The Discourse about Sundarī

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sakkato hoti garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

Bhikkhusaṅghopi sakkato hoti garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

Aññatitthiyā pana paribbājakā asakkatā honti agarukatā amānitā apūjitā anapacitā na lābhino cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

Atha kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā bhagavato sakkāraṁ asahamānā bhikkhusaṅghassa ca yena sundarī paribbājikā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā sundariṁ paribbājikaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“ussahasi tvaṁ, bhagini, ñātīnaṁ atthaṁ kātun”ti?

“Kyāhaṁ, ayyā, karomi?

Kiṁ mayā na sakkā kātuṁ?

Jīvitampi me pariccattaṁ ñātīnaṁ atthāyā”ti.

“Tena hi, bhagini, abhikkhaṇaṁ jetavanaṁ gacchāhī”ti.

“Evaṁ, ayyā”ti kho sundarī paribbājikā tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ paṭissutvā abhikkhaṇaṁ jetavanaṁ agamāsi.

Yadā te aññiṁsu aññatitthiyā paribbājakā:

“vodiṭṭhā kho sundarī paribbājikā bahujanena abhikkhaṇaṁ jetavanaṁ gacchantī”ti.

Atha naṁ jīvitā voropetvā tattheva jetavanassa parikhākūpe nikkhipitvā yena rājā pasenadi kosalo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“yā sā, mahārāja, sundarī paribbājikā; sā no na dissatī”ti.

“Kattha pana tumhe āsaṅkathā”ti?

“Jetavane, mahārājā”ti.

“Tena hi jetavanaṁ vicinathā”ti.

Atha kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā jetavanaṁ vicinitvā yathānikkhittaṁ parikhākūpā uddharitvā mañcakaṁ āropetvā sāvatthiṁ pavesetvā rathiyāya rathiyaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā manusse ujjhāpesuṁ:

“Passathāyyā samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ kammaṁ.

Alajjino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā dussīlā pāpadhammā musāvādino abrahmacārino.

Ime hi nāma dhammacārino samacārino brahmacārino saccavādino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā paṭijānissanti.

Natthi imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, natthi imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Kuto imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, kuto imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ?

Apagatā ime sāmaññā, apagatā ime brahmaññā.

Kathañhi nāma puriso purisakiccaṁ karitvā itthiṁ jīvitā voropessatī”ti.

Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyaṁ manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti:

“Alajjino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā dussīlā pāpadhammā musāvādino abrahmacārino.

Ime hi nāma dhammacārino samacārino brahmacārino saccavādino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā paṭijānissanti.

Natthi imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, natthi imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Kuto imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, kuto imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ?

Apagatā ime sāmaññā, apagatā ime brahmaññā.

Kathañhi nāma puriso purisakiccaṁ karitvā itthiṁ jīvitā voropessatī”ti.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu.

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Etarahi, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti:

‘alajjino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā dussīlā pāpadhammā musāvādino abrahmacārino.

Ime hi nāma dhammacārino samacārino brahmacārino saccavādino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā paṭijānissanti.

Natthi imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, natthi imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Kuto imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, kuto imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ?

Apagatā ime sāmaññā, apagatā ime brahmaññā.

Kathañhi nāma puriso purisakiccaṁ karitvā itthiṁ jīvitā voropessatī’”ti.

“Neso, bhikkhave, saddo ciraṁ bhavissati sattāhameva bhavissati. Sattāhassa accayena antaradhāyissati.

Tena hi, bhikkhave, ye manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti, te tumhe imāya gāthāya paṭicodetha:

‘Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,

Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;

Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,

Nihīnakammā manujā paratthā’”ti.

Atha kho te bhikkhū bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā ye manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti te imāya gāthāya paṭicodenti:

“Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,

Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;

Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,

Nihīnakammā manujā paratthā”ti.

Manussānaṁ etadahosi:

“akārakā ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā, nayimehi kataṁ, sapantime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā”ti.

Neva so saddo ciraṁ ahosi. Sattāhameva ahosi. Sattāhassa accayena antaradhāyi.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavato etadavocuṁ:

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

‘neso, bhikkhave, saddo ciraṁ bhavissati. Sattāhameva bhavissati. Sattāhassa accayena antaradhāyissatī’ti.

Antarahito so, bhante, saddo”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Tudanti vācāya janā asaññatā,

Sarehi saṅgāmagataṁva kuñjaraṁ;

Sutvāna vākyaṁ pharusaṁ udīritaṁ,

Adhivāsaye bhikkhu aduṭṭhacitto”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

SC 1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time the Gracious One was venerated, respected, revered, honoured, esteemed, and in receipt of robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick; also the Community of monks was venerated, respected, revered, honoured, esteemed, and in receipt of robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick. But wanderers from other sects were not venerated, not respected, not revered, not honoured, not esteemed, nor were they in receipt of robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick.

SC 2Then those wanderers from other sects being unable to bear the veneration of the Gracious One and the Community of monks, went to the female wanderer Sundarī Beautiful, and after going, they said this to the female wanderer Sundarī: “Sister, what would you venture to do for your kinsmens’ welfare?”

SC 3“What can I do, Masters, what am I unable to do? I have given up my life for my kinsmens’ welfare.”

SC 4“Then, sister, you must frequently go to Jeta’s Wood.”

SC 5“Yes, Masters”, said the female wanderer Sundarī, and after replying to those wanderers from other sects, she frequently went to Jeta’s Wood. When those wanderers from other sects knew: “The female wanderer Sundarī has been seen by many people frequently going to Jeta’s Wood”, then having deprived her of life, and buried her into a trench-pit right there in Jeta’s Wood, they went to the Kosalan King Pasenadi, and after going, they said this to the Kosalan King Pasenadi:

SC 6“Great King, we no longer see the female wanderer Sundarī.”

“But where do you suspect she is?”

“In Jeta’s Wood, Great King.”

“Then you must search Jeta’s Wood.”

SC 7Then those wanderers from other sects after searching Jeta’s Wood, lifting the body up from the trench-pit where it had been buried, putting it on a bier, and entering Sāvatthī, going from road to road, from cross-roads to cross-roads, made people find fault, saying:

SC 8“See, Masters, what the Sakyan ascetics have done, shameless are these Sakyan ascetics, lacking in virtue, of bad character, speakers of what is false, not living the spiritual life. But they will claim that they live by Dhamma, live in peace, live spiritually, speak the truth, are virtuous, and are of good character. They have no asceticism, they have no spirituality, their asceticism has perished, their spirituality has perished. Where is their asceticism? Where is their spirituality? They have gone away from asceticism, they have gone away from spirituality. For what man, having done what a man can do, would deprive a woman of life?”

SC 9That at that time, the people in Sāvatthī, after seeing the monks, with vulgar and rough words scolded, abused, annoyed, and troubled them, saying: “Shameless are these Sakyan ascetics, lacking in virtue, of bad character, speakers of what is false, not living the spiritual life. But they will claim that they live by Dhamma, live in peace, live spiritually, speak the truth, are virtuous, and are of good character. They have no asceticism, they have no spirituality, their asceticism has perished, their spirituality has perished. Where is their asceticism? Where is their spirituality? They have gone away from asceticism, they have gone away from spirituality. For what man, having done what a man can do, would deprive a woman of life?”

SC 10Then many monks, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms, and after walking for alms in Sāvatthī, while returning from the alms-round after the meal, went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side. While sat on one side those monks said this to the Gracious One:

SC 11“At present, reverend Sir, the people in Sāvatthī, after seeing the monks, with vulgar and rough words scold, abuse, annoy, and trouble them, saying: ‘Shameless are these Sakyan ascetics, lacking in virtue, of bad character, speakers of what is false, not living the spiritual life. But they will claim that they live by Dhamma, live in peace, live spiritually, speak the truth, are virtuous, and are of good character. They have no asceticism, they have no spirituality, their asceticism has perished, their spirituality has perished. Where is their asceticism? Where is their spirituality? They have gone away from asceticism, they have gone away from spirituality. For what man, having done what a man can do, would deprive a woman of life?’ ”

SC 12“This noise will not last long, monks, it will last for only seven days, and with the passing of seven days it will disappear. So, monks, when those people, after seeing the monks, with vulgar and rough words scold, abuse, annoy, and trouble them, you should reprove them with this verse:

SC 13“He who speaks what is untrue goes to the nether regions,
Also he who says ‘I did not do’ what he has done,
Both of those men who have performed base deeds
are the same when they have passed away, in the other world.”

SC 14Then those monks, having mastered that verse in the presence of the Gracious One, when those people, after seeing the monks, with vulgar and rough words scolded, abused, annoyed, and troubled them, reproved them with this verse:

SC 15“He who speaks what is untrue goes to the nether regions,
Also he who says ‘I did not do’ what he has done,
Both of those men who have performed base deeds
are the same when they have passed away, in the other world.”

SC 16Then this occurred to those people: “These Sakyan ascetics are not the doers, this wasn’t done by them, these Sakyan ascetics are asserting the truth.”

SC 17That noise did not last long, it only lasted for seven days, and with the passing of seven days it disappeared.

SC 18Then many monks went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side. While sat on one side those monks said this to the Gracious One: “It is wonderful, reverend Sir, it is marvellous, reverend Sir, how well spoken that was, reverend Sir, by the Gracious One: ‘This noise will not last long, monks, it will last for only seven days, and with the passing of seven days it will disappear.’ That noise, reverend Sir, has disappeared.”

SC 19Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

SC 20“Unrestrained the people pierce others with words,
Like they pierce an elephant with arrows in a battle,
But having heard that rough speech broadcast around,
A monk should bear it with an uncorrupt mind.”