AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.36 Doṇa

Numbered Discourses 4.36 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.36

4. Situations – 4. Cakkavagga

AN 4.36 Doṇa – Doṇasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Ukkaṭṭhā and Setavyā,

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā antarā ca ukkaṭṭhaṁ antarā ca setabyaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno hoti.

1.2

as was the brahmin Doṇa.

Doṇopi sudaṁ brāhmaṇo antarā ca ukkaṭṭhaṁ antarā ca setabyaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno hoti.

1.3

Doṇa saw that the Buddha’s footprints had thousand-spoked wheels, with rims and hubs, complete in every detail.

Addasā kho doṇo brāhmaṇo bhagavato pādesu cakkāni sahassārāni sanemikāni sanābhikāni sabbākāraparipūrāni;

1.4

It occurred to him,

disvānassa etadahosi:

1.5

“It’s incredible, it’s amazing!

“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.

1.6

Surely these couldn’t be the footprints of a human being?”

Na vatimāni manussabhūtassa padāni bhavissantī”ti.

1.7

The Buddha had left the road and sat at the root of a tree cross-legged, with his body straight and his mindfulness established right there.

Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisīdi pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

1.8

Then Doṇa, following the Buddha’s footprints, saw him sitting at the tree root—impressive and inspiring, with peaceful faculties and mind, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties.

Atha kho doṇo brāhmaṇo bhagavato padāni anugacchanto addasa bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ pāsādikaṁ pasādanīyaṁ santindriyaṁ santamānasaṁ uttamadamathasamathamanuppattaṁ dantaṁ guttaṁ saṁyatindriyaṁ nāgaṁ.

1.9

He went up to the Buddha and said to him:

Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“Sir, might you be a god?”

“Devo no bhavaṁ bhavissatī”ti?

2.2

“I will not be a god, brahmin.”

“Na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, devo bhavissāmī”ti.

2.3

“Might you be a fairy?”

“Gandhabbo no bhavaṁ bhavissatī”ti?

2.4

“I will not be a fairy.”

“Na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, gandhabbo bhavissāmī”ti.

2.5

“Might you be a native spirit?”

“Yakkho no bhavaṁ bhavissatī”ti?

2.6

“I will not be a native spirit.”

“Na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, yakkho bhavissāmī”ti.

2.7

“Might you be a human?”

“Manusso no bhavaṁ bhavissatī”ti?

2.8

“I will not be a human.”

“Na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, manusso bhavissāmī”ti.

3.1

“When asked whether you might be a god, fairy, native spirit, or human,

“‘Devo no bhavaṁ bhavissatī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno:

3.2

you answer that you will not be any of these.

‘na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, devo bhavissāmī’ti vadesi.

3.3

‘Gandhabbo no bhavaṁ bhavissatī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno:

3.4

‘na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, gandhabbo bhavissāmī’ti vadesi.

3.5

‘Yakkho no bhavaṁ bhavissatī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno:

3.6

‘na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, yakkho bhavissāmī’ti vadesi.

3.7

‘Manusso no bhavaṁ bhavissatī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno:

3.8

‘na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, manusso bhavissāmī’ti vadesi.

3.9

What then might you be?”

Atha ko carahi bhavaṁ bhavissatī”ti?

4.1

“Brahmin, if I had not given up defilements I might have become a god … a fairy … a native spirit … or a human. But I have given up those defilements, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so they are unable to arise in the future.

“Yesaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, āsavānaṁ appahīnattā devo bhaveyyaṁ, te me āsavā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

4.2

Yesaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, āsavānaṁ appahīnattā gandhabbo bhaveyyaṁ … yakkho bhaveyyaṁ … manusso bhaveyyaṁ, te me āsavā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.

4.3

Suppose there was a blue water lily, or a pink or white lotus. Though it sprouted and grew in the water, it would rise up above the water and stand with no water clinging to it.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, uppalaṁ vā padumaṁ vā puṇḍarīkaṁ vā udake jātaṁ udake saṁvaḍḍhaṁ udakā accuggamma tiṭṭhati anupalittaṁ udakena;

4.4

In the same way, though I was born and grew up in the world, I live having mastered the world, unsullied by the world.

evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, loke jāto loke saṁvaḍḍho lokaṁ abhibhuyya viharāmi anupalitto lokena.

4.5

Remember me, brahmin, as a Buddha.

Buddhoti maṁ, brāhmaṇa, dhārehīti.

5.1

I could have been reborn as a god,

Yena devūpapatyassa,

5.2

or as a fairy flying through the sky.

gandhabbo vā vihaṅgamo;

5.3

I could have become a native spirit,

Yakkhattaṁ yena gaccheyyaṁ,

5.4

or returned as a human.

manussattañca abbaje;

5.5

But I’ve ended those defilements,

Te mayhaṁ āsavā khīṇā,

5.6

they’re blown away and mown down.

viddhastā vinaḷīkatā.

6.1

Like a graceful lotus,

Puṇḍarīkaṁ yathā vaggu,

6.2

to which water does not cling,

Toyena nupalippati;

6.3

the world doesn’t cling to me,

Nupalippāmi lokena,

6.4

and so, brahmin, I am a Buddha.”

Tasmā buddhosmi brāhmaṇā”ti.

6.5

Chaṭṭhaṁ.