Linked Discourses
1. The Chapter on Chiefs

A Warrior

Saṁyutta Nikāya
1. Gāmaṇivagga
Yodhājīvasutta
Linked Discourses
1. The Chapter on Chiefs
A Warrior
Saṁyutta Nikāya
1. Gāmaṇivagga
Yodhājīvasutta
A Warrior

Yodhājı̄va the professional warrior asks the Buddha whether the belief that warriors have a good rebirth is correct. The Buddha tries to dissuade him, but ultimately reveals that by following the way of violence they head to a bad rebirth. Yodhājı̄va is distressed and takes refuge.

Ruta suttaSN 42.3Sutta Piṭaka › Saṃyutta Nikāya › 4. Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta › 42. Gāmaṇisaṁyutta › 1. Gāmaṇivagga › Yodhājīvasutta
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Then Dustin the warrior chief went up 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, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:*A “warrior” (yodhājīva) is a professional soldier. I have taken the liberty of using the name “Dustin” in honor of Dustin Cheah, my sponsor while making this translation in Qi Mei, Taiwan. Dustin (literally “Thor’s stone”) has the connotation of “valiant fighter”. | Together with the following discourses, these make up three of the four branches of the military: foot soldiers, elephant marshals, and cavalry. Sanskrit dictionaries acknowledge grāmaṇī as a military officer as well as a village headman.

Atha kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Dustin the warrior chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:*A “warrior” (yodhājīva) is a professional soldier. I have taken the liberty of using the name “Dustin” in honor of Dustin Cheah, my sponsor while making this translation in Qi Mei, Taiwan. Dustin (literally “Thor’s stone”) has the connotation of “valiant fighter”. | Together with the following discourses, these make up three of the four branches of the military: foot soldiers, elephant marshals, and cavalry. Sanskrit dictionaries acknowledge grāmaṇī as a military officer as well as a village headman.
Atha kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Dustin the warrior chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:*A “warrior” (yodhājīva) is a professional soldier. I have taken the liberty of using the name “Dustin” in honor of Dustin Cheah, my sponsor while making this translation in Qi Mei, Taiwan. Dustin (literally “Thor’s stone”) has the connotation of “valiant fighter”. | Together with the following discourses, these make up three of the four branches of the military: foot soldiers, elephant marshals, and cavalry. Sanskrit dictionaries acknowledge grāmaṇī as a military officer as well as a village headman.Atha kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, I have heard that the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors said:‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’What does the Buddha say about this?”

“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ yodhājīvānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ: ‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti. Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

“Sir, I have heard that the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors said:
“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ yodhājīvānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:
‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’
‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti.
What does the Buddha say about this?”
Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

“Sir, I have heard that the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors said:“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ yodhājīvānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ: ‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti. What does the Buddha say about this?”Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

“Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.”

“Alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī”ti.

“Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.”
“Alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī”ti.

“Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.”“Alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī”ti.

For a second time …

Dutiyampi kho …pe…

For a second time …
Dutiyampi kho …pe…

For a second time …Dutiyampi kho …pe…

And for a third time Dustin the warrior chief said to the Buddha:

tatiyampi kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

And for a third time Dustin the warrior chief said to the Buddha:
tatiyampi kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

And for a third time Dustin the warrior chief said to the Buddha:tatiyampi kho yodhājīvo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, I have heard that the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors said:‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’What does the Buddha say about this?”

“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ yodhājīvānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ: ‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti. Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

“Sir, I have heard that the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors said:
“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ yodhājīvānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:
‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’
‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti.
What does the Buddha say about this?”
Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

“Sir, I have heard that the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors said:“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ yodhājīvānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ: ‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti. What does the Buddha say about this?”Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

“Clearly, chief, I’m not getting through to you when I say:‘Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.’Nevertheless, I will answer you.

“Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, na labhāmi: ‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’ti. Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi.

“Clearly, chief, I’m not getting through to you when I say:
“Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, na labhāmi:
‘Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.’
‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’ti.
Nevertheless, I will answer you.
Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi.

“Clearly, chief, I’m not getting through to you when I say:“Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, na labhāmi: ‘Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.’‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’ti. Nevertheless, I will answer you.Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi.

When a warrior strives and struggles in battle, their mind is already low, degraded, and misdirected as they think:‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’His foes kill him and finish him off, andwhen his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the hell called ‘The Fallen’.*Another instance of kamma at death influencing rebirth is found at MN 97:38.7, where Dhanañjāni the corrupt tax collector has a deathbed conversion and goes to heaven. In Theravada circles today, it is commonly held that one’s mental state at death determines one’s rebirth. These examples show that this is true only in exceptional cases where one is actively making strong good or bad kamma at the time of death.

Yo so, gāmaṇi, yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ pubbe gahitaṁ dukkaṭaṁ duppaṇihitaṁ: *gahitaṁ → hīnaṁ (bj, pts1ed)‘ime sattā haññantu vā bajjhantu vā ucchijjantu vā vinassantu vā mā vā ahesuṁ iti vā’ti. Tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti; so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajito nāma nirayo tattha upapajjatīti.

When a warrior strives and struggles in battle, their mind is already low, degraded, and misdirected as they think:
Yo so, gāmaṇi, yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ pubbe gahitaṁ dukkaṭaṁ duppaṇihitaṁ: *gahitaṁ → hīnaṁ (bj, pts1ed)
‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’
‘ime sattā haññantu vā bajjhantu vā ucchijjantu vā vinassantu vā mā vā ahesuṁ iti vā’ti.
His foes kill him and finish him off, and
Tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti;
when his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the hell called ‘The Fallen’.*Another instance of kamma at death influencing rebirth is found at MN 97:38.7, where Dhanañjāni the corrupt tax collector has a deathbed conversion and goes to heaven. In Theravada circles today, it is commonly held that one’s mental state at death determines one’s rebirth. These examples show that this is true only in exceptional cases where one is actively making strong good or bad kamma at the time of death.
so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajito nāma nirayo tattha upapajjatīti.

When a warrior strives and struggles in battle, their mind is already low, degraded, and misdirected as they think:Yo so, gāmaṇi, yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ pubbe gahitaṁ dukkaṭaṁ duppaṇihitaṁ: *gahitaṁ → hīnaṁ (bj, pts1ed)‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’‘ime sattā haññantu vā bajjhantu vā ucchijjantu vā vinassantu vā mā vā ahesuṁ iti vā’ti. His foes kill him and finish him off, andTamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti; when his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the hell called ‘The Fallen’.*Another instance of kamma at death influencing rebirth is found at MN 97:38.7, where Dhanañjāni the corrupt tax collector has a deathbed conversion and goes to heaven. In Theravada circles today, it is commonly held that one’s mental state at death determines one’s rebirth. These examples show that this is true only in exceptional cases where one is actively making strong good or bad kamma at the time of death.so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajito nāma nirayo tattha upapajjatīti.

But if you have such a view:‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’ This is your wrong view.An individual with wrong view is reborn in one of two places, I say:hell or the animal realm.”

Sace kho panassa evaṁ diṭṭhi hoti: ‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti, sāssa hoti micchādiṭṭhi. Micchādiṭṭhikassa kho panāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, purisapuggalassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā”ti.

But if you have such a view:
Sace kho panassa evaṁ diṭṭhi hoti:
‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’ This is your wrong view.
‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti, sāssa hoti micchādiṭṭhi.
An individual with wrong view is reborn in one of two places, I say:
Micchādiṭṭhikassa kho panāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, purisapuggalassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—
hell or the animal realm.”
nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā”ti.

But if you have such a view:Sace kho panassa evaṁ diṭṭhi hoti: ‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’ This is your wrong view.‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti, sāssa hoti micchādiṭṭhi. An individual with wrong view is reborn in one of two places, I say:Micchādiṭṭhikassa kho panāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, purisapuggalassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—hell or the animal realm.”nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā”ti.

When he said this, Dustin the warrior chief cried and burst out in tears.

Evaṁ vutte, yodhājīvo gāmaṇi parodi, assūni pavattesi.

When he said this, Dustin the warrior chief cried and burst out in tears.
Evaṁ vutte, yodhājīvo gāmaṇi parodi, assūni pavattesi.

When he said this, Dustin the warrior chief cried and burst out in tears.Evaṁ vutte, yodhājīvo gāmaṇi parodi, assūni pavattesi.

“This is what I didn’t get through to you when I said:‘Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.’”

“Etaṁ kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, nālatthaṁ: ‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’”ti.

“This is what I didn’t get through to you when I said:
“Etaṁ kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, nālatthaṁ:
‘Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.’”
‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’”ti.

“This is what I didn’t get through to you when I said:“Etaṁ kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, nālatthaṁ: ‘Enough, chief, let it be. Don’t ask me that.’”‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’”ti.

“Sir, I’m not crying because of what the Buddha said.But sir, for a long time I’ve been cheated, tricked, and deceived by the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors, who said:‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’

“Nāhaṁ, bhante, etaṁ rodāmi yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evamāha; api cāhaṁ, bhante, pubbakehi ācariyapācariyehi yodhājīvehi dīgharattaṁ nikato vañcito paluddho: ‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’”ti.

“Sir, I’m not crying because of what the Buddha said.
“Nāhaṁ, bhante, etaṁ rodāmi yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evamāha;
But sir, for a long time I’ve been cheated, tricked, and deceived by the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors, who said:
api cāhaṁ, bhante, pubbakehi ācariyapācariyehi yodhājīvehi dīgharattaṁ nikato vañcito paluddho:
‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’
‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’”ti.

“Sir, I’m not crying because of what the Buddha said.“Nāhaṁ, bhante, etaṁ rodāmi yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evamāha; But sir, for a long time I’ve been cheated, tricked, and deceived by the warriors of the past who were tutors of tutors, who said:api cāhaṁ, bhante, pubbakehi ācariyapācariyehi yodhājīvehi dīgharattaṁ nikato vañcito paluddho: ‘Suppose a warrior, while striving and struggling in battle, is killed and finished off by his foes. When his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the company of the gods of the fallen.’‘yo so yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’”ti.

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

“Abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Excellent, sir! Excellent! …
“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.

Excellent, sir! Excellent! …“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.

Tatiyaṁ.

Tatiyaṁ.

Tatiyaṁ.