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Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.10 Linked Discourses 51.10
1. Cāpālavagga 1. At the Cāpāla Shrine
Cetiyasutta At the Cāpāla Shrine
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. This discourse is found at AN 8.70 and Ud 6.1, and is also included as a section of the Mahāparinibbānasutta (DN 16:3.1.1).
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms.
Vesāliyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda:
“gaṇhāhi, ānanda, nisīdanaṁ. “Ānanda, get your sitting cloth. This detail is often mentioned in texts of the Sarvāstivāda school, but rarely in Pali.
Yena cāpālaṁ cetiyaṁ tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti. Let’s go to the Cāpāla Shrine for the day’s meditation.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā nisīdanaṁ ādāya bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi. “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha.
Atha kho bhagavā yena cāpālaṁ cetiyaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Then the Buddha went up to the Cāpāla Shrine, and sat down on the seat spread out.
Āyasmāpi kho ānando bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ānanda bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said to him:
“Ramaṇīyā, ānanda, vesālī, ramaṇīyaṁ udenaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ gotamakaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ sattambaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ bahuputtaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ sārandadaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ cāpālaṁ cetiyaṁ. “Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Shrines are all lovely.
Yassa kassaci, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, so ākaṅkhamāno kappaṁ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṁ vā. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it. Normally kappa as a period of time means “eon”, but the late canonical texts Kathāvatthu (Kv 11.5) and Milindapañha (Mil 5.1.10) argue that it means the “lifespan”, an interpretation followed by the commentaries. Support for this comes from DN 26:28.3, which says that “long life” for a mendicant is the four bases of psychic power which enable you to remain for the kappa. Here it is surely talking about a full lifespan. Underlying this is the idea that in different epochs the “proper lifespan” varies; in the Buddha’s day it was one hundred years (DN 14:1.7.7). We can resolve the problem if we read kappa here, not as a period of time, but as “(that which is) proper, fitting”, i.e. the “proper” lifespan of a hundred years. The cosmic sense can be seen as derived from the same idea; a kalpa is “(that which is) proper (for the cosmos)”.
Tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā. Ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, tathāgato kappaṁ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṁ vā”ti. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”
Evampi kho āyasmā ānando bhagavatā oḷārike nimitte kayiramāne oḷārike obhāse kayiramāne nāsakkhi paṭivijjhituṁ; But Ānanda didn’t get it, even though the Buddha dropped such an obvious hint, such a clear sign.
na bhagavantaṁ yāci: He didn’t beg the Buddha,
“tiṭṭhatu, bhante, bhagavā kappaṁ, tiṭṭhatu sugato kappaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan”ti yathā taṁ mārena pariyuṭṭhitacitto. “Sir, may the Blessed One please remain for the proper lifespan! May the Holy One please remain for the proper lifespan! That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.” For his mind was as if possessed by Māra. Here Ānanda’s mind is “as if” possessed (yathā), but in the Vinaya yathā is missing: he is possessed (Kd 1:1.10.17). Remember, Ānanda is telling this story about himself.
Dutiyampi kho bhagavā …pe… For a second time …
tatiyampi kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: For a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda:
“ramaṇīyā, ānanda, vesālī, ramaṇīyaṁ udenaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ gotamakaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ sattambaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ bahuputtaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ sārandadaṁ cetiyaṁ, ramaṇīyaṁ cāpālaṁ cetiyaṁ. “Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Shrines are all lovely.
Yassa kassaci, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, so ākaṅkhamāno kappaṁ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṁ vā. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.
Tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā. Ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, tathāgato kappaṁ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṁ vā”ti. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”
Evampi kho āyasmā ānando bhagavatā oḷārike nimitte kayiramāne oḷārike obhāse kayiramāne nāsakkhi paṭivijjhituṁ; But Ānanda didn’t get it, even though the Buddha dropped such an obvious hint, such a clear sign.
na bhagavantaṁ yāci: He didn’t beg the Buddha,
“tiṭṭhatu, bhante, bhagavā kappaṁ, tiṭṭhatu sugato kappaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan”ti yathā taṁ mārena pariyuṭṭhitacitto. “Sir, may the Blessed One please remain for the proper lifespan! May the Holy One please remain for the proper lifespan! That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.” For his mind was as if possessed by Māra.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: Then the Buddha said to him,
“gaccha kho tvaṁ, ānanda, “Go now, Ānanda,
yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī”ti. at your convenience.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā avidūre aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisīdi. “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before sitting at the root of a tree close by.
Atha kho māro pāpimā, acirapakkante āyasmante ānande, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: And then, not long after Ānanda had left, Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and said to him: Māra (see SN 4.1:2.1) feigns compassion, urging the Buddha to find his final peace; but he has an ulterior motive, for with the Buddha’s passing Māra’s job will be much easier.
“Parinibbātu dāni, bhante, bhagavā, parinibbātu dāni sugato. Parinibbānakālo dāni, bhante, bhagavato. “Sir, may the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
Bhāsitā kho panesā, bhante, bhagavatā vācā: Sir, you once made this statement:
‘na tāvāhaṁ, pāpima, parinibbāyissāmi yāva me bhikkhū na sāvakā bhavissanti viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā sāmīcippaṭipannā anudhammacārino, sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ uggahetvā ācikkhissanti desessanti paññapessanti paṭṭhapessanti vivarissanti vibhajissanti uttānīkarissanti, uppannaṁ parappavādaṁ sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā sappāṭihāriyaṁ dhammaṁ desessantī’ti. ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until I have monk disciples who are competent, educated, assured, learned, have memorized the teachings, and practice in line with the principle of the teaching. Not until they practice properly, living in line with the teaching. Not until they’ve learned their own denomination, and explain, teach, assert, establish, disclose, analyze, and make it clear. Not until they can legitimately and completely refute the doctrines of others that come up, and teach with a demonstrable basis.’ Māra is citing the Buddha’s words for his own purpose. The Pali tradition does not say when this encounter took place, but the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Catuṣparisatsūtra places it shortly after the Buddha’s awakening.
Santi kho pana, bhante, etarahi bhikkhū bhagavato sāvakā viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā sāmīcippaṭipannā anudhammacārino, sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ uggahetvā ācikkhanti desenti paññapenti paṭṭhapenti vivaranti vibhajanti uttānīkaronti, uppannaṁ parappavādaṁ sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā sappāṭihāriyaṁ dhammaṁ desenti. Today you do have such monk disciples.
Parinibbātu dāni, bhante, bhagavā, parinibbātu dāni, sugato. Parinibbānakālo dāni, bhante, bhagavato. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
Bhāsitā kho panesā, bhante, bhagavatā vācā: Sir, you once made this statement:
‘na tāvāhaṁ, pāpima, parinibbāyissāmi yāva me bhikkhuniyo na sāvikā bhavissanti viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā sāmīcippaṭipannā anudhammacāriniyo, sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ uggahetvā ācikkhissanti desessanti paññapessanti paṭṭhapessanti vivarissanti vibhajissanti uttānīkarissanti, uppannaṁ parappavādaṁ sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā sappāṭihāriyaṁ dhammaṁ desessantī’ti. ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until I have nun disciples who are competent, educated, self-assured, learned …’ … This passage makes it clear that it was the Buddha’s intention from the beginning to establish an order of nuns (bhikkhunī). This passage lists the four assemblies that constitute a full dispensation; a similar pattern was recognized by the Jains.
Santi kho pana, bhante, etarahi bhikkhuniyo bhagavato sāvikā viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā sāmīcippaṭipannā anudhammacāriniyo, sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ uggahetvā ācikkhanti desenti paññapenti paṭṭhapenti vivaranti vibhajanti uttānīkaronti, uppannaṁ parappavādaṁ sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā sappāṭihāriyaṁ dhammaṁ desenti. Today you do have such nun disciples.
Parinibbātu dāni, bhante, bhagavā, parinibbātu dāni, sugato. Parinibbānakālo dāni, bhante, bhagavato. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
Bhāsitā kho panesā, bhante, bhagavatā vācā: Sir, you once made this statement:
‘na tāvāhaṁ, pāpima, parinibbāyissāmi yāva me upāsakā …pe… ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until I have layman disciples …
yāva me upāsikā na sāvikā bhavissanti viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā sāmīcippaṭipannā anudhammacāriniyo, sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ uggahetvā ācikkhissanti desessanti paññapessanti paṭṭhapessanti vivarissanti vibhajissanti uttānīkarissanti, uppannaṁ parappavādaṁ sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā sappāṭihāriyaṁ dhammaṁ desessantī’ti. and laywoman disciples who are competent, educated, self-assured, learned …’ …
Santi kho pana, bhante, etarahi upāsakā … Today you do have such layman Note the mixing up of the gender sequence, not found in AN 8.70 or DN 16.
upāsikā bhagavato sāvikā viyattā vinītā visāradā bahussutā dhammadharā dhammānudhammappaṭipannā sāmīcippaṭipannā anudhammacāriniyo, sakaṁ ācariyakaṁ uggahetvā ācikkhanti desenti paññapenti paṭṭhapenti vivaranti vibhajanti uttānīkaronti, uppannaṁ parappavādaṁ sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā sappāṭihāriyaṁ dhammaṁ desenti. and laywoman disciples.
Parinibbātu dāni, bhante, bhagavā, parinibbātu dāni, sugato. Parinibbānakālo dāni, bhante, bhagavato. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
Bhāsitā kho panesā, bhante, bhagavatā vācā: Sir, you once made this statement:
‘na tāvāhaṁ, pāpima, parinibbāyissāmi yāva me idaṁ brahmacariyaṁ na iddhañceva bhavissati phītañca vitthāritaṁ bāhujaññaṁ puthubhūtaṁ yāva devamanussehi suppakāsitan’ti. ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until my spiritual path is successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and fully revealed among gods and humans.’
Tayidaṁ, bhante, bhagavato brahmacariyaṁ iddhañceva phītañca vitthāritaṁ bāhujaññaṁ puthubhūtaṁ yāva devamanussehi suppakāsitaṁ. Today your spiritual path is successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and fully revealed among gods and humans.
Parinibbātu dāni, bhante, bhagavā, parinibbātu dāni sugato. Parinibbānakālo dāni, bhante, bhagavato”ti. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ etadavoca: When this was said, the Buddha said to Māra,
“appossukko tvaṁ, pāpima, hohi. Na ciraṁ tathāgatassa parinibbānaṁ bhavissati. “Relax, Wicked One. The full extinguishment of the Realized One will be soon. This passage is the narrative inverse of the occasion when Brahmā begged the Buddha to teach (SN 6.1:5.5, etc.). Throughout, the sutta artfully preserves a degree of narrative ambiguity. Here it almost appears as if the Buddha assents to passing away because of Māra’s request, although his intent was clear earlier. Māra’s reasoning, moreover, is based on the Buddha’s own words.
Ito tiṇṇaṁ māsānaṁ accayena tathāgato parinibbāyissatī”ti. Three months from now the Realized One will be fully extinguished.” See DN 16:3.9.3 for a discussion of this date.
Atha kho bhagavā cāpāle cetiye sato sampajāno āyusaṅkhāraṁ ossaji. So at the Cāpāla Shrine the Buddha, mindful and aware, surrendered the life force. The Cāpāla shrine is unknown outside of this context. The Udāna commentary says that it was named after the yakkha who formerly lived there. Now, cāpalla means “fickleness, propensity to tremble” and is from the same root as earth-“quake” (bhumicāla; capala = pacala via metathesis). It is no great leap to cāpāla. If this is correct, it suggests that the shrine was dedicated to an earth spirit who commanded earthquakes; a fitting setting for the events to follow.
Ossaṭṭhe ca bhagavatā āyusaṅkhāre mahābhūmicālo ahosi bhiṁsanako lomahaṁso, devadundubhiyo ca phaliṁsu. When he did so there was a great earthquake, awe-inspiring and hair-raising, and thunder cracked the sky. Northern India lies in the shadow of the seismically active Alpide Belt, so the occurrence of earthquakes is realistic even if the causes are not scientific.
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“Tulamatulañca sambhavaṁ, “Comparing the incomparable with the creation of prolonged life, For this difficult verse, I generally follow Bhikkhu Bodhi’s long discussion in Connected Discourses of the Buddha, note 255 on the Mahāvagga. Sambhava means “production, creation”, and here I think it refers to the prolonging of life which the Buddha had just rejected.
Bhavasaṅkhāramavassaji muni; the sage surrendered the life force. Bhavasaṅkhāra (“life force”) here is equivalent to āyusaṅkhāra and jīvitasaṅkhāra.
Ajjhattarato samāhito, Happy inside, serene,
Abhindi kavacamivattasambhavan”ti. he shattered self-creation like a suit of armor.” Attasambhava (“self-creation”) harks back to sambhava in the first line.
Dasamaṁ.
Cāpālavaggo paṭhamo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Apārāpi viraddho ca,
ariyā nibbidāpi ca;
Padesaṁ samattaṁ bhikkhu,
buddhaṁ ñāṇañca cetiyanti.