SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 42 Connected Discourses with Chiefs – Gāmaṇisaṁyutta > SN 42.6 With Asibandhaka’s Son

Linked Discourses 42.6 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 42.6

1. Chiefs – 1. Gāmaṇivagga

SN 42.6 With Asibandhaka’s Son – Asibandhakaputtasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Nālandā in Pāvārika’s mango grove.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.

Then Asibandhaka’s son the chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, there are western brahmins draped with moss who carry pitchers, immerse themselves in water, and serve the sacred flame.

“brāhmaṇā, bhante, pacchā bhūmakā kāmaṇḍalukā sevālamālikā udakorohakā aggiparicārakā.

When someone has passed away, they truly lift them up, raise them up, and guide them along to heaven.

Te mataṁ kālaṅkataṁ uyyāpenti nāma saññāpenti nāma saggaṁ nāma okkāmenti.

But what about the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha: is he able to ensure that the whole world will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm when their body breaks up, after death?”

Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pahoti tathā kātuṁ yathā sabbo loko kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?

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

“Tena hi, gāmaṇi, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsīti.

What do you think, chief?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

Take a person who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, and have wrong view.

idhassa puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko.

And a large crowd comes together to offer up prayers and praise, circumambulating them with joined palms and saying:

Tamenaṁ mahājanakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya:

‘When this person’s body breaks up, after death, may they be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm!’

‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti.

What do you think, chief?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

Would that person be reborn in heaven because of their prayers?”

api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Chief, suppose a person were to throw a broad rock into a deep lake.

“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso mahatiṁ puthusilaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya.

And a large crowd was to come together to offer up prayers and praise, circumambulating it with joined palms, and saying:

Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya:

‘Rise, good rock! Float, good rock! Float to shore, good rock!’

‘ummujja, bho puthusile, uplava, bho puthusile, thalamuplava, bho puthusile’ti.

What do you think, chief?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

Would that broad rock rise up or float because of their prayers?”

api nu sā puthusilā mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā ummujjeyya vā uplaveyya vā thalaṁ vā uplaveyyā”ti?

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“In the same way, take a person who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, and have wrong view.

“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhiko.

Even though a large crowd comes together to offer up prayers and praise …

Kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya:

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

‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.

What do you think, chief?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

Take a person who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, and have right view.

idhassa puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhiko.

And a large crowd comes together to offer up prayers and praise, circumambulating them with joined palms and saying:

Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya:

‘When this person’s body breaks up, after death, may they be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell!’

‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti.

What do you think, chief?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

Would that person be reborn in hell because of their prayers?”

api nu so puriso mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti?

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Chief, suppose a person were to sink a pot of ghee or oil into a deep lake and break it open. Its shards and chips would sink down, while the ghee or oil in it would rise up.

“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, puriso sappikumbhaṁ vā telakumbhaṁ vā gambhīre udakarahade ogāhetvā bhindeyya. Tatra yāssa sakkharā vā kaṭhalā vā sā adhogāmī assa; yañca khvassa tatra sappi vā telaṁ vā taṁ uddhaṁ gāmi assa.

And a large crowd was to come together to offer up prayers and praise, circumambulating it with joined palms and saying:

Tamenaṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya:

‘Sink, good ghee or oil! Descend, good ghee or oil! Go down, good ghee or oil!”

‘osīda, bho sappitela, saṁsīda, bho sappitela, adho gaccha, bho sappitelā’ti.

What do you think, chief?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

Would that ghee or oil sink and descend because of their prayers?”

api nu taṁ sappitelaṁ mahato janakāyassa āyācanahetu vā thomanahetu vā pañjalikā anuparisakkanahetu vā osīdeyya vā saṁsīdeyya vā adho vā gaccheyyā”ti?

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“In the same way, take a person who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, and have right view.

“Evameva kho, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato, samphappalāpā paṭivirato, anabhijjhālu, abyāpannacitto, sammādiṭṭhiko,

Even though a large crowd comes together to offer up prayers and praise …

kiñcāpi taṁ mahā janakāyo saṅgamma samāgamma āyāceyya thomeyya pañjaliko anuparisakkeyya:

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

‘ayaṁ puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatū’ti, atha kho so puriso kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyā”ti.

When he said this, Asibandhaka’s son the chief said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, sir! …

“abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…

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

ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.