SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 7 Connected Discourses with Brahmins – Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta > SN 7.9 With Sundarikabhāradvāja

Linked Discourses 7.9 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.9

1. The Perfected Ones – 1. Arahantavagga

SN 7.9 With Sundarikabhāradvāja – Sundarikasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying in the Kosalan lands on the bank of the Sundarikā river.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sundarikāya nadiyā tīre.

Now at that time the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja was serving the sacred flame and performing the fire sacrifice on the bank of the Sundarikā.

Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo sundarikāya nadiyā tīre aggiṁ juhati, aggihuttaṁ paricarati.

Then he looked all around the four quarters, wondering,

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo aggiṁ juhitvā aggihuttaṁ paricaritvā uṭṭhāyāsanā samantā catuddisā anuvilokesi:

“Now who might eat the leftovers of this offering?”

“ko nu kho imaṁ habyasesaṁ bhuñjeyyā”ti?

He saw the Buddha meditating at the root of a certain tree with his robe pulled over his head.

Addasā kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle sasīsaṁ pārutaṁ nisinnaṁ.

Taking the leftovers of the offering in his left hand and a pitcher in the right he approached the Buddha.

Disvāna vāmena hatthena habyasesaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena kamaṇḍaluṁ gahetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

When he heard Sundarikabhāradvāja’s footsteps the Buddha uncovered his head.

Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa padasaddena sīsaṁ vivari.

Sundarikabhāradvāja thought, “This man is shaven, he is shaven!” And he wanted to turn back.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo “muṇḍo ayaṁ bhavaṁ, muṇḍako ayaṁ bhavan”ti tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi.

But he thought,

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:

“Even some brahmins are shaven.

“muṇḍāpi hi idhekacce brāhmaṇā bhavanti;

Why don’t I go to him and ask about his birth?”

yannūnāhaṁ taṁ upasaṅkamitvā jātiṁ puccheyyan”ti.

Then the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja went up to the Buddha, and said to him,

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, in what caste were you born?”

“kiṁjacco bhavan”ti?

“Don’t ask about birth, ask about conduct;

“Mā jātiṁ puccha caraṇañca puccha,

for any wood can surely generate fire.

Kaṭṭhā have jāyati jātavedo;

A steadfast sage, even though from a low class family,

Nīcākulīnopi muni dhitimā,

is a thoroughbred checked by conscience.

Ājānīyo hoti hirīnisedho.

Tamed by truth, fulfilled by taming,

Saccena danto damasā upeto,

a complete knowledge master who has completed the spiritual journey—

Vedantagū vusitabrahmacariyo;

that’s who a sacrificer should introduce themselves to,

Yaññopanīto tamupavhayetha,

and make a timely offering to one worthy of a religious donation.”

Kālena so juhati dakkhiṇeyye”ti.

“My sacrificial offering must have been well performed,

“Addhā suyiṭṭhaṁ suhutaṁ mama yidaṁ,

since I have met such a knowledge master!

Yaṁ tādisaṁ vedagumaddasāmi;

It’s because I’d never met anyone like you

Tumhādisānañhi adassanena,

that others ate the leftover offering.

Añño jano bhuñjati habyasesan”ti.

Eat, Master Gotama,

“Bhuñjatu bhavaṁ gotamo.

you are truly a brahmin.”

Brāhmaṇo bhavan”ti.

“Food enchanted by a spell isn’t fit for me to eat.

“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,

That’s not the principle of those who see, brahmin.

Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo;

The Buddhas reject things enchanted with spells.

Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā,

Since there is such a principle, brahmin, that’s how they live.

Dhamme sati brāhmaṇa vuttiresā.

Serve with other food and drink

Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,

the consummate one, the great hermit,

Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ;

with defilements ended and remorse stilled.

Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,

For he is the field for the seeker of merit.”

Khettañhi taṁ puññapekkhassa hotī”ti.

“Then, Master Gotama, to whom should I give the leftovers of this offering?”

“Atha kassa cāhaṁ, bho gotama, imaṁ habyasesaṁ dammī”ti?

“Brahmin, I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who can properly digest these leftovers, except for the Realized One or one of his disciples.

“Na khvāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yasseso habyaseso bhutto sammā pariṇāmaṁ gaccheyya aññatra, brāhmaṇa, tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā.

Well then, brahmin, throw out those leftovers where there is little that grows, or drop them into water that has no living creatures.”

Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, taṁ habyasesaṁ appaharite vā chaḍḍehi appāṇake vā udake opilāpehī”ti.

So Sundarikabhāradvāja dropped the leftover offering in water that had no living creatures.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo taṁ habyasesaṁ appāṇake udake opilāpesi.

And when those leftovers were placed in the water, they sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming.

Atha kho so habyaseso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.

Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you placed it in the water, it would sizzle and hiss, steaming and fuming.

Seyyathāpi nāma phālo divasaṁsantatto udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati;

In the same way, when those leftovers were placed in the water, they sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming.

evameva so habyaseso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.

Then the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja, shocked and awestruck, went up to the Buddha, and stood to one side.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

The Buddha addressed him in verse:

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho sundarikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ bhagavā gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“When you’re kindling the wood, brahmin,

“Mā brāhmaṇa dāru samādahāno,

don’t imagine this is purity, for it’s just an external.

Suddhiṁ amaññi bahiddhā hi etaṁ;

For experts say this is no way to purity,

Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti,

when one seeks purity in externals.

Yo bāhirena parisuddhimicche.

I’ve given up kindling firewood, brahmin,

Hitvā ahaṁ brāhmaṇa dārudāhaṁ,

now I just light the inner flame.

Ajjhattamevujjalayāmi jotiṁ;

Always blazing, always serene,

Niccagginī niccasamāhitatto,

I am a perfected one leading the spiritual life.

Arahaṁ ahaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carāmi.

Conceit, brahmin, is the burden of your possessions,

Māno hi te brāhmaṇa khāribhāro,

anger your smoke, and lies your ashes.

Kodho dhumo bhasmani mosavajjaṁ;

The tongue is the ladle and the heart the fire altar;

Jivhā sujā hadayaṁ jotiṭhānaṁ,

a well-tamed self is a person’s light.

Attā sudanto purisassa joti.

The teaching is a lake with shores of ethics, brahmin,

Dhammo rahado brāhmaṇa sīlatittho,

unclouded, praised by the fine to the good.

Anāvilo sabbhi sataṁ pasattho;

There the knowledge masters go to bathe,

Yattha have vedaguno sinātā,

and cross to the far shore without getting wet.

Anallagattāva taranti pāraṁ.

Truth, principle, restraint, the spiritual life;

Saccaṁ dhammo saṁyamo brahmacariyaṁ,

the attainment of the supreme based on the middle, brahmin.

Majjhe sitā brāhmaṇa brahmapatti;

Pay homage to the upright ones—

Sa tujjubhūtesu namo karohi,

I declare that man to be one who follows the teaching.”

Tamahaṁ naraṁ dhammasārīti brūmī”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, Master Gotama …” …

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.

aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.