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Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.9 Linked Discourses 7.9
1. Arahantavagga 1. The Perfected Ones
Sundarikasutta With Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā Sundarika
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sundarikāya nadiyā tīre. At one time the Buddha was staying in the Kosalan lands on the bank of the Sundarikā River. This Sutta, and its expanded parallel at Snp 3.4, contains a dense array of allusions and plays on Vedic concepts.On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans on the bank of the river Sundarika.
Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo sundarikāya nadiyā tīre aggiṁ juhati, aggihuttaṁ paricarati. Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā was serving the sacred flame and performing the fire sacrifice on the bank of the Sundarikā. This is evidently the midday fire oblation described at Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 2.2.3. A brahmin householder, worshiping when the sun is at its most powerful and the forces of darkness weakest, renders offerings to Agni so that he will drive away evils. | The Sundarikā was a sacred river (MN 7:20.3). Bathing in the ford there was said to bring beauty (Mahābhārata 3.82.51).Now on that occasion the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja was offering a fire sacrifice and performing the fire oblation on the bank of the river Sundarika.
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo aggiṁ juhitvā aggihuttaṁ paricaritvā uṭṭhāyāsanā samantā catuddisā anuvilokesi: Then he rose from his seat and surveyed the four quarters, wondering, Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja, having offered the fire sacrifice and performed the fire oblation, rose from his seat and surveyed the four quarters all around, wondering:
“ko nu kho imaṁ habyasesaṁ bhuñjeyyā”ti? “Now who might eat the leftovers of this oblation?” The concept of “leftovers” (sesa) is supremely important in the ritual, for what is burned away is for the gods and humans live on what is left. Normally leavings would have been given to a brahmin and not lower castes (Manu 4.80, 3.249; Khādira Gṛhyasūtra 2.1.29). | At Snp 3.4:10.5 the offering is specified as a sacrificial cake (pūraḷāsa, Sanskrit puroḍāśa).“Who now might eat this sacrificial cake?”
Addasā kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle sasīsaṁ pārutaṁ nisinnaṁ. He saw the Buddha meditating at the root of a certain tree with his robe pulled over his head. The brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja saw the Blessed One sitting at the foot of a tree with his head covered.
Disvāna vāmena hatthena habyasesaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena kamaṇḍaluṁ gahetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Taking the leftovers of the oblation in his left hand and a pitcher in the right he approached the Buddha. Having seen him, he took the sacrificial cake in his left hand and the waterpot in his right hand and approached the Blessed One.
Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa padasaddena sīsaṁ vivari. When he heard Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā’s footsteps the Buddha uncovered his head. When the Blessed One heard the sound of the brahmin’s footsteps, he uncovered his head.
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo “muṇḍo ayaṁ bhavaṁ, muṇḍako ayaṁ bhavan”ti tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi. Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā thought, “This man is shaven, he is shaven!” And he wanted to turn back. Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja, thinking, “This worthy is shaven-headed, this worthy is a shaveling, ” wanted to turn back;
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi: But he thought, but it occurred to him:
“muṇḍāpi hi idhekacce brāhmaṇā bhavanti; “Even some brahmins are shaven. “Some brahmins here are also shaven-headed.
yannūnāhaṁ taṁ upasaṅkamitvā jātiṁ puccheyyan”ti. Why don’t I go to him and ask about his birth?” Let me approach him and inquire about his birth. ”
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: Then the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā went up to the Buddha, and said to him, Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja approached the Blessed One and said to him:
“kiṁjacco bhavan”ti? “Sir, what are you by birth?” From here the Sutta omits a passage from Snp 3.4:3.1–13.1.“What is the worthy one’s birth?”
“Mā jātiṁ puccha caraṇañca puccha, “Don’t ask about birth, ask about conduct; Here we rejoin Snp 3.4:14.1 for a time.[The Blessed One: ] “Ask not of birth but ask of conduct:
Kaṭṭhā have jāyati jātavedo; for the fire of Jātaveda is born from sticks. The line plays with jāti (“birth”), jāyati (“give birth”), and jātaveda. The latter is a Vedic word for fire. Its meaning is obscure, but I think the sense is jāta (“those who have been born”, i.e. “mortals”) plus vedas (“knowledge”), i.e. “one who brings knowledge to mortals”. This is the fire-god Agni, who comes down from the sun to the sacrificial fire, bringing light and awareness and Vedic knowledge to those who have been born, namely mortal humans. In this passage, it implies that anyone who “has been born” can “give birth” to “knowledge” regardless of their “birth”.Fire is indeed produced from any wood.
Nīcākulīnopi muni dhitimā, A steadfast sage, even though from a low class family, A resolute sage, though from low family,
Ājānīyo hoti hirīnisedho. is a thoroughbred checked by conscience. Is a thoroughbred restrained by a sense of shame.
Saccena danto damasā upeto, Tamed by truth, fulfilled by taming, One tamed by truth, perfect by taming,
Vedantagū vusitabrahmacariyo; a complete knowledge master who has completed the spiritual journey—“Complete knowledge master” is vedantagū, which in the Vedic system would mean, “one who has completely mastered the Vedas”.Who has reached the end of knowledge, A fulfiller of the holy life.
Yaññopanīto tamupavhayetha, that’s who a sacrificer should woo, Upavhayati (“woo”) occurs only here and DN 20:11.15 in Pali. It is a Vedic term for invoking or calling up blessings in a whisper. | From here the text diverges again from Snp 3.4:15.3, which inserts a long series of verses.“The sacrificer should invoke this one:
Kālena so juhati dakkhiṇeyye”ti. and offer a timely oblation to one worthy of a religious donation.” Then he makes a timely oblation To one worthy of offerings. ”
“Addhā suyiṭṭhaṁ suhutaṁ mama yidaṁ, “My sacrificial offering must have been well performed, [The brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja: ] “Surely my sacrifice is well performed
Yaṁ tādisaṁ vedagumaddasāmi; since I have met such a knowledge master! As I have seen such a knowledge-master.
Tumhādisānañhi adassanena, It’s because I’d never met anyone like you Because I had not seen those like yourself
Añño jano bhuñjati habyasesan”ti. that others ate the leftover oblation. Other people ate the sacrificial cake.
“Bhuñjatu bhavaṁ gotamo. May the worthy Gotama eat! “Let Master Gotama eat.
Brāhmaṇo bhavan”ti. The worthy one is a brahmin.” Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.24.4 says that one performing the fire ritual with true wisdom may even offer to an outcaste.The worthy is a brahmin. ”
“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ, “Food enchanted by a verse isn’t fit for me to eat. See SN 2.9:7.3 and note.“Food over which verses have been sung
Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo; That’s not the principle of those who see, brahmin.
Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā, The Buddhas cast aside things enchanted with verses.
Dhamme sati brāhmaṇa vuttiresā. Since there is such a principle, brahmin, that’s how they live.
Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ, Serve with other food and drink
Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ; the consummate one, the great seer,
Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu, with defilements ended and remorse stilled.
Khettañhi taṁ puññapekkhassa hotī”ti. For he is the field for the seeker of merit.” For he is the field for one seeking merit. ”
“Atha kassa cāhaṁ, bho gotama, imaṁ habyasesaṁ dammī”ti? “Then, Worthy Gotama, to whom should I give the leftovers of this oblation?” “Then, Master Gotama, should I give this sacrificial cake to someone else?”
“Na khvāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yasseso habyaseso bhutto sammā pariṇāmaṁ gaccheyya aññatra, brāhmaṇa, tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā. “Brahmin, I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who can properly digest these leftovers, except the Realized One or one of his disciples. At Snp 3.4:34.4 the Buddha recommends giving instead to arahants.“I do not see anyone, brahmin, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, who could eat and properly digest this sacrificial cake except the Tathāgata or a disciple of the Tathāgata.
Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, taṁ habyasesaṁ appaharite vā chaḍḍehi appāṇake vā udake opilāpehī”ti. Well then, brahmin, throw out those leftovers where there is little that grows, or drop them into water that has no living creatures.” In a text on the agnihotra, Prajāpatī is depicted as pouring the oblation on plants and water (Kāṭhaka Saṁhitā 6.2). The Āpastamba Dharmasūtra says that the student must “not leave any food uneaten. If he is unable to do so, he should bury the leftovers in the ground, (or) throw them in the water” (1.4.12). See too Śathapatha Brāhmaṇa 3.8.5.9, where the stake for the heart of the sacrificial beast is disposed on the muddy ground between water and dry land, so as to disturb neither.Therefore, brahmin, throw away the sacrificial cake in a place where there is sparse vegetation or dispose of it in water where there are no living beings. ”
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo taṁ habyasesaṁ appāṇake udake opilāpesi. So Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā dropped the leftover oblation in water that had no living creatures. Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja disposed of that sacrificial cake in water where there were no living beings.
Atha kho so habyaseso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati. And when those leftovers were placed in the water, they sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming. When it was disposed of in the water, that sacrificial cake sizzled and hissed and gave off steam and smoke.
Seyyathāpi nāma phālo divasaṁsantatto udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati; Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you placed it in the water, it would sizzle and hiss, steaming and fuming. Just as a ploughshare, heated all day, sizzles and hisses and gives off steam and smoke if placed in water,
evameva so habyaseso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati. In the same way, when those leftovers were placed in the water, they sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming. so too that sacrificial cake, when disposed of in the water, sizzled and hissed and gave off steam and smoke.
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Then the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā, shocked and awestruck, went up to the Buddha, and stood to one side. Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja, shocked and terrified, approached the Blessed One and stood to one side.
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho sundarikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ bhagavā gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi: The Buddha addressed him in verse: In these verses, the Buddha systematically critiques and realigns the fire sacrifice.The Blessed One then addressed him with verses:
“Mā brāhmaṇa dāru samādahāno, “When you’re kindling the wood, brahmin, “When kindling wood, brahmin, do not imagine
Suddhiṁ amaññi bahiddhā hi etaṁ; don’t imagine this is purity, for it’s just external. This external deed brings purity;
Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti, For those who are skilled say this is no way to purity, For experts say no purity is gained
Yo bāhirena parisuddhimicche. when one seeks purity in externals. By one who seeks it outwardly.
Hitvā ahaṁ brāhmaṇa dārudāhaṁ, I’ve given up kindling firewood, brahmin, “Having given up the fire made from wood, I kindle, O brahmin,
Ajjhattamevujjalayāmi jotiṁ; now I light only the inner flame.
Niccagginī niccasamāhitatto, Always blazing, always serene, This passage plays on the homonyms samādahati (“kindle”, root meaning “to burn”) and samādahati (“serene”, “stilled”, “immersed”, root meaning “to place”). He no longer “burns” the sacred flame, but “is serene” with the inner light of samādhi. the inner light alone. Always ablaze, my mind always concentrated,
Arahaṁ ahaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carāmi. I am a perfected one leading the spiritual life. I am an arahant living the holy life.
Māno hi te brāhmaṇa khāribhāro, Conceit, brahmin, is the burden of your pack, Such passages of equivalences or connections are characteristic of post-Vedic literature. For example, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.5.6 says the juhū spoon is speech, the upabhṛt cup the mind, the dhruvā vessel the eye, the sruvā ladle the mental power, the bath the truth, the conclusion heaven. | A “pack” (khāri) was originally “donkey-load”, but here it must be a heavy weight for a single person. The Buddha is saying that carrying around the cenceit of “self” is a heavy burden.“Conceit, O brahmin, is your shoulder-load,
Kodho dhumo bhasmani mosavajjaṁ; anger your smoke, and lies your ashes. Smoke conveys the sacrifice to heaven (eg. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 3.7.133, “May smoke rise to the sky, light to heaven, may ash fill the earth). For smoke in the sense of “fuming”, see AN 4.200:13.1, MN 23:2.1. | Sacred ash, the purifying divine residue from the fire, was smeared on the forehead or body as a sign of holiness. Here, however, the implication is that when the “fuming” anger is cold, all that is left are the lies spoken in the heat of rage. The line plays with the curse that those who hate us should be reduced to ashes (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 6.6.3.10, see MN 93:18.19).Anger the smoke, false speech the ashes;
Jivhā sujā hadayaṁ jotiṭhānaṁ, The tongue is the ladle, the heart the fireplace; The sujā (Sanskrit sruvā) is a small ladle of udumbara fig wood. It is dipped into the ghee or milk, lapping like a tongue, a metaphor often deployed in the Rig Veda (1.61.5, 3.31.3, 5.1.3, 10.109.5). The sacrifice of ghee, honey, and milk is driven by the craving to experience such delicious tastes. | The jotiṭhāna (“fireplace”) was a depression in the ground in which the fire was kindled. Here joti must be translated “fire”, but it is the same word as “light” in the next line. The Buddha is saying that the light/fire is kindled in the heart (hadayaṁ jotiṭhānaṁ). This draws on Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.7, where the Self is the “light within the heart” (hṛdyantarjyoti).The tongue is the ladle, the heart the altar,
Attā sudanto purisassa joti. a well-tamed self is a person’s light. Attā … purisassa joti is a direct reference to Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.2. Janaka asks Yājñavalkya, “What is this person’s light?” (kiṁjyotirayaṁ puruṣa). Yājñavalkya answers, “The self, indeed, is his light” (ātmaivāsya jyotirbhavati). The key difference is the term “well-tamed” (sudanto). For the Buddha, what is known as a “self” is conditioned and changing, so must be developed, and only then becomes a blessing. In such cases, “self” is practically equivalent to “mind”.A well-tamed self is the light of a man.
Dhammo rahado brāhmaṇa sīlatittho, The teaching is a lake, brahmin, into which ethics are the stairs, The lake (rahada) was a pool of water into which the sacrificer descends seeking renewal or protection (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 4.1.5.12, 4.4.5.10). | The tittha was the sacred bathing place, originally the stairs or descent that provided passage to the waters. | This verse occurs independently at SN 7.21:3.1.“The Dhamma is a lake with fords of virtue—
Anāvilo sabbhi sataṁ pasattho; unclouded, praised by the fine to the good. Limpid, praised by the good to the good—
Yattha have vedaguno sinātā, There the knowledge masters go to bathe, Where the knowledge-masters go to bathe,
Anallagattāva taranti pāraṁ. and cross to the far shore with dry limbs. The use of deliberate paradox—bathe without getting wet—is characteristic of Vedic verse. The water rolls off them as it does a lotus.And, dry-limbed, cross to the far shore.
Saccaṁ dhammo saṁyamo brahmacariyaṁ, Truth, principle, restraint, the spiritual life, See similar sets of virtues at DN 30:1.6.2 and SN 24.6:1.7. | This verse seems clumsy to me, and I retain that in the translation.“Truth, Dhamma, restraint, the holy life,
Majjhe sitā brāhmaṇa brahmapatti; attaining divinity based on the middle, brahmin— “Attainment of divinity” (brahmapatti) is found in Brahmanical sense at Katha Upaniṣad 6.18.Attainment of Brahmā based on the middle:
Sa tujjubhūtesu namo karohi, pay homage to the upright ones. The commentary says the t in sat is a mere particle, and the pronoun should be read as second person. | The “upright ones” are the arahants.Pay homage, O brahmin, to the upright ones;
Tamahaṁ naraṁ dhammasārīti brūmī”ti. I declare that man one who follows the teaching.” Dhammasārī is a unique phrase. Normally, sārī means “one who follows”, making this an abbreviation of dhammānusārī, a “follower of teachings”. Elsewhere, however, this refers only to a specific stage prior to stream-entry (SN 25.1:2.1). We do find dhammasāra elsewhere in the sense “heartwood of the teaching” (SN 55.43:5.3, Thag 16.3:18.2), and perhaps sārī here means “having the essence of”. This form is not attested in Pali, but it is found in Sanskrit. Such an option is not endorsed by the commentary, which supplies two possibilities. One relies on the causative form sāretvā, “one who makes unskillful qualities leave”. The second is curious: one is “covered by the sārī of Dhamma”. That this means the saree dress is confirmed by the subcommentary’s “dressed and decorated”. If correct, this may be the earliest occurrence of sārī in this sense; the standard Pali spelling is sāṭī. By this reading we might translate, “draped in the teaching”. | “That man” according to the commentary refers to one who practices in such a way.I call that person one impelled by Dhamma. ”
Evaṁ vutte, sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā said to the Buddha, When this was said, the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One:
“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… “Excellent, worthy Gotama …” … “Magnificent, Master Gotama!”…
aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti. And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected. And the Venerable Sundarika Bhāradvāja became one of the arahants.