Bharaṇḍukālāmasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.126

Numbered Discourses 3.126

13. Kusināravagga

13. Kusinārā

Bharaṇḍukālāmasutta

Bharaṇḍu Kālāma

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno yena kapilavatthu tadavasari.

At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans when he arrived at Kapilavatthu.

Assosi kho mahānāmo sakko: “bhagavā kira kapilavatthuṁ anuppatto”ti.

Mahānāma the Sakyan heard that he had arrived.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

He went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“Gaccha, mahānāma, kapilavatthusmiṁ, tathārūpaṁ āvasathaṁ jāna yatthajja mayaṁ ekarattiṁ vihareyyāmā”ti.

“Go into Kapilavatthu, Mahānāma, and check if there’s a suitable guest house where I can spend the night.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavato paṭissutvā kapilavatthuṁ pavisitvā kevalakappaṁ kapilavatthuṁ anvāhiṇḍanto nāddasa kapilavatthusmiṁ tathārūpaṁ āvasathaṁ yatthajja bhagavā ekarattiṁ vihareyya.

“Yes, sir,” replied Mahānāma. He returned to Kapilavatthu and searched all over the city, but he couldn’t see a suitable guest house for the Buddha to spend the night.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Mahānāma went up to the Buddha, and said to him,

“natthi, bhante, kapilavatthusmiṁ tathārūpo āvasatho yatthajja bhagavā ekarattiṁ vihareyya.

“Sir, there’s no suitable guest house in Kapilavatthu for you to spend the night.

Ayaṁ, bhante, bharaṇḍu kālāmo bhagavato purāṇasabrahmacārī.

But there is this Bharaṇḍu the Kālāma, who used to be the Buddha’s spiritual companion.

Tassajja bhagavā assame ekarattiṁ viharatū”ti.

Why don’t you spend the night at his hermitage?”

“Gaccha, mahānāma, santharaṁ paññāpehī”ti.

“Go, Mahānāma, and set out a mat.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavato paṭissutvā yena bharaṇḍussa kālāmassa assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā santharaṁ paññāpetvā udakaṁ ṭhapetvā pādānaṁ dhovanāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Yes, sir,” replied Mahānāma. He went to Bharaṇḍu’s hermitage, where he set out a mat, and got foot-washing water ready. Then he went back to the Buddha and said to him,

“santhato, bhante, santhāro, udakaṁ ṭhapitaṁ pādānaṁ dhovanāya.

“The mat and foot-washing water are set out.

Yassadāni, bhante, bhagavā kālaṁ maññatī”ti.

Please, sir, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho bhagavā yena bharaṇḍussa kālāmassa assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then the Buddha went to Bharaṇḍu’s hermitage, sat down on the seat spread out,

Nisajja kho bhagavā pāde pakkhālesi.

and washed his feet.

Atha kho mahānāmassa sakkassa etadahosi:

Then it occurred to Mahānāma,

“akālo kho ajja bhagavantaṁ payirupāsituṁ.

“It’s too late to pay homage to the Buddha today.

Kilanto bhagavā.

He’s tired.

Sve dānāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāsissāmī”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Tomorrow I’ll pay homage to the Buddha.” He bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko tassā rattiyā accayena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then, when the night had passed, Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“tayo khome, mahānāma, satthāro santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Mahānāma, there are these three teachers found in the world.

Katame tayo?

What three?

Idha, mahānāma, ekacco satthā kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti;

One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures,

na rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, na vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti.

but not of forms or feelings.

Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco satthā kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti;

One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures and forms,

na vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti.

but not of feelings.

Idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco satthā kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti.

One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, forms, and feelings.

Ime kho, mahānāma, tayo satthāro santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

These are the three teachers found in the world.

Imesaṁ, mahānāma, tiṇṇaṁ satthārānaṁ ekā niṭṭhā udāhu puthu niṭṭhā”ti?

Do these three teachers have the same end or different ends?”

Evaṁ vutte, bharaṇḍu kālāmo mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, Bharaṇḍu said to Mahānāma,

“ekāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

“Say they’re the same, Mahānāma!”

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

The Buddha said,

“nānāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

“Say they’re different, Mahānāma!”

Dutiyampi kho bharaṇḍu kālāmo mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

For a second time, Bharaṇḍu said,

“ekāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

“Say they’re the same, Mahānāma!”

Dutiyampi kho bhagavā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

The Buddha said,

“nānāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

“Say they’re different, Mahānāma!”

Tatiyampi kho bharaṇḍu kālāmo mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

For a third time, Bharaṇḍu said,

“ekāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

“Say they’re the same, Mahānāma!”

Tatiyampi kho bhagavā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

The Buddha said,

“nānāti, mahānāma, vadehī”ti.

“Say they’re different, Mahānāma!”

Atha kho bharaṇḍu kālāmassa etadahosi:

Then it occurred to Bharaṇḍu,

“mahesakkhassa vatamhi mahānāmassa sakkassa sammukhā samaṇena gotamena yāvatatiyaṁ apasādito.

“The Buddha has rebuked me three times in front of this illustrious Mahānāma.

Yannūnāhaṁ kapilavatthumhā pakkameyyan”ti.

Why don’t I leave Kapilavatthu?”

Atha kho bharaṇḍu kālāmo kapilavatthumhā pakkāmi.

Then Bharaṇḍu the Kālāma left Kapilavatthu,

Yaṁ kapilavatthumhā pakkāmi tathā pakkantova ahosi na puna paccāgacchīti.

never to return.

Catutthaṁ.