Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati tapodārāme.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the hot spring park.
Atha kho āyasmā samiddhi rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya yena tapodā tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ. Tapode gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.
Then the venerable Samiddhi, having risen at the break of dawn, went to the hot spring to bathe. After bathing there and emerging from the water, he stood wearing a single robe, drying his limbs.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ tapodaṁ obhāsetvā yena āyasmā samiddhi tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā vehāsaṁ ṭhitā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then, when the night was ending, a certain deity of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire hot spring, approached the venerable Samiddhi. Having drawn near, she stood in the air and addressed the venerable Samiddhi in verse:
“Abhutvā bhikkhasi bhikkhu,
na hi bhutvāna bhikkhasi;
Bhutvāna bhikkhu bhikkhassu,
mā taṁ kālo upaccagā”ti.
“Without having enjoyed, you seek alms, bhikkhu,
you don’t seek alms after having enjoyed;
First enjoy, bhikkhu, then go seek alms,
don’t let time pass you by.”
“Kālaṁ vohaṁ na jānāmi,
channo kālo na dissati;
Tasmā abhutvā bhikkhāmi,
mā maṁ kālo upaccagā”ti.
“I do not know what the time might be,
time is concealed, it cannot be seen;
So, without enjoying, I seek alms,
may time not pass me by.”
Atha kho sā devatā pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhahitvā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ etadavoca: “daharo tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pabbajito susu kāḷakeso, bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato, paṭhamena vayasā, anikkīḷitāvī kāmesu. Bhuñja, bhikkhu, mānusake kāme; mā sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvī”ti.
Then that deity, having landed on the ground, said to the venerable Samiddhi: “You have gone forth while young, bhikkhu, with soft black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the |formative phase of life::the early, formative stage of life, before engagement in worldly or sensual pursuits [paṭhama + vayas]|, who has not yet dabbled in sensual pleasures. Enjoy the human pleasures, bhikkhu; do not abandon the directly visible to chase what is |time-consuming::involving time, lit. related to time [kālika]|.”
“Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvāmi. Kālikañca khvāhaṁ, āvuso, hitvā sandiṭṭhikaṁ anudhāvāmi. Kālikā hi, āvuso, kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā; ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo. Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.
“I have not abandoned what is directly visible, friend, in order to chase what is time-consuming. I have abandoned what is time-consuming, in order to pursue what is directly visible. For sensual pleasures, friend, have been declared by the Blessed One to be time-consuming, with much |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, |troublesome::lit. many problems [bahupāyāsa]|; and the |disadvantage::drawback, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]| in them is still greater. This |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| is directly visible, |immediate::not limited to a particular time [akālika]|, inviting verification, |onward leading::applicable, relevant, practical [opaneyyika]|, and to be personally experienced by the wise.”
“Kathañca, bhikkhu, kālikā kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo? Kathaṁ sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti?
“But how, bhikkhu, are sensual pleasures said by the Blessed One to be time-consuming, with much suffering, troublesome, and with a still greater disadvantage in them? And how is this Dhamma directly visible, immediate, inviting verification, |onward leading::applicable, relevant, practical [opaneyyika]|, and to be personally experienced by the wise?”
“Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, navo acirapabbajito adhunāgato imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ. Na tāhaṁ sakkomi vitthārena ācikkhituṁ. Ayaṁ so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho rājagahe viharati tapodārāme. Taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccha. Yathā te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti.
“Friend, I am new, recently ordained, and recently come to this Dhamma and |Vinaya::code of monastic discipline rules, training [vinaya]|. I am not able to explain it in detail. But that Blessed One, the |Arahant::a worthy one, a fully awakened being, epithet of the Buddha [arahant]|, the perfectly Awakened One, is dwelling at Rājagaha in the hot spring park. Approach that Blessed One and ask him about this matter. As he explains it to you, so you should remember it.”
“Na kho, bhikkhu, sukaro so bhagavā amhehi upasaṅkamituṁ, aññāhi mahesakkhāhi devatāhi parivuto. Sace kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, mayampi āgaccheyyāma dhammassavanāyā”ti.
“It is not easy for us to approach that Blessed One, bhikkhu, he is surrounded by other deities of great influence. But if you, bhikkhu, were to approach that Blessed One and ask him about this matter, then we will come along too in order to hear the Dhamma.”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā samiddhi tassā devatāya paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā samiddhi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Very well, friend,” replied the venerable Samiddhi to that deity. Then he approached the Blessed One, and having drawn near, paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, the venerable Samiddhi said to the Blessed One:
“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya yena tapodā tenupasaṅkamiṁ gattāni parisiñcituṁ. Tapode gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsiṁ gattāni pubbāpayamāno. Atha kho, bhante, aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ tapodaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā vehāsaṁ ṭhitā imāya gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
“Here, venerable sir, having risen at the break of dawn, I went to the hot spring to bathe my limbs. After bathing there and emerging from the water, I stood wearing a single robe, drying my limbs. Then, venerable sir, when the night was ending, a certain deity of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire hot spring, approached me. Having drawn near, she stood in the air, and addressed me in verse:
‘Abhutvā bhikkhasi bhikkhu,
na hi bhutvāna bhikkhasi;
Bhutvāna bhikkhu bhikkhassu,
mā taṁ kālo upaccagā’ti.
‘Without having enjoyed, you seek alms, bhikkhu,
you don‘t seek alms after having enjoyed;
First enjoy, bhikkhu, then go seek alms,
don’t let time pass you by.’
Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, taṁ devataṁ gāthāya paccabhāsiṁ:
When this was said, I replied to that deity with this verse:
‘Kālaṁ vohaṁ na jānāmi,
channo kālo na dissati;
Tasmā abhutvā bhikkhāmi,
mā maṁ kālo upaccagā’ti.
‘I do not know what the time might be,
time is concealed, it cannot be seen;
So, without enjoying, I seek alms,
may time not pass me by.’
Atha kho, bhante, sā devatā pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhahitvā maṁ etadavoca: ‘daharo tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pabbajito susu kāḷakeso, bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato, paṭhamena vayasā, anikkīḷitāvī kāmesu. Bhuñja, bhikkhu, mānusake kāme; mā sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvī’ti.
Then, venerable sir, that deity landed on the earth and said to me: ‘You are young, bhikkhu, gone forth with soft black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life, and you have not yet engaged in sensual pleasures. Enjoy human pleasures, bhikkhu; do not abandon the directly visible to chase what is time-consuming.’
Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, taṁ devataṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvāmi; kālikañca khvāhaṁ, āvuso, hitvā sandiṭṭhikaṁ anudhāvāmi. Kālikā hi, āvuso, kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā; ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo. Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.
When she had said that, venerable sir, I replied to her: ‘Friend, I have not abandoned what is directly visible to chase what is time-consuming. Rather, I have abandoned what is time-consuming to pursue what is directly visible. For sensual pleasures, friend, have been declared by the Blessed One to be time-consuming, with much suffering, troublesome; and the disadvantage in them is still greater. This Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting verification, |onward leading::applicable, relevant, practical [opaneyyika]|, and to be personally experienced by the wise.’
Evaṁ vutte, bhante, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca: ‘kathañca, bhikkhu, kālikā kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā; ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo? Kathaṁ sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti?
When this was said, venerable sir, that deity asked me: ‘But how, bhikkhu, are sensual pleasures said by the Blessed One to be time-consuming, with much suffering, troublesome, and with a still greater disadvantage in them? And how is this Dhamma directly visible, immediate, inviting verification, onward leading, and to be personally experienced by the wise?’
Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, taṁ devataṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘ahaṁ kho, āvuso, navo acirapabbajito adhunāgato imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, na tāhaṁ sakkomi vitthārena ācikkhituṁ. Ayaṁ so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho rājagahe viharati tapodārāme. Taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccha. Yathā te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsī’ti.
When she had said that, venerable sir, I replied: ‘Friend, I am new, recently ordained, and recently come to this Dhamma and Vinaya. I am not yet able to explain it in detail. But that Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One, is dwelling at Rājagaha in the hot spring park. Go to that Blessed One and ask him about this matter. Whatever the Blessed One explains to you, remember it accordingly.’
Evaṁ vutte, bhante, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca: ‘na kho, bhikkhu, sukaro so bhagavā amhehi upasaṅkamituṁ, aññāhi mahesakkhāhi devatāhi parivuto. Sace kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, mayampi āgaccheyyāma dhammassavanāyā’ti. Sace, bhante, tassā devatāya saccaṁ vacanaṁ, idheva sā devatā avidūre”ti.
When this was said, venerable sir, that deity replied: ‘It is not easy for us to approach that Blessed One, bhikkhu, he is surrounded by other deities of great influence. But if you, bhikkhu, were to approach that Blessed One and ask him about this matter, then we will come along too in order to hear the Dhamma. If, venerable sir, the words of that deity are true, then she should be here nearby.
Evaṁ vutte, sā devatā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ etadavoca: “puccha, bhikkhu, puccha, bhikkhu, yamahaṁ anuppattā”ti.
When this was said, that deity said to the venerable Samiddhi: “Ask, bhikkhu, ask, bhikkhu! For I have arrived.”
Atha kho bhagavā taṁ devataṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Then the Blessed One addressed that deity in verse:
“Akkheyyasaññino sattā,
akkheyyasmiṁ patiṭṭhitā;
Akkheyyaṁ apariññāya,
yogamāyanti maccuno.
“Beings who perceive what can be |expressed::said, explained, illustrated [akkheyya]|,
become |established in::fixed in, settled in [patiṭṭhita]| what can be expressed;
|Not fully understanding::not completely comprehending [apariññāya]| what can be expressed,
they come under the power of death.
Akkheyyañca pariññāya,
Akkhātāraṁ na maññati;
Tañhi tassa na hotīti,
Yena naṁ vajjā na tassa atthi;
But having fully understood what can be expressed,
one does not conceive ‘one who expresses’;
For that does not exist for him,
by which he might be described.
Sace vijānāsi vadehi yakkhā”ti.
If you understand, speak, spirit.”
“Na khvāhaṁ, bhante, imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā tathā bhāsatu yathāhaṁ imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ jāneyyan”ti.
“Venerable sir, I do not understand in detail the meaning of this brief statement made by the Blessed One. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would speak in such a way that I might understand in detail the meaning of this brief statement.”
“Samo visesī uda vā nihīno,
Yo maññatī so vivadetha tena;
Tīsu vidhāsu avikampamāno,
Samo visesīti na tassa hoti;
“Who thinks in terms of equal, superior, or inferior,
might |dispute::argue, disagree [vivadati]| on the basis of these perceptions;
But one |unshaken in::unaffected by, unstirred by [avikampamāna]| the three |discriminations::categorizations, distinctions [vidhā]|,
‘equal’ or ‘superior’ does not apply to him.
Sace vijānāsi vadehi yakkhā”ti.
If you understand, speak, spirit.”
“Imassapi khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa na vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā tathā bhāsatu yathāhaṁ imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ jāneyyan”ti.
“In this case too, venerable sir, I do not understand in detail the meaning of this brief statement made by the Blessed One. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would speak in such a way that I might understand in detail the meaning of this brief statement.”
“Pahāsi saṅkhaṁ na vimānamajjhagā,
Acchecchi taṇhaṁ idha nāmarūpe;
Taṁ chinnaganthaṁ anighaṁ nirāsaṁ,
Pariyesamānā nājjhagamuṁ;
Devā manussā idha vā huraṁ vā,
Saggesu vā sabbanivesanesu.
“Having abandoned |measuring::calculation, enumeration; mental constructs that form the basis for self-identity [saṅkhā]|, and then not attaining to |conceit::self-measurement, rebirth [vimāna]|,
he cuts off |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| here for |name and form::mentality and materiality—the integrated structure of mental capacities (intention, attention, contact, feeling, perception) and physical form that together constitute and sustain an individual being [nāmarūpa]|;
Having cut the tie, |untroubled::undisturbed [anigha]|, |fulfilled::free from hope, desire-less [nirāsa]|,
he is not found by those who search for him;
Whether gods or humans, of this world or the next,
in the heavens and all abodes [of existence].
Sace vijānāsi vadehi yakkhā”ti.
If you understand, speak, spirit.”
“Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi—
“Venerable sir, I understand the detailed meaning of this brief statement made by the Blessed One as follows—
Pāpaṁ na kayirā vacasā manasā,
Kāyena vā kiñcana sabbaloke;
Kāme pahāya satimā sampajāno,
Dukkhaṁ na sevetha anatthasaṁhitan”ti.
One should not do any evil in all the world,
Not by speech, mind, or body;
Having abandoned sense pleasures, |mindful::who has recollection, is aware, present [satimant]| and |fully aware::with attentiveness, with clear and full comprehension, intentional, purposeful [sampajāna]|,
one should not pursue what is unsatisfactory and |unbeneficial::lit. not connected with benefit [anatthasaṃhita]|.”