AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.187 With Vassakāra

Numbered Discourses 4.187 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.187

19. Brahmins – 19. Brāhmaṇavagga

AN 4.187 With Vassakāra – Vassakārasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

1.2

Then Vassakāra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

1.3

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“Master Gotama, could a bad person know of a bad person:

“Jāneyya nu kho, bho gotama, asappuriso asappurisaṁ:

2.2

‘This fellow is a bad person’?”

‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti?

2.3

“That’s impossible, brahmin, it can’t happen.”

“Aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya:

2.4

‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti.

2.5

“Could a bad person know of a good person:

“Jāneyya pana, bho gotama, asappuriso sappurisaṁ:

2.6

‘This fellow is a good person’?”

‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti?

2.7

“That too is impossible, it can’t happen.”

“Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya:

2.8

‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti.

2.9

“Master Gotama, could a good person know of a good person:

“Jāneyya nu kho, bho gotama, sappuriso sappurisaṁ:

2.10

‘This fellow is a good person’?”

‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti?

2.11

“That, brahmin, is possible.”

“Ṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya:

2.12

‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti.

2.13

“Could a good person know of a bad person:

“Jāneyya pana, bho gotama, sappuriso asappurisaṁ:

2.14

‘This fellow is a bad person’?”

‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti?

2.15

“That too is possible.”

“Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya:

2.16

‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’”ti.

3.1

“It’s incredible, Master Gotama, it’s amazing,

“Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama.

3.2

how well said this was by Master Gotama:

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena:

3.3

‘It’s impossible, it can’t happen, that a bad person could know …

‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya—

3.4

asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

3.5

Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya—

3.6

sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

3.7

But it is possible that a good person could know …’

Ṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya—

3.8

sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

3.9

Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya—

3.10

asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti.

4.1

Once, members of the brahmin Todeyya’s assembly were going on complaining about others:

Ekamidaṁ, bho gotama, samayaṁ todeyyassa brāhmaṇassa parisati parūpārambhaṁ vattenti:

4.2

‘This King Eḷeyya is a fool to be so devoted to Rāmaputta. He even shows him the utmost deference by bowing down to him, rising up for him, greeting him with joined palms, and observing proper etiquette for him.

‘bālo ayaṁ rājā eḷeyyo samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasanno, samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karoti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikammanti.

4.3

And these king’s men are fools too—

Imepi rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā bālā—

4.4

Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, Nāvindakī, Gandhabba, and Aggivessa—for they show the same kind of deference to Rāmaputta.’

yamako moggallo uggo nāvindakī gandhabbo aggivesso, ye samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasannā, samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karonti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikamman’ti.

4.5

Then the brahmin Todeyya reasoned with them like this:

Tyāssudaṁ todeyyo brāhmaṇo iminā nayena neti.

4.6

‘What do you think, sirs?

‘Taṁ kiṁ maññanti, bhonto,

4.7

When it comes to the various duties and speeches, isn’t King Eḷeyya astute, even better than the experts?’

paṇḍito rājā eḷeyyo karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasataro’ti?

4.8

‘That’s true, sir.’

‘Evaṁ, bho, paṇḍito rājā eḷeyyo karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasataroti.

5.1

‘It’s because Rāmaputta is even more astute and expert than King Eḷeyya that the king is so devoted to him. That’s why he even shows Rāmaputta the utmost deference by bowing down to him, rising up for him, greeting him with joined palms, and observing proper etiquette for him.

Yasmā ca kho, bho, samaṇo rāmaputto raññā eḷeyyena paṇḍitena paṇḍitataro karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarena alamatthadasataro, tasmā rājā eḷeyyo samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasanno, samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karoti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikammaṁ’.

6.1

What do you think, sirs?

‘Taṁ kiṁ maññanti, bhonto,

6.2

paṇḍitā rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā—

6.3

When it comes to the various duties and speeches, aren’t the king’s men—Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, Nāvindakī, Gandhabba, and Aggivessa—astute, even better than the experts?’

yamako moggallo uggo nāvindakī gandhabbo aggivesso, karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasatarā’ti?

6.4

‘That’s true, sir.’

‘Evaṁ, bho, paṇḍitā rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā—

6.5

yamako moggallo uggo nāvindakī gandhabbo aggivesso, karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasatarāti.

7.1

‘It’s because Rāmaputta is even more astute and expert than the king’s men that they have such devotion to him. …

Yasmā ca kho, bho, samaṇo rāmaputto rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakehi paṇḍitehi paṇḍitataro karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasataro, tasmā rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasannā;

7.2

It’s because Rāmaputta is even more astute and expert than King Eḷeyya that the king is so devoted to him. That’s why he even shows Rāmaputta the utmost deference by bowing down to him, rising up for him, greeting him with joined palms, and observing proper etiquette for him.’

samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karonti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikamman’ti.

8.1

It’s incredible, Master Gotama, it’s amazing,

Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama.

8.2

how well said this was by Master Gotama:

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena:

8.3

‘It’s impossible, it can’t happen, that a bad person could know …

‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya—

8.4

asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

8.5

Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya—

8.6

sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

8.7

But it is possible that a good person could know …

Ṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya—

8.8

sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti.

8.9

Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya—

8.10

asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti.

8.11

Well, now, Master Gotama, I must go.

Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho gotama, gacchāma.

8.12

I have many duties, and much to do.”

Bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā”ti.

8.13

“Please, brahmin, go at your convenience.”

“Yassadāni tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.

9.1

Then Vassakāra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, got up from his seat and left.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.

9.2

Sattamaṁ.