Khuddaka Nikaya - Sutta Nipata - Sundarikabharadvaga Sutta

4. SUNDARIKABHARADVAGASUTTA.
Buddha shows to Sundarikabharadvaga on whom to bestow oblations, and the
Bramana is finally converted.
So it was heard by me:
At one time Bhagavat dwelt in Kosala on the bank of the river Sundarika. And
during that time the Bramana Sundarikabharadvaga made offerings to the fire and
worshipped the fire. Then the Bramana Sundarikabharadvaga, having made offerings
to the fire and worshipped the fire, and having risen from his seat, looked
about him on all sides towards the four quarters of the globe, saying: 'Who is
to enjoy the rest of this oblation?' The Bramana Sundarikabharadvaga saw
Bhagavat sitting not far off at the root of a tree, wrapped up head and body;
and seeing him he, after taking the rest of the oblation with his left hand and
the waterpot with his right hand, went up to Bhagavat. Then Bhagavat, on hearing
the footsteps of Sundarikabharadvaga, the Bramana, uncovered his head. Then the
Brahmana Sundarikabharadvaga thought: 'This man is shaved, this man is a
shaveling,' and he wished to return again from there. Then this came to the mind
of Sundarikabharadvaga, the Bramana: 'Some Bramanas also here are shaved, I
think I shall go up and ask him about his descent.' Then the Brahmana
Sundarikabharadvaga went up to Bhagavat, and having gone up he said this: 'Of
what family art thou?'
Then Bhagavat answered Sundarikabharadvaga, the Bramana, in stanzas:
1. 'No Bramana am I, nor a king's son, nor any
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Vessa; having thoroughly observed the class of common people, I wander about the
world reflectingly, possessing nothing. (454)
2. 'Dressed in a sanghati[1] and houseless I wander about, with my hair cut
off, calm, not intermixing with people in this world. Thou askest me an
unseasonable question about (my) family, O Brahmana!' (455)
3. Sundarikabharadvaga: 'Sir, Bramanas together with Bramanas ask truly, Art
thou a Brahmana?'
Bhagavat: 'If thou sayest, I am a Bramana, and callest me no Bramana, then I
ask thee about the Savitti that consists of three padas and twenty-four
syllables[2].' (456)
4. Sundarikabharadvaga: 'For what (reason) did the Isis, men, Khattiyas,
Bramanas make offerings to the gods abundantly in this world?'
Bhagavat: 'He who, perfect and accomplished at the time of offering, obtains
the ear of one or the other (god), he will succeed, so I say.' (457)
5. 'Surely his offering will bear fruit,'--so said the Bramana,--'because we
saw such an accomplished man; for by not seeing such as you, somebody else will
enjoy the oblation.' (458)
6. Bhagavat: 'Therefore, O Bramana, as you have come here to ask for
something, ask; perhaps thou mightest here find one that is calm, without anger,
free from pain, free from desire, one with a good understanding.' (459)
[1. See Rhys Davids, Buddhism, p. 166.
2. Tam Savittim pukkhami
Tipadam katuvîsatakkharam.
(Rig-veda III, 62, 10.)]
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7. Sundarikabharadvaga: 'I delight in offering, O Gotama, I desire to make an
offering, but I do not understand it; do thou instruct me, tell me in what case
the offering succeeds.' (460)
8. Bhagavat: 'Therefore, O Bramana, lend me thy ear, I will teach thee the
Dhamma. (461)
9. 'Do not ask about descent, but ask about conduct; from wood, it is true,
fire is born; (likewise) a firm Muni, although belonging to a low family, may
become noble, when restrained (from sinning) by humility. (462)
10. 'He who is subdued by truth, endowed with temperance, accomplished,
leading a religious life, on such a one in due time people should bestow
oblations; let the Bramana who has good works in view, offer. (463)
11. 'Those who, after leaving sensual pleasures, wander about houseless, well
restrained, being like a straight shuttle, on such in due time people should
bestow oblations; let the Bramana who has good works in view, offer. (464)
12. 'Those whose passions are gone, whose senses are well composed, who are
liberated like the moon out of the grasp of Rahu, on such in due time people
should bestow oblations; let the Bramana who has good works in view, offer.
(465)
13. 'Those who wander about in the world without clinging (to anything),
always thoughtful, having left selfishness, on such in due time people should
bestow oblations; let the Bramana who has good works in view, offer. (466)
14. 'He who, after leaving sensual pleasures, wanders about victorious, he
who knows the end of birth and death, who is perfectly happy (parinibbuta),
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calm like a deep water, Tathagata deserves the oblation. (467)
15. 'Just with the just and far from the unjust[1], Tathagata is possessed of
infinite understanding; undefiled both in this world and in the other, Tathagata
deserves the oblation. (468)
16. 'He in whom there lives no deceit, no arrogance, he who is free from
cupidity, free from selfishness, free from desire, who has banished anger, who
is calm, the Bramana who has removed the taint of grief, Tathagata deserves the
oblation. (469)
17. 'He who has banished (every) resting-place of the mind, he for whom there
is no grasping, he who covets nothing either in this world or in the other,
Tathagata deserves the oblation[2]. (470)
18. 'He who is composed, who has crossed over the stream (of existence) and
knows the Dhamma by (taking) the highest view (of it), he whose passions are
destroyed, who is wearing the last body, Tathagata deserves the oblation. (471)
19. 'He whose passion for existence and whose harsh talk are destroyed, are
perished, (and therefore) exist not, he the accomplished and in every respect
liberated Tathagata deserves the oblation. (472)
20. 'He who has shaken off all ties, for whom there are no ties, who amongst
arrogant beings is free from arrogance, having penetrated pain together with its
domain and subject, Tathagata deserves the oblation. (473)
21. 'He who, without giving himself up to desire, sees seclusion (i.e.
Nibbana), who has overcome the view that is to be taught by others, to whom
there
[1. Samo samehi visamehi dûre.
2. Comp. Dhp. v. 20.]
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are no objects of sense whatever, Tathagata deserves the oblation[1]. (474)
22. 'He to whom all Dhammas of every description, after he has penetrated
them, are destroyed, are perished, (and therefore) exist not, he who is calm,
liberated in the destruction of attachment (i.e. Nibbana), Tathagata deserves
the oblation. (475)
23. 'He who sees the destruction of bond and birth, who has totally evaded
the path of passion, (who is) pure, faultless, spotless, undepraved, Tathagata
deserves the oblation. (476)
24. 'He who does not measure himself by himself, who is composed, upright,
firm, without desire, free from harshness (akhila), free from doubt, Tathagata
deserves the oblation. (477)
25. 'He to whom there is no cause of folly, who has a supernatural insight in
all Dhammas, who wears the last body, and who has acquired perfect
enlightenment, the highest, the blessed, (for him) thus a Yakkha's purification
(takes place)[2].' (478)
26. Sundarikabharadvaga: 'May my offering be a true offering, because I met
with such a one out of the accomplished; Brahman is my witness, may Bhagavat
accept me, may Bhagavat enjoy my oblation.' (479)
27. Bhagavat: 'What is obtained by stanzas is not to be enjoyed by me, this
is not the custom of the clearly-seeing, O Bramana; Buddhas reject what is
obtained by stanzas. While the Dhamma
[1. asam anissaya vivekadassî
Paravediyam[*] ditthim upativatto
arammana yassa na santi keki, &c.
2. Comp. Kalahavivadasutta, v. 14.
*. Paravediyan ti parehi ñapetabbam. Commentator.]
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exists, O Bramana, this is the practice (of the Buddhas). (480)
28. 'With other food and drink must thou serve one that is perfect, a great
Isi, whose passions are destroyed, and whose misbehaviour has ceased, for this
is a field for one who looks for good works[1].' (481)
29. Sundarikabharadvaga: 'Good, O Bhagavat, then I should like to know, who
will enjoy a gift from one like me, and whom I shall seek at the time of
sacrifice (as one worthy of offerings) after having accepted thy doctrine.'
(482)
30. Bhagavat: 'Whosoever has no quarrels, whose mind is untroubled, and who
has freed himself from lusts, whose sloth is driven away, (483)
31. 'Whosoever conquers his sins, knows birth and death, the Muni who is
endowed with wisdom[2], such a one who has resorted to offering, (484)
32. 'Him you should worship and honour with food and drink; so the gifts will
prosper.' (485)
33. Sundarikabharadvaga: 'Thou Buddha deservest the oblation, (thou art) the
best field for good works, the object of offering to all the world; what is
given to thee will bear great fruit.' (486)
Then the Bramana Sundarikabharadvaga said this to Bhagavat: 'It is excellent,
O venerable Gotama! It is excellent, O venerable Gotama! As one raises what has
been overthrown, or reveals what has been hidden, or tells the way to him who
has gone astray, or holds out an oil lamp in the dark that those who have eyes
may see the objects, even so by the venerable Gotama in manifold ways the Dhamma
has been illustrated; I take refuge in
[1. Comp. Kasibharadvagsutta, v. 7.
2. Moneyyasampannam = paññasampannam. Commentator.]
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the venerable Gotama, in the Dhamma, and in the Assembly of Bhikkhus; I wish to
receive the robe and the orders from the venerable Gotama.'
The Bramana Sundarikabharadvaga received the pabbagga from Bhagavat, and he
received also the upasampada; and the venerable Bharadvaga, having lately
received the upasampada, leading a solitary, retired, strenuous, ardent,
energetic life, lived after having in a short time in this existence by his own
understanding ascertained and possessed himself of that highest perfection of a
religious life for the sake of which men of good family rightly wander away from
their houses to a houseless state. 'Birth had been destroyed, a religious life
had been led, what was to be done had been done, there was nothing else (to be
done) for this existence,' so he perceived, and the venerable Bharadvaga became
one of the arahats.
Sundarikabharadvagasutta is ended.