AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.194 With Kāraṇapālī

Numbered Discourses 5.194 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.194

20. Brahmins – 20. Brāhmaṇavagga

AN 5.194 With Kāraṇapālī – Kāraṇapālīsutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

1.2

Now at that time the brahmin Kāraṇapālī was working for the Licchavis.

Tena kho pana samayena kāraṇapālī brāhmaṇo licchavīnaṁ kammantaṁ kāreti.

1.3

He saw the brahmin Piṅgiyānī coming off in the distance

Addasā kho kāraṇapālī brāhmaṇo piṅgiyāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ;

1.4

and said to him,

disvā piṅgiyāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“So, Piṅgiyānī, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Handa kuto nu bhavaṁ piṅgiyānī āgacchati divā divassā”ti?

2.2

“I’m coming, my good man, from the presence of the ascetic Gotama.”

“Itohaṁ, bho, āgacchāmi samaṇassa gotamassa santikā”ti.

2.3

“What do you think of the ascetic Gotama’s lucidity of wisdom? Do you think he’s astute?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññati bhavaṁ piṅgiyānī samaṇassa gotamassa paññāveyyattiyaṁ? Paṇḍito maññe”ti?

2.4

“My good man, who am I to judge the ascetic Gotama’s lucidity of wisdom?

“Ko cāhaṁ, bho, ko ca samaṇassa gotamassa paññāveyyattiyaṁ jānissāmi.

2.5

You’d really have to be on the same level to judge his lucidity of wisdom.”

Sopi nūnassa tādisova yo samaṇassa gotamassa paññāveyyattiyaṁ jāneyyā”ti.

2.6

“Master Piṅgiyānī praises the ascetic Gotama with magnificent praise indeed.”

“Uḷārāya khalu bhavaṁ piṅgiyānī samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ pasaṁsāya pasaṁsatī”ti.

2.7

“Who am I to praise the ascetic Gotama?

“Ko cāhaṁ, bho, ko ca samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ pasaṁsissāmi.

2.8

He is praised by the praised as the first among gods and humans.”

Pasatthappasatthova so bhavaṁ gotamo seṭṭho devamanussānan”ti.

2.9

“But for what reason are you so devoted to the ascetic Gotama?”

“Kiṁ pana bhavaṁ piṅgiyānī atthavasaṁ sampassamāno samaṇe gotame evaṁ abhippasanno”ti?

3.1

“Suppose a person was completely satisfied by the best tasting food. They wouldn’t be attracted to anything that tasted inferior.

“Seyyathāpi, bho, puriso aggarasaparititto na aññesaṁ hīnānaṁ rasānaṁ piheti;

3.2

In the same way, when you hear the ascetic Gotama’s teaching—

evamevaṁ kho, bho, yato yato tassa bhoto gotamassa dhammaṁ suṇāti—

3.3

whatever it may be, whether statements, songs, discussions, or amazing stories—

yadi suttaso, yadi geyyaso, yadi veyyākaraṇaso, yadi abbhutadhammaso—

3.4

then you’re not attracted to the doctrines of the various ascetics and brahmins.

tato tato na aññesaṁ puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇappavādānaṁ piheti.

4.1

Suppose a person who was weak with hunger was to obtain a honey-cake.

Seyyathāpi, bho, puriso jighacchādubbalyapareto madhupiṇḍikaṁ adhigaccheyya.

4.2

Wherever they taste it, they would enjoy a sweet, delicious flavor.

So yato yato sāyetha, labhateva sādurasaṁ asecanakaṁ;

4.3

In the same way, when you hear the ascetic Gotama’s teaching—

evamevaṁ kho, bho, yato yato tassa bhoto gotamassa dhammaṁ suṇāti—

4.4

whatever it may be, whether statements, songs, discussions, or amazing stories—

yadi suttaso, yadi geyyaso, yadi veyyākaraṇaso, yadi abbhutadhammaso—

4.5

then you get a sense of uplift, a confidence of the heart.

tato tato labhateva attamanataṁ, labhati cetaso pasādaṁ.

5.1

Suppose a person were to obtain a piece of sandalwood,

Seyyathāpi, bho, puriso candanaghaṭikaṁ adhigaccheyya—

5.2

whether yellow or red.

haricandanassa vā lohitacandanassa vā.

5.3

Wherever they smelled it—

So yato yato ghāyetha—

5.4

whether at the root, the middle, or the top—

yadi mūlato, yadi majjhato, yadi aggato—

5.5

they’d enjoy a delicious fragrance.

adhigacchateva surabhigandhaṁ asecanakaṁ;

5.6

In the same way, when you hear the ascetic Gotama’s teaching—

evamevaṁ kho, bho, yato yato tassa bhoto gotamassa dhammaṁ suṇāti—

5.7

whatever it may be, whether statements, songs, discussions, or amazing stories—

yadi suttaso, yadi geyyaso, yadi veyyākaraṇaso, yadi abbhutadhammaso—

5.8

then you become filled with joy and happiness.

tato tato adhigacchati pāmojjaṁ adhigacchati somanassaṁ.

6.1

Suppose there was a person who was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Seyyathāpi, bho, puriso ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

6.2

A good doctor would cure them on the spot.

Tassa kusalo bhisakko ṭhānaso ābādhaṁ nīhareyya;

6.3

In the same way, when you hear the ascetic Gotama’s teaching—

evamevaṁ kho, bho, yato yato tassa bhoto gotamassa dhammaṁ suṇāti—

6.4

whatever it may be, whether statements, songs, discussions, or amazing stories—

yadi suttaso, yadi geyyaso, yadi veyyākaraṇaso, yadi abbhutadhammaso—

6.5

then you make an end of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

tato tato sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

7.1

Suppose there was a lotus pond with clear, sweet, cool water, clean, with smooth banks, delightful.

Seyyathāpi, bho, pokkharaṇī acchodakā sātodakā sītodakā setakā supatitthā ramaṇīyā.

7.2

Then along comes a person struggling in the oppressive heat, weary, thirsty, and parched.

Atha puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipāsito.

7.3

They’d plunge into the lotus pond to bathe and drink. And all their stress, weariness, and heat exhaustion would die down.

So taṁ pokkharaṇiṁ ogāhetvā nhātvā ca pivitvā ca sabbadarathakilamathapariḷāhaṁ paṭippassambheyya.

7.4

In the same way, when you hear the ascetic Gotama’s teaching—

Evamevaṁ kho, bho, yato yato tassa bhoto gotamassa dhammaṁ suṇāti—

7.5

whatever it may be, whether statements, songs, discussions, or amazing stories—

yadi suttaso, yadi geyyaso, yadi veyyākaraṇaso, yadi abbhutadhammaso—

7.6

then all your stress, weariness, and exhaustion die down.”

tato tato sabbadarathakilamathapariḷāhā paṭippassambhantī”ti.

8.1

When this was said, the brahmin Kāraṇapālī got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and expressed this heartfelt sentiment three times:

Evaṁ vutte, kāraṇapālī brāhmaṇo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇaṁ jāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā tikkhattuṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

9.1

“Homage to that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha!

“Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.

10.1

Homage to that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha!

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.

11.1

Homage to that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha!

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassāti.

12.1

Excellent, Master Piṅgiyānī! Excellent!

Abhikkantaṁ, bho piṅgiyāni, abhikkantaṁ, bho piṅgiyāni.

12.2

As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, Master Piṅgiyānī has made the teaching clear in many ways.

Seyyathāpi, bho piṅgiyāni, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā piṅgiyāninā anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.

12.3

I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the bhikkhu Saṅgha.

Esāhaṁ, bho piṅgiyāni, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

12.4

From this day forth, may Master Piṅgiyānī remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ piṅgiyānī dhāretu, ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

12.5

Catutthaṁ.