Sukhumālasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.39

Numbered Discourses 3.39

4. Devadūtavagga

4. Messengers of the Gods

Sukhumālasutta

A Delicate Lifestyle

“Sukhumālo ahaṁ, bhikkhave, paramasukhumālo accantasukhumālo.

“My lifestyle was delicate, mendicants, most delicate, extremely delicate.

Mama sudaṁ, bhikkhave, pitu nivesane pokkharaṇiyo kāritā honti.

In my father’s home, lotus ponds were made just for me.

Ekattha sudaṁ, bhikkhave, uppalaṁ vappati, ekattha padumaṁ, ekattha puṇḍarīkaṁ, yāvadeva mamatthāya.

In some, blue water lilies blossomed, while in others, there were pink or white lotuses, just for my benefit.

Na kho panassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, akāsikaṁ candanaṁ dhāremi. Kāsikaṁ, bhikkhave, su me taṁ veṭhanaṁ hoti, kāsikā kañcukā, kāsikaṁ nivāsanaṁ, kāsiko uttarāsaṅgo.

I only used sandalwood from Kāsi, and my turbans, jackets, sarongs, and upper robes also came from Kāsi.

Rattindivaṁ kho pana me su taṁ, bhikkhave, setacchattaṁ dhārīyati:

And a white parasol was held over me night and day, with the thought:

‘mā naṁ phusi sītaṁ vā uṇhaṁ vā tiṇaṁ vā rajo vā ussāvo vā’ti.

‘Don’t let cold, heat, grass, dust, or damp bother him.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, tayo pāsādā ahesuṁ—eko hemantiko, eko gimhiko, eko vassiko.

I had three stilt longhouses—one for the winter, one for the summer, and one for the rainy season.

So kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, vassike pāsāde vassike cattāro māse nippurisehi tūriyehi paricārayamāno na heṭṭhāpāsādaṁ orohāmi.

I stayed in a stilt longhouse without coming downstairs for the four months of the rainy season, where I was entertained by musicians—none of them men.

Yathā kho pana, bhikkhave, aññesaṁ nivesane dāsakammakaraporisassa kaṇājakaṁ bhojanaṁ dīyati bilaṅgadutiyaṁ, evamevassu me, bhikkhave, pitu nivesane dāsakammakaraporisassa sālimaṁsodano dīyati.

While the bondservants, workers, and staff in other houses are given sour gruel with false black pepper to eat, in my father’s home they are given fine rice with meat.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, evarūpāya iddhiyā samannāgatassa evarūpena ca sukhumālena etadahosi:

Amid such prosperity and such a delicate lifestyle, I thought:

‘assutavā kho puthujjano attanā jarādhammo samāno jaraṁ anatīto paraṁ jiṇṇaṁ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati attānaṁyeva atisitvā, ahampi khomhi jarādhammo jaraṁ anatīto.

‘When an unlearned ordinary person—who is liable to grow old, not being exempt from old age—sees someone else who is old, they’re horrified, repelled, and disgusted, overlooking the fact that they themselves are in the same situation.

Ahañceva kho pana jarādhammo samāno jaraṁ anatīto paraṁ jiṇṇaṁ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṁ harāyeyyaṁ jiguccheyyaṁ na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti.

But since I, too, am liable to grow old, it would not be appropriate for me to be horrified, embarrassed, and disgusted, when I see someone else who is old.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhato yo yobbane yobbanamado so sabbaso pahīyi.

Reflecting like this, I entirely gave up the vanity of youth.

Assutavā kho puthujjano attanā byādhidhammo samāno byādhiṁ anatīto paraṁ byādhitaṁ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati attānaṁyeva atisitvā:

‘When an unlearned ordinary person—who is liable to get sick, not being exempt from sickness—sees someone else who is sick, they’re horrified, repelled, and disgusted, overlooking the fact that they themselves are in the same situation.

‘ahampi khomhi byādhidhammo byādhiṁ anatīto, ahañceva kho pana byādhidhammo samāno byādhiṁ anatīto paraṁ byādhikaṁ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṁ harāyeyyaṁ jiguccheyyaṁ, na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti.

But since I, too, am liable to get sick, it would not be appropriate for me to be horrified, embarrassed, and disgusted, when I see someone else who is sick.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhato yo ārogye ārogyamado so sabbaso pahīyi.

Reflecting like this, I entirely gave up the vanity of health.

Assutavā kho puthujjano attanā maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇaṁ anatīto paraṁ mataṁ disvā aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati attānaṁyeva atisitvā:

‘When an unlearned ordinary person—who is liable to die, not being exempt from death—sees someone else who is dead, they’re horrified, repelled, and disgusted, overlooking the fact that they themselves are in the same situation.

‘ahampi khomhi maraṇadhammo, maraṇaṁ anatīto, ahaṁ ceva kho pana maraṇadhammo samāno maraṇaṁ anatīto paraṁ mataṁ disvā aṭṭīyeyyaṁ harāyeyyaṁ jiguccheyyaṁ, na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti.

But since I, too, am liable to die, it would not be appropriate for me to be horrified, embarrassed, and disgusted, when I see someone else who is dead.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhato yo jīvite jīvitamado so sabbaso pahīyīti.

Reflecting like this, I entirely gave up the vanity of life.

Tayome, bhikkhave, madā.

There are these three vanities.

Katame tayo?

What three?

Yobbanamado, ārogyamado, jīvitamado.

The vanity of youth, of health, and of life.

Yobbanamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

Intoxicated with the vanity of youth, an unlearned ordinary person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

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

Ārogyamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano …pe…

Intoxicated with the vanity of health …

jīvitamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

Intoxicated with the vanity of life, an unlearned ordinary person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

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

Yobbanamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.

Intoxicated with the vanity of youth, health, or life, a mendicant resigns the training and returns to a lesser life.

Ārogyamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu …pe…

jīvitamadamatto vā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattatīti.

Byādhidhammā jarādhammā,

For others, sickness is natural,

atho maraṇadhammino;

and so are old age and death.

Yathādhammā tathāsantā,

Though this is how their nature is,

jigucchanti puthujjanā.

ordinary people feel disgusted.

Ahañce taṁ jiguccheyyaṁ,

If I were to be disgusted

evaṁdhammesu pāṇisu;

with creatures whose nature is such,

Na metaṁ patirūpassa,

it would not be appropriate for me,

mama evaṁ vihārino.

since my life is just the same.

Sohaṁ evaṁ viharanto,

Living in such a way,

ñatvā dhammaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;

I understood the truth without attachments.

Ārogye yobbanasmiñca,

I mastered all vanities—

jīvitasmiñca ye madā.

of health, of youth,

Sabbe made abhibhosmi,

and even of life—

Nekkhamme daṭṭhu khemataṁ;

seeing renunciation as sanctuary.

Tassa me ahu ussāho,

Zeal sprang up in me

Nibbānaṁ abhipassato.

as I looked to extinguishment.

Nāhaṁ bhabbo etarahi,

Now I’m unable

Kāmāni paṭisevituṁ;

to indulge in sensual pleasures;

Anivatti bhavissāmi,

there’s no turning back,

Brahmacariyaparāyaṇo”ti.

I’m committed to the spiritual life.”

Navamaṁ.