SN 42.6

Asibandhakaputtasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane. Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

With Asibandhaka’s Son

At one time the Buddha was staying near Nāḷandā in Pāvārika’s Mango Grove. Then Asibandhaka’s son the chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“brāhmaṇā, bhante, pacchā bhūmakā kāmaṇḍalukā sevālamālikā udakorohakā aggiparicārakā. Te mataṁ kālaṅkataṁ uyyāpenti nāma saññāpenti nāma saggaṁ nāma okkāmenti. Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pahoti tathā kātuṁ yathā sabbo loko kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?

“Sir, there are western brahmins garlanded with aquatic flowers who carry pitchers, immerse themselves in water, and serve the sacred flame. When someone has passed away, oh! they lift them up, send them well, and convey them to heaven. But what about the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha: is he able to ensure that the whole world will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm when their body breaks up, after death?”

“Tena hi, gāmaṇi, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsīti.

“Well then, chief, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassa puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko. Tamenaṁ mahājanakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

What do you think, chief? Take a person who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, and have wrong view. A large crowd were to come together to offer up supplication and entreaty, circumambulating them with cupped palms and saying: ‘When this person’s body breaks up, after death, may they be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm!’ What do you think, chief? Would that person be reborn in heaven because of their supplications?” “No, sir.”

“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso mahatiṁ puthusilaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ummujja, bho puthusile, uplava, bho puthusile, thalamuplava, bho puthusile’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu sā puthusilā mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā ummujjeyya vā uplaveyya vā thalaṁ vā uplaveyyā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko. Kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.

“Chief, suppose a person were to throw a broad rock into a deep lake. And a large crowd were to come together to offer up supplication and entreaty, circumambulating it with cupped palms, and saying: ‘Rise, good rock! Float, good rock! Float to shore, good rock!’ What do you think, chief? Would that broad rock rise up or float because of their supplications?” “No, sir.” “In the same way, take a person who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, and have wrong view. Even though a large crowd were to come together to offer up supplication and entreaty … when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassa puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhiko. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

What do you think, chief? Take a person who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. And a large crowd were to come together to offer up supplication and entreaty, circumambulating them with cupped palms and saying: ‘When this person’s body breaks up, after death, may they be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell!’ What do you think, chief? Would that person be reborn in hell because of their supplications?” “No, sir.”

“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso sappikumbhaṁ vā telakumbhaṁ vā gambhīre udakarahade ogāhetvā bhindeyya. Tatra yāssa sakkharā vā kaṭhalā vā sā adhogāmī assa; yañca khvassa tatra sappi vā telaṁ vā taṁ uddhaṁ gāmi assa. Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘osīda, bho sappitela, saṁsīda, bho sappitela, adho gaccha, bho sappitelā’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, api nu taṁ sappitelaṁ mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā osīdeyya vā saṁsīdeyya vā adho vā gaccheyyā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Chief, suppose a person were to sink a pot of ghee or oil into a deep lake and break it open. Its shards and chips would sink down, while the ghee or oil in it would rise up. And a large crowd were to come together to offer up supplication and entreaty, circumambulating it with cupped palms and saying: ‘Sink, good ghee or oil! Descend, good ghee or oil! Go down, good ghee or oil!’ What do you think, chief? Would that ghee or oil sink and descend because of their supplications?” “No, sir.”

“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato, samphappalāpā paṭivirato, anabhijjhālu, abyāpannacitto, sammādiṭṭhiko, kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya: ‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti. Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

“In the same way, take a person who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. Even though a large crowd were to come together to offer up supplication and entreaty … when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” When he said this, Asibandhaka’s son the chief said to the Buddha, “Excellent, sir! … From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”