SN 4.23

Godhikasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā godhiko isigilipasse viharati kāḷasilāyaṁ. Atha kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto sāmayikaṁ cetovimuttiṁ phusi. Atha kho āyasmā godhiko tamhā sāmayikāya cetovimuttiyā parihāyi. Dutiyampi kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto sāmayikaṁ cetovimuttiṁ phusi. Dutiyampi kho āyasmā godhiko tamhā sāmayikāya cetovimuttiyā parihāyi. Tatiyampi kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto sāmayikaṁ cetovimuttiṁ phusi. Tatiyampi kho āyasmā godhiko tamhā …pe… parihāyi. Catutthampi kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto …pe… vimuttiṁ phusi. Catutthampi kho āyasmā godhiko tamhā …pe… parihāyi. Pañcamampi kho āyasmā godhiko …pe… cetovimuttiṁ phusi. Pañcamampi kho āyasmā …pe… vimuttiyā parihāyi. Chaṭṭhampi kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto sāmayikaṁ cetovimuttiṁ phusi. Chaṭṭhampi kho āyasmā godhiko tamhā sāmayikāya cetovimuttiyā parihāyi. Sattamampi kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto sāmayikaṁ cetovimuttiṁ phusi.

With Godhika

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time Venerable Godhika was staying on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock. Then Venerable Godhika, meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, experienced temporary freedom of heart. But then he fell away from that temporary freedom of heart. For a second … third … fourth … fifth … sixth time Godhika experienced temporary freedom of heart. But for a sixth time he fell away from it. For a seventh time Godhika, meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, experienced temporary freedom of heart.

Atha kho āyasmato godhikassa etadahosi: “yāva chaṭṭhaṁ khvāhaṁ sāmayikāya cetovimuttiyā parihīno. Yannūnāhaṁ satthaṁ āhareyyan”ti. Atha kho māro pāpimā āyasmato godhikassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then he thought, “I’ve fallen away from this temporary freedom of heart no less than six times. Why don’t I commit suicide?” And then Māra the Wicked, knowing Godhika’s train of thought, went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

“Mahāvīra mahāpañña, iddhiyā yasasā jala; Sabbaverabhayātīta, pāde vandāmi cakkhuma.

“O great hero, O greatly wise! Shining with power and glory. You’ve gone beyond all enmities and fears, I bow to your feet, O Clear-eyed One!

Sāvako te mahāvīra, maraṇaṁ maraṇābhibhū; Ākaṅkhati cetayati, taṁ nisedha jutindhara.

Great hero, master of death, your disciple longs for death, he’s planning for it. Stop him, O light-bringer!

Kathañhi bhagavā tuyhaṁ, Sāvako sāsane rato; Appattamānaso sekkho, Kālaṁ kayirā janesutā”ti.

For Blessed One, renowned among men, your disciple who loves your teaching, a trainee who hasn’t achieved their heart’s desire— how can they kill themselves?”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmatā godhikena satthaṁ āharitaṁ hoti. Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Now at that time Venerable Godhika had already committed suicide. Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, addressed him in verse:

“Evañhi dhīrā kubbanti, nāvakaṅkhanti jīvitaṁ; Samūlaṁ taṇhamabbuyha, godhiko parinibbuto”ti.

“This is how the attentive act, for they don’t long for life. Having plucked out craving, root and all, Godhika is quenched.”

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “āyāma, bhikkhave, yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamissāma yattha godhikena kulaputtena satthaṁ āharitan”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Come, mendicants, let’s go to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili where Godhika, who came from a good family, committed suicide.” “Yes, sir,” they replied.

Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ godhikaṁ dūratova mañcake vivattakkhandhaṁ semānaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati pacchimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uttaraṁ disaṁ, gacchati dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uddhaṁ, gacchati adho, gacchati anudisaṁ.

Then the Buddha together with several mendicants went to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili. The Buddha saw Godhika off in the distance on his cot, lying with aggregates cast off. Now at that time a cloud of black smoke was moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati pacchimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uttaraṁ disaṁ, gacchati dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uddhaṁ, gacchati adho, gacchati anudisan”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”. “Eso kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā godhikassa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ samanvesati: ‘kattha godhikassa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ patiṭṭhitan’ti? Appatiṭṭhitena ca, bhikkhave, viññāṇena godhiko kulaputto parinibbuto”ti. Atha kho māro pāpimā beluvapaṇḍuvīṇaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Mendicants, do you see that cloud of black smoke moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between?” “Yes, sir.” “That’s Māra the Wicked searching for Godhika’s consciousness, wondering: ‘Where is Godhika’s consciousness established?’ But since his consciousness is not established, Godhika is quenched.” Then Māra, carrying his arched harp made from the pale timber of wood-apple, went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

“Uddhaṁ adho ca tiriyaṁ, disā anudisā svahaṁ; Anvesaṁ nādhigacchāmi, godhiko so kuhiṁ gato”ti.

“Above, below, all round, in the four quarters and in-between, I’ve been searching without success: where has that Godhika got to?”

“Yo dhīro dhitisampanno, jhāyī jhānarato sadā; Ahorattaṁ anuyuñjaṁ, jīvitaṁ anikāmayaṁ.

“He was an attentive and steadfast sage, a meditator who loved absorption. By day and by night he applied himself, without concern for his life.

Jetvāna maccuno senaṁ, anāgantvā punabbhavaṁ; Samūlaṁ taṇhamabbuyha, godhiko parinibbuto”ti.

He defeated the army of death, and won’t return for any future life. Having plucked out craving, root and all Godhika is quenched.”

Tassa sokaparetassa, vīṇā kacchā abhassatha; Tato so dummano yakkho, tatthevantaradhāyathāti.

So stricken with sorrow that his harp dropped from his armpit, that spirit, downcast, vanished right there.