A Disciple of the Ājīvakas

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery.Then a householder who was a disciple of the Ājīvaka ascetics went up to Venerable Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to Ānanda:

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Atha kho aññataro ājīvakasāvako gahapati yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so ājīvakasāvako gahapati āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery.Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Then a householder who was a disciple of the Ājīvaka ascetics went up to Venerable Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to Ānanda:Atha kho aññataro ājīvakasāvako gahapati yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so ājīvakasāvako gahapati āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

“Honorable Ānanda, whose teaching is well explained?Who in the world is practicing well?Who in the world has done well?”

“Kesaṁ no, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto? Ke loke suppaṭipannā? *suppaṭipannā → supaṭipannā (bj, sya-all, pts1ed)Ke loke sukatā”ti? *sukatā”ti → sugatāti (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

“Honorable Ānanda, whose teaching is well explained?“Kesaṁ no, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto? Who in the world is practicing well?Ke loke suppaṭipannā? *suppaṭipannā → supaṭipannā (bj, sya-all, pts1ed)Who in the world has done well?”Ke loke sukatā”ti? *sukatā”ti → sugatāti (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

“Well then, householder, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.What do you think, householder?Is the teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion well explained or not?Or how do you see this?”

“Tena hi, gahapati, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, ye rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto no vā? Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

“Well then, householder, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.“Tena hi, gahapati, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi. What do you think, householder?Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, Is the teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion well explained or not?ye rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto no vā? Or how do you see this?”Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

“The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.That’s how I see it.”

“Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto. Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

“The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.“Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto. That’s how I see it.”Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

“What do you think, householder?Are those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion practicing well or not?Or how do you see this?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, ye rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā no vā? Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

“What do you think, householder?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, Are those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion practicing well or not?ye rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā no vā? Or how do you see this?”Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

“Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.That’s how I see it.”

“Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā. Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

“Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.“Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā. That’s how I see it.”Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

“What do you think, householder?Have those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion—so they’re cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future—done well in the world, or not?Or how do you see this?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, yesaṁ rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā no vā? Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

“What do you think, householder?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati, Have those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion—so they’re cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future—done well in the world, or not?yesaṁ rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā no vā? Or how do you see this?”Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

“Those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.That’s how I see it.”

“Yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno …pe… yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā. Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

“Those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.“Yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno …pe… yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā. That’s how I see it.”Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

“So, householder, you’ve declared:‘The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.’And you’ve declared:‘Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.’And you’ve declared:‘Those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.’”

“Iti kho, gahapati, tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: *tayāvetaṁ → tayā cetaṁ (bj, pts1ed, mr)‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto’ti. Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā’ti. Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno …pe… yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā’”ti.

“So, householder, you’ve declared:“Iti kho, gahapati, tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: *tayāvetaṁ → tayā cetaṁ (bj, pts1ed, mr)‘The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.’‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto’ti. And you’ve declared:Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.’‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā’ti. And you’ve declared:Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ: ‘Those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.’”‘yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno …pe… yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā’”ti.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!There’s no acclaiming your own teaching or disrespecting someone else’s,just teaching what’s relevant in that context. The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved.You, sir, teach DhammaDhamma1. Fenómeno; cualquier cosa que ocurre y es cognoscible. 2. Fenómeno mental, «pensamiento». 3. Principio, especialmente los principios de causalidad. 4. Doctrina, enseñanza. También, principios de comportamiento que los seres humanos deben seguir para armonizar con el orden natural correcto de las cosas; cualidades mentales que deben desarrollar para realizar la cualidad inherente de la mente en sí misma. Por extensión, «Dhamma» (usualmente en mayúscula) se usa también para denotar cualquier doctrina que enseña tales cosas. Así, el Dhamma del Buddha denota tanto sus enseñanzas como las realidades descritas por esa enseñanza. (Sánscrito: dharma)Ver en el glosario for giving up greed, hate, and delusion.Your teaching is well explained.You, sir, practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion.You in the world are practicing well.You’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion.You in the world have done well.

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Na ceva nāma sadhammukkaṁsanā bhavissati, na ca paradhammāpasādanā. Āyataneva dhammadesanā, attho ca vutto, attā ca anupanīto. Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetha, dosassa …pe… mohassa pahanāya dhammaṁ desetha. Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto. Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa …pe… mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā. Tumhe, bhante, loke suppaṭipannā. Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, tumhākaṁ doso pahīno …pe… tumhākaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo. Tumhe loke sukatā.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. There’s no acclaiming your own teaching or disrespecting someone else’s,Na ceva nāma sadhammukkaṁsanā bhavissati, na ca paradhammāpasādanā. just teaching what’s relevant in that context. The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved.Āyataneva dhammadesanā, attho ca vutto, attā ca anupanīto. You, sir, teach Dhamma for giving up greed, hate, and delusion.Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetha, dosassa …pe… mohassa pahanāya dhammaṁ desetha. Your teaching is well explained.Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto. You, sir, practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion.Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa …pe… mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā. You in the world are practicing well.Tumhe, bhante, loke suppaṭipannā. You’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion.Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, tumhākaṁ doso pahīno …pe… tumhākaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo. You in the world have done well.Tumhe loke sukatā.

Excellent, sir! Excellent!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 clear eyes can see what’s there, Master Ānanda has made the teaching clear in many ways.I go for refuge to the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario, to the teaching, and to the mendicant SaṅghaSaṅghaEste término denota tanto: la «comunidad monástica» (comunidades de monjes y monjas budistas) en quienes los seguidores laicos toman refugio; como aquellos seguidores del Buddha, laicos u ordenados, que han alcanzado al menos la entrada en la corriente (ver sotāpanna), el primero de los senderos transcendentes (ver magga) que culmina en nibbāna. Recientemente en EE.UU., el término «sangha» se ha transformado para significar el sentido más amplio de «comunidad de seguidores en el sendero budista», aunque este uso no tiene base en el canon pali. El término parisā se usa en este sentido más amplio en los textos tempranos.Ver en el glosario.From this day forth, may Master Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante. Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ ayyena ānandena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bhante ānanda, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ ayyo ānando dhāretu, ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Excellent, sir! Excellent!Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante. 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 clear eyes can see what’s there, Master Ānanda has made the teaching clear in many ways.Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ ayyena ānandena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.Esāhaṁ, bhante ānanda, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. From this day forth, may Master Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”Upāsakaṁ maṁ ayyo ānando dhāretu, ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.