Akkosasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.2

Linked Discourses 7.2

1. Arahantavagga

1. The Perfected Ones

Akkosasutta

With Bhāradvāja the Rude

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Assosi kho akkosakabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo:

The brahmin Bhāradvāja the Rude heard a rumor that

“bhāradvājagotto kira brāhmaṇo samaṇassa gotamassa santike agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito”ti kupito anattamano yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosati paribhāsati. Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā akkosakabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:

a brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan had gone forth from the lay life to homelessness in the presence of the ascetic Gotama. Angry and displeased he went to the Buddha and abused and insulted him with rude, harsh words. When he had spoken, the Buddha said to him:

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, brāhmaṇa,

“What do you think, brahmin?

api nu kho te āgacchanti mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā atithiyo”ti?

Do friends and colleagues, relatives and kin, and guests still come to visit you?”

“Appekadā me, bho gotama, āgacchanti mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā atithiyo”ti.

“Sometimes they do, worthy Gotama.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, brāhmaṇa, api nu tesaṁ anuppadesi khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā sāyanīyaṁ vā”ti?

“Do you then serve them with fresh and cooked foods and savories?”

“Appekadā nesāhaṁ, bho gotama, anuppademi khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā sāyanīyaṁ vā”ti.

“Sometimes I do.”

“Sace kho pana te, brāhmaṇa, nappaṭiggaṇhanti, kassa taṁ hotī”ti?

“But if they don’t accept it, brahmin, who does it belong to?”

“Sace te, bho gotama, nappaṭiggaṇhanti, amhākameva taṁ hotī”ti.

“In that case it still belongs to me.”

“Evameva kho, brāhmaṇa, yaṁ tvaṁ amhe anakkosante akkosasi, arosente rosesi, abhaṇḍante bhaṇḍasi, taṁ te mayaṁ nappaṭiggaṇhāma.

“In the same way, brahmin, when you abuse, harass, and attack us who do not abuse, harass, and attack, we don’t accept it.

Tavevetaṁ, brāhmaṇa, hoti;

It still belongs to you, brahmin,

tavevetaṁ, brāhmaṇa, hoti.

it still belongs to you!

Yo kho, brāhmaṇa, akkosantaṁ paccakkosati, rosentaṁ paṭiroseti, bhaṇḍantaṁ paṭibhaṇḍati, ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, sambhuñjati vītiharatīti.

Someone who, when abused, harassed, and attacked, abuses, harasses, and attacks in return is said to eat the food and have a reaction to it.

Te mayaṁ tayā neva sambhuñjāma na vītiharāma.

But we neither eat your food nor do we have a reaction to it.

Tavevetaṁ, brāhmaṇa, hoti;

It still belongs to you, brahmin,

tavevetaṁ, brāhmaṇa, hotī”ti.

it still belongs to you!”

“Bhavantaṁ kho gotamaṁ sarājikā parisā evaṁ jānāti:

“The king and his retinue believe of the worthy Gotama,

‘arahaṁ samaṇo gotamo’ti.

‘the ascetic Gotama is a perfected one’.

Atha ca pana bhavaṁ gotamo kujjhatī”ti.

And yet he still gets angry.”

“Akkodhassa kuto kodho,

“Whence anger for one free of anger,

dantassa samajīvino;

tamed, living justly,

Sammadaññā vimuttassa,

freed by right knowledge,

upasantassa tādino.

peaceful and unaffected?

Tasseva tena pāpiyo,

When you get angry at an angry person

yo kuddhaṁ paṭikujjhati;

you just make things worse for yourself.

Kuddhaṁ appaṭikujjhanto,

When you don’t get angry at an angry person

saṅgāmaṁ jeti dujjayaṁ.

you win a battle hard to win.

Ubhinnamatthaṁ carati,

When you know that the other is angry,

attano ca parassa ca;

you act for the good of both

Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā,

yourself and the other

yo sato upasammati.

if you’re mindful and stay calm.

Ubhinnaṁ tikicchantānaṁ,

People inexpert in the teaching

attano ca parassa ca;

consider one who heals both

Janā maññanti bāloti,

oneself and the other

ye dhammassa akovidā”ti.

to be a fool.”

Evaṁ vutte, akkosakabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he had spoken, Bhāradvāja the Rude said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

“Excellent, worthy Gotama! …

esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.

Labheyyāhaṁ, bhante, bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.

Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?”

Alattha kho akkosakabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

And the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Rude received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Acirūpasampanno kho panāyasmā akkosakabhāradvājo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bhāradvāja the Rude, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.

He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.”

Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.

And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.