Saṅghāṭikaṇṇasutta

Itivuttaka 92

So It Was Said 92

Tikanipāta

The Book of the Threes

Pañcamavagga

Chapter Five

Saṅghāṭikaṇṇasutta

The Corner of the Cloak

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Saṅghāṭikaṇṇe cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gahetvā piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho assa pāde pādaṁ nikkhipanto,

“Mendicants, suppose a mendicant were to hold the corner of my cloak and follow behind me step by step.

so ca hoti abhijjhālu kāmesu tibbasārāgo byāpannacitto paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo;

Yet they covet sensual pleasures; they’re infatuated, full of ill will and malicious intent. They are unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

atha kho so ārakāva mayhaṁ, ahañca tassa.

Then they are far from me, and I from them.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Dhammañhi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na passati.

Because that mendicant does not see the teaching.

Dhammaṁ apassanto na maṁ passati.

Not seeing the teaching, they do not see me.

Yojanasate cepi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vihareyya.

Suppose a mendicant were to live a hundred leagues away.

So ca hoti anabhijjhālu kāmesu na tibbasārāgo abyāpannacitto apaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo;

Yet they do not covet sensual pleasures; they’re not infatuated, or full of ill will and malicious intent. They have established mindfulness, situational awareness and immersion, with unified mind and restrained faculties.

atha kho so santikeva mayhaṁ, ahañca tassa.

Then they are close to me, and I to them.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Dhammañhi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu passati;

Because that mendicant sees the teaching.

dhammaṁ passanto maṁ passatī”ti.

Seeing the teaching, they see me.”

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

The Buddha spoke this matter.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

On this it is said:

“Anubandhopi ce assa,

“One full of desire and distress

mahiccho ca vighātavā;

may follow close behind,

Ejānugo anejassa,

yet see how distant they are—

nibbutassa anibbuto;

the stirred from the still,

Giddho so vītagedhassa,

the burning from the quenched,

passa yāvañca ārakā.

the greedy from the greedless.

Yo ca dhammamabhiññāya,

An astute person who has understood

dhammamaññāya paṇḍito;

and directly known the teaching,

Rahadova nivāte ca,

grows calm, as unperturbed

anejo vūpasammati.

as a lake free of wind.

Anejo so anejassa,

See how close they are—

nibbutassa ca nibbuto;

the still to the still,

Agiddho vītagedhassa,

the quenched to the quenched,

passa yāvañca santike”ti.

the greedless to the greedless.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Tatiyaṁ.