SN 12-21 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With Causation – Nidānavaggasaṁyutta > SN 21 Connected Discourses with Monks – Bhikkhusaṁyutta > SN 21.4 A Junior Bhikkhu

Linked Discourses 21.4 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 21.4

1. Monks – 1. Bhikkhuvagga

SN 21.4 A Junior Bhikkhu – Navasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Now at that time a certain junior monk, after his meal, on his return from almsround, entered his dwelling, where he adhered to passivity and silence. And he didn’t help the bhikkhū out when it was time to sew robes.

Tena kho pana samayena aññataro navo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati, na bhikkhūnaṁ veyyāvaccaṁ karoti cīvarakārasamaye.

Then several bhikkhū went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“idha, bhante, aññataro navo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati, na bhikkhūnaṁ veyyāvaccaṁ karoti cīvarakārasamaye”ti.

So the Buddha addressed a certain monk,

Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:

“Please, monk, in my name tell that monk that the Teacher summons him.”

“ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena taṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehi ‘satthā taṁ, āvuso, āmantetī’”ti.

“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to that monk and said to him,

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

“Reverend, the teacher summons you.”

“satthā taṁ, āvuso, āmantetī”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” that monk replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Evamāvuso”ti kho so bhikkhu tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ bhikkhuṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Is it really true, monk, that after your meal, on your return from almsround, you entered your dwelling, where you adhered to passivity and silence, and you didn’t help the bhikkhū out when it was time to sew robes?”

“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyasi, na bhikkhūnaṁ veyyāvaccaṁ karosi cīvarakārasamaye”ti?

“Sir, I am doing my own work.”

“Ahampi kho, bhante, sakaṁ kiccaṁ karomī”ti.

Then the Buddha, knowing what that monk was thinking, addressed the bhikkhū:

Atha kho bhagavā tassa bhikkhuno cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, don’t complain about this monk.

“mā kho tumhe, bhikkhave, etassa bhikkhuno ujjhāyittha.

This monk gets the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when he wants, without trouble or difficulty. He has realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

Eso kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“Not by being slack,

“Nayidaṁ sithilamārabbha,

or with little strength

nayidaṁ appena thāmasā;

is extinguishment realized,

Nibbānaṁ adhigantabbaṁ,

the freedom from all suffering.

sabbadukkhappamocanaṁ.

This young monk,

Ayañca daharo bhikkhu,

this best of men,

ayamuttamapuriso;

bears his final body,

Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ,

having vanquished Māra and his mount.”

jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.