādo asurindo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho pahārādaṁ asurindaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

With Pahārāda

At one time the Buddha was staying in Verañjā at the root of a neem tree dedicated to Naḷeru. Then Pahārāda, lord of titans, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“Api pana, pahārāda, asurā mahāsamudde abhiramantī”ti? “Abhiramanti, bhante, asurā mahāsamudde”ti. “Kati pana, pahārāda, mahāsamudde acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramantī”ti? “Aṭṭha, bhante, mahāsamudde acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti. Katame aṭṭha? Mahāsamuddo, bhante, anupubbaninno anupubbapoṇo anupubbapabbhāro, na āyatakeneva papāto. Yampi, bhante, mahāsamuddo anupubbaninno anupubbapoṇo anupubbapabbhāro, na āyatakeneva papāto; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde paṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

“Well, Pahārāda, do the titans love the ocean?” “Sir, they do indeed.” “But seeing what incredible and amazing things do the titans love the ocean?” “Sir, seeing eight incredible and amazing things the titans love the ocean. What eight? The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice. This is the first thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, mahāsamuddo ṭhitadhammo velaṁ nātivattati. Yampi, bhante, mahāsamuddo ṭhitadhammo velaṁ nātivattati; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde dutiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, the ocean is consistent and doesn’t overflow its boundaries. This is the second thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, mahāsamuddo na matena kuṇapena saṁvasati. Yaṁ hoti mahāsamudde mataṁ kuṇapaṁ, taṁ khippameva tīraṁ vāheti, thalaṁ ussāreti. Yampi, bhante, mahāsamuddo na matena kuṇapena saṁvasati, yaṁ hoti mahāsamudde mataṁ kuṇapaṁ, taṁ khippameva tīraṁ vāheti, thalaṁ ussāreti; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde tatiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, the ocean doesn’t accommodate a carcass, but quickly carries it to the shore and strands it on the beach. This is the third thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, yā kāci mahānadiyo, seyyathidaṁ— gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, tā mahāsamuddaṁ patvā jahanti purimāni nāmagottāni, ‘mahāsamuddo’ tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti. Yampi, bhante, yā kāci mahānadiyo, seyyathidaṁ—gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, tā mahāsamuddaṁ patvā jahanti purimāni nāmagottāni, ‘mahāsamuddo’ tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde catuttho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, when they reach the ocean, all the great rivers—that is, the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—lose their names and clans and are simply reckoned as ‘the ocean’. This is the fourth thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, yā ca loke savantiyo mahāsamuddaṁ appenti yā ca antalikkhā dhārā papatanti, na tena mahāsamuddassa ūnattaṁ vā pūrattaṁ vā paññāyati. Yampi, bhante, yā ca loke savantiyo mahāsamuddaṁ appenti yā ca antalikkhā dhārā papatanti, na tena mahāsamuddassa ūnattaṁ vā pūrattaṁ vā paññāyati; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde pañcamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, for all the world’s streams that reach it, and the showers that fall from the sky, the ocean never empties or fills up. This is the fifth thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, mahāsamuddo ekaraso loṇaraso. Yampi, bhante, mahāsamuddo ekaraso loṇaraso; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde chaṭṭho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, the ocean has just one taste, the taste of salt. This is the sixth thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, mahāsamuddo bahuratano anekaratano. Tatrimāni ratanāni, seyyathidaṁ—muttā maṇi veḷuriyo saṅkho silā pavāḷaṁ rajataṁ jātarūpaṁ lohitako masāragallaṁ. Yampi, bhante, mahāsamuddo bahuratano anekaratano; tatrimāni ratanāni, seyyathidaṁ—muttā maṇi veḷuriyo saṅkho silā pavāḷaṁ rajataṁ jātarūpaṁ lohitako masāragallaṁ; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde sattamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, the ocean is full of many kinds of treasures, such as pearls, gems, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, silver, native gold, rubies, and emeralds. This is the seventh thing the titans love about the ocean.

Puna caparaṁ, bhante, mahāsamuddo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso. Tatrime bhūtā—timi timiṅgalo timirapiṅgalo asurā nāgā gandhabbā. Santi mahāsamudde yojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, dviyojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, tiyojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, catuyojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, pañcayojanasatikāpi attabhāvā. Yampi, bhante, mahāsamuddo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—timi timiṅgalo timirapiṅgalo asurā nāgā gandhabbā; santi mahāsamudde yojanasatikāpi attabhāvā …pe… tiyojana … catuyojana … pañcayojanasatikāpi attabhāvā; ayaṁ, bhante, mahāsamudde aṭṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti. Ime kho, bhante, mahāsamudde aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramantīti.

Furthermore, many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, titans, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long. This is the eighth thing the titans love about the ocean. Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things the titans love the ocean.

Api pana, bhante, bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramantī”ti? “Abhiramanti, pahārāda, bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye”ti. “Kati pana, bhante, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramantī”ti? “Aṭṭha, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti. Katame aṭṭha? Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, mahāsamuddo anupubbaninno anupubbapoṇo anupubbapabbhāro, na āyatakeneva papāto; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye anupubbasikkhā anupubbakiriyā anupubbapaṭipadā, na āyatakeneva aññāpaṭivedho. Yampi, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye anupubbasikkhā anupubbakiriyā anupubbapaṭipadā, na āyatakeneva aññāpaṭivedho; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye paṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

Well, sir, do the mendicants love this teaching and training?” “They do indeed, Pahārāda.” “But seeing how many incredible and amazing things do the mendicants love this teaching and training?” “Seeing eight incredible and amazing things, Pahārāda, the mendicants love this teaching and training. What eight? The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice. In the same way in this teaching and training the penetration to enlightenment comes from gradual training, progress, and practice, not abruptly. This is the first thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, mahāsamuddo ṭhitadhammo velaṁ nātivattati; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, yaṁ mayā sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ taṁ mama sāvakā jīvitahetupi nātikkamanti. Yampi, pahārāda, mayā sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ taṁ mama sāvakā jīvitahetupi nātikkamanti; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dutiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

The ocean is consistent and doesn’t overflow its boundaries. In the same way, when a training rule is laid down for my disciples they wouldn’t break it even for the sake of their own life. This is the second thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, mahāsamuddo na matena kuṇapena saṁvasati. Yaṁ hoti mahāsamudde mataṁ kuṇapaṁ, taṁ khippameva tīraṁ vāheti thalaṁ ussāreti;

The ocean doesn’t accommodate a carcass, but quickly carries it to the shore and strands it on the beach.

evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, yo so puggalo dussīlo pāpadhammo asucisaṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño antopūti avassuto kasambujāto, na tena saṅgho saṁvasati; khippameva naṁ sannipatitvā ukkhipati. Kiñcāpi so hoti majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa sannisinno, atha kho so ārakāva saṅghamhā saṅgho ca tena. Yampi, pahārāda, yo so puggalo dussīlo pāpadhammo asucisaṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño antopūti avassuto kasambujāto, na tena saṅgho saṁvasati; khippameva naṁ sannipatitvā ukkhipati; kiñcāpi so hoti majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa sannisinno, atha kho so ārakāva saṅghamhā saṅgho ca tena; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye tatiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

In the same way, the Saṅgha doesn’t accommodate an individual who is unethical, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, festering, and depraved. But they quickly gather and expel them. Even if they are sitting in the middle of the Saṅgha, they’re far from the Saṅgha, and the Saṅgha is far from them. This is the third thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, yā kāci mahānadiyo, seyyathidaṁ—gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, tā mahāsamuddaṁ patvā jahanti purimāni nāmagottāni, ‘mahāsamuddo’ tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, cattārome vaṇṇā—khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā, te tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitvā jahanti purimāni nāmagottāni, ‘samaṇā sakyaputtiyā’ tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti. Yampi, pahārāda, cattārome vaṇṇā—khattiyā, brāhmaṇā, vessā, suddā, te tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitvā jahanti purimāni nāmagottāni, ‘samaṇā sakyaputtiyā’ tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye catuttho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

When they reach the ocean, all the great rivers—that is, the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—lose their names and clans and are simply reckoned as ‘the ocean’. In the same way, when they go forth from the lay life to homelessness, all four classes—aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials—lose their former names and clans and are simply reckoned as ‘ascetics who follow the Sakyan’. This is the fourth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, yā ca loke savantiyo mahāsamuddaṁ appenti yā ca antalikkhā dhārā papatanti, na tena mahāsamuddassa ūnattaṁ vā pūrattaṁ vā paññāyati; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, bahū cepi bhikkhū anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbāyanti, na tena nibbānadhātuyā ūnattaṁ vā pūrattaṁ vā paññāyati. Yampi, pahārāda, bahū cepi bhikkhū anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbāyanti, na tena nibbānadhātuyā ūnattaṁ vā pūrattaṁ vā paññāyati; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pañcamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

For all the world’s streams that reach it, and the showers that fall from the sky, the ocean never empties or fills up. In the same way, though several mendicants become fully extinguished in the element of extinguishment with no residue, the element of extinguishment never empties or fills up. This is the fifth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, mahāsamuddo ekaraso loṇaraso; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, ayaṁ dhammavinayo ekaraso, vimuttiraso. Yampi, pahārāda, ayaṁ dhammavinayo ekaraso, vimuttiraso; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye chaṭṭho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

The ocean has just one taste, the taste of salt. In the same way, this teaching and training has one taste, the taste of freedom. This is the sixth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, mahāsamuddo bahuratano anekaratano; tatrimāni ratanāni, seyyathidaṁ—muttā maṇi veḷuriyo saṅkho silā pavāḷaṁ rajataṁ jātarūpaṁ lohitako masāragallaṁ; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, ayaṁ dhammavinayo bahuratano anekaratano. Tatrimāni ratanāni, seyyathidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, cattāro sammappadhānā, cattāro iddhipādā, pañcindriyāni, pañca balāni, satta bojjhaṅgā, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo. Yampi, pahārāda, ayaṁ dhammavinayo bahuratano anekaratano; tatrimāni ratanāni, seyyathidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, cattāro sammappadhānā, cattāro iddhipādā, pañcindriyāni, pañca balāni, satta bojjhaṅgā, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye sattamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

The ocean is full of many kinds of treasures, such as pearls, gems, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, silver, native gold, rubies, and emeralds. In the same way, this teaching and training is full of many kinds of treasures, such as the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. This is the seventh thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, pahārāda, mahāsamuddo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—timi timiṅgalo timirapiṅgalo asurā nāgā gandhabbā; santi mahāsamudde yojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, dviyojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, tiyojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, catuyojanasatikāpi attabhāvā, pañcayojanasatikāpi attabhāvā; evamevaṁ kho, pahārāda, ayaṁ dhammavinayo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—sotāpanno sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, sakadāgāmī sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, anāgāmī anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, arahā arahattāya paṭipanno. Yampi, pahārāda, ayaṁ dhammavinayo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—sotāpanno sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, sakadāgāmī sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, anāgāmī anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, arahā arahattāya paṭipanno; ayaṁ, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye aṭṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

Many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, titans, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long. In the same way, great beings live in this teaching and training, and these are those beings. The stream-enterer and the one practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry. The once-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of once-return. The non-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of non-return. The perfected one, and the one practicing for perfection. This is the eighth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

Ime kho, pahārāda, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramantī”ti.

Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things, Pahārāda, the mendicants love this teaching and training.”