Majjhima Nikaya - Bhumija Sutta

MN 126
Bhumija Sutta
To Bhumija
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M iii 138



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1998
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.



I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha in
the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary.
Then, early in the morning, Ven. Bhumija put on his robes and, carrying his bowl
& outer robe, went to Prince Jayasena's residence.1 On arrival, he sat down on a
seat made ready. Prince Jayasena went to Ven. Bhumija and, on arrival, exchanged
courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &
courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Bhumija,
"Master Bhumija, there are some priests & contemplatives who espouse this
teaching, espouse this view: 'If one follows the holy life, even when having
made a wish [for results], one is incapable of obtaining results. If one follows
the holy life even when having made no wish, one is incapable of obtaining
results. If one follows the holy life even when both having made a wish and
having made no wish, one is incapable of obtaining results. If one follows the
holy life even when neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, one is
incapable of obtaining results.'2 With regard to that, what does Master
Bhumija's teacher say, what is his view, what does he declare?"
"I haven't heard this face to face with the Blessed One, prince, I haven't
received this face to face with the Blessed One, but there is the possibility
that the Blessed One would answer in this way: 'If one follows the holy life
inappropriately, even when having made a wish [for results], one is incapable of
obtaining results. If one follows the holy life inappropriately, even when
having made no wish... both having made a wish and having made no wish...
neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, one is incapable of
obtaining results. [But] if one follows the holy life appropriately, even when
having made a wish, one is capable of obtaining results. If one follows the holy
life appropriately, even when having made no wish... both having made a wish and
having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, one
is capable of obtaining results.' I haven't heard this face to face with the
Blessed One, I haven't received this face to face with the Blessed One, but
there is the possibility that the Blessed One would answer in this way."
"If that is what Master Bhumija's teacher says, if that is his view, if that is
what he declares, then yes, Master Bhumija's teacher stands, as it were, having
struck all of those many priests & contemplatives down by the head."
Prince Jayasena then served Ven. Bhumija from his own dish of milk rice.
Then Ven. Bhumija, after his meal, returning from his almsround, went to the
Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one
side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Just now, lord, early
in the morning, I put on my robes and, carrying my bowl & outer robe, went to
Prince Jayasena's residence. On arrival, I sat down on a seat made ready. Then
Prince Jayasena went to me and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with
me. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As
he was sitting there he said to me, 'Master Bhumija, there are some priest &
contemplatives who espouse this teaching, espouse this view: "If one follows the
holy life even when having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish...
both having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish
nor having made no wish, one is incapable of obtaining results." With regard to
that, what does Master Bhumija's teacher say, what is his view, what does he
declare?'
"When this was said, I replied to Prince Jayasena, 'I haven't heard this face to
face with the Blessed One, prince, I haven't received this face to face with the
Blessed One, but there is the possibility that the Blessed One would answer in
this way: "If one follows the holy life inappropriately, even when having made a
wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a wish and having
made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, one is
incapable of obtaining results. [But] if one follows the holy life
appropriately, even when having made a wish... having made no wish... both
having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor
having made no wish, one is capable of obtaining results." I haven't heard this
face to face with the Blessed One, I haven't received this face to face with the
Blessed One, but there is the possibility that the Blessed One would answer in
this way.'
"'If that is what Master Bhumija's teacher says, if that is his view, if that is
what he declares, then yes, Master Bhumija's teacher stands, as it were, having
struck all of those many priests & contemplatives down by the head.'
"Answering in this way when thus asked, lord, am I speaking in line with what
the Blessed One has said, am I not misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is
unfactual, am I answering in line with the Dhamma so that no one whose thinking
is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for criticizing me?"
"Certainly, Bhumija, in answering in this way when thus asked, you are speaking
in line with what I have said, you are not misrepresenting me with what is
unfactual, and you are answering in line with the Dhamma so that no one whose
thinking is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for criticizing you. For
any priests or contemplatives endowed with wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong
speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, & wrong
concentration: If they follow the holy life even when having made a wish [for
results], they are incapable of obtaining results. If they follow the holy life
even when having made no wish, they are incapable of obtaining results. If they
follow the holy life even when both having made a wish and having made no wish,
they are incapable of obtaining results. If they follow the holy life even when
neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, they are incapable of
obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an inappropriate way of obtaining
results.
"Suppose a man in need of oil, looking for oil, wandering in search of oil,
would pile gravel in a tub and press it, sprinkling it again & again with water.
If he were to pile gravel in a tub and press it, sprinkling it again & again
with water even when having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish...
both having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish
nor having made no wish, he would be incapable of obtaining results. Why is
that? Because it is an inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with wrong view, wrong
resolve, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong
mindfulness, & wrong concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are incapable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"Suppose a man in need of milk, looking for milk, wandering in search of milk,
would twist the horn of a newly-calved cow. If he were to twist the horn of a
newly-calved cow even when having made a wish [for results]... having made no
wish... both having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a
wish nor having made no wish, he would be incapable of obtaining results. Why is
that? Because it is an inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with wrong view, wrong
resolve, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong
mindfulness, & wrong concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are incapable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"Suppose a man in need of butter, looking for butter, wandering in search of
butter, would sprinkle water on water in a crock and twirl it with a
churn-stick. If he were to sprinkle water on water in a crock and twirl it with
a churn-stick even when having made a wish [for results]... having made no
wish... both having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a
wish nor having made no wish, he would be incapable of obtaining results. Why is
that? Because it is an inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with wrong view, wrong
resolve, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong
mindfulness, & wrong concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are incapable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"Suppose a man in need of fire, looking for fire, wandering in search of fire,
would take a fire stick and rub it into a wet, sappy piece of wood. If he were
to take a fire stick and rub it into a wet, sappy piece of wood even when having
made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a wish and
having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, he
would be incapable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with wrong view, wrong
resolve, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong
mindfulness, & wrong concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are incapable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
inappropriate way of obtaining results.
"But as for any priests or contemplatives endowed with right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, & right concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish, they are capable of obtaining results. If they follow the
holy life even when having made no wish, they are capable of obtaining results.
If they follow the holy life even when both having made a wish and having made
no wish, they are capable of obtaining results. If they follow the holy life
even when neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, they are capable
of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an appropriate way of obtaining
results.
"Suppose a man in need of oil, looking for oil, wandering in search of oil,
would pile sesame seeds in a tub and press them, sprinkling them again & again
with water. If he were to pile sesame seeds in a tub and press them, sprinkling
them again & again with water, even when having made a wish [for results]...
having made no wish... both having made a wish and having made no wish...
neither having made a wish nor having made no wish, he would be capable of
obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an appropriate way of obtaining
results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, & right concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are capable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
appropriate way of obtaining results.
"Suppose a man in need of milk, looking for milk, wandering in search of milk,
would twist the teat of a newly-calved cow. If he were to twist the teat of a
newly-calved cow even when having made a wish [for results]... having made no
wish... both having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a
wish nor having made no wish, he would be capable of obtaining results. Why is
that? Because it is an appropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, & right concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are capable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
appropriate way of obtaining results.
"Suppose a man in need of butter, looking for butter, wandering in search of
butter, would sprinkle water on curds in a crock and twirl them with a
churn-stick.3 If he were to sprinkle water on curds in a crock and twirl them
with a churn-stick even when having made a wish [for results]... having made no
wish... both having made a wish and having made no wish... neither having made a
wish nor having made no wish, he would be capable of obtaining results. Why is
that? Because it is an appropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, & right concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are capable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
appropriate way of obtaining results.
"Suppose a man in need of fire, looking for fire, wandering in search of fire,
would take a fire stick and rub it into a dry, sapless piece of wood. If he were
to take a fire stick and rub it into a dry, sapless piece of wood even when
having made a wish [for results]... having made no wish... both having made a
wish and having made no wish... neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, he would be capable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
appropriate way of obtaining results.
"In the same way, any priests or contemplatives endowed with right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, & right concentration: If they follow the holy life even when
having made a wish [for results], they are capable of obtaining results. If they
follow the holy life even when having made no wish, they are capable of
obtaining results. If they follow the holy life even when both having made a
wish and having made no wish, they are capable of obtaining results. If they
follow the holy life even when neither having made a wish nor having made no
wish, they are capable of obtaining results. Why is that? Because it is an
appropriate way of obtaining results.
"Bhumija, if these four similes had occurred to you in the presence of Prince
Jayasena, he would have naturally felt confidence in you and — feeling
confidence — would have shown his confidence in you."
"But, lord, how could these four similes have occurred to me in the presence of
Prince Jayasena, as they are natural to the Blessed One and have never before
been heard from him?"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Bhumija delighted in the
Blessed One's words.



Notes
1. According to the Commentary, Ven. Bhumija was Prince Jayasena's uncle.
2. These priests & contemplatives are probably the proponents of non-action,
annihilation, and non-relatedness as presented in DN 2.
3. To this day, this is the way butter is obtained in rural north India. The
churn-stick is a small stick that has attached to its end blocks of wood
resembling an orange with alternate sections removed. This is twirled in the
curds. The water sprinkled on the curds dilutes the buttermilk, which helps in
separating it from the milk fat left on the blocks of the churn-stick.