Majjhima Nikaya - Madhura Sutta

84. Madhura Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA II
II. 4. 4. Madhurasuttaü
(84) The Discourse Given at Madhura

I heard thus. At one time venerable Mahàkaccàyana was living in Madhura in the
Gunda forest. King Avantiputta of Madhura heard that venerable Mahàkaccàyana was
living in Madhura in the Gunda forest, and fame of venerable Mahàkaccàyana had
spread, he is wise, learned, a clever preacher, a perfected one since long, and
it is good to see such perfect ones. Then king Avantiputta of Madhura getting
ready good conveyances went to see venerable Mahàkaccàyana in all royal
splendour. Going as far as the conveyances could carry them went on foot and
approached venerable Mahàkaccàyana. Approaching and exchanging friendly
greetings with venerable Mahàkaccàya, sat on a side and said thus: ßVenerable
sir, brahmins say, brahmins are from the chief clan, the most superior in
appearance, all other clans are inferior, its the brahmins born from the mouth
of Brahma, his hereditary sons, that purify, non-brahmins do not purify. What
has good Kaccàyana to say about this?û
ßGreat king it's only an utterance in the world: Brahmins are from the chief
clan, the most superior in appearance, all other clans are inferior, its only
the brahmins born from the mouth of Brahma, his hereditary sons, that purify,
non-brahmins do not purify. Great king, this, `Brahmins are from the chief clan,
the most superior in appearance, all other clans are inferior, its the brahmins
born from the mouth of Brahma, his hereditary sons, that purify, non-brahmins do
not purify' you should know that it is only an utterance in this manner. Great
king, to a warrior, there is prosperity, wealth, grains, silver, or soverign
gold, then would a warrior, stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk to
him pleasantly, or would a brahmin, or would one of householder clan, or would,
one of out caste clan, stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk to him
pleasantly?
ßGood Kaccayana, if there is prosperity, wealth, grains, silver, or soverign
gold to a warrior, then a warrior would stand up, retire last, do his biddings
and talk to him pleasantly, or even a brahmin, or even one of householder clan,
or evenone of out caste clan, would stand up, retire last, do his biddings and
talk to him pleasantly.û
ßGreat king, if there is prosperity wealth, grains, silver, or soverign gold to
a Brahmin then would a brahmin, stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk
to him pleasantly, or would a warrior, or would one of householder clan, or
would one of out caste clan, stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk to
him pleasantly?û
ßGood Kaccayana, if there is prosperity, wealth, grains, silver, or soverign
gold to a brahmin, then a brahmin wouldstand up, retire last, do his biddings
and talk to him pleasantly, even a warrior, or even one of householder clan, or
evenone of out caste clan, would stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk
to him pleasantly.û
ßGreat king, if there is prosperity, wealth, grains, silver, or soverign gold,
to one of househoder clan, would someone from the householder clan, warrior
clan, or brahmin clan, or out caste clan, stand up, retire last, do his biddings
and talk to him pleasantly?û
ßGood Kaccayana, if there is prosperity to one of househlolder clan in the form
of wealth, grains, silver, soverign gold, thenawarrior wouldstand up, retire
last, do his biddings and talk to him pleasantly, or even a brahmin, or even one
of householder clan, or evenone of out caste clan, would stand up, retire last,
do his biddings and talk to him pleasantly.û
ßGreat king, if there is prosperityin the form of wealth, grains, silver,
soverign gold to one of out caste clan, then would one of out castes' clan,
stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk to him pleasantly, or would a
warrior, or would one of brahmin clan, orwould one of householder clan, stand
up, retire last, do his biddings and talk to him pleasantly?û
ßGood Kaccayana, if there is prosperity in the form of wealth, grains, silver,
or soverign gold to one of out caste clan, then one of out castes' clan would
stand up, retire last, do his biddings and talk to him pleasantly, or even a
warrior, or even a brahmin, or evenone of householder clan, would stand up,
retire last, do his biddings and talk to him pleasantly.û
ßGreat king, when this is so, are not these four clans the same, or how is it
here?û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans become equal and I do not see
any difference in them.û
ßGreat king, this, `Brahmins are from the chief clan, the most superior in
appearance, all other clans are inferior, its the brahmins born from the mouth
of Brahma, his hereditary sons, that purify, non-brahmins do not purify,' You
should know that it is only an utterance in this manner too. Great king, there
are warriors, who destroy life, take the not given, misbehave in sexuality, tell
lies, slander, speak rough words, speak frivolous words, covet, those bear angry
minds and wrong view, would they after death be born in decrease in hell? Or is
it they would not be born in hell?û
ßGood Kaccayana, even if warriors, destroy life, take the not given, misbehave
in sexuality, tell lies, slander, speak rough words and speak frivolous words,
covet and bear an angry mind and maintain wrong view, after death they would be
born in decrease will go to loss. It occures to me thus, and I have heard this
from perfect ones.û
ßGreat king, good that it occures to you thus and you have heard it from perfect
ones. Great king, there are brahmins, -- those of householder clan, -- those of
the out castes' clan, who destroy of life, take the not given, misbehave in
sexuality, tell lies, slander speak rough words, speak frivolous words, covet,
bear angry minds and with wrong view, would they after death be born in decrease
in hell? Or is it they would not be born in hell?û
ßGood Kaccayana, even if those of out castes' clan, if they destroy life, take
the not given, misbehave in sexuality, tell lies, slander, speak rough words and
speak frivolous words, covet bear an angry mind and maintain wrong view, after
death would be born in decrease will go to loss. It occures to me thus, and I
have heard this from perfect ones. `.
ßGreat king, good that it occures to you thus, good that you have heard it from
the perfect ones. Great king, when this is so, are not these four clans the
same, or how is it here?û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans, become equal and I do not
see any difference in them.û
ßGreat king, this, `Brahmins are from the chief clan, the most superior in
appearance, all other clans are inferior, it's the brahmins born from the mouth
of Brahma, his hereditary sons, that purify, non-brahmins do not purify' you
should know that it is only an utterance in this manner too. Great king, there
are warriors, who abstain from, destroying life, taking the not given,
misbehaving in sexuality, telling lies, slandering, speaking rough words,
speaking frivolous words, coveting, bearing angry minds and with right view,
would they after death be born in increase in heaven? Or is it they would not be
born in heaven?û
ßGood Kaccayana, even the warriors, who abstain from, destroying life, taking
the not given, misbehaving in sexuality, telling lies, slandering, speaking
rough words, speaking frivolous words, coveting, bearing angry minds and who
maintain rightview, after death would be born in increase in heaven ithappens
thus, I have heard it from the perfect ones. `.
ßGreat king, good that it occures to you thus, good that you have heard it from
the perfect ones. Great king, there are brahmins, --- those of the householder
clan, ---of out castes' clan who abstain from, destroying life, taking the not
given, misbehaving in sexuality, telling lies, slandering, speaking rough words,
speaking frivolous words, coveting, bearing angry minds and those who maitain
rightview, would they after death be born in increase in heaven? Or is it they
would not be born in heaven?û
ßGood Kaccayana, even those of the out castes' clan if they abstain from,
destroying life, taking the not given, misbehaving in sexuality, telling lies,
slandering, speaking rough words, speaking frivolous words, coveting, bearing
angry minds and those who maintainrightview, after death, will be born in
increase in heaven, ithappens thus, I have heard it. from the perfect ones.û
ßGreat king, good that it occures to you thus, good that you have heard it from
the perfect ones. Great king, when this so, are not these four clans the same,
or how is it here?û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans are equal and I do not see
any difference in them.û
`Great king, this, `Brahmins are from the chief clan, the most superior in
appearance, all other clans are inferior, the brahmins are born from the mouth
of Brahma, his hereditary sons, thatpurify, non-brahmins do not purify' you
should know that it is only an utterance in this manner too. Here, great king a
certain warrior breaks into a house, carries away loot, robs, waits in ambush,
or goes to others' wives, then people get hold of him and show him to the king.
Me' lord this is a highway robber, mete him the punishment you desire-What would
you do?û
ßGood Kaccayana, I will get him destroyed or banished or mete to him, the
suitablepunishment. What is the reason? Good Kaccayana, earlier, he was reckoned
a warrior, and afterwards he came to be known as a robber.û
ßHere, great king a certain brahmin, --one of householder clan, --of outcastes'
clan, breaks into a house, carries away loot, robs, waits in ambush, or goes to
others' wives, then people get hold of him and show him to the king. Me' lord
this is a highway robber, mete him the punishment you desire-What would you do?û
ßGood Kaccayana, I will get him destroyed, or banished or mete to him, the
suitablepunishment. What is the reason? Good Kaccayana, earlier, he was reckoned
an outcaste, and afterwards he came to be known as a robber.û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans are equal and I do not see
any difference in them. `.
ßGreat king, when this so, are not these four clans the same, or how is it
here?û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans are equal and I do not see
any difference, in them.û
ßGreat king, this, `Brahmins are from the chief clan, the most superior in
appearance, all other clans are inferior, it's the brahmins born from the mouth
of Brahma, his hereditary sons, that purify, non-brahmins do not purify you
should know that it is only an utterance in this manner too. Here, great king a
certain warrior shaves head and beard, dons yellow clothes, goes forth as a
homeless. Gone forth abstains from destroying life, abstains from taking the not
given, abstains from telling lies, partakes one meal per a day and leads a pure
holy life: What would you do to him?û
ßGood Kaccayana, I will get up from the seat at his approach, offer him a seat,
invite him will provide with the four requisties of life, such as robes, morsel
food, dwellings and requisties when ill, and I will see to his righteous
protection. What is the reason? Good Kaccayana, earlier, he was reckoned a
warrior, and later he is reckoned a recluse.û
ßHere, great king a certain, brahmin, -- one of householder clan, --- one of
outcastes' clan, shaves head and beard, dons yellow clothes, goes forth
homeless. Gone forth abstains from, destroying life, taking the not given,
abstains telling lies, partakes one meal per a day and leads a pure holy life:
What would you do to him?û
Good Kaccayana, I will, get up from the seat at his approach, offer him a seat,
invite him, provide with the four requisties of life, such as robes, morsel
food, dwellings and requisties when ill, and see to his righteous protection.
What is the reason? Good Kaccayana, earlier, he was reckoned an outcaste, and
later he is reckoned a recluse.û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans are equal and I do not see
any difference in them.û
`Great king, when this so, are not these four clans the same, or how is it
here?û
ßGood Kaccayana, when this is so, these four clans are equal and I do not see
any difference in them.û
`Great king, this, `Brahmins are from the chief clan, the most superior in
appearance, all other clans are inferior, the brahmins born from the mouth of
Brahma, his hereditary sons, onlypurify, non-brahmins do not purify, you should
know that it is only an utterance in this manner too.û
When this was said, king Avantiputta of Madhura said thus to venerable
Mahàkaccayana. ßNow I understand good Kaccàyana, it's like something over
turned, is reinstalled, as something covered is made manifest, as the path was
shown to someone who had lost his way. It's as though an oil lamp was lighted
for those who have sight to see forms in the dark. In various ways the Teaching,
is explained by good Kaccayana. Now I take refuge in good Kaccayana, in the
Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus. May I be remembered as a lay disciple
who has taken refuge from today until the end of life.û
ßGreat king do not take my refuge, take refuge in that Blessed One as I have
done.û
ßGood Kaccayana, where does the Blessed One, perfect rightfully enlightened live
now?û
ßGreat king, the Blessed One, perfect rightfully enlightened has passed away.û
ßGood Kaccayana, if I hear, that the Blessed One perfcct rightfully enlightened
is seventy miles from here, I would go there, to see the Blessed One. If I hear
that the Blessed One perfcct rightfully enlightened is one hundred and forty
miles away from here two hundred and ten miles from here, three hundred and
fifty miles from here, seven hundred miles from here, I would go there, to see
the Blessed One. Good Kaccayana, since the Blessed One, perfect rightfully
enlightened has passed away. I take refuge in that Blessed One, in the Teaching
and the Community of bhikkhus. May good Kaccayana bear me as a lay disciple from
today until I die.û