MN 58 With Prince Abhaya – Abhayarājakumārasutta

Medium Discourses Collection 58 – Majjhima Nikāya 58

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

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

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

2.1

Then Prince Abhaya went up to Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, bowed, and sat down to one side. Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta said to him,

Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho abhayaṁ rājakumāraṁ nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto etadavoca:

3.1

“Come, prince, refute the ascetic Gotama’s doctrine.

“ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, samaṇassa gotamassa vādaṁ āropehi.

3.2

Then you will get a good reputation:

Evaṁ te kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati:

3.3

‘Prince Abhaya refuted the doctrine of the ascetic Gotama, so mighty and powerful!’”

‘abhayena rājakumārena samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādo āropito’”ti.

3.4

“But sir, how am I to do this?”

“Yathā kathaṁ panāhaṁ, bhante, samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādaṁ āropessāmī”ti?

3.5

“Here, prince, go to the ascetic Gotama and say to him:

“Ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ vadehi:

3.6

‘Sir, might the Realized One utter speech that is disliked by others?’

‘bhāseyya nu kho, bhante, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti?

3.7

When he’s asked this, if he answers:

Sace te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:

3.8

‘He might, prince,’ say this to him,

‘bhāseyya, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:

3.9

‘Then, sir, what exactly is the difference between you and an ordinary person?

‘atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, puthujjanena nānākaraṇaṁ?

3.10

For even an ordinary person might utter speech that is disliked by others.’

Puthujjanopi hi taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti.

3.11

But if he answers,

Sace pana te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:

3.12

‘He would not, prince,’ say this to him:

‘na, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:

3.13

‘Then, sir, why exactly did you declare of Devadatta:

‘atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, devadatto byākato:

3.14

“Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable”?

“āpāyiko devadatto, nerayiko devadatto, kappaṭṭho devadatto, atekiccho devadatto”ti?

3.15

Devadatta was angry and upset with what you said.’

Tāya ca pana te vācāya devadatto kupito ahosi anattamano’ti.

3.16

When you put this dilemma to him, the Buddha won’t be able to either spit it out or swallow it down.

Imaṁ kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilituṁ.

3.17

He’ll be like a man with an iron cross stuck in his throat, unable to either spit it out or swallow it down.”

Seyyathāpi nāma purisassa ayosiṅghāṭakaṁ kaṇṭhe vilaggaṁ, so neva sakkuṇeyya uggilituṁ na sakkuṇeyya ogilituṁ;

3.18

evameva kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo imaṁ ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilitun”ti.

4.1

“Yes, sir,” replied Abhaya. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, keeping him on his right. Then he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho abhayo rājakumāro nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

4.2

Then he looked up at the sun and thought,

Ekamantaṁ nisinnassa kho abhayassa rājakumārassa sūriyaṁ ulloketvā etadahosi:

4.3

“It’s too late to refute the Buddha’s doctrine today.

“akālo kho ajja bhagavato vādaṁ āropetuṁ.

4.4

I shall refute his doctrine in my own home tomorrow.” He said to the Buddha,

Sve dānāhaṁ sake nivesane bhagavato vādaṁ āropessāmī”ti bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

4.5

“Sir, may the Buddha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me, together with three other monks.”

“adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya attacatuttho bhattan”ti.

4.6

The Buddha consented in silence.

Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

5.1

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Abhaya got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

5.2

Then when the night had passed, the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Abhaya’s home, and sat down on the seat spread out.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena abhayassa rājakumārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

5.3

Then Abhaya served and satisfied the Buddha with his own hands with a variety of delicious foods.

Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

5.4

When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Abhaya took a low seat, sat to one side,

Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

6.1

and said to him,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

6.2

“Sir, might the Realized One utter speech that is disliked by others?”

“bhāseyya nu kho, bhante, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti?

6.3

“This is no simple matter, prince.”

“Na khvettha, rājakumāra, ekaṁsenā”ti.

6.4

“Then the Jains have lost in this, sir.”

“Ettha, bhante, anassuṁ nigaṇṭhā”ti.

6.5

“But prince, why do you say that

“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, rājakumāra, evaṁ vadesi:

6.6

the Jains have lost in this?”

‘ettha, bhante, anassuṁ nigaṇṭhā’”ti?

6.7

Then Abhaya told the Buddha all that had happened.

“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho maṁ, bhante, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto etadavoca:

6.8

‘ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, samaṇassa gotamassa vādaṁ āropehi.

6.9

Evaṁ te kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati—

6.10

abhayena rājakumārena samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādo āropito’ti.

6.11

Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavocaṁ:

6.12

‘yathā kathaṁ panāhaṁ, bhante, samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādaṁ āropessāmī’ti?

6.13

‘Ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ vadehi:

6.14

“bhāseyya nu kho, bhante, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti?

6.15

Sace te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:

6.16

“bhāseyya, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:

6.17

“atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, puthujjanena nānākaraṇaṁ?

6.18

Puthujjanopi hi taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti.

6.19

Sace pana te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:

6.20

“na, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi—

6.21

atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, devadatto byākato:

6.22

“āpāyiko devadatto, nerayiko devadatto, kappaṭṭho devadatto, atekiccho devadatto”ti?

6.23

Tāya ca pana te vācāya devadatto kupito ahosi anattamano’ti.

6.24

Imaṁ kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilituṁ.

6.25

Seyyathāpi nāma purisassa ayosiṅghāṭakaṁ kaṇṭhe vilaggaṁ, so neva sakkuṇeyya uggilituṁ na sakkuṇeyya ogilituṁ;

6.26

evameva kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo imaṁ ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilitun”ti.

7.1

Now at that time a little baby boy was sitting in Prince Abhaya’s lap.

Tena kho pana samayena daharo kumāro mando uttānaseyyako abhayassa rājakumārassa aṅke nisinno hoti.

7.2

Then the Buddha said to Abhaya,

Atha kho bhagavā abhayaṁ rājakumāraṁ etadavoca:

7.3

“What do you think, prince?

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rājakumāra,

7.4

If—because of your negligence or his nurse’s negligence—your boy was to put a stick or stone in his mouth, what would you do to him?”

sacāyaṁ kumāro tuyhaṁ vā pamādamanvāya dhātiyā vā pamādamanvāya kaṭṭhaṁ vā kaṭhalaṁ vā mukhe āhareyya, kinti naṁ kareyyāsī”ti?

7.5

“I’d try to take it out, sir.

“Āhareyyassāhaṁ, bhante.

7.6

If that didn’t work, I’d hold his head with my left hand, and take it out using a hooked finger of my right hand, even if it drew blood.

Sace, bhante, na sakkuṇeyyaṁ ādikeneva āhattuṁ, vāmena hatthena sīsaṁ pariggahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena vaṅkaṅguliṁ karitvā salohitampi āhareyyaṁ.

7.7

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

7.8

Because I have compassion for the boy, sir.”

Atthi me, bhante, kumāre anukampā”ti.

8.1

“In the same way, prince, the Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be untrue, false, and harmful, and which is disliked by others.

“Evameva kho, rājakumāra, yaṁ tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti abhūtaṁ atacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā, na taṁ tathāgato vācaṁ bhāsati.

8.2

The Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be true and substantive, but which is harmful and disliked by others.

Yampi tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā, tampi tathāgato vācaṁ na bhāsati.

8.3

The Realized One knows the right time to speak so as to explain what he knows to be true, substantive, and beneficial, but which is disliked by others.

Yañca kho tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā, tatra kālaññū tathāgato hoti tassā vācāya veyyākaraṇāya.

8.4

The Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be untrue, false, and harmful, but which is liked by others.

Yaṁ tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti abhūtaṁ atacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ piyā manāpā, na taṁ tathāgato vācaṁ bhāsati.

8.5

The Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be true and substantive, but which is harmful, even if it is liked by others.

Yampi tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ piyā manāpā tampi tathāgato vācaṁ na bhāsati.

8.6

The Realized One knows the right time to speak so as to explain what he knows to be true, substantive, and beneficial, and which is liked by others.

Yañca tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ piyā manāpā, tatra kālaññū tathāgato hoti tassā vācāya veyyākaraṇāya.

8.7

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

8.8

Because the Realized One has compassion for sentient beings.”

Atthi, rājakumāra, tathāgatassa sattesu anukampā”ti.

9.1

“Sir, there are clever aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics who come to see you with a question already planned.

“Yeme, bhante, khattiyapaṇḍitāpi brāhmaṇapaṇḍitāpi gahapatipaṇḍitāpi samaṇapaṇḍitāpi pañhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā pucchanti,

9.2

Do you think beforehand that if they ask you like this, you’ll answer like that, or does the answer just appear to you on the spot?”

pubbeva nu kho, etaṁ, bhante, bhagavato cetaso parivitakkitaṁ hoti ‘ye maṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ pucchissanti tesāhaṁ evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākarissāmī’ti, udāhu ṭhānasovetaṁ tathāgataṁ paṭibhātī”ti?

10.1

“Well then, prince, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

“Tena hi, rājakumāra, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.

10.2

What do you think, prince?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rājakumāra,

10.3

Are you skilled in the various parts of a chariot?”

kusalo tvaṁ rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgānan”ti?

10.4

“I am, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante, kusalo ahaṁ rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgānan”ti.

10.5

“What do you think, prince?

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rājakumāra,

10.6

When they come to you and ask:

ye taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:

10.7

‘What’s the name of this chariot part?’

‘kiṁ nāmidaṁ rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgan’ti?

10.8

Do you think beforehand that if they ask you like this, you’ll answer like that, or does the answer appear to you on the spot?”

Pubbeva nu kho te etaṁ cetaso parivitakkitaṁ assa ‘ye maṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ pucchissanti tesāhaṁ evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākarissāmī’ti, udāhu ṭhānasovetaṁ paṭibhāseyyā”ti?

10.9

“Sir, I’m well-known as a charioteer skilled in a chariot’s parts.

“Ahañhi, bhante, rathiko saññāto kusalo rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgānaṁ.

10.10

All the parts are well-known to me.

Sabbāni me rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgāni suviditāni.

10.11

The answer just appears to me on the spot.”

Ṭhānasovetaṁ maṁ paṭibhāseyyā”ti.

11.1

“In the same way, when clever aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics come to see me with a question already planned, the answer just appears to me on the spot.

“Evameva kho, rājakumāra, ye te khattiyapaṇḍitāpi brāhmaṇapaṇḍitāpi gahapatipaṇḍitāpi samaṇapaṇḍitāpi pañhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā pucchanti, ṭhānasovetaṁ tathāgataṁ paṭibhāti.

11.2

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

11.3

Because the Realized One has clearly comprehended the principle of the teachings, so that the answer just appears to him on the spot.”

Sā hi, rājakumāra, tathāgatassa dhammadhātu suppaṭividdhā yassā dhammadhātuyā suppaṭividdhattā ṭhānasovetaṁ tathāgataṁ paṭibhātī”ti.

12.1

When he had spoken, Prince Abhaya said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

12.2

“Excellent, sir! Excellent! …

“abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…

12.3

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

ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

12.4

Abhayarājakumārasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.