SN 35.127

Bhāradvājasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Atha kho rājā udeno yenāyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā piṇḍolabhāradvājena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā udeno āyasmantaṁ piṇḍolabhāradvājaṁ etadavoca: “ko nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, hetu ko paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī”ti? “Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, mātumattīsu mātucittaṁ upaṭṭhapetha, bhaginimattīsu bhaginicittaṁ upaṭṭhapetha, dhītumattīsu dhītucittaṁ upaṭṭhapethā’ti. Ayaṁ kho, mahārāja, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī”ti.

With Bhāradvāja

At one time Venerable Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Then King Udena went up to Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and said to him: “Worthy Bhāradvāja, there are these young monks who are youthful, with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life; and they’ve never played around with sensual pleasures. What is the cause, what is the reason why they practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time?” “Great king, this has been stated by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha: ‘Please, monks, think of women your mother’s age as your mother. Think of women your sister’s age as your sister. And think of women your daughter’s age as your daughter.’ This is a cause, Great King, this is a reason why these young monks practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time.”

“Lolaṁ kho, bho bhāradvāja, cittaṁ. Appekadā mātumattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti, bhaginimattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti, dhītumattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti. Atthi nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, añño ca hetu, añño ca paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā …pe… addhānañca āpādentī”ti?

“But worthy Bhāradvāja, the mind is wanton. Sometimes thoughts of desire come up even for women your mother’s age, your sister’s age, or your daughter’s age. Is there another cause, another reason why these young monks live the full and pure spiritual life for their entire life?”

“Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhatha— atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttan’ti. Ayampi kho, mahārāja, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā …pe… addhānañca āpādentī”ti. “Ye te, bho bhāradvāja, bhikkhū bhāvitakāyā bhāvitasīlā bhāvitacittā bhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ sukaraṁ hoti. Ye ca kho te, bho bhāradvāja, bhikkhū abhāvitakāyā abhāvitasīlā abhāvitacittā abhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ dukkaraṁ hoti. Appekadā, bho bhāradvāja, asubhato manasi karissāmīti subhatova āgacchati. Atthi nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, añño ca kho hetu añño ca paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā …pe… addhānañca āpādentī”ti?

“Great king, this has been stated by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha: ‘Please, monks, examine your own body up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth. In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’ This is also a cause, Great King, this is a reason why these young monks live the full and pure spiritual life for their entire life, maintaining it for a long time.” “This is easy to do for those mendicants who have developed their physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom. But it’s hard to do for those mendicants who have not developed their physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom. Sometimes I plan to focus on something as ugly, but only its beauty comes to mind. Is there another cause, another reason why these young monks live the full and pure spiritual life for their entire life?”

“Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, indriyesu guttadvārā viharatha. Cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā mā nimittaggāhino ahuvattha, mānubyañjanaggāhino. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjatha. Rakkhatha cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjatha. Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …pe… ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya mā nimittaggāhino ahuvattha, mānubyañjanaggāhino. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjatha. Rakkhatha manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjathā’ti. Ayampi kho, mahārāja, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī”ti.

“Great king, this has been stated by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha: ‘Please, monks, live with sense doors guarded. When you see a sight with your eyes, don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protect the faculty of sight, and achieve its restraint. When you hear a sound with your ears … When you smell an odor with your nose … When you taste a flavor with your tongue … When you feel a touch with your body … When you know an idea with your mind, don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protect the faculty of mind, and achieve its restraint.’ This is also a cause, Great King, this is a reason why these young monks practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bho bhāradvāja; abbhutaṁ, bho bhāradvāja. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena. Esova kho, bho bhāradvāja, hetu, esa paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentīti. Ahampi kho, bho bhāradvāja, yasmiṁ samaye arakkhiteneva kāyena, arakkhitāya vācāya, arakkhitena cittena, anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā, asaṁvutehi indriyehi antepuraṁ pavisāmi, ativiya maṁ tasmiṁ samaye lobhadhammā parisahanti. Yasmiñca khvāhaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, samaye rakkhiteneva kāyena, rakkhitāya vācāya, rakkhitena cittena, upaṭṭhitāya satiyā, saṁvutehi indriyehi antepuraṁ pavisāmi, na maṁ tathā tasmiṁ samaye lobhadhammā parisahanti. Abhikkantaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, abhikkantaṁ, bho bhāradvāja. Seyyathāpi, bho bhāradvāja, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā bhāradvājena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, dhammañca, bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ bhāradvājo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

“It’s incredible, worthy Bhāradvāja, it’s amazing! How well this was said by the Buddha! This is the real cause, this is the reason why these young monks practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time. For sometimes I too enter the harem with unprotected body, speech, mind, mindfulness, and sense faculties. At those times powerful thoughts of desire get the better of me. But sometimes I enter the harem with protected body, speech, mind, mindfulness, and sense faculties. At those times such thoughts of desire don’t get the better of me. Excellent, worthy Bhāradvāja! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, the worthy Bhāradvāja has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Bhāradvāja remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”