Bhadrakasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 42.11

Linked Discourses 42.11

1. Gāmaṇivagga

1. Chiefs

Bhadrakasutta

With Bhadraka

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu viharati uruvelakappaṁ nāma mallānaṁ nigamo.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Mallas, near the Mallian town named Uruvelakappa.

Atha kho bhadrako gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho bhadrako gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Bhadraka the village chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca desetū”ti.

“Please, sir, let the Blessed One teach me the origin and disappearance of suffering.”

“Ahañce te, gāmaṇi, atītamaddhānaṁ ārabbha dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca deseyyaṁ:

“Chief, if I were to teach you about the origin and disappearance of suffering in connection with the past, saying

‘evaṁ ahosi atītamaddhānan’ti, tatra te siyā kaṅkhā, siyā vimati.

‘this is how it was in the past,’ you might have doubts or uncertainties about that.

Ahañce te, gāmaṇi, anāgatamaddhānaṁ ārabbha dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca deseyyaṁ:

If I were to teach you about the origin and disappearance of suffering in connection with the future, saying

‘evaṁ bhavissati anāgatamaddhānan’ti, tatrāpi te siyā kaṅkhā, siyā vimati.

‘this is how it will be in the future,’ you might have doubts or uncertainties about that.

Api cāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, idheva nisinno ettheva te nisinnassa dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca desessāmi.

Rather, chief, I will teach you about the origin and disappearance of suffering as I am sitting right here and you are sitting right there.

Taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho bhadrako gāmaṇi bhagavato paccassosi.

“Yes, sir,” Bhadraka replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

“What do you think, chief?

atthi te uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ te vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

Are there any people here in Uruvelakappa who, if they were executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, it would cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“Atthi me, bhante, uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ me vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“There are, sir.”

“Atthi pana te, gāmaṇi, uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ te vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā nuppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“But are there any people here in Uruvelakappa who, if they were executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, it would not cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“Atthi me, bhante, uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ me vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā nuppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“There are, sir.”

“Ko nu kho, gāmaṇi, hetu, ko paccayo yena te ekaccānaṁ uruvelakappiyānaṁ manussānaṁ vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“What’s the cause, chief, what’s the reason why, if this was to happen to some people it could cause you sorrow, while if it happens to others it does not?”

“Yesaṁ me, bhante, uruvelakappiyānaṁ manussānaṁ vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā, atthi me tesu chandarāgo.

“The people regarding whom this would give rise to sorrow are those I have desire and passion.

Yesaṁ pana, bhante, uruvelakappiyānaṁ manussānaṁ vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā nuppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā, natthi me tesu chandarāgo”ti.

The people regarding whom this would not give rise to sorrow are those I don’t have desire and passion.”

“Iminā tvaṁ, gāmaṇi, dhammena diṭṭhena viditena akālikena pattena pariyogāḷhena atītānāgate nayaṁ nehi:

“With this present phenomenon that you have seen, understood, immediately attained, and fathomed, you can apply the same method to the past and future:

‘yaṁ kho kiñci atītamaddhānaṁ dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajji sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ.

‘All the suffering that arose in the past was rooted and sourced in desire.

Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassa.

For desire is the root of suffering.

Yampi hi kiñci anāgatamaddhānaṁ dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjissati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ.

All the suffering that will arise in the future will be rooted and sourced in desire.

Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’”ti.

For desire is the root of suffering.’”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

How well said this was by the Buddha!

‘yaṁ kiñci dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ.

‘All the suffering that arises is rooted and sourced in desire.

Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’ti.

For desire is the root of suffering.’

Atthi me, bhante, ciravāsī nāma kumāro bahi āvasathe paṭivasati.

I have a boy called Ciravāsi, who resides in a house away from here.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, kālasseva vuṭṭhāya purisaṁ uyyojemi:

I rise early and dispatch someone, saying:

‘gaccha, bhaṇe, ciravāsiṁ kumāraṁ jānāhī’ti.

‘Go, lad, and check on my boy Ciravāsi.’

Yāvakīvañca, bhante, so puriso nāgacchati, tassa me hoteva aññathattaṁ:

Until they get back I worry:

‘mā heva ciravāsissa kumārassa kiñci ābādhayitthā’”ti.

‘I hope nothing’s wrong with Ciravāsi!’”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

“What do you think, chief?

ciravāsissa kumārassa vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

If Ciravāsi was executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, would it cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“Ciravāsissa me, bhante, kumārassa vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā jīvitassapi siyā aññathattaṁ, kiṁ pana me nuppajjissanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“How could it not, sir?”

“Imināpi kho etaṁ, gāmaṇi, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ:

“This too is a way to understand:

‘yaṁ kiñci dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ.

‘All the suffering that arises is rooted and sourced in desire.

Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’ti.

For desire is the root of suffering.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

What do you think, chief?

yadā te ciravāsimātā adiṭṭhā ahosi, assutā ahosi, te ciravāsimātuyā chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?

Before you’d seen or heard of Ciravāsi’s mother, did you have any desire or passion or fondness for her?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Dassanaṁ vā te, gāmaṇi, āgamma savanaṁ vā evaṁ te ahosi:

“Then was it because you saw or heard of her that you had

‘ciravāsimātuyā chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā’”ti?

desire or passion or fondness for her?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,

“What do you think, chief?

ciravāsimātuyā te vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

If Ciravāsi’s mother was executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, would it cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“Ciravāsimātuyā me, bhante, vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā jīvitassapi siyā aññathattaṁ, kiṁ pana me nuppajjissanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“How could it not, sir?”

“Imināpi kho etaṁ, gāmaṇi, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ:

“This too is a way to understand:

‘yaṁ kiñci dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ.

‘All the suffering that arises is rooted and sourced in desire.

Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’”ti.

For desire is the root of suffering.’”

Ekādasamaṁ.