AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.15 About Pacetana

Numbered Discourses 3.15 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.15

2. The Chariot-Maker – 2. Rathakāravagga

AN 3.15 About Pacetana – Sacetanasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye.

1.2

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

1.3

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

1.4

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

1.5

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

2.1

“Once upon a time there was a king named Pacetana.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā ahosi sacetano nāma.

2.2

Then King Pacetana addressed his chariot-maker,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, rājā sacetano rathakāraṁ āmantesi:

2.3

‘In six months’ time, my good chariot-maker, there will be a battle.

‘ito me, samma rathakāra, channaṁ māsānaṁ accayena saṅgāmo bhavissati.

2.4

Are you able to make me a new pair of wheels?’

Sakkhissasi me, samma rathakāra, navaṁ cakkayugaṁ kātun’ti?

2.5

‘I can, Your Majesty,’ replied the chariot-maker.

‘Sakkomi, devā’ti kho, bhikkhave, rathakāro rañño sacetanassa paccassosi.

2.6

Then, when it was six days less than six months later, the chariot-maker had finished one wheel.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, rathakāro chahi māsehi chārattūnehi ekaṁ cakkaṁ niṭṭhāpesi.

2.7

Then King Pacetana addressed his chariot-maker,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, rājā sacetano rathakāraṁ āmantesi:

2.8

‘In six days’ time there will be a battle. Is my new pair of wheels finished?’

‘ito me, samma rathakāra, channaṁ divasānaṁ accayena saṅgāmo bhavissati, niṭṭhitaṁ navaṁ cakkayugan’ti?

2.9

‘Now that it is six days less than six months, Your Majesty, I have finished one wheel.’

‘Imehi kho, deva, chahi māsehi chārattūnehi ekaṁ cakkaṁ niṭṭhitan’ti.

2.10

‘Are you able to finish the second wheel in these six days?’

‘Sakkhissasi pana me, samma rathakāra, imehi chahi divasehi dutiyaṁ cakkaṁ niṭṭhāpetun’ti?

2.11

Saying, ‘I can, Your Majesty,’ the chariot-maker finished the second wheel in six days. Taking the pair of wheels he went up to King Pacetana, and said this to the king,

‘Sakkomi, devā’ti kho, bhikkhave, rathakāro chahi divasehi dutiyaṁ cakkaṁ niṭṭhāpetvā navaṁ cakkayugaṁ ādāya yena rājā sacetano tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā rājānaṁ sacetanaṁ etadavoca:

2.12

‘Your Majesty, these are your two new wheels, finished.’

‘idaṁ te, deva, navaṁ cakkayugaṁ niṭṭhitan’ti.

2.13

‘But, my good chariot-maker, what is the difference between the wheel that was finished in six days less than six months, and the wheel finished in just six days?

‘Yañca te idaṁ, samma rathakāra, cakkaṁ chahi māsehi niṭṭhitaṁ chārattūnehi yañca te idaṁ cakkaṁ chahi divasehi niṭṭhitaṁ, imesaṁ kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ?

2.14

Because I can’t see any difference between them.’

Nesāhaṁ kiñci nānākaraṇaṁ passāmī’ti.

2.15

‘But, Your Majesty, there is a difference.

‘Atthesaṁ, deva, nānākaraṇaṁ.

2.16

See now what it is.’

Passatu devo nānākaraṇan’ti.

3.1

Then the chariot-maker rolled forth the wheel that had been finished in six days.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, rathakāro yaṁ taṁ cakkaṁ chahi divasehi niṭṭhitaṁ taṁ pavattesi.

3.2

It rolled as far as the original impetus took it, then wobbled and fell down.

Taṁ pavattitaṁ samānaṁ yāvatikā abhisaṅkhārassa gati tāvatikaṁ gantvā ciṅgulāyitvā bhūmiyaṁ papati.

3.3

Then he rolled forth the wheel that had been finished in six days less than six months.

Yaṁ pana taṁ cakkaṁ chahi māsehi niṭṭhitaṁ chārattūnehi taṁ pavattesi.

3.4

It rolled as far as the original impetus took it, then stood still as if fixed to an axle.

Taṁ pavattitaṁ samānaṁ yāvatikā abhisaṅkhārassa gati tāvatikaṁ gantvā akkhāhataṁ maññe aṭṭhāsi.

4.1

‘But what is the cause, my good chariot-maker, what is the reason why the wheel that was finished in six days wobbled and fell,

‘Ko nu kho, samma rathakāra, hetu ko paccayo yamidaṁ cakkaṁ chahi divasehi niṭṭhitaṁ taṁ pavattitaṁ samānaṁ yāvatikā abhisaṅkhārassa gati tāvatikaṁ gantvā ciṅgulāyitvā bhūmiyaṁ papati?

4.2

while the one that was finished in six days less than six months stood still as if fixed to an axle?’

Ko pana, samma rathakāra, hetu ko paccayo yamidaṁ cakkaṁ chahi māsehi niṭṭhitaṁ chārattūnehi taṁ pavattitaṁ samānaṁ yāvatikā abhisaṅkhārassa gati tāvatikaṁ gantvā akkhāhataṁ maññe aṭṭhāsī’ti?

4.3

‘The wheel that was finished in six days, Your Majesty, is crooked, flawed, and defective in rim, spoke, and hub.

‘Yamidaṁ, deva, cakkaṁ chahi divasehi niṭṭhitaṁ tassa nemipi savaṅkā sadosā sakasāvā, arāpi savaṅkā sadosā sakasāvā, nābhipi savaṅkā sadosā sakasāvā.

4.4

That’s why it wobbled and fell.

Taṁ nemiyāpi savaṅkattā sadosattā sakasāvattā, arānampi savaṅkattā sadosattā sakasāvattā, nābhiyāpi savaṅkattā sadosattā sakasāvattā pavattitaṁ samānaṁ yāvatikā abhisaṅkhārassa gati tāvatikaṁ gantvā ciṅgulāyitvā bhūmiyaṁ papati.

4.5

The wheel that was finished in six days less than six months, Your Majesty, is not crooked, flawed, and defective in rim, spoke, and hub.

Yaṁ pana taṁ, deva, cakkaṁ chahi māsehi niṭṭhitaṁ chārattūnehi tassa nemipi avaṅkā adosā akasāvā, arāpi avaṅkā adosā akasāvā, nābhipi avaṅkā adosā akasāvā.

4.6

That’s why it stood still as if fixed to an axle.’

Taṁ nemiyāpi avaṅkattā adosattā akasāvattā, arānampi avaṅkattā adosattā akasāvattā, nābhiyāpi avaṅkattā adosattā akasāvattā pavattitaṁ samānaṁ yāvatikā abhisaṅkhārassa gati tāvatikaṁ gantvā akkhāhataṁ maññe aṭṭhāsī’ti.

5.1

Now, bhikkhū, you might think:

Siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, tumhākaṁ evamassa:

5.2

‘Surely that chariot-maker must have been someone else at that time?’

‘añño nūna tena samayena so rathakāro ahosī’ti.

5.3

But you should not see it like that.

Na kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

5.4

I myself was the chariot-maker at that time.

Ahaṁ tena samayena so rathakāro ahosiṁ.

5.5

Then I was skilled in the crooks, flaws, and defects of wood.

Tadāhaṁ, bhikkhave, kusalo dāruvaṅkānaṁ dārudosānaṁ dārukasāvānaṁ.

5.6

Now that I am a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, I am skilled in the crooks, flaws, and defects of actions by body, speech, and mind.

Etarahi kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kusalo kāyavaṅkānaṁ kāyadosānaṁ kāyakasāvānaṁ, kusalo vacīvaṅkānaṁ vacīdosānaṁ vacīkasāvānaṁ, kusalo manovaṅkānaṁ manodosānaṁ manokasāvānaṁ.

5.7

Whatever monk or nun has not given up the crooks, flaws, and defects of body, speech, and mind has fallen from the teaching and training, just like the wheel that was finished in six days.

Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā kāyavaṅko appahīno kāyadoso kāyakasāvo, vacīvaṅko appahīno vacīdoso vacīkasāvo, manovaṅko appahīno manodoso manokasāvo, evaṁ papatitā te, bhikkhave, imasmā dhammavinayā, seyyathāpi taṁ cakkaṁ chahi divasehi niṭṭhitaṁ.

6.1

Whatever monk or nun has given up the crooks, flaws, and defects of body, speech, and mind is established in the teaching and training, just like the wheel that was finished in six days less than six months.

Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā kāyavaṅko pahīno kāyadoso kāyakasāvo, vacīvaṅko pahīno vacīdoso vacīkasāvo, manovaṅko pahīno manodoso manokasāvo, evaṁ patiṭṭhitā te, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye, seyyathāpi taṁ cakkaṁ chahi māsehi niṭṭhitaṁ chārattūnehi.

7.1

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

7.2

‘We will give up the crooks, flaws, and defects of body, speech, and mind.’

‘kāyavaṅkaṁ pajahissāma kāyadosaṁ kāyakasāvaṁ, vacīvaṅkaṁ pajahissāma vacīdosaṁ vacīkasāvaṁ, manovaṅkaṁ pajahissāma manodosaṁ manokasāvan’ti.

7.3

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

7.4

Pañcamaṁ.