SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 35 Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanasaṁyutta > SN 35.127 With Bhāradvāja

Linked Discourses 35.127 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.127

13. Householders – 13. Gahapativagga

SN 35.127 With Bhāradvāja – Bhāradvājasutta

At one time Venerable Bhāradvāja the Alms-gatherer was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

Then King Udena went up to Bhāradvāja the Alms-gatherer and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho rājā udeno yenāyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā piṇḍolabhāradvājena saddhiṁ sammodi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and said to him:

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā udeno āyasmantaṁ piṇḍolabhāradvājaṁ etadavoca:

“Master Bhāradvāja, there are these young monks who are youthful, black-haired, blessed with youth, in the prime of life; and they’ve never played around with sensual pleasures. What is the cause, what is the reason why they practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time?”

“ko nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, hetu ko paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī”ti?

“Great king, this has been stated by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha:

“Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena:

‘Please, monks, think of women your mother’s age as your mother. Think of women your sister’s age as your sister. And think of women your daughter’s age as your daughter.’

‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, mātumattīsu mātucittaṁ upaṭṭhapetha, bhaginimattīsu bhaginicittaṁ upaṭṭhapetha, dhītumattīsu dhītucittaṁ upaṭṭhapethā’ti.

This is a cause, great king, this is a reason why these young monks practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time.”

Ayaṁ kho, mahārāja, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī”ti.

“But Master Bhāradvāja, the mind is wanton.

“Lolaṁ kho, bho bhāradvāja, cittaṁ.

Sometimes thoughts of desire come up even for women your mother’s age, your sister’s age, or your daughter’s age.

Appekadā mātumattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti, bhaginimattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti, dhītumattīsupi lobhadhammā uppajjanti.

Is there another cause, another reason why these young monks live the full and pure spiritual life for their entire life?”

Atthi nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, añño ca hetu, añño ca paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā …pe… addhānañca āpādentī”ti?

“Great king, this has been stated by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha:

“Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena:

‘Please, monks, examine your own body up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth.

‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhatha—

In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’

atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttan’ti.

This is also a cause, great king, this is a reason why these young monks live the full and pure spiritual life for their entire life, maintaining it for a long time.”

Ayampi kho, mahārāja, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā …pe… addhānañca āpādentī”ti.

“This is easy to do for those bhikkhū who have developed their physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.

“Ye te, bho bhāradvāja, bhikkhū bhāvitakāyā bhāvitasīlā bhāvitacittā bhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ sukaraṁ hoti.

But it’s hard to do for those bhikkhū who have not developed their physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.

Ye ca kho te, bho bhāradvāja, bhikkhū abhāvitakāyā abhāvitasīlā abhāvitacittā abhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ dukkaraṁ hoti.

Sometimes I plan to focus on something as ugly, but only its beauty comes to mind.

Appekadā, bho bhāradvāja, asubhato manasi karissāmīti subhatova āgacchati.

Is there another cause, another reason why these young monks live the full and pure spiritual life for their entire life?”

Atthi nu kho, bho bhāradvāja, añño ca kho hetu añño ca paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā …pe… addhānañca āpādentī”ti?

“Great king, this has been stated by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha:

“Vuttaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena:

‘Please, monks, live with sense doors guarded.

‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, indriyesu guttadvārā viharatha.

When you see a sight with your eyes, don’t get caught up in the features and details.

Cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā mā nimittaggāhino ahuvattha, mānubyañjanaggāhino.

If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protect the faculty of sight, and achieve its restraint.

Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjatha. Rakkhatha cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjatha.

When you hear a sound with your ears …

Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …pe…

When you smell an odor with your nose …

ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …

When you taste a flavor with your tongue …

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …

When you feel a touch with your body …

kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …

When you know a thought with your mind, don’t get caught up in the features and details.

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya mā nimittaggāhino ahuvattha, mānubyañjanaggāhino.

If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protect the faculty of mind, and achieve its restraint.’

Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjatha. Rakkhatha manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjathā’ti.

This is also a cause, great king, this is a reason why these young monks practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time.”

Ayampi kho, mahārāja, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentī”ti.

“It’s incredible, Master Bhāradvāja, it’s amazing!

“Acchariyaṁ, bho bhāradvāja; abbhutaṁ, bho bhāradvāja.

How well this was said by the Buddha!

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena.

This is the real cause, this is the reason why these young monks practice the full and pure spiritual life as long as they live, maintaining it for a long time.

Esova kho, bho bhāradvāja, hetu, esa paccayo yenime daharā bhikkhū susū kāḷakesā bhadrena yobbanena samannāgatā paṭhamena vayasā anikīḷitāvino kāmesu yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caranti, addhānañca āpādentīti.

For sometimes I too enter the harem with unprotected body, speech, mind, mindfulness, and sense faculties. At those times powerful thoughts of desire get the better of me.

Ahampi kho, bho bhāradvāja, yasmiṁ samaye arakkhiteneva kāyena, arakkhitāya vācāya, arakkhitena cittena, anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā, asaṁvutehi indriyehi antepuraṁ pavisāmi, ativiya maṁ tasmiṁ samaye lobhadhammā parisahanti.

But sometimes I enter the harem with protected body, speech, mind, mindfulness, and sense faculties. At those times such thoughts of desire don’t get the better of me.

Yasmiñca khvāhaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, samaye rakkhiteneva kāyena, rakkhitāya vācāya, rakkhitena cittena, upaṭṭhitāya satiyā, saṁvutehi indriyehi antepuraṁ pavisāmi, na maṁ tathā tasmiṁ samaye lobhadhammā parisahanti.

Excellent, Master Bhāradvāja! Excellent!

Abhikkantaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, abhikkantaṁ, bho bhāradvāja.

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 Bhāradvāja has made the teaching clear in many ways.

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

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

Esāhaṁ, bho bhāradvāja, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, dhammañca, bhikkhusaṅghañca.

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

Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ bhāradvājo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.