AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.39 A Delicate Lifestyle

Numbered Discourses 3.39 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.39

4. Messengers of the Gods – 4. Devadūtavagga

AN 3.39 A Delicate Lifestyle – Sukhumālasutta

1.1

“My lifestyle was delicate, bhikkhū, most delicate, extremely delicate.

“Sukhumālo ahaṁ, bhikkhave, paramasukhumālo accantasukhumālo.

1.2

In my father’s home, lotus ponds were made just for me.

Mama sudaṁ, bhikkhave, pitu nivesane pokkharaṇiyo kāritā honti.

1.3

In some, blue water lilies blossomed, while in others, there were pink or white lotuses, just for my benefit.

Ekattha sudaṁ, bhikkhave, uppalaṁ vappati, ekattha padumaṁ, ekattha puṇḍarīkaṁ, yāvadeva mamatthāya.

1.4

I only used sandalwood from Kāsī, and my turbans, jackets, sarongs, and upper robes also came from Kāsī.

Na kho panassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, akāsikaṁ candanaṁ dhāremi. Kāsikaṁ, bhikkhave, su me taṁ veṭhanaṁ hoti, kāsikā kañcukā, kāsikaṁ nivāsanaṁ, kāsiko uttarāsaṅgo.

1.5

And a white parasol was held over me night and day, with the thought:

Rattindivaṁ kho pana me su taṁ, bhikkhave, setacchattaṁ dhārīyati:

1.6

‘Don’t let cold, heat, grass, dust, or damp bother him.’

‘mā naṁ phusi sītaṁ vā uṇhaṁ vā tiṇaṁ vā rajo vā ussāvo vā’ti.

2.1

I had three stilt longhouses—one for the winter, one for the summer, and one for the rainy season.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, tayo pāsādā ahesuṁ—eko hemantiko, eko gimhiko, eko vassiko.

2.2

I stayed in a stilt longhouse without coming downstairs for the four months of the rainy season, where I was entertained by musicians—none of them men.

So kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, vassike pāsāde vassike cattāro māse nippurisehi tūriyehi paricārayamāno na heṭṭhāpāsādaṁ orohāmi.

2.3

While the bondservants, workers, and staff in other houses are given rough gruel with pickles to eat, in my father’s home they eat fine rice with meat.

Yathā kho pana, bhikkhave, aññesaṁ nivesane dāsakammakaraporisassa kaṇājakaṁ bhojanaṁ dīyati bilaṅgadutiyaṁ, evamevassu me, bhikkhave, pitu nivesane dāsakammakaraporisassa sālimaṁsodano dīyati.

3.1

Amid such prosperity and such a delicate lifestyle, I thought:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, evarūpāya iddhiyā samannāgatassa evarūpena ca sukhumālena etadahosi:

3.2

‘When an uneducated ordinary person—who is liable to grow old, not being exempt from old age—sees someone else who is old, they’re horrified, repelled, and disgusted, overlooking the fact that they themselves are in the same situation.

‘assutavā kho puthujjano attanā jarādhammo samāno jaraṁ anatīto paraṁ jiṇṇaṁ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati attānaṁyeva atisitvā, ahampi khomhi jarādhammo jaraṁ anatīto.

3.3

But since I, too, am liable to grow old, it would not be appropriate for me to be horrified, embarrassed, and disgusted, when I see someone else who is old.’

Ahañceva kho pana jarādhammo samāno jaraṁ anatīto paraṁ jiṇṇaṁ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṁ harāyeyyaṁ jiguccheyyaṁ na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti.

3.4

Reflecting like this, I entirely gave up the vanity of youth.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhato yo yobbane yobbanamado so sabbaso pahīyi.

4.1

‘When an uneducated ordinary person—who is liable to get sick, not being exempt from sickness—sees someone else who is sick, they’re horrified, repelled, and disgusted, overlooking the fact that they themselves are in the same situation.

Assutavā kho puthujjano attanā byādhidhammo samāno byādhiṁ anatīto paraṁ byādhitaṁ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati attānaṁyeva atisitvā:

4.2

But since I, too, am liable to get sick, it would not be appropriate for me to be horrified, embarrassed, and disgusted, when I see someone else who is sick.’

‘ahampi khomhi byādhidhammo byādhiṁ anatīto, ahañceva kho pana byādhidhammo samāno byādhiṁ anatīto paraṁ byādhikaṁ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṁ harāyeyyaṁ jiguccheyyaṁ, na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti.

4.3

Reflecting like this, I entirely gave up the vanity of health.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhato yo ārogye ārogyamado so sabbaso pahīyi.

5.1

‘When an uneducated ordinary person—who is liable to die, not being exempt from death—sees someone else who is dead, they’re horrified, repelled, and disgusted, overlooking the fact that they themselves are in the same situation.

Assutavā kho puthujjano attanā maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇaṁ anatīto paraṁ mataṁ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati attānaṁyeva atisitvā:

5.2

But since I, too, am liable to die, it would not be appropriate for me to be horrified, embarrassed, and disgusted, when I see someone else who is dead.’

‘ahampi khomhi maraṇadhammo, maraṇaṁ anatīto, ahaṁ ceva kho pana maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇaṁ anatīto paraṁ mataṁ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṁ harāyeyyaṁ jiguccheyyaṁ, na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti.

5.3

Reflecting like this, I entirely gave up the vanity of life.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhato yo jīvite jīvitamado so sabbaso pahīyīti.

6.1

There are these three vanities.

Tayome, bhikkhave, madā.

6.2

What three?

Katame tayo?

6.3

The vanity of youth, of health, and of life.

Yobbanamado, ārogyamado, jīvitamado.

6.4

Intoxicated with the vanity of youth, an uneducated ordinary person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

Yobbanamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

6.5

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

6.6

Intoxicated with the vanity of health …

Ārogyamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano …pe…

6.7

Intoxicated with the vanity of life, an uneducated ordinary person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

jīvitamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

6.8

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

7.1

Intoxicated with the vanity of youth, health, or life, a bhikkhu resigns the training and returns to a lesser life.

Yobbanamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.

7.2

Ārogyamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu …pe…

7.3

jīvitamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattatīti.

8.1

For others, sickness is natural,

Byādhidhammā jarādhammā,

8.2

and so are old age and death.

atho maraṇadhammino;

8.3

Though this is how their nature is,

Yathādhammā tathāsantā,

8.4

ordinary people feel disgusted.

jigucchanti puthujjanā.

9.1

If I were to be disgusted

Ahañce taṁ jiguccheyyaṁ,

9.2

with creatures whose nature is such,

evaṁdhammesu pāṇisu;

9.3

it would not be appropriate for me,

Na metaṁ patirūpassa,

9.4

since my life is just the same.

mama evaṁ vihārino.

10.1

Living in such a way,

Sohaṁ evaṁ viharanto,

10.2

I understood the reality without attachments.

ñatvā dhammaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;

10.3

I mastered all vanities—

Ārogye yobbanasmiñca,

10.4

of health, of youth,

jīvitasmiñca ye madā.

11.1

and even of life—

Sabbe made abhibhosmi,

11.2

seeing renunciation as sanctuary.

Nekkhamme daṭṭhu khemataṁ;

11.3

Zeal sprang up in me

Tassa me ahu ussāho,

11.4

as I looked to extinguishment.

Nibbānaṁ abhipassato.

12.1

Now I’m unable

Nāhaṁ bhabbo etarahi,

12.2

to indulge in sensual pleasures;

Kāmāni paṭisevituṁ;

12.3

there’s no turning back,

Anivatti bhavissāmi,

12.4

I’m committed to the spiritual life.”

Brahmacariyaparāyaṇo”ti.

12.5

Navamaṁ.