AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.35 With Hatthaka

Numbered Discourses 3.35 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.35

4. Messengers of the Gods – 4. Devadūtavagga

AN 3.35 With Hatthaka – Hatthakasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī, on a mat of leaves by a cow-path in a grove of Indian Rosewood.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati gomagge siṁsapāvane paṇṇasanthare.

1.3

Then as Hatthaka of Āḷavī was going for a walk he saw the Buddha sitting on that mat of leaves.

Atha kho hatthako āḷavako jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno addasa bhagavantaṁ gomagge siṁsapāvane paṇṇasanthare nisinnaṁ.

1.4

He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said,

Disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho hatthako āḷavako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

1.5

“Sir, I trust the Buddha slept well?”

“kacci, bhante bhagavā, sukhamasayitthā”ti?

1.6

“Yes, prince, I slept well.

“Evaṁ, kumāra, sukhamasayitthaṁ.

1.7

I am one of those who sleep at ease in the world.”

Ye ca pana loke sukhaṁ senti, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro”ti.

2.1

“The winter nights are cold, sir, and it’s the week of mid-winter, when the snow falls. Rough is the ground trampled under the cows’ hooves, and thin is the mat of leaves. The leaves are sparse on the trees, the ocher robes are cold, and cold blows the north wind.

“Sītā, bhante, hemantikā ratti, antaraṭṭhako himapātasamayo, kharā gokaṇṭakahatā bhūmi, tanuko paṇṇasantharo, viraḷāni rukkhassa pattāni, sītāni kāsāyāni vatthāni, sīto ca verambho vāto vāyati.

2.2

And yet the Buddha says,

Atha ca pana bhagavā evamāha:

2.3

‘Yes, prince, I slept well.

‘evaṁ, kumāra, sukhamasayitthaṁ.

2.4

I am one of those who sleep at ease in the world.’”

Ye ca pana loke sukhaṁ senti, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro’”ti.

3.1

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

“Tena hi, kumāra, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.

3.2

What do you think? Take the case of a householder or his son, who lives in a bungalow, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with latches fastened and windows shuttered.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra, idhassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā kūṭāgāraṁ ullittāvalittaṁ nivātaṁ phusitaggaḷaṁ pihitavātapānaṁ.

3.3

His couch is spread with woolen covers—shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide. It has a canopy above and red pillows at both ends.

Tatrassa pallaṅko gonakatthato paṭikatthato paṭalikatthato kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇo sauttaracchado ubhato lohitakūpadhāno;

3.4

An oil lamp is burning there,

telappadīpo cettha jhāyeyya;

3.5

while his four wives attend to him in all manner of agreeable ways.

catasso ca pajāpatiyo manāpāmanāpena paccupaṭṭhitā assu.

3.6

What do you think, prince, would he sleep at ease, or not?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra, sukhaṁ vā so sayeyya no vā?

3.7

Or how do you see this?”

Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

3.8

“He would sleep at ease, sir.

“Sukhaṁ so, bhante, sayeyya.

3.9

Of those who sleep at ease in the world, he would be one.”

Ye ca pana loke sukhaṁ senti, so tesaṁ aññataro”ti.

4.1

“What do you think, prince?

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra,

4.2

Is it not possible that a fever born of greed—physical or mental—might arise in that householder or householder’s son, burning him so he sleeps badly?”

api nu tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā uppajjeyyuṁ rāgajā pariḷāhā kāyikā vā cetasikā vā yehi so rāgajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyyā”ti?

4.3

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.

5.1

“The greed that burns that householder or householder’s son, making them sleep badly, has been cut off at the root by the Realized One, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

“Yehi kho so, kumāra, gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā rāgajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyya, so rāgo tathāgatassa pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.

5.2

That’s why I sleep at ease.

Tasmāhaṁ sukhamasayitthaṁ.

6.1

What do you think, prince?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra,

6.2

Is it not possible that a fever born of hate …

api nu tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā uppajjeyyuṁ dosajā pariḷāhā …pe…

6.3

or a fever born of delusion—physical or mental—might arise in that householder or householder’s son, burning him so he sleeps badly?”

mohajā pariḷāhā kāyikā vā cetasikā vā yehi so mohajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyyā”ti?

6.4

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.

7.1

“The delusion that burns that householder or householder’s son, making them sleep badly, has been cut off at the root by the Realized One, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

“Ye hi kho so, kumāra, gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā mohajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyya, so moho tathāgatassa pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.

7.2

That’s why I sleep at ease.

Tasmāhaṁ sukhamasayitthanti.

8.1

A brahmin who is fully extinguished

Sabbadā ve sukhaṁ seti,

8.2

always sleeps at ease.

brāhmaṇo parinibbuto;

8.3

Sensual pleasures slip off them,

Yo na limpati kāmesu,

8.4

they’re cooled, free of attachments.

sītibhūto nirūpadhi.

9.1

Since they’ve cut off all clinging,

Sabbā āsattiyo chetvā,

9.2

and removed the stress from the heart,

vineyya hadaye daraṁ;

9.3

the peaceful sleep at ease,

Upasanto sukhaṁ seti,

9.4

having found peace of mind.”

santiṁ pappuyya cetaso”ti.

9.5

Pañcamaṁ.