AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.180 About Gavesī

Numbered Discourses 5.180 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.180

18. A Lay Follower – 18. Upāsakavagga

AN 5.180 About Gavesī – Gavesīsutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhū.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ.

1.2

While traveling along a road the Buddha saw a large sal grove in a certain spot.

Addasā kho bhagavā addhānamaggappaṭipanno aññatarasmiṁ padese mahantaṁ sālavanaṁ;

1.3

He left the road, went to the sal grove, and plunged deep into it. And at a certain spot he smiled.

disvāna maggā okkamma yena taṁ sālavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ sālavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi.

2.1

Then Venerable Ānanda thought,

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:

2.2

“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled?

“ko nu kho hetu ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya?

2.3

Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.

2.4

So Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,

Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.5

“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled?

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya?

2.6

Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.

3.1

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a city in this spot that was successful and prosperous and full of people.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese nagaraṁ ahosi iddhañceva phītañca bahujanaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ.

3.2

And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by that city.

Taṁ kho panānanda, nagaraṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi.

3.3

He had a lay follower called Gavesī who had not fulfilled all the precepts.

Kassapassa kho panānanda, bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa gavesī nāma upāsako ahosi sīlesu aparipūrakārī.

3.4

And the five hundred lay followers who were taught and advised by Gavesī also had not fulfilled all the precepts.

Gavesinā kho, ānanda, upāsakena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭidesitāni samādapitāni ahesuṁ sīlesu aparipūrakārino.

3.5

Then Gavesī thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

3.6

‘I’m the helper, leader, and adviser of these five hundred lay followers, yet neither I nor they have fulfilled the precepts.

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā, ahañcamhi sīlesu aparipūrakārī, imāni ca pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu aparipūrakārino.

3.7

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

3.8

So let me do better.’

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

4.1

Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:

4.2

‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who has fulfilled the precepts.’

‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto sīlesu paripūrakāriṁ dhārethā’ti.

4.3

Then those five hundred lay followers thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

4.4

‘The venerable Gavesī is our helper, leader, and adviser,

‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

4.5

and now he will fulfill the precepts.

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī sīlesu paripūrakārī bhavissati.

4.6

Why don’t we do the same?’

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

4.7

Then those five hundred lay followers went to Gavesī and said to him:

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:

4.8

‘From this day forth may Venerable Gavesī remember these five hundred lay followers as having fulfilled the precepts.’

‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino dhāretū’ti.

4.9

Then Gavesī thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

4.10

‘I’m the helper, leader, and adviser of these five hundred lay followers, and both I and they have fulfilled the precepts.

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā, ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī, imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.

4.11

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

4.12

So let me do better.’

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

5.1

Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:

5.2

‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who is celibate, set apart, avoiding the common practice of sex.’

‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto brahmacāriṁ dhāretha ārācāriṁ virataṁ methunā gāmadhammā’ti.

5.3

Then those five hundred lay followers did the same. …

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

5.4

‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

5.5

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī brahmacārī bhavissati ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.

5.6

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

5.7

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:

5.8

‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino dhāretu ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā’ti.

5.9

Then Gavesī thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

5.10

‘These five hundred lay followers …

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

5.11

Ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī.

5.12

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.

5.13

Ahañcamhi brahmacārī ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.

5.14

are celibate, set apart, avoiding the common practice of sex.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā.

5.15

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

5.16

So let me do better.’

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

6.1

Then Gavesī went to those five hundred lay followers and said to them:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena tāni pañca upāsakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañca upāsakasatāni etadavoca:

6.2

‘From this day forth may the venerables remember me as one who eats in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and from food at the wrong time.’

‘ajjatagge maṁ āyasmanto ekabhattikaṁ dhāretha rattūparataṁ virataṁ vikālabhojanā’ti.

6.3

Then those five hundred lay followers did the same. …

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

6.4

‘ayyo kho gavesī bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

6.5

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī ekabhattiko bhavissati rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā.

6.6

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

6.7

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena gavesī upāsako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā gavesiṁ upāsakaṁ etadavocuṁ:

6.8

‘ajjatagge ayyo gavesī imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni ekabhattike dhāretu rattūparate virate vikālabhojanā’ti.

6.9

Then Gavesī thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa upāsakassa etadahosi:

6.10

‘These five hundred lay followers …

‘ahaṁ kho imesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

6.11

Ahañcamhi sīlesu paripūrakārī.

6.12

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni sīlesu paripūrakārino.

6.13

Ahañcamhi brahmacārī ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā.

6.14

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni brahmacārino ārācārino viratā methunā gāmadhammā.

6.15

Ahañcamhi ekabhattiko rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā.

6.16

eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night, and food at the wrong time.

Imānipi pañca upāsakasatāni ekabhattikā rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā.

6.17

We’re the same, I’m in no way better.

Iccetaṁ samasamaṁ, natthi kiñci atirekaṁ;

6.18

So let me do better.’

handāhaṁ atirekāyā’ti.

7.1

Then the lay follower Gavesī went up to the blessed one Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha and said to him:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:

7.2

‘Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence?’

‘labheyyāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ labheyyaṁ upasampadan’ti.

7.3

And he received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Alattha kho, ānanda, gavesī upāsako kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

7.4

Not long after his ordination, the bhikkhu Gavesī, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Acirūpasampanno kho panānanda, gavesī bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

7.5

He understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.’

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsi.

7.6

And the bhikkhu Gavesī became one of the perfected.

Aññataro ca panānanda, gavesī bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosi.

8.1

Then those five hundred lay followers thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, tesaṁ pañcannaṁ upāsakasatānaṁ etadahosi:

8.2

‘Venerable Gavesī is our helper, leader, and adviser,

‘ayyo kho gavesī amhākaṁ bahūpakāro pubbaṅgamo samādapetā.

8.3

He has shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Ayyo hi nāma gavesī kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajissati.

8.4

Why don’t we do the same?’

Kimaṅgaṁ pana mayan’ti.

8.5

Then those five hundred lay followers went up to the blessed one Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha and said to him:

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavocuṁ:

8.6

‘Sir, may we receive the going forth and ordination in the Buddha’s presence?’

‘labheyyāma mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyāma upasampadan’ti.

8.7

And they did receive the going forth and ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Alabhiṁsu kho, ānanda, tāni pañca upāsakasatāni kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alabhiṁsu upasampadaṁ.

9.1

Then the bhikkhu Gavesī thought:

Atha kho, ānanda, gavesissa bhikkhuno etadahosi:

9.2

‘I get the supreme bliss of freedom whenever I want, without trouble or difficulty.

‘ahaṁ kho imassa anuttarassa vimuttisukhassa nikāmalābhī homi akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.

9.3

Oh, may these five hundred bhikkhū do the same!’

Aho vatimānipi pañca bhikkhusatāni imassa anuttarassa vimuttisukhassa nikāmalābhino assu akicchalābhino akasiralābhino’ti.

9.4

Then those five hundred bhikkhū, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. They lived having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Atha kho, ānanda, tāni pañca bhikkhusatāni vūpakaṭṭhā appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharantā nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—

9.5

brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihariṁsu.

9.6

They understood: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññiṁsu.

10.1

And so, Ānanda, those five hundred bhikkhū headed by Gavesī, trying to go higher and higher, better and better, realized the supreme bliss of freedom.

Iti kho, ānanda, tāni pañca bhikkhusatāni gavesīpamukhāni uttaruttari paṇītapaṇītaṁ vāyamamānā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchākaṁsu.

10.2

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, ānanda, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

10.3

‘Trying to go higher and higher, better and better, we will realize the supreme bliss of freedom.’

‘uttaruttari paṇītapaṇītaṁ vāyamamānā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchikarissāmā’ti.

10.4

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, ānanda, sikkhitabban”ti.

10.5

Dasamaṁ.

10.6

Upāsakavaggo tatiyo.

11.0

Tassuddānaṁ

11.1

Sārajjaṁ visārado nirayaṁ,

11.2

Veraṁ caṇḍālapañcamaṁ;

11.3

Pīti vaṇijjā rājāno,

11.4

Gihī ceva gavesināti.