With Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā on the Sacrificial Cake

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sundarikāya nadiyā tīre.

Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo sundarikāya nadiyā tīre aggiṁ juhati, aggihuttaṁ paricarati.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo aggiṁ juhitvā aggihuttaṁ paricaritvā uṭṭhāyāsanā samantā catuddisā anuvilokesi:

“ko nu kho imaṁ habyasesaṁ bhuñjeyyā”ti?

Addasā kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ avidūre aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle sasīsaṁ pārutaṁ nisinnaṁ;

disvāna vāmena hatthena habyasesaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena kamaṇḍaluṁ gahetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa padasaddena sīsaṁ vivari.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo: “muṇḍo ayaṁ bhavaṁ, muṇḍako ayaṁ bhavan”ti tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:

“muṇḍāpi hi idhekacce brāhmaṇā bhavanti, yannūnāhaṁ upasaṅkamitvā jātiṁ puccheyyan”ti.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“kiṁjacco bhavan”ti?

Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Na brāhmaṇo nomhi na rājaputto,

Na vessāyano uda koci nomhi;

Gottaṁ pariññāya puthujjanānaṁ,

Akiñcano manta carāmi loke.

Saṅghāṭivāsī agaho carāmi,

Nivuttakeso abhinibbutatto;

Alippamāno idha māṇavehi,

Akallaṁ maṁ brāhmaṇa pucchasi gottapañhaṁ”.

“Pucchanti ve bho brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇebhi,

Saha brāhmaṇo no bhavan”ti.

“Brāhmaṇo hi ce tvaṁ brūsi,

Mañca brūsi abrāhmaṇaṁ;

Taṁ taṁ sāvittiṁ pucchāmi,

Tipadaṁ catuvīsatakkharaṁ”.

“Kiṁ nissitā isayo manujā,

Khattiyā brāhmaṇā devatānaṁ;

Yaññamakappayiṁsu puthū idha loke”.

“Yadantagū vedagū yaññakāle,

Yassāhutiṁ labhe tassijjheti brūmi”.

“Addhā hi tassa hutamijjhe,

(iti brāhmaṇo)

Yaṁ tādisaṁ vedagumaddasāma;

Tumhādisānañhi adassanena,

Añño jano bhuñjati pūraḷāsaṁ”.

“Tasmātiha tvaṁ brāhmaṇa atthena,

Atthiko upasaṅkamma puccha;

Santaṁ vidhūmaṁ anīghaṁ nirāsaṁ,

Appevidha abhivinde sumedhaṁ”.

“Yaññe ratohaṁ bho gotama,

Yaññaṁ yiṭṭhukāmo nāhaṁ pajānāmi;

Anusāsatu maṁ bhavaṁ,

Yattha hutaṁ ijjhate brūhi me taṁ”.

“Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, odahassu sotaṁ; dhammaṁ te desessāmi—

Mā jātiṁ pucchī caraṇañca puccha,

Kaṭṭhā have jāyati jātavedo;

Nīcākulīnopi munī dhitīmā,

Ājāniyo hoti hirīnisedho.

Saccena danto damasā upeto,

Vedantagū vūsitabrahmacariyo;

Kālena tamhi habyaṁ pavecche,

Yo brāhmaṇo puññapekkho yajetha.

Ye kāme hitvā agahā caranti,

Susaññatattā tasaraṁva ujjuṁ;

Kālena tesu habyaṁ pavecche,

Yo brāhmaṇo puññapekkho yajetha.

Ye vītarāgā susamāhitindriyā,

Candova rāhuggahaṇā pamuttā;

Kālena tesu habyaṁ pavecche,

Yo brāhmaṇo puññapekkho yajetha.

Asajjamānā vicaranti loke,

Sadā satā hitvā mamāyitāni;

Kālena tesu habyaṁ pavecche,

Yo brāhmaṇo puññapekkho yajetha.

Yo kāme hitvā abhibhuyyacārī,

Yo vedi jātīmaraṇassa antaṁ;

Parinibbuto udakarahadova sīto,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Samo samehi visamehi dūre,

Tathāgato hoti anantapañño;

Anūpalitto idha vā huraṁ vā,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Yamhi na māyā vasati na māno,

Yo vītalobho amamo nirāso;

Paṇunnakodho abhinibbutatto,

Yo brāhmaṇo sokamalaṁ ahāsi;

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Nivesanaṁ yo manaso ahāsi,

Pariggahā yassa na santi keci;

Anupādiyāno idha vā huraṁ vā,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Samāhito yo udatāri oghaṁ,

Dhammaṁ caññāsi paramāya diṭṭhiyā;

Khīṇāsavo antimadehadhārī,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Bhavāsavā yassa vacī kharā ca,

Vidhūpitā atthagatā na santi;

Sa vedagū sabbadhi vippamutto,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Saṅgātigo yassa na santi saṅgā,

Yo mānasattesu amānasatto;

Dukkhaṁ pariññāya sakhettavatthuṁ,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Āsaṁ anissāya vivekadassī,

Paravediyaṁ diṭṭhimupātivatto;

Ārammaṇā yassa na santi keci,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Paroparā yassa samecca dhammā,

Vidhūpitā atthagatā na santi;

Santo upādānakhaye vimutto,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Saṁyojanaṁ jātikhayantadassī,

Yopānudi rāgapathaṁ asesaṁ;

Suddho nidoso vimalo akāco,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Yo attano attānaṁ nānupassati,

Samāhito ujjugato ṭhitatto;

Sa ve anejo akhilo akaṅkho,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ.

Mohantarā yassa na santi keci,

Sabbesu dhammesu ca ñāṇadassī;

Sarīrañca antimaṁ dhāreti,

Patto ca sambodhimanuttaraṁ sivaṁ;

Ettāvatā yakkhassa suddhi,

Tathāgato arahati pūraḷāsaṁ”.

“Hutañca mayhaṁ hutamatthu saccaṁ,

Yaṁ tādisaṁ vedagunaṁ alatthaṁ;

Brahmā hi sakkhi paṭigaṇhātu me bhagavā,

Bhuñjatu me bhagavā pūraḷāsaṁ”.

“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,

Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo;

Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā,

Dhamme satī brāhmaṇa vuttiresā.

Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,

Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ;

Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,

Khettañhi taṁ puññapekkhassa hoti”.

“Sādhāhaṁ bhagavā tathā vijaññaṁ,

Yo dakkhiṇaṁ bhuñjeyya mādisassa;

Yaṁ yaññakāle pariyesamāno,

Pappuyya tava sāsanaṁ”.

“Sārambhā yassa vigatā,

Cittaṁ yassa anāvilaṁ;

Vippamutto ca kāmehi,

Thinaṁ yassa panūditaṁ.

Sīmantānaṁ vinetāraṁ,

Jātimaraṇakovidaṁ;

Muniṁ moneyyasampannaṁ,

Tādisaṁ yaññamāgataṁ.

Bhakuṭiṁ vinayitvāna,

Pañjalikā namassatha;

Pūjetha annapānena,

Evaṁ ijjhanti dakkhiṇā”.

“Buddho bhavaṁ arahati pūraḷāsaṁ,

Puññakhettamanuttaraṁ;

Āyāgo sabbalokassa,

Bhoto dinnaṁ mahapphalan”ti.

Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.

Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.

Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.

Alattha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo …pe…

arahataṁ ahosīti.

Sundarikabhāradvājasuttaṁ catutthaṁ.

SC 1Thus have I heard:

SC 2At one time the Radiant One was dwelling among the Kosalans. At that time the brahmin Sundarika-Bhāradvāja performed on the bank of the Sundarika river the fire sacrifice and offered the fire-ritual. Having completed the sacrifice and ritual the brahmin rose from his seat and surveyed the four directions, thinking, “Who will partake of the remains of this sacrifice?” It happened then that the brahmin saw the Radiant One seated at the foot of a tree not far away, but with his head covered. Seeing him, the brahmin grasped the sacrificial remains in his left hand and a water-vessel in his right and approached the Radiant One who, hearing his approach, uncovered his head. Then the brahmin thought:

SC 3“This venerable one is shaven-headed, a mere shaveling” and desired to turn back. But it occurred to him: “Though shaven-headed there are some brahmins here like this. It would be good to inquire about his ‘birth’.” Then Sundarika-Bhāradvāja the brahmin approached the Radiant One and having done so, said this: “Of what ‘birth’ is the venerable one?” Then the Radiant One addressed these verses to the brahmin:

SC 4SC Verse 458Buddha
No brahmin am I, nor son of royalty,
nor of merchant stock, nor any other (caste),
for I know very well ordinary people’s line
so wisely, having nothing, I fare through the world.

SC 5SC Verse 459My robe is my dwelling, I live in no house,
My head is shaven, I am fully quenched;
Not clinging to any students here,
It is not appropriate, brahmin, to ask me of my clan.

SC 6SC Verse 460Sundarika
But brahmins, sir, of brahmins always ask
“Are you as well a brahmin, friend?”

SC 7SC Verse 461Buddha
If you say you brahmin are, but call me none,
then of you I ask the chant of Sāvitrī,
consisting of three lines
in four and twenty syllables.

SC 8SC Verse 462Sundarika
On what do they rely, these seers,
born human, the nobles and brahmins, all of them,
that to the devas they sacrifices make
to bring about results here in this world?

SC 9SC Verse 463Buddha
One gone to the End, one who’s gone to Knowledge,
at the time of sacrifice receives that offering,
and that will be a blessing, I say.

SC 10SC Verse 464Sundarika
Then for sure will be fruitful this my sacrifice,
because we have seen one such as yourself—
one gone to Knowledge, for if seeing not,
another would have eaten the sacrificial cake.

SC 11SC Verse 465Buddha
Well then, brahmin, you should ask,
since you have come to seek the meaning.
Perhaps you will find here a Wise One,
Peaceful, clear, unsoiled, desireless.

SC 12SC Verse 466Sundarika
I do delight in an desire to sacrifice, O Gotama,
but I do not know how, instruct me please, sir,
and how a sacrifice succeeds, do tell me of that?

SC 13SC Verse 467Buddha
If that is so, O brahmin, lend your ears,
and in the Dharma I shall instruct you.
Ask not of “birth” but of behaviour enquire—
truly from sticks of wood the sacred fire is born,
so though of lowly line, a sage becomes a thoroughbred,
one both resolute, and restrained by self-respect,

SC 14SC Verse 468tamed by Truth, endowed with self-restraint,
one gone to Knowledge’s end and the Good Life living:
a timely offering one should give to such—
a brahmin seeking merit to such a one should sacrifice.

SC 15SC Verse 469Let go of sensuality, and homeless faring—those
with minds well-restrained and as a shuttle straight
a timely offering one should give to such—
a brahmin seeking merit to such a one should sacrifice.

SC 16SC Verse 470Free from lustfulness, sense-faculties controlled,
as the moon freed from old Rāhu’s grasp:
a timely offering one should give to such—
a brahmin seeking merit to such a one should sacrifice.

SC 17SC Verse 471They who wander the world completely unattached
ever-mindful of mine-making, always letting go:
a timely offering one should give to such—
a brahmin seeking merit to such a one should sacrifice.

SC 18SC Verse 472Whoever fares victorious, let go of sensuality,
who is a Knower of the end of birth and death,
become quite Cool as a cool-water lake;
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 19SC Verse 473Who’s equal with equals, unequals far away,
a Tathāgata—of wisdom infinite,
one who is unsmeared either here or hereafter:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 20SC Verse 474In whom does not dwell deceit or conceit,
who’s greed-free, unselfish, having no desire,
who anger has lost, exceeding Cool of self,
that Brahmin who’s removed impurity of grief:
such a Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 21SC Verse 475Whoever has removed the dwellings of the mind,
in whom there exists no clinging any more,
no grasping at anything here or hereafter:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 22SC Verse 476With a mind composed and crossed the flood,
a Knower of Dharma by the highest vision,
cleansed of pollutions, bearer of a last body:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 23SC Verse 477No pollutions for existence, neither harsh words,
not smouldering are they, to non-existence gone,
one gone to Knowledge, completely released:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 24SC Verse 478One gone beyond ties, no ties still exist,
among conceited men, one of no conceit,
comprehending dukkha with its range and base:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 25SC Verse 479A seer of solitude and not depending on desire,
escaped from the views by other people known,
in whom are no conditions found at all:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 26SC Verse 480Who’s understood completely the dharmas high and low,
not smouldering are they, to non-existence gone,
by clinging’s exhaustion freed and so at peace:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 27SC Verse 481Who’s a seer of exhaustion of birth and fetters all
and who has dispelled the sensual trail complete—
purified, faultless, untainted and flawless:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 28SC Verse 482One not seeing self by means of self within,
firm and straightforward as well contemplative,
free from lust, harsh-heartedness and from all doubts:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 29SC Verse 483In whom no conditions for delusion can be found,
a seer with wisdom among all the dharmas,
one who’s the bearer of the ultimate body,
attained to the blissful unexcelled Awakening
to this extent there s purity among the powerful:
such Tathāgata’s worthy of sacrificial cake.

SC 30SC Verse 484Sundarika
In the past I sacrificed, now let my sacrifice be true,
for now I have met such a one of wisdom’s qualities;
you’re Brahmā manifest indeed, accept from me O Radiant,
may the Radiant One eat my sacrificial cake.

SC 31SC Verse 485Buddha
Chanting sacred verses for comestibles—
that’s not done by me,
for those who rightly see, brahmin,
it accords not with Dharma.
Chanting sacred verses thus
is rejected by the Buddhas,
such is the Dharma, brahmin,
such is their practice.

SC 32SC Verse 486A Great Seer with Final Knowledge, conflicts stilled,
one who has exhausted taints, is wholly free—
make offerings of food and drink to such a one:
the certain field for one who merit seeks.

SC 33SC Verse 487Sundarika
Good indeed, sir, that I should know of this.
But having gained your teachings (now I ask):
Who should eat the gift of such as I,
whom I’m seeking at this time of sacrifice?

SC 34SC Verse 488Buddha
Whose anger’s disappeared,
who has unclouded mind,
who’s free from lustfulness,
whose sloth is thrust aside,

SC 35SC Verse 489guide for what’s beyond the bounds,
Knower of birth-and-death,
Sage with sagely virtues,
arrived at the sacrifice,

SC 36SC Verse 490with super pride removed,
revere with lotussed hands,
honour with food and drink,
thus prosper rightful gifts.

SC 37SC Verse 491Sundarika
The Buddha, sir, is worthy of sacrificial cake,
a field for merits,
recipient of all the world,
what’s given to you bears great fruit.

SC 38When this was said, the brahmin Sundarika-Bhāradvāja said to the Radiant One: “Magnificent, master Gotama! The Dharma has been clarified by Master Gotama in many ways, as though he was righting what was overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes can see forms. I go for Refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dharma, and to the Bhikkhu-Saṅgha that I may receive the Leaving home from the venerable Gotama with ordination.” Then the brahmin Sundarika-Bhāradvāja received this.

SC 39Not long after his ordination the venerable, living in solitude, secluded, diligent and zealous by realizing from himself with Direct Knowledge here and now entered upon and abided in that supreme goal of the Good Life for the sake of which clansmen rightly leave home for homelessness. He Knew directly: birth is destroyed, the Good Life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being. And the venerable Sundarika-Bhāradvāja became one of the arahants.