Pañcarājasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.12

Linked Discourses 3.12

2. Dutiyavagga

2. Childless

Pañcarājasutta

Five Kings

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena pañcannaṁ rājūnaṁ pasenadipamukhānaṁ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṁ samaṅgībhūtānaṁ paricārayamānānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

Now at that time five kings headed by Pasenadi were amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, and this discussion came up among them:

“kiṁ nu kho kāmānaṁ aggan”ti?

“What’s the best of sensual pleasures?”

Tatrekacce evamāhaṁsu:

Some of them said,

“rūpā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

“Sights are the best of sensual pleasures!”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

Others said,

“saddā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

“Sounds are best!”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

Others said,

“gandhā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

“Smells are best!”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

Others said,

“rasā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

“Tastes are best!”

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

Others said,

“phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

“Touches are best!”

Yato kho te rājāno nāsakkhiṁsu aññamaññaṁ saññāpetuṁ.

Since those kings were unable to persuade each other,

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo te rājāno etadavoca:

King Pasenadi said to them,

“āyāma, mārisā, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipucchissāma.

“Come, good fellows, let’s go to the Buddha and ask him about this.

Yathā no bhagavā byākarissati tathā naṁ dhāressāmā”ti.

As he answers, so we’ll remember it.”

“Evaṁ, mārisā”ti kho te rājāno rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paccassosuṁ.

“Yes, good fellows,” replied those kings.

Atha kho te pañca rājāno pasenadipamukhā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then those five kings headed by Pasenadi went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. King Pasenadi reported their conversation to the Buddha, and said,

“idha, bhante, amhākaṁ pañcannaṁ rājūnaṁ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṁ samaṅgībhūtānaṁ paricārayamānānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

‘kiṁ nu kho kāmānaṁ aggan’ti?

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘rūpā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘saddā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘gandhā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘rasā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Ekacce evamāhaṁsu:

‘phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṁ aggan’ti.

Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, kāmānaṁ aggan”ti?

“Sir, what’s the best of sensual pleasures?”

“Manāpapariyantaṁ khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pañcasu kāmaguṇesu agganti vadāmi.

“Great king, which kind of sensual stimulation is best is defined by which is most agreeable, I say.

Teva, mahārāja, rūpā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rūpā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.

The very same sights that are agreeable to some are disagreeable to others.

Yehi ca yo rūpehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rūpehi aññaṁ rūpaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

When you’re happy with certain sights, as you’ve got all you wished for, you don’t want any other sight that’s better or finer.

Te tassa rūpā paramā honti.

For you, those sights are perfect

Te tassa rūpā anuttarā honti.

and supreme.

Teva, mahārāja, saddā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva saddā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.

The very same sounds …

Yehi ca yo saddehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi saddehi aññaṁ saddaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

Te tassa saddā paramā honti.

Te tassa saddā anuttarā honti.

Teva, mahārāja, gandhā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva gandhā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.

smells …

Yehi ca yo gandhehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi gandhehi aññaṁ gandhaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

Te tassa gandhā paramā honti.

Te tassa gandhā anuttarā honti.

Teva, mahārāja, rasā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rasā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.

tastes …

Yehi ca yo rasehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rasehi aññaṁ rasaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

Te tassa rasā paramā honti.

Te tassa rasā anuttarā honti.

Teva, mahārāja, phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa amanāpā honti.

touches that are agreeable to some are disagreeable to others.

Yehi ca yo phoṭṭhabbehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi phoṭṭhabbehi aññaṁ phoṭṭhabbaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

When you’re happy with certain touches, as you’ve got all you wished for, you don’t want any other touch that’s better or finer.

Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā paramā honti.

For you, those touches are perfect

Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā anuttarā hontī”ti.

and supreme.”

Tena kho pana samayena candanaṅgaliko upāsako tassaṁ parisāyaṁ nisinno hoti.

Now at that time the lay follower Candanaṅgalika was sitting in that assembly.

Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then he rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said,

“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.

“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

“Paṭibhātu taṁ, candanaṅgalikā”ti bhagavā avoca.

“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako bhagavato sammukhā tadanurūpāya gāthāya abhitthavi:

Then the lay follower Candanaṅgalika extolled the Buddha in his presence with an appropriate verse:

“Padumaṁ yathā kokanadaṁ sugandhaṁ,

“Like a fragrant pink lotus

Pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṁ;

that blooms at daybreak, its fragrance unfaded—

Aṅgīrasaṁ passa virocamānaṁ,

see Aṅgīrasa dazzle,

Tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.

bright as the sun in the sky!”

Atha kho te pañca rājāno candanaṅgalikaṁ upāsakaṁ pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi acchādesuṁ.

Then those five kings clothed Candanaṅgalika with five upper robes.

Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi bhagavantaṁ acchādesīti.

And Candanaṅgalika in turn endowed the Buddha with those robes.