3.11. The Sages Asita and Nālaka and the Buddha’s advice

Ānandajāte tidasagaṇe patīte,

Sakkañca indaṁ sucivasane ca deve;

Dussaṁ gahetvā atiriva thomayante,

Asito isi addasa divāvihāre.

Disvāna deve muditamane udagge,

Cittiṁ karitvāna idamavoca tattha;

“Kiṁ devasaṅgho atiriva kalyarūpo,

Dussaṁ gahetvā ramayatha kiṁ paṭicca.

Yadāpi āsī asurehi saṅgamo,

Jayo surānaṁ asurā parājitā;

Tadāpi netādiso lomahaṁsano,

Kimabbhutaṁ daṭṭhu marū pamoditā.

Seḷenti gāyanti ca vādayanti ca,

Bhujāni phoṭenti ca naccayanti ca;

Pucchāmi vohaṁ merumuddhavāsine,

Dhunātha me saṁsayaṁ khippa mārisā”.

“So bodhisatto ratanavaro atulyo,

Manussaloke hitasukhatthāya jāto;

Sakyāna gāme janapade lumbineyye,

Tenamha tuṭṭhā atiriva kalyarūpā.

So sabbasattuttamo aggapuggalo,

Narāsabho sabbapajānamuttamo;

Vattessati cakkamisivhaye vane,

Nadaṁva sīho balavā migābhibhū”.

Taṁ saddaṁ sutvā turitamavasarī so,

Suddhodanassa tada bhavanaṁ upāvisi;

Nisajja tattha idamavocāsi sakye,

“Kuhiṁ kumāro ahamapi daṭṭhukāmo”.

Tato kumāraṁ jalitamiva suvaṇṇaṁ,

Ukkāmukheva sukusalasampahaṭṭhaṁ;

Daddallamānaṁ siriyā anomavaṇṇaṁ,

Dassesu puttaṁ asitavhayassa sakyā.

Disvā kumāraṁ sikhimiva pajjalantaṁ,

Tārāsabhaṁva nabhasigamaṁ visuddhaṁ;

Suriyaṁ tapantaṁ saradarivabbhamuttaṁ,

Ānandajāto vipulamalattha pītiṁ.

Anekasākhañca sahassamaṇḍalaṁ,

Chattaṁ marū dhārayumantalikkhe;

Suvaṇṇadaṇḍā vītipatanti cāmarā,

Na dissare cāmarachattagāhakā.

Disvā jaṭī kaṇhasirivhayo isi,

Suvaṇṇanikkhaṁ viya paṇḍukambale;

Setañca chattaṁ dhariyanta muddhani,

Udaggacitto sumano paṭiggahe.

Paṭiggahetvā pana sakyapuṅgavaṁ,

Jigīsako lakkhaṇamantapāragū;

Pasannacitto giramabbhudīrayi,

“Anuttarāyaṁ dvipadānamuttamo”.

Athattano gamanamanussaranto,

Akalyarūpo gaḷayati assukāni;

Disvāna sakyā isimavocuṁ rudantaṁ,

“No ce kumāre bhavissati antarāyo”.

Disvāna sakye isimavoca akalye,

“Nāhaṁ kumāre ahitamanussarāmi;

Na cāpimassa bhavissati antarāyo,

Na orakāyaṁ adhimānasā bhavātha.

Sambodhiyaggaṁ phusissatāyaṁ kumāro,

So dhammacakkaṁ paramavisuddhadassī;

Vattessatāyaṁ bahujanahitānukampī,

Vitthārikassa bhavissati brahmacariyaṁ.

Mamañca āyu na ciramidhāvaseso,

Athantarā me bhavissati kālakiriyā;

Sohaṁ na sossaṁ asamadhurassa dhammaṁ,

Tenamhi aṭṭo byasanaṅgato aghāvī”.

So sākiyānaṁ vipulaṁ janetvā pītiṁ,

Antepuramhā niggamā brahmacārī;

So bhāgineyyaṁ sayaṁ anukampamāno,

Samādapesi asamadhurassa dhamme.

“Buddhoti ghosaṁ yada parato suṇāsi,

Sambodhipatto vivarati dhammamaggaṁ;

Gantvāna tattha samayaṁ paripucchamāno,

Carassu tasmiṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ”.

Tenānusiṭṭho hitamanena tādinā,

Anāgate paramavisuddhadassinā;

So nālako upacitapuññasañcayo,

Jinaṁ patikkhaṁ parivasi rakkhitindriyo.

Sutvāna ghosaṁ jinavaracakkavattane,

Gantvāna disvā isinisabhaṁ pasanno;

Moneyyaseṭṭhaṁ munipavaraṁ apucchi,

Samāgate asitāvhayassa sāsaneti.

Vatthugāthā niṭṭhitā.

“Aññātametaṁ vacanaṁ,

Asitassa yathātathaṁ;

Taṁ taṁ gotama pucchāmi,

Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ.

Anagāriyupetassa,

Bhikkhācariyaṁ jigīsato;

Muni pabrūhi me puṭṭho,

Moneyyaṁ uttamaṁ padaṁ”.

“Moneyyaṁ te upaññissaṁ,

(iti bhagavā)

Dukkaraṁ durabhisambhavaṁ;

Handa te naṁ pavakkhāmi,

Santhambhassu daḷho bhava.

Samānabhāgaṁ kubbetha,

Gāme akkuṭṭhavanditaṁ;

Manopadosaṁ rakkheyya,

Santo anuṇṇato care.

Uccāvacā niccharanti,

Dāye aggisikhūpamā;

Nāriyo muniṁ palobhenti,

Tā su taṁ mā palobhayuṁ.

Virato methunā dhammā,

Hitvā kāme paropare;

Aviruddho asāratto,

Pāṇesu tasathāvare.

Yathā ahaṁ tathā ete,

Yathā ete tathā ahaṁ;

Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,

Na haneyya na ghātaye.

Hitvā icchañca lobhañca,

Yattha satto puthujjano;

Cakkhumā paṭipajjeyya,

Tareyya narakaṁ imaṁ.

Ūnūdaro mitāhāro,

Appicchassa alolupo;

Sadā icchāya nicchāto,

Aniccho hoti nibbuto.

Sa piṇḍacāraṁ caritvā,

Vanantamabhihāraye;

Upaṭṭhito rukkhamūlasmiṁ,

Āsanūpagato muni.

Sa jhānapasuto dhīro,

Vanante ramito siyā;

Jhāyetha rukkhamūlasmiṁ,

Attānamabhitosayaṁ.

Tato ratyā vivasāne,

Gāmantamabhihāraye;

Avhānaṁ nābhinandeyya,

Abhihārañca gāmato.

Na munī gāmamāgamma,

Kulesu sahasā care;

Ghāsesanaṁ chinnakatho,

Na vācaṁ payutaṁ bhaṇe.

Alatthaṁ yadidaṁ sādhu,

Nālatthaṁ kusalaṁ iti;

Ubhayeneva so tādī,

Rukkhaṁvupanivattati.

Sa pattapāṇi vicaranto,

Amūgo mūgasammato;

Appaṁ dānaṁ na hīḷeyya,

Dātāraṁ nāvajāniyā.

Uccāvacā hi paṭipadā,

Samaṇena pakāsitā;

Na pāraṁ diguṇaṁ yanti,

Nayidaṁ ekaguṇaṁ mutaṁ.

Yassa ca visatā natthi,

Chinnasotassa bhikkhuno;

Kiccākiccappahīnassa,

Pariḷāho na vijjati.

Moneyyaṁ te upaññissaṁ,

Khuradhārūpamo bhave;

Jivhāya tālumāhacca,

Udare saññato siyā.

Alīnacitto ca siyā,

Na cāpi bahu cintaye;

Nirāmagandho asito,

Brahmacariyaparāyaṇo.

Ekāsanassa sikkhetha,

Samaṇūpāsanassa ca;

Ekattaṁ monamakkhātaṁ,

Eko ce abhiramissasi;

Atha bhāhisi dasadisā.

Sutvā dhīrānaṁ nighosaṁ,

Jhāyīnaṁ kāmacāginaṁ;

Tato hiriñca saddhañca,

Bhiyyo kubbetha māmako.

Taṁ nadīhi vijānātha,

Sobbhesu padaresu ca;

Saṇantā yanti kusobbhā,

Tuṇhī yanti mahodadhī.

Yadūnakaṁ taṁ saṇati,

Yaṁ pūraṁ santameva taṁ;

Aḍḍhakumbhūpamo bālo,

Rahado pūrova paṇḍito.

Yaṁ samaṇo bahuṁ bhāsati,

Upetaṁ atthasañhitaṁ;

Jānaṁ so dhammaṁ deseti,

Jānaṁ so bahu bhāsati.

Yo ca jānaṁ saṁyatatto,

Jānaṁ na bahu bhāsati;

Sa munī monamarahati,

Sa munī monamajjhagā”ti.

Nālakasuttaṁ ekādasamaṁ.

Prologue—Telling the story

SC 1SC Verse 685Narrator
In midday meditation the sage Asita saw
brilliantly arrayed the thrice-ten deva troop,
happy and joyful waving flags the while,
with Sakka their superior all highly elated.
SC Verse 686Then when he had seen the devas so delighted
respectfully he greeted them and questioned them like this:

SC 2Why is this deva-Saṅgha so exceedingly joyful
they’ve brought along banners for brandishing about?
SC Verse 687Even when the devas battled anti-gods
with a win for deva-hosts, and loss for demon-hordes,
then was no such celebration— so what have devas seen?
What wonder have they heard? Why devas are delighted?
SC Verse 688They whistle and they sing, clap hands and strum sitars;
with dancing and with music, so they celebrate.
O you deva-dwellers on Meru’s airy peaks,
I beg you, good sirs, soon dispel my doubts.

SC 3SC Verse 689Devas
A Bodhisattva has been born in the Sakyans’ city,
in lands along Lumbini. Precious gem beyond compare,
for the weal and welfare of those in the human realm.
That’s why we’re delighted and completely overjoyed.
SC Verse 690He, best being of all, foremost among mankind,
mighty bull among men, of creatures all supreme,
will revolve the wheel in ancient seers’ woods,
likened to a roaring lion, mightiest of beasts.

SC 4SC Verse 691Narrator
Having known this news, then the sage in haste
in mind descended to Suddhodana’s abode,
sat he down and said:

SC 5Asita Where then is this prince? I wish to see him now!

SC 6SC Verse 692Narrator
So Sakyans he beseeched.
Then to him Asita named did Sakyans show their son,
the prince in colour clear as rays from shining gold,
burnished and illustrious both of supernal hue.
SC Verse 693Joy with rapture great filled Asita’s heart
on perceiving this young prince, bright as crested flame,
pure like the lunar lord stars herding through the sky,
dazzling as the sun on cloudless autumn days.
SC Verse 694Sky beings all above carried canopy of state
of many-tiered parasols as well as gold-handled whisks—
but no one saw the bearers of the whisks and parasols.
SC Verse 695The sage with dreadlocked hair, also Kaṇhasiri called,
seeing then the prince— golden jewel upon brocade,
white parasols of state held above his head—
received him in his arms with gladdened mind and joy.
SC Verse 696As soon as he received the foremost Sakyan man,
he, skilled in lore of signs and mastery of mantras,
exclaimed:

SC 7Asita
Highest, unexcelled among the race of men!

SC 8SC Verse 697Narrator
But recollected then that soon, so soon, he’d die.
Seeing the sobbing prince, the Sakyans asked of him:

SC 9Sakyans
Surely for this prince no peril will befall?

SC 10SC Verse 698Narrator
The sage in answer said to anxious Sakyan’s throng:

SC 11Asita
“No fears do I foresee to come upon the prince,
nor any harm at all in future will befall,
nor he’s unfortunate, so do not be depressed,
SC Verse 699for he will touch upon Enlightenment divine
and turn the Dharma wheel. Seer of perfect purity,
with compassion for the many, he will set forth the goodly life.
SC Verse 700But I’ve only brief time left within my life,
while in this time I’ll die, having no chance to hear
the Dharma of that one of power incomparable;
this saddens me so, such loss distresses me.”

SC 12SC Verse 701Narrator
Having roused in Sakyans this joy profound, the sage,
keeper of pure precepts, left inner palace suites.
Then of his compassion to his sister’s son set out,
arousing in him interest in the Dharma deep:

SC 13SC Verse 702Asita
From persons having heard the sound of “Buddha” word
who Sambodhi attained, practising the Dharma-path,
go there, then question him, as his disciples live with him.
Practice with that radiant lord precepts of purity.

SC 14SC Verse 703Narrator
So, instructed by him, whose mind set on benefit,
who foresaw in future time perfect purity complete,
that Nālaka, his nephew much merit stored away,
with guarded senses waited in expectation of the victor.
SC Verse 704Having heard of the victor’s revolution of the noble wheel,
he went to him and saw him, that prime among the saviours,
and trust arose in him in the greatest sage.
Then he enquired upon the Silentness supreme,
thus coming to fulfil the sages wish.

SC 15SC Verse 705Nālaka
Having understood Asita’s speech—
that it accords with truthfulness,
Gotama, we question you
on dharmas gone to the further shore.

SC 16SC Verse 706I came to homelessness but now I wish
as a bhikkhu to behave,
speak to me, Sage, as I request
on the highest state of Silentness.

SC 17SC Verse 707Buddha
Knowledge of Silence I’ll convey,
hard to do, to master difficult,
so be both firm and resolute
and I’ll speak upon this thing.

SC 18SC Verse 708In town there’s always praise and blame,
so practise even-mindedness,
guard against faults of mind—
fare calm and free from arrogance.

SC 19SC Verse 709As crown-fire crests
and forest-fuel flies up,
so do women tempt the sage—
but be not by them tempted.

SC 20SC Verse 710Refrain from sexual dharmas,
whether pleasures fine or coarse,
be not attached, repelled,
for beings weak or strong.

SC 21SC Verse 711Comparing others with oneself—
“As I am so are they” and
“As they are so am I”—
kill not nor cause to kill.

SC 22SC Verse 712Wishes and greed give up to which
ordinary persons are attached,
be one-with-vision and set out
to go across this hellish state.

SC 23SC Verse 713Empty-bellied, with little food,
few in wishes, greedless too,
the wishless he, and hungerless,
the wishless come quite Cool.

SC 24SC Verse 714The sage on almsround having walked,
going then to lonely woods
and drawing near the roots of a tree,
takes a seat just there.

SC 25SC Verse 715Firmly intent on jhāna
and delighting in the woods;
who at the tree-roots meditates,
satisfies himself.

SC 26SC Verse 716Until the end of night,
when to a village he goes,
there, by gifts not pleased
nor by invitations.

SC 27SC Verse 717The sage to village come,
hastens not among the houses,
but cuts off talk while seeking food,
and refrains from hints.

SC 28SC Verse 718“Good it is that I have gained”,
“good that I have not as well”.
One such thinks both alike
returning to his tree.

SC 29SC Verse 719Going about with bowl in hand
not dumb but others think him so;
he does not scorn a trifling gift,
nor despise its donor.

SC 30SC Verse 720Refined and basic practices
the Samaṇa’s made clear;
but Beyond with both they not go,
nor through one only experience.

SC 31SC Verse 721In whom no craving’s left—
that bhikkhu cut across the stream,
“should do, should not do”, given up,
in him no fever’s found.

SC 32SC Verse 722Further than this, wisdom still I teach:
Be like a razor’s edge,
tongue-tip upon the palate,
thus be restrained in belly.

SC 33SC Verse 723Be not indolent in mind,
but neither think too much,
and be free from all carrion-stench:
aim at life of purity.

SC 34SC Verse 724Train yourself in solitary life,
the way of life of samaṇas,
take high delight in being one
its called the Singleness.

SC 35SC Verse 725With this you will shine forth
in all directions ten,
then the praises of the wise, those skilled
in meditation—sensuality let go,
as one loving me, you’ll all the more
grow in faith and modesty.

SC 36SC Verse 726Know this from waters’ flow—
those by rocks and pools—
such rills and becks gush noisily,
great waterways flow quiet.

SC 37SC Verse 727What is unfilled makes noise
but silent is what’s full,
the fool is like the pot half-filled,
the wise one’s like a lake that’s full.

SC 38SC Verse 728When a samaṇa speaks much
full of goodness and meaning:
Knowing Dharma he speaks,
Knowing he speaks so much.

SC 39SC Verse 729But who, Knowing, is self-restrained,
Knowing, he speaks not much:
That Sage is worth to Silence,
a Sage to Silence reached.