MN 42

Verañjakasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

The People of Verañjā

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosuṁ kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā: “samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato: ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ; kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.

Now at that time the brahmins and householders of Verañjā were residing in Sāvatthī on some business. The brahmins and householders of Verañjā heard: “It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—is staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. He has this good reputation … It’s good to see such perfected ones.”

Atha kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce bhagavato santike nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

… They said to the Buddha:

“ko nu kho, bho gotama, hetu, ko paccayo yena m’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti? Ko pana, bho gotama, hetu, ko paccayo yena m’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjantī”ti?

“What is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell? And what is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?”

“Adhammacariyāvisamacariyāhetu kho, gahapatayo, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti. Dhammacariyāsamacariyāhetu kho, gahapatayo, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjantī”ti.

“Unprincipled and immoral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. Principled and moral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”

“Na kho mayaṁ imassa bhoto gotamassa saṅkhittena bhāsitassa, vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa, vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāma. Sādhu no bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā mayaṁ imassa bhoto gotamassa saṅkhittena bhāsitassa, vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa, vitthārena atthaṁ ājāneyyāmā”ti. “Tena hi, gahapatayo, suṇātha sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bho”ti kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“We don’t understand the detailed meaning of the worthy Gotama’s brief statement. …”

“Tividhaṁ kho, gahapatayo, kāyena adhammacārī visamacārī hoti, catubbidhaṁ vācāya adhammacārī visamacārī hoti, tividhaṁ manasā adhammacārī visamacārī hoti. Kathañca, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ kāyena adhammacārī visamacārī hoti? Idha, gahapatayo, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti. Luddo lohitapāṇi hatappahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno pāṇabhūtesu. Adinnādāyī kho pana hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ … taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti. Kāmesumicchācārī kho pana hoti. Yā tā māturakkhitā … tathārūpāsu cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ kāyena adhammacārī visamacārī hoti. Kathañca, gahapatayo, catubbidhaṁ vācāya adhammacārī visamacārī hoti? Idha, gahapatayo, ekacco musāvādī hoti. Sabhāgato vā … sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti. Pisuṇavāco kho pana hoti. Ito sutvā amutra akkhātā … vaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Pharusavāco kho pana hoti. Yā sā vācā aṇḍakā kakkasā … tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Samphappalāpī kho pana hoti. Akālavādī … apariyantavatiṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, catubbidhaṁ vācāya adhammacārī visamacārī hoti. Kathañca, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ manasā adhammacārī visamacārī hoti? Idha, gahapatayo, ekacco abhijjhālu hoti …pe… taṁ mamassā’ti. Byāpannacitto kho pana hoti paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā haññantu vā … mā vā ahesun’ti. Micchādiṭṭhiko kho pana hoti viparītadassano: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ … sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ manasā adhammacārī visamacārī hoti. Evaṁ adhammacariyāvisamacariyāhetu kho, gahapatayo, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti. Tividhaṁ kho, gahapatayo, kāyena dhammacārī samacārī hoti, catubbidhaṁ vācāya dhammacārī samacārī hoti, tividhaṁ manasā dhammacārī samacārī hoti. Kathañca, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ kāyena dhammacārī samacārī hoti? Idha, gahapatayo, ekacco pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho lajjī dayāpanno sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharati. Adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa … taṁ nādinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti. Kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya … tathārūpāsu na cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ kāyena dhammacārī samacārī hoti. Kathañca, gahapatayo, catubbidhaṁ vācāya dhammacārī samacārī hoti? Idha, gahapatayo, ekacco musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti. Sabhāgato vā …pe… na sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti. Pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya … samaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya … tathārūpaṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti. Samphappalāpaṁ pahāya … kālena sāpadesaṁ pariyantavatiṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, catubbidhaṁ vācāya dhammacārī samacārī hoti. Kathañca, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ manasā dhammacārī samacārī hoti? Idha, gahapatayo, ekacco anabhijjhālu hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ taṁ nābhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata yaṁ parassa, taṁ mamassā’ti. Abyāpannacitto kho pana hoti appaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā averā abyābajjhā anīghā sukhī attānaṁ pariharantū’ti. Sammādiṭṭhiko kho pana hoti aviparītadassano: ‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ … sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, tividhaṁ manasā dhammacārī samacārī hoti. Evaṁ dhammacariyāsamacariyāhetu kho, gahapatayo, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, yaṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ …pe… gahapatimahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, yaṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā gahapatimahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, yaṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ … yāmānaṁ devānaṁ … tusitānaṁ devānaṁ … nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ … paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ … brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, yaṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā ābhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, yaṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā ābhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parittābhānaṁ devānaṁ …pe… appamāṇābhānaṁ devānaṁ … ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ … parittasubhānaṁ devānaṁ … appamāṇasubhānaṁ devānaṁ … subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ … vehapphalānaṁ devānaṁ … avihānaṁ devānaṁ … atappānaṁ devānaṁ … sudassānaṁ devānaṁ … sudassīnaṁ devānaṁ … akaniṭṭhānaṁ devānaṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, yaṁ so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī. Ākaṅkheyya ce, gahapatayo, dhammacārī samacārī: ‘aho vatāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti; ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati, ‘yaṁ so āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so dhammacārī samacārī’”ti. Evaṁ vutte, verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Ete mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāma dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsake no bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupete saraṇaṁ gate”ti.

“Householders, a person of unprincipled and immoral conduct is threefold by way of body, fourfold by way of speech, and threefold by way of mind. …” …