Puggalasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.21

Linked Discourses 3.21

3. Tatiyavagga

3. Kosala

Puggalasutta

Individuals

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“cattārome, mahārāja puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Great king, these four individuals are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Tamotamaparāyano,

The dark bound for darkness,

tamojotiparāyano,

the dark bound for light,

jotitamaparāyano,

the light bound for darkness,

jotijotiparāyano.

and the light bound for light.

Kathañca, mahārāja puggalo tamotamaparāyano hoti?

And how is an individual dark and bound for darkness?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti, caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

It’s when an individual is reborn in a low family—a family of corpse-workers, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or scavengers—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

And they do 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.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso andhakārā vā andhakāraṁ gaccheyya, tamā vā tamaṁ gaccheyya, lohitamalā vā lohitamalaṁ gaccheyya.

This individual is like someone who goes from darkness to darkness, from blackness to blackness, from bloodstain to bloodstain.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo tamotamaparāyano hoti.

That’s how an individual is dark and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti?

And how is an individual dark and bound for light?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti, caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

It’s when an individual is reborn in a low family—a family of corpse-workers, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or scavengers—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

So ca kho hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho, kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

But they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pathaviyā vā pallaṅkaṁ āroheyya, pallaṅkā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ āroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ āroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā pāsādaṁ āroheyya.

This individual is like someone who ascends from the ground to a couch; from a couch to horseback; from horseback to an elephant; and from an elephant to a stilt longhouse.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo tamojotiparāyano hoti.

That’s how an individual is dark and bound for light.

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo jotitamaparāyano hoti?

And how is an individual light and bound for darkness?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti, khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.

It’s when an individual is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

But they do 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.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pāsādā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ oroheyya, hatthikkhandhā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ oroheyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā pallaṅkaṁ oroheyya, pallaṅkā vā pathaviṁ oroheyya, pathaviyā vā andhakāraṁ paviseyya.

This individual is like someone who descends from a stilt longhouse to an elephant; from an elephant to horseback; from horseback to a couch; and from a couch to the ground; and from the ground they enter darkness.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo jotitamaparāyano hoti.

That’s how an individual is light and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, mahārāja, puggalo jotijotiparāyano hoti?

And how is an individual light and bound for light?

Idha, mahārāja, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti, khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.

It’s when an individual is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.

So ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, puriso pallaṅkā vā pallaṅkaṁ saṅkameyya, assapiṭṭhiyā vā assapiṭṭhiṁ saṅkameyya, hatthikkhandhā vā hatthikkhandhaṁ saṅkameyya, pāsādā vā pāsādaṁ saṅkameyya.

This individual is like someone who shifts from one couch to another; from the back of one horse to another; from one elephant to another; or from one stilt longhouse to another.

Tathūpamāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, puggalo jotijotiparāyano hoti.

That’s how an individual is light and bound for light.

Ime kho, mahārāja, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”

Idamavoca …pe…

That is what the Buddha said. …

“Daliddo puriso rāja,

“O King, some people are poor,

assaddho hoti maccharī;

faithless and stingy.

Kadariyo pāpasaṅkappo,

Miserly, with bad intentions,

micchādiṭṭhi anādaro.

they lack regard, they have wrong view.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

They abuse and insult

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

ascetics and brahmins

Akkosati paribhāsati,

and other supplicants.

natthiko hoti rosako.

They’re nihilists and bullies,

Dadamānaṁ nivāreti,

who prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,

O King, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;

when such people die

Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,

they fall into the terrible hell—

tamotamaparāyano.

from darkness they’re bound for darkness.

Daliddo puriso rāja,

O King, some people are poor,

saddho hoti amaccharī;

but faithful and not stingy.

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,

They give with best of intentions,

abyaggamanaso naro.

that peaceful-hearted person.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

They rise for and bow to

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

ascetics and brahmins

Uṭṭhāya abhivādeti,

and other supplicants.

samacariyāya sikkhati.

Training in moral conduct,

Dadamānaṁ na vāreti,

they don’t prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,

O King, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;

when such people die

Upeti tidivaṁ ṭhānaṁ,

they go to the Third Heaven—

tamojotiparāyano.

from darkness they’re bound for light.

Aḍḍho ce puriso rāja,

O King, some people are rich,

assaddho hoti maccharī;

but faithless and stingy.

Kadariyo pāpasaṅkappo,

Miserly, with bad intentions,

micchādiṭṭhi anādaro.

they lack regard, they have wrong view.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

They abuse and insult

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

ascetics and brahmins

Akkosati paribhāsati,

and other supplicants

natthiko hoti rosako.

They’re nihilists and bullies,

Dadamānaṁ nivāreti,

who prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,

O King, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;

when such people die

Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,

they fall into the terrible hell—

jotitamaparāyano.

from light they’re bound for darkness.

Aḍḍho ce puriso rāja,

O King, some people are rich,

saddho hoti amaccharī;

faithful and not stingy.

Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,

They give with best of intentions,

abyaggamanaso naro.

that peaceful-hearted person.

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe vāpi,

They rise for and bow to

aññe vāpi vanibbake;

ascetics and brahmins

Uṭṭhāya abhivādeti,

and other supplicants.

samacariyāya sikkhati.

Training in moral conduct,

Dadamānaṁ na vāreti,

they don’t prevent others from giving

yācamānāna bhojanaṁ;

food to beggars.

Tādiso puriso rāja,

O King, ruler of the people:

mīyamāno janādhipa;

when such people die

Upeti tidivaṁ ṭhānaṁ,

they go to the Third Heaven—

jotijotiparāyano”ti.

from light they’re bound for light.”