So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,
“For a long time I have had discussions with the worthy Gotama. Please teach me in brief what is skillful and what is unskillful.” “Vaccha, I can teach you what is skillful and what is unskillful in brief or in detail. Still, let me do so in brief.
PL
“dīgharattāhaṁ bhotā gotamena sahakathī. Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo saṅkhittena kusalākusalaṁ desetū”ti. “Saṅkhittenapi kho te ahaṁ, vaccha, kusalākusalaṁ deseyyaṁ, vitthārenapi kho te ahaṁ, vaccha, kusalākusalaṁ deseyyaṁ; api ca te ahaṁ, vaccha, saṅkhittena kusalākusalaṁ desessāmi.
EN
Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” Vaccha replied. The Buddha said this: “Greed is unskillful, contentment is skillful.
Hate is unskillful, love is skillful. Delusion is unskillful, understanding is skillful. So there are these three unskillful things and three that are skillful. Killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view: these things are unskillful.
Refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; refraining from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view: these things are skillful.
So there are these ten unskillful things and ten that are skillful. When a mendicant has given up craving so it is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future, that mendicant is perfected. They’ve ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment.”
“Leaving aside the worthy Gotama, is there even a single monk disciple of Worthy Gotama who has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and lives having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements?” “There are not just one hundred such monks who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Tiṭṭhatu bhavaṁ gotamo. Atthi pana te bhoto gotamassa ekabhikkhupi sāvako yo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti? “Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova ye bhikkhū mama sāvakā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside the worthy Gotama and the monks, is there even a single nun disciple of Worthy Gotama who has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and lives having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements?” “There are not just one hundred such nuns who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
“Leaving aside the worthy Gotama, the monks, and the nuns, is there even a single layman disciple of Worthy Gotama—white-clothed and chaste—who, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously, to be extinguished there, not liable to return from that world?” “There are not just one hundred such chaste laymen who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Tiṭṭhatu bhavaṁ gotamo, tiṭṭhantu bhikkhū, tiṭṭhantu bhikkhuniyo. Atthi pana bhoto gotamassa ekupāsakopi sāvako gihī odātavasano brahmacārī yo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā”ti? “Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova ye upāsakā mama sāvakā gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyino anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside Worthy Gotama, the monks, the nuns, and the chaste laymen, is there even a single layman disciple of the worthy Gotama—white-clothed, enjoying sensual pleasures, following instructions, and responding to advice—who has gone beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and lives self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instruction?”
“There are not just one hundred such laymen enjoying sensual pleasures who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova ye upāsakā mama sāvakā gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino sāsanakarā ovādappaṭikarā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṅkathā vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā satthusāsane viharantī”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside Worthy Gotama, the monks, the nuns, the chaste laymen, and the laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, is there even a single laywoman disciple of Worthy Gotama—white-clothed and chaste—who, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously, to be extinguished there, not liable to return from that world?”
“There are not just one hundred such chaste laywomen who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova yā upāsikā mama sāvikā gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyiniyo anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside Worthy Gotama, the monks, the nuns, the chaste laymen, the laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, and the chaste laywomen, is there even a single laywoman disciple of the worthy Gotama—white-clothed, enjoying sensual pleasures, following instructions, and responding to advice—who has gone beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and lives self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instruction?”
“There are not just one hundred such laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova yā upāsikā mama sāvikā gihiniyo odātavasanā kāmabhoginiyo sāsanakarā ovādappaṭikarā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṅkathā vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā satthusāsane viharantī”ti.
EN
“If the worthy Gotama was the only one to succeed in this teaching, not any monks, then this spiritual path would be incomplete in that respect. But because both the worthy Gotama and monks have succeeded in this teaching, this spiritual path is complete in that respect.
PL
“Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavaṁyeva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, no ca kho bhikkhū ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako bhikkhū ca ārādhakā; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena.
EN
If the worthy Gotama and the monks were the only ones to succeed in this teaching, not any nuns …
PL
Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho bhikkhuniyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā;
EN
chaste laymen …
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena. Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsakā gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena.
EN
laymen enjoying sensual pleasures …
PL
Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena. Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsakā gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu;
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena.
EN
chaste laywomen …
PL
Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsikā gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu;
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā;
EN
laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures,
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena. Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsikā gihiniyo odātavasanā kāmabhoginiyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu;
EN
then this spiritual path would be incomplete in that respect. But because Worthy Gotama, monks, nuns, chaste laymen, laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, chaste laywomen, and laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures have all succeeded in this teaching,
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā kāmabhoginiyo ārādhikā;
EN
this spiritual path is complete in that respect. Just as the Ganges River slants, slopes, and inclines toward the ocean, and keeps pressing into the ocean, in the same way Worthy Gotama’s assembly—with both laypeople and renunciates—slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment, and keeps pressing upon extinguishment. Excellent, worthy Gotama! …
I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?” “Vaccha, if someone formerly ordained in another sect wishes to take the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training, they must spend four months on probation. When four months have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, they’ll give the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.
However, I recognize individual differences in this matter.” “Sir, if four months probation are required in such a case, I’ll spend four years on probation. When four years have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, let them give me the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.”
And the wanderer Vaccha received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. Not long after his ordination, a fortnight later, Venerable Vacchagotta went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“Sir, I’ve reached as far as possible with the knowledge and understanding of a trainee. Please teach me further.” “Well then, Vaccha, further develop two things: serenity and discernment. When you have further developed these two things, they’ll lead to the penetration of many elements.
PL
“yāvatakaṁ, bhante, sekhena ñāṇena sekhāya vijjāya pattabbaṁ, anuppattaṁ taṁ mayā; uttari ca me bhagavā dhammaṁ desetū”ti. “Tena hi tvaṁ, vaccha, dve dhamme uttari bhāvehi—samathañca vipassanañca. Ime kho te, vaccha, dve dhammā uttari bhāvitā—samatho ca vipassanā ca—anekadhātupaṭivedhāya saṁvattissanti.
EN
As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity.’
Whenever you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.’ As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range:
PL
tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane. So tvaṁ, vaccha, yāvadeva ākaṅkhissasi: ‘dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇeyyaṁ—dibbe ca mānuse ca, ye dūre santike cā’ti, tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane. So tvaṁ, vaccha, yāvadeva ākaṅkhissasi:
EN
‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with my mind. May I understand mind with greed as “mind with greed”, and mind without greed as “mind without greed”; mind with hate as “mind with hate”,
and mind without hate as “mind without hate”; mind with delusion as “mind with delusion”, and mind without delusion as “mind without delusion”; constricted mind as “constricted mind”,
and scattered mind as “scattered mind”; expansive mind as “expansive mind”, and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”; mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”,
and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”; mind immersed in samādhi as “mind immersed in samādhi”, and mind not immersed in samādhi as “mind not immersed in samādhi”; freed mind as “freed mind”,
and unfreed mind as “unfreed mind”.’ As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. May I remember: “There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.” May I recollect my many past lives, with features and details.’
Whenever you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place—and understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: “These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. And may I understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.’
As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with my own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.’”
PL
tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane. So tvaṁ, vaccha, yāvadeva ākaṅkhissasi: ‘āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti, tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane”ti.
EN
And then Venerable Vacchagotta approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Then Vacchagotta, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” And Venerable Vacchagotta became one of the perfected. Now at that time several mendicants were going to see the Buddha. Vacchagotta saw them coming off in the distance,
went up to them, and said, “Hello venerables, where are you going?” “Reverend, we are going to see the Buddha.” “Well then, reverends, in my name please bow with your head to the Buddha’s feet and say:
PL
Disvāna yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca: “handa kahaṁ pana tumhe āyasmanto gacchathā”ti? “Bhagavantaṁ kho mayaṁ, āvuso, dassanāya gacchāmā”ti. “Tenahāyasmanto mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha, evañca vadetha:
EN
‘Sir, the mendicant Vacchagotta bows with his head to your feet and says, “I have served the Blessed One! I have served the Holy One!”’” “Yes, reverend,” they replied. Then those mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
PL
‘vacchagotto, bhante, bhikkhu bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, evañca vadeti— pariciṇṇo me bhagavā, pariciṇṇo me sugato’”ti. “Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vacchagottassa paccassosuṁ. Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
EN
“Sir, the mendicant Vacchagotta bows with his head to your feet and says: ‘I have served the Blessed One! I have served the Holy One!’” “I’ve already encompassed Vacchagotta’s mind and understood that he has the three knowledges, and is very mighty and powerful.
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,
“For a long time I have had discussions with the worthy Gotama. Please teach me in brief what is skillful and what is unskillful.” “Vaccha, I can teach you what is skillful and what is unskillful in brief or in detail. Still, let me do so in brief.
PL
“dīgharattāhaṁ bhotā gotamena sahakathī. Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo saṅkhittena kusalākusalaṁ desetū”ti. “Saṅkhittenapi kho te ahaṁ, vaccha, kusalākusalaṁ deseyyaṁ, vitthārenapi kho te ahaṁ, vaccha, kusalākusalaṁ deseyyaṁ; api ca te ahaṁ, vaccha, saṅkhittena kusalākusalaṁ desessāmi.
EN
Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” Vaccha replied. The Buddha said this: “Greed is unskillful, contentment is skillful.
Hate is unskillful, love is skillful. Delusion is unskillful, understanding is skillful. So there are these three unskillful things and three that are skillful. Killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view: these things are unskillful.
Refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; refraining from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view: these things are skillful.
So there are these ten unskillful things and ten that are skillful. When a mendicant has given up craving so it is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future, that mendicant is perfected. They’ve ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment.”
“Leaving aside the worthy Gotama, is there even a single monk disciple of Worthy Gotama who has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and lives having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements?” “There are not just one hundred such monks who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Tiṭṭhatu bhavaṁ gotamo. Atthi pana te bhoto gotamassa ekabhikkhupi sāvako yo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti? “Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova ye bhikkhū mama sāvakā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside the worthy Gotama and the monks, is there even a single nun disciple of Worthy Gotama who has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and lives having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements?” “There are not just one hundred such nuns who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
“Leaving aside the worthy Gotama, the monks, and the nuns, is there even a single layman disciple of Worthy Gotama—white-clothed and chaste—who, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously, to be extinguished there, not liable to return from that world?” “There are not just one hundred such chaste laymen who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Tiṭṭhatu bhavaṁ gotamo, tiṭṭhantu bhikkhū, tiṭṭhantu bhikkhuniyo. Atthi pana bhoto gotamassa ekupāsakopi sāvako gihī odātavasano brahmacārī yo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā”ti? “Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova ye upāsakā mama sāvakā gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyino anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside Worthy Gotama, the monks, the nuns, and the chaste laymen, is there even a single layman disciple of the worthy Gotama—white-clothed, enjoying sensual pleasures, following instructions, and responding to advice—who has gone beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and lives self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instruction?”
“There are not just one hundred such laymen enjoying sensual pleasures who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova ye upāsakā mama sāvakā gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino sāsanakarā ovādappaṭikarā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṅkathā vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā satthusāsane viharantī”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside Worthy Gotama, the monks, the nuns, the chaste laymen, and the laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, is there even a single laywoman disciple of Worthy Gotama—white-clothed and chaste—who, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously, to be extinguished there, not liable to return from that world?”
“There are not just one hundred such chaste laywomen who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova yā upāsikā mama sāvikā gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyiniyo anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā”ti.
EN
“Leaving aside Worthy Gotama, the monks, the nuns, the chaste laymen, the laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, and the chaste laywomen, is there even a single laywoman disciple of the worthy Gotama—white-clothed, enjoying sensual pleasures, following instructions, and responding to advice—who has gone beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and lives self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instruction?”
“There are not just one hundred such laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures who are my disciples, Vaccha, or two or three or four or five hundred, but many more than that.”
PL
“Na kho, vaccha, ekaṁyeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi satāni na cattāri satāni na pañca satāni, atha kho bhiyyova yā upāsikā mama sāvikā gihiniyo odātavasanā kāmabhoginiyo sāsanakarā ovādappaṭikarā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṅkathā vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā satthusāsane viharantī”ti.
EN
“If the worthy Gotama was the only one to succeed in this teaching, not any monks, then this spiritual path would be incomplete in that respect. But because both the worthy Gotama and monks have succeeded in this teaching, this spiritual path is complete in that respect.
PL
“Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavaṁyeva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, no ca kho bhikkhū ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako bhikkhū ca ārādhakā; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena.
EN
If the worthy Gotama and the monks were the only ones to succeed in this teaching, not any nuns …
PL
Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho bhikkhuniyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā;
EN
chaste laymen …
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena. Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsakā gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena.
EN
laymen enjoying sensual pleasures …
PL
Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena. Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsakā gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu;
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā; evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena.
EN
chaste laywomen …
PL
Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsikā gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu;
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā;
EN
laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures,
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ paripūraṁ tenaṅgena. Sace hi, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako abhavissa, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā abhavissaṁsu, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu, no ca kho upāsikā gihiniyo odātavasanā kāmabhoginiyo ārādhikā abhavissaṁsu;
EN
then this spiritual path would be incomplete in that respect. But because Worthy Gotama, monks, nuns, chaste laymen, laymen enjoying sensual pleasures, chaste laywomen, and laywomen enjoying sensual pleasures have all succeeded in this teaching,
PL
evamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ aparipūraṁ abhavissa tenaṅgena. Yasmā ca kho, bho gotama, imaṁ dhammaṁ bhavañceva gotamo ārādhako, bhikkhū ca ārādhakā, bhikkhuniyo ca ārādhikā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā brahmacārino ārādhakā, upāsakā ca gihī odātavasanā kāmabhogino ārādhakā, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā brahmacāriniyo ārādhikā, upāsikā ca gihiniyo odātavasanā kāmabhoginiyo ārādhikā;
EN
this spiritual path is complete in that respect. Just as the Ganges River slants, slopes, and inclines toward the ocean, and keeps pressing into the ocean, in the same way Worthy Gotama’s assembly—with both laypeople and renunciates—slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment, and keeps pressing upon extinguishment. Excellent, worthy Gotama! …
I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?” “Vaccha, if someone formerly ordained in another sect wishes to take the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training, they must spend four months on probation. When four months have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, they’ll give the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.
However, I recognize individual differences in this matter.” “Sir, if four months probation are required in such a case, I’ll spend four years on probation. When four years have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, let them give me the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.”
And the wanderer Vaccha received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. Not long after his ordination, a fortnight later, Venerable Vacchagotta went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“Sir, I’ve reached as far as possible with the knowledge and understanding of a trainee. Please teach me further.” “Well then, Vaccha, further develop two things: serenity and discernment. When you have further developed these two things, they’ll lead to the penetration of many elements.
PL
“yāvatakaṁ, bhante, sekhena ñāṇena sekhāya vijjāya pattabbaṁ, anuppattaṁ taṁ mayā; uttari ca me bhagavā dhammaṁ desetū”ti. “Tena hi tvaṁ, vaccha, dve dhamme uttari bhāvehi—samathañca vipassanañca. Ime kho te, vaccha, dve dhammā uttari bhāvitā—samatho ca vipassanā ca—anekadhātupaṭivedhāya saṁvattissanti.
EN
As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity.’
Whenever you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.’ As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range:
PL
tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane. So tvaṁ, vaccha, yāvadeva ākaṅkhissasi: ‘dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇeyyaṁ—dibbe ca mānuse ca, ye dūre santike cā’ti, tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane. So tvaṁ, vaccha, yāvadeva ākaṅkhissasi:
EN
‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with my mind. May I understand mind with greed as “mind with greed”, and mind without greed as “mind without greed”; mind with hate as “mind with hate”,
and mind without hate as “mind without hate”; mind with delusion as “mind with delusion”, and mind without delusion as “mind without delusion”; constricted mind as “constricted mind”,
and scattered mind as “scattered mind”; expansive mind as “expansive mind”, and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”; mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”,
and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”; mind immersed in samādhi as “mind immersed in samādhi”, and mind not immersed in samādhi as “mind not immersed in samādhi”; freed mind as “freed mind”,
and unfreed mind as “unfreed mind”.’ As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. May I remember: “There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.” May I recollect my many past lives, with features and details.’
Whenever you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place—and understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: “These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. And may I understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.’
As far as you want, you will be capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range: ‘May I realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with my own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.’”
PL
tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane. So tvaṁ, vaccha, yāvadeva ākaṅkhissasi: ‘āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti, tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇissasi, sati satiāyatane”ti.
EN
And then Venerable Vacchagotta approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Then Vacchagotta, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” And Venerable Vacchagotta became one of the perfected. Now at that time several mendicants were going to see the Buddha. Vacchagotta saw them coming off in the distance,
went up to them, and said, “Hello venerables, where are you going?” “Reverend, we are going to see the Buddha.” “Well then, reverends, in my name please bow with your head to the Buddha’s feet and say:
PL
Disvāna yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca: “handa kahaṁ pana tumhe āyasmanto gacchathā”ti? “Bhagavantaṁ kho mayaṁ, āvuso, dassanāya gacchāmā”ti. “Tenahāyasmanto mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha, evañca vadetha:
EN
‘Sir, the mendicant Vacchagotta bows with his head to your feet and says, “I have served the Blessed One! I have served the Holy One!”’” “Yes, reverend,” they replied. Then those mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
PL
‘vacchagotto, bhante, bhikkhu bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, evañca vadeti— pariciṇṇo me bhagavā, pariciṇṇo me sugato’”ti. “Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vacchagottassa paccassosuṁ. Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
EN
“Sir, the mendicant Vacchagotta bows with his head to your feet and says: ‘I have served the Blessed One! I have served the Holy One!’” “I’ve already encompassed Vacchagotta’s mind and understood that he has the three knowledges, and is very mighty and powerful.
Sutraya