Soṇakāyanasutta — Reader

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Soṇakāyanasutta

Then Sikhāmoggallāna the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Sikhāmoggallāna sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha: “Worthy Gotama, a few days ago the student Soṇakāyana came to me and said:

Atha kho sikhāmoggallāno brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sikhāmoggallāno brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Purimāni, bho gotama, divasāni purimatarāni soṇakāyano māṇavo yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ etadavoca:

‘The ascetic Gotama advocates not doing any deeds. So he teaches the annihilation of the world!’ The world exists through deeds, and it remains because deeds are undertaken.” “Brahmin, I can’t recall even seeing the student Soṇakāyana, so how could we possibly have had such a discussion?

‘samaṇo gotamo sabbakammānaṁ akiriyaṁ paññapeti, sabbakammānaṁ kho pana akiriyaṁ paññapento ucchedaṁ āha lokassa’— kammasaccāyaṁ, bho, loko kammasamārambhaṭṭhāyī”ti. “Dassanampi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, soṇakāyanassa māṇavassa nābhijānāmi; kuto panevarūpo kathāsallāpo.

I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four? There are dark deeds with dark results; bright deeds with bright results;

Cattārimāni, brāhmaṇa, kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni. Katamāni cattāri? Atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ; atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ;

dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds. And what are dark deeds with dark results? It’s when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. …

atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ; atthi, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati. Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ? Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

Touched by hurtful contacts, they experience hurtful feelings that are absolutely painful—like the beings in hell.

So sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhā phassā phusanti. So sabyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi sattā nerayikā.

These are called dark deeds with dark results. And what are bright deeds with bright results? It’s when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. …

Idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ. Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ? Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

Touched by pleasing contacts, they experience pleasing feelings of absolute happiness—like the gods of universal beauty. These are called bright deeds with bright results. And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results?

Tamenaṁ abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ abyābajjhā phassā phusanti. So abyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno abyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantasukhaṁ, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā. Idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ. Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ?

It’s when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. …

Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapajjati.

Touched by both hurtful and pleasing contacts, they experience both hurtful and pleasing feelings that are a mixture of pleasure and pain—like humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld.

Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhāpi abyābajjhāpi phassā phusanti. So sabyābajjhehipi abyābajjhehipi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vedanaṁ vediyati vokiṇṇasukhadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi manussā ekacce ca devā ekacce ca vinipātikā.

These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results. And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? It’s the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results.

Idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ. Katamañca, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati? Tatra, brāhmaṇa, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā—

These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds. These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.”

idaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati. Imāni kho, brāhmaṇa, cattāri kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti. Tatiyaṁ.