AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.234 About Soṇakāyana

Numbered Discourses 4.234 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.234

24. Deeds – 24. Kammavagga

AN 4.234 About Soṇakāyana – Soṇakāyanasutta

1.1

Then Sikhāmoggallāna the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

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

1.2

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

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

2.1

“Master Gotama, a few days ago the student Soṇakāyana came to me and said:

“Purimāni, bho gotama, divasāni purimatarāni soṇakāyano māṇavo yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ etadavoca:

2.2

‘The ascetic Gotama advocates not doing any deeds. So he teaches the annihilation of the world!’

‘samaṇo gotamo sabbakammānaṁ akiriyaṁ paññapeti, sabbakammānaṁ kho pana akiriyaṁ paññapento ucchedaṁ āha lokassa’—

2.3

The world exists through deeds, and it remains because deeds are undertaken.”

kammasaccāyaṁ, bho, loko kammasamārambhaṭṭhāyī”ti.

3.1

“Brahmin, I can’t recall even seeing the student Soṇakāyana,

“Dassanampi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, soṇakāyanassa māṇavassa nābhijānāmi;

3.2

so how could we possibly have had such a discussion?

kuto panevarūpo kathāsallāpo.

3.3

I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight.

Cattārimāni, brāhmaṇa, kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni.

3.4

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

3.5

There are dark deeds with dark results;

Atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ;

3.6

bright deeds with bright results;

atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ;

3.7

dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and

atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ;

3.8

neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.

atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

4.1

And what are the dark deeds with dark results?

Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ?

4.2

It’s when someone makes hurtful saṅkhāra by way of body, speech, and mind. …

Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

4.3

So sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

4.4

Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhā phassā phusanti.

4.5

Touched by hurtful contacts, they experience hurtful feelings that are exclusively painful—like the beings in hell.

So sabyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi sattā nerayikā.

4.6

These are called dark deeds with dark results.

Idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ.

5.1

And what are bright deeds with bright results?

Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ?

5.2

It’s when someone makes pleasing saṅkhāra by way of body, speech, and mind. …

Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

5.3

So abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

5.4

Tamenaṁ abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ abyābajjhā phassā phusanti.

5.5

Touched by pleasing contacts, they experience pleasing feelings that are exclusively happy—like the gods replete with glory.

So abyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno abyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantasukhaṁ, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā.

5.6

These are called bright deeds with bright results.

Idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ.

6.1

And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results?

Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ?

6.2

It’s when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing saṅkhāra by way of body, speech, and mind. …

Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

6.3

So sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapajjati.

6.4

Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhāpi abyābajjhāpi phassā phusanti.

6.5

Touched by both hurtful and pleasing contacts, they experience both hurtful and pleasing feelings that are a mixture of pleasure and pain—like humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld.

So sabyābajjhehipi abyābajjhehipi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vedanaṁ vediyati vokiṇṇasukhadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi manussā ekacce ca devā ekacce ca vinipātikā.

6.6

These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.

Idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ.

7.1

And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds?

Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati?

7.2

It’s the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results.

Tatra, brāhmaṇa, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā—

7.3

These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.

idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

7.4

These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.”

Imāni kho, brāhmaṇa, cattāri kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti.

7.5

Tatiyaṁ.