Tiṁsamattasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 15.13

Linked Discourses 15.13

2. Dutiyavagga

Chapter Two

Tiṁsamattasutta

Thirty Mendicants

Rājagahe viharati veḷuvane.

Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove.

Atha kho tiṁsamattā pāveyyakā bhikkhū sabbe āraññikā sabbe piṇḍapātikā sabbe paṁsukūlikā sabbe tecīvarikā sabbe sasaṁyojanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.

Then thirty mendicants from Pāvā went to the Buddha. All of them lived in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, wore rag robes, and owned just three robes; yet they all still had fetters. They bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:

Then it occurred to the Buddha,

“ime kho tiṁsamattā pāveyyakā bhikkhū sabbe āraññikā sabbe piṇḍapātikā sabbe paṁsukūlikā sabbe tecīvarikā sabbe sasaṁyojanā.

“These thirty mendicants from Pāvā live in the wilderness, eat only almsfood, wear rag robes, and own just three robes; yet they all still have fetters.

Yannūnāhaṁ imesaṁ tathā dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ yathā nesaṁ imasmiṁyeva āsane anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucceyyun”ti.

Why don’t I teach them the Dhamma in such a way that their minds are freed from defilements by not grasping while sitting in this very seat?”

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro.

“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning.

Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ.

No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yaṁ vā vo iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, yaṁ vā catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakan”ti?

What do you think? Which is more: the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating for such a very long time, or the water in the four oceans?”

“Yathā kho mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāma, etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yaṁ no iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakan”ti.

“As we understand the Buddha’s teaching, the flow of blood we’ve shed when our head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating is more than the water in the four oceans.”

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave, sādhu kho me tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānātha.

“Good, good, mendicants! It’s good that you understand my teaching like this.

Etadeva, bhikkhave, bahutaraṁ, yaṁ vo iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ.

The flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating is indeed more than the water in the four oceans.

Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, gunnaṁ sataṁ gobhūtānaṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ.

For a long time you’ve been cows, and the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off as a cow is more than the water in the four oceans.

Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, mahiṁsānaṁ sataṁ mahiṁsabhūtānaṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ …pe…

For a long time you’ve been buffalo …

dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, urabbhānaṁ sataṁ urabbhabhūtānaṁ …pe…

sheep …

ajānaṁ sataṁ ajabhūtānaṁ …

goats …

migānaṁ sataṁ migabhūtānaṁ …

deer …

kukkuṭānaṁ sataṁ kukkuṭabhūtānaṁ …

chickens …

sūkarānaṁ sataṁ sūkarabhūtānaṁ …

pigs …

dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, corā gāmaghātāti gahetvā sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ.

For a long time you’ve been bandits, arrested for raiding villages,

Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, corā pāripanthikāti gahetvā sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ.

highway robbery,

Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, corā pāradārikāti gahetvā sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ.

or adultery. And the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off as a bandit is more than the water in the four oceans.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…

This transmigration has no known beginning. …

alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne tiṁsamattānaṁ pāveyyakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsūti.

And while this discourse was being spoken, the minds of the thirty mendicants from Pāvā were freed from defilements by not grasping.

Tatiyaṁ.