Meghiyavaggo
4-8: Sundarãsuttaü (38)
The Discourse about Sundarã
Evaü me sutaü:
Thus I heard:
ekaü samayaü Bhagavà Sàvatthiyaü viharati,
at one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sàvatthã,
Jetavane Anàthapiõóikassa àràme.
in Jeta's Wood, at Anàthapiõóika's monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena Bhagavà
Then at that time the Gracious One
sakkato hoti garukato mànito påjito apacito, làbhã
was venerated, respected, revered, honoured, esteemed, and in receipt of
cãvarapiõóapàtasenàsanagilànappaccayabhesajjaparikkhàrànaü
robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick;
Bhikkhusaïgho pi sakkato hoti garukato mànito påjito apacito, làbhã
also the Community of monks was venerated, respected, revered, honoured, esteemed, and in receipt of
cãvarapiõóapàtasenàsanagilànappaccayabhesajjaparikkhàrànaü.
robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick.
Aÿÿatitthiyà pana paribbàjakà
But wanderers from other sects
asakkatà honti agarukatà amànità apåjità anapacità, na làbhino
were not venerated, not respected, not revered, not honoured, not esteemed, nor were they in receipt of
cãvarapiõóapàtasenàsanagilànappaccayabhesajjaparikkhàrànaü.
robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick.
Atha kho te aÿÿatitthiyà paribbàjakà
Then those wanderers from other sects
Bhagavato sakkàraü asahamànà Bhikkhusaïghassa ca,
being unable to bear the veneration of the Gracious One and the Community of monks,
yena Sundarã paribbàjikà tenupasaïkamiüsu,
went to the female wanderer Sundarã (Beautiful),
upasaïkamitvà, Sundariü paribbàjikaü etad-avocuü:
and after going, they said this to the female wanderer Sundarã:
ßUssahasi bhagini ÿàtãnaü atthaü kàtun?û-ti.
ßSister, what would you venture to do for your kinsmens' welfare?û
ßKyàhaü Ayyà karomi, kiü mayà na sakkà kàtuü?
ßWhat can I do, Masters, what am I unable to do?
Jãvitam-pi me pariccattaü ÿàtãnaü atthàyàû ti.
I have given up my life for my kinsmens' welfare.û
ßTena hi bhagini abhikkhaõaü Jetavanaü gacchàhãû ti.
ßThen, sister, you must frequently go to Jeta's Wood.û
ßEvam-Ayyàû ti kho Sundarã paribbàjikà,
ßYes, Mastersû, said the female wanderer Sundarã,
tesaü aÿÿatitthiyànaü paribbàjakànaü pañissutvà,
and after replying to those wanderers from other sects,
abhikkhaõaü Jetavanaü agamàsi.
she frequently went to Jeta's Wood.
Yadà te aÿÿiüsu aÿÿatitthiyà paribbàjakà:
When those wanderers from other sects knew:
ßVodiññhà kho Sundarã paribbàjikà bahujanena
ßThe female wanderer Sundarã has been seen by many people
abhikkhaõaü Jetavanaü gacchatãû ti,
frequently going to Jeta's Woodû,
atha naü jãvità voropetvà,
then having deprived her of life,
tattheva Jetavanassa parikhàkåpe nikhaõitvà,
and buried her into a trench-pit right there in Jeta's Wood,
yena Ràjà Pasenadi Kosalo tenupasaïkamiüsu,
they went to the Kosalan King Pasenadi,
upasaïkamitvà, Ràjànaü Pasenadiü Kosalaü etad-avocuü:
and after going, they said this to the Kosalan King Pasenadi:
ßYà sà Mahàràja Sundarã paribbàjikà sà no na dissatãû ti.
ßGreat King, we no longer see the female wanderer Sundarã.û
ßKattha pana tumhe àsaïkathà?û ti.
ßBut where do you suspect (she is)?û
ßJetavane Mahàràjàû ti.
ßIn Jeta's Wood, Great King.û
ßTena hi Jetavanaü vicinathàû ti.
ßThen you must search Jeta's Wood.û
Atha kho te aÿÿatitthiyà paribbàjakà Jetavanaü vicinitvà,
Then those wanderers from other sects after searching Jeta's Wood,
yathà nikhaõitaü parikhàkåpà uddharitvà,
lifting (the body) up from the trench-pit where it had been buried,
maÿcakaü àropetvà, Sàvatthiü pavesetvà,
putting it on a bier, and entering Sàvatthã,
rathiyà rathiyaü siïghàñakena siïghàñakaü upasaïkamitvà,
going from road to road, from cross-roads to cross-roads,
manusse ujjhàpesuü:
made people find fault, (saying):
ßPassathayyà samaõànaü Sakyaputtiyànaü kammaü,
ßSee, Masters, what the Sakyan ascetics have done,
alajjino ime samaõà Sakyaputtiyà dussãlà,
shameless are these Sakyan ascetics, lacking in virtue,
pàpadhammà musàvàdino abrahmacàrino.
of bad character, speakers of what is false, not living the spiritual life.
Ime hi nàma dhammacàrino samacàrino brahmacàrino,
o But they will claim that they live by Dhamma, live in peace, live spiritually,
saccavàdãno sãlavanto kalyàõadhammà pañijànissanti.
speak the truth, are virtuous, and are of good character.
Natthi imesaü sàmaÿÿaü, natthi imesaü brahmaÿÿaü,
They have no asceticism, they have no spirituality,
naññhaü imesaü sàmaÿÿaü, naññhaü imesaü brahmaÿÿaü.
their asceticism has perished, their spirituality has perished.
Kuto imesaü sàmaÿÿaü? Kuto imesaü brahmaÿÿaü?
Where is their asceticism? Where is their spirituality?
Apagatà ime sàmaÿÿà, apagatà ime brahmaÿÿà.
They have gone away from asceticism, they have gone away from spirituality.
Kathaü hi nàma puriso purisakiccaü karitvà,
For what man, having done what a man can do,
itthiü jãvità voropessatã?û ti.
would deprive a woman of life?û
Tena kho pana samayena Sàvatthiyaü manussà bhikkhå disvà,
That at that time, the people in Sàvatthã, after seeing the monks,
asabbhàhi pharusàhi vàcàhi akkosanti, paribhàsanti, rosenti, vihesenti:
with vulgar and rough words scolded, abused, annoyed, and troubled them, (saying):
ßAlajjino ime samaõà Sakyaputtiyà, dussãlà
ßShameless are these Sakyan ascetics, lacking in virtue,
pàpadhammà musàvàdino abrahmacàrino.
of bad character, speakers of what is false, not living the spiritual life.
Ime hi nàma dhammacàrino samacàrino brahmacàrino,
o But they will claim that they live by Dhamma, live in peace, live spiritually,
saccavàdino sãlavanto kalyàõadhammà pañijànissanti.
speak the truth, are virtuous, and are of good character.
Natthi imesaü sàmaÿÿaü, natthi imesaü brahmaÿÿaü,
They have no asceticism, they have no spirituality,
naññhaü imesaü sàmaÿÿaü, naññhaü imesaü brahmaÿÿaü.
their asceticism has perished, their spirituality has perished.
Kuto imesaü sàmaÿÿaü? Kuto imesaü brahmaÿÿaü?
Where is their asceticism? Where is their spirituality?
Apagatà ime sàmaÿÿà, apagatà ime brahmaÿÿà.
They have gone away from asceticism, they have gone away from spirituality.
Kathaü hi nàma puriso purisakiccaü karitvà,
For what man, having done what a man can do,
itthiü jãvità voropessatã?û ti.
would deprive a woman of life?û
Atha kho sambahulà bhikkhå pubbanhasamayaü nivàsetvà,
Then many monks, having dressed in the morning time,
pattacãvaram-àdàya, Sàvatthiü piõóàya pavisiüsu,
after picking up their bowls and robes, entered Sàvatthã for alms,
Sàvatthiyaü piõóàya caritvà, pacchàbhattaü piõóapàtapañikkantà,
and after walking for alms in Sàvatthã, while returning from the alms-round after the meal,
yena Bhagavà tenupasaïkamiüsu,
went to the Gracious One,
upasaïkamitvà Bhagavantaü abhivàdetvà, ekamantaü nisãdiüsu.
and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side.
Ekamantaü nisinnà kho te bhikkhå Bhagavantaü etad-avocuü:
While sat on one side those monks said this to the Gracious One:
ßEtarahi bhante Sàvatthiyaü manussà bhikkhå disvà,
ßAt present, reverend Sir, the people in Sàvatthã, after seeing the monks,
asabbhàhi pharusàhi vàcàhi akkosanti, paribhàsanti, rosenti, vihesenti:
with vulgar and rough words scold, abuse, annoy, and trouble them, (saying):
`Alajjino ime samaõà Sakyaputtiyà, dussãlà
`Shameless are these Sakyan ascetics, lacking in virtue,
pàpadhammà musàvàdino abrahmacàrino.
of bad character, speakers of what is false, not living the spiritual life.
Ime hi nàma dhammacàrino samacàrino brahmacàrino,
But they will claim that they live by Dhamma, live in peace, live spiritually,
saccavàdino sãlavanto kalyàõadhammà pañijànissanti.
speak the truth, are virtuous, and are of good character.
Natthi imesaü sàmaÿÿaü, natthi imesaü brahmaÿÿaü,
They have no asceticism, they have no spirituality,
naññhaü imesaü sàmaÿÿaü, naññhaü imesaü brahmaÿÿaü.
their asceticism has perished, their spirituality has perished.
Kuto imesaü sàmaÿÿaü? Kuto imesaü brahmaÿÿaü?
Where is their asceticism? Where is their spirituality?
Apagatà ime sàmaÿÿà, apagatà ime brahmaÿÿà.
They have gone away from asceticism, they have gone away from spirituality.
Kathaü hi nàma puriso purisakiccaü karitvà,
For what man, having done what a man can do,
itthiü jãvità voropessatã?' û ti.
would deprive a woman of life?' û
ßNeso bhikkhave saddo ciraü bhavissati, sattàham-eva bhavissati,
ßThis noise will not last long, monks, it will last for only seven days,
sattàhassa accayena antaradhàyissati.
and with the passing of seven days it will disappear.
Tena hi bhikkhave ye manussà bhikkhå disvà,
So, monks, when those people, after seeing the monks,
asabbhàhi pharusàhi vàcàhi akkosanti, paribhàsanti, rosenti, vihesenti,
with vulgar and rough words scold, abuse, annoy, and trouble them,
te tumhe imàya gàthàya pañicodetha:
you should reprove them with this verse:
`Abhåtavàdã nirayaü upeti,
`He who speaks what is untrue goes to the nether regions,
Yo càpi katvà `na karomi' càha,
Also he who says `I did not do' what he has done,
Ubho pi te pecca samà bhavanti
o Both of those men who have performed base deeds
Nihãnakammà manujà paratthà' û ti. 01
Are the same when they have passed away, in the other world.' û
Atha kho te bhikkhå Bhagavato santike imaü gàthaü pariyàpuõitvà,
Then those monks, having mastered that verse in the presence of the Gracious One,
ye manussà bhikkhå disvà,
when those people, after seeing the monks,
asabbhàhi pharusàhi vàcàhi akkosanti, paribhàsanti, rosenti, vihesenti,
with vulgar and rough words scolded, abused, annoyed, and troubled them,
te manusse imàya gàthàya pañicodenti:
reproved them with this verse:
ßAbhåtavàdã nirayaü upeti,
ßHe who speaks what is untrue goes to the nether regions,
Yo càpi katvà `na karomi' càha,
Also he who says `I did not do' what he has done,
Ubho pi te pecca samà bhavanti
o Both of those men who have performed base deeds
Nihãnakammà manujà paratthàû ti.
Are the same when they have passed away to the other world.û
Manussànaü etad-ahosi: ßAkàrakà ime samaõà Sakyaputtiyà,
Then this occurred to those people: ßThese Sakyan ascetics are not the doers,
nayimehi kataü, sapanti ime samaõà Sakyaputtiyàû ti.
this wasn't done by them, these Sakyan ascetics are asserting (the truth).û
Neva so saddo ciraü ahosi, sattàham-eva ahosi,
That noise did not last long, it only lasted for seven days,
sattàhassa accayena antaradhàyi.
and with the passing of seven days it disappeared.
Atha kho sambahulà bhikkhu yena Bhagavà tenupasaïkamiüsu,
Then many monks went to the Gracious One,
upasaïkamitvà Bhagavantaü abhivàdetvà, ekamantaü nisãdiüsu.
and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side.
Ekamantaü nisinnà kho te bhikkhå Bhagavantaü etad-avocuü:
While sat on one side those monks said this to the Gracious One:
ßAcchariyaü bhante, abbhutaü bhante,
ßIt is wonderful, reverend Sir, it is marvellous, reverend Sir,
yàva subhàsitaÿ-cidaü bhante Bhagavatà:
how well spoken that was, reverend Sir, by the Gracious One:
`Neso bhikkhave saddo ciraü bhavissati, sattàham-eva bhavissati,
`This noise will not last long, monks, it will last for only seven days,
sattàhassa accayena antaradhàyissatã' ti.
and with the passing of seven days it will disappear.'
Antarahito so bhante saddoû ti.
That noise, reverend Sir, has disappeared.û
Atha kho Bhagavà, etam-atthaü viditvà,
Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it,
tàyaü velàyaü imaü udànaü udànesi:
on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:
ßTudanti vàcàya janà asaÿÿatà,
ßUnrestrained the people pierce (others) with words,
Sarehi saïgàmagataü va kuÿjaraü,
Like (they pierce) an elephant with arrows in a battle,
Sutvàna vàkyaü pharusaü udãritaü,
(But) having heard that rough speech broadcast around,
Adhivàsaye bhikkhu aduññhacittoû ti.
A monk should bear it with an uncorrupt mind.û