SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 3 Connected Discourses With King Pasenadi of Kosala – Kosalasaṁyutta > SN 3.21 Persons

Linked Discourses 3.21 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.21

3. Kosala – 3. Tatiyavagga

SN 3.21 Persons – Puggalasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Great king, these four people are found in the world.

“cattārome, mahārāja puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

What four?

Katame cattāro?

The dark bound for darkness,

Tamotamaparāyano,

the dark bound for light,

tamojotiparāyano,

the light bound for darkness,

jotitamaparāyano,

and the light bound for light.

jotijotiparāyano.

And how is a person dark and bound for darkness?

Kathañca, mahārāja puggalo tamotamaparāyano hoti?

It’s when some person is reborn in a low family—a family of outcastes, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or waste-collectors—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti, caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, chronically ill—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

This person is like someone who goes from darkness to darkness, from blackness to blackness, from bloodstain to bloodstain.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso andhakārā vā andhakāraṁ gaccheyya, tamā vā tamaṁ gaccheyya, lohitamalā vā lohitamalaṁ gaccheyya.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

That’s how a person is dark and bound for darkness.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo tamotamaparāyano hoti.

And how is a person dark and bound for light?

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti?

So ca kho hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho, kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

But they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

This person is like someone who ascends from the ground to a couch; from a couch to horseback; from horseback to an elephant; and from an elephant to a stilt longhouse.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pathaviyā vā pallaṅkaṁ āroheyya, pallaṅkā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ āroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ āroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā pāsādaṁ āroheyya.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

That’s how a person is dark and bound for light.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti.

And how is a person light and bound for darkness?

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo jotitamaparāyano hoti?

It’s when some person is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti, khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.

And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

But they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

This person is like someone who descends from a stilt longhouse to an elephant; from an elephant to horseback; from horseback to a couch; and from a couch to the ground; and from the ground they enter darkness.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pāsādā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ oroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ oroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā pallaṅkaṁ oroheyya, pallaṅkā vā pathaviṁ oroheyya, pathaviyā vā andhakāraṁ paviseyya.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

That’s how a person is light and bound for darkness.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo jotitamaparāyano hoti.

And how is a person light and bound for light?

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo jotijotiparāyano hoti?

And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, perfumes, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

This person is like someone who shifts from one couch to another; from the back of one horse to another; from one elephant to another; or from one stilt longhouse to another.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pallaṅkā vā pallaṅkaṁ saṅkameyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ saṅkameyya, hatthikkhandhā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ saṅkameyya, pāsādā vā pāsādaṁ saṅkameyya.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

That’s how a person is light and bound for light.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo jotijotiparāyano hoti.

These are the four people found in the world.”

Ime kho, mahārāja, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. …

Idamavoca …pe…

“O king, some people are poor,

“Daliddo puriso rāja,

faithless and stingy.

assaddho hoti maccharī;

Miserly, with bad intentions,

Kadariyo pāpasaṅkappo,

they lack regard, they have wrong view.

micchādiṭṭhi anādaro.

They abuse and insult

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

ascetics and brahmins

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

and other renunciates.

Akkosati paribhāsati,

They’re nihilists and bullies,

natthiko hoti rosako.

who prevent others from giving

Dadamānaṁ nivāreti,

food to beggars.

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

O king, ruler of the people:

Tādiso puriso rāja,

when such people die

mīyamāno janādhipa;

they fall into the terrible hell—

Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,

from darkness they’re bound for darkness.

tamotamaparāyano.

O king, some people are poor,

Daliddo puriso rāja,

but faithful and not stingy.

saddho hoti amaccharī;

They give with best of intentions,

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,

that peaceful-hearted person.

abyaggamanaso naro.

They rise for and bow to

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

ascetics and brahmins

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

and other renunciates.

Uṭṭhāya abhivādeti,

Training in moral conduct,

samacariyāya sikkhati.

they don’t prevent others from giving

Dadamānaṁ na vāreti,

food to beggars.

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

O king, ruler of the people:

Tādiso puriso rāja,

when such people die

mīyamāno janādhipa;

they go to the heaven of the Three and Thirty—

Upeti tidivaṁ ṭhānaṁ,

from darkness they’re bound for light.

tamojotiparāyano.

O king, some people are rich,

Aḍḍho ce puriso rāja,

but faithless and stingy.

assaddho hoti maccharī;

Miserly, with bad intentions,

Kadariyo pāpasaṅkappo,

they lack regard, they have wrong view.

micchādiṭṭhi anādaro.

They abuse and insult

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

ascetics and brahmins

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

and other renunciates.

Akkosati paribhāsati,

They’re nihilists and bullies,

natthiko hoti rosako.

who prevent others from giving

Dadamānaṁ nivāreti,

food to beggars.

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

O king, ruler of the people:

Tādiso puriso rāja,

when such people die

mīyamāno janādhipa;

they fall into the terrible hell—

Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,

from light they’re bound for darkness.

jotitamaparāyano.

O king, some people are rich,

Aḍḍho ce puriso rāja,

faithful and not stingy.

saddho hoti amaccharī;

They give with best of intentions,

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,

that peaceful-hearted person.

abyaggamanaso naro.

They rise for and bow to

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

ascetics and brahmins

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

and other renunciates.

Uṭṭhāya abhivādeti,

Training in moral conduct,

samacariyāya sikkhati.

they don’t prevent others from giving

Dadamānaṁ na vāreti,

food to beggars.

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

O king, ruler of the people:

Tādiso puriso rāja,

when such people die

mīyamāno janādhipa;

they go to the heaven of the Three and Thirty—

Upeti tidivaṁ ṭhānaṁ,

from light they’re bound for light.”

jotijotiparāyano”ti.