Dhammikasutta

Sutta Nipāta 2.14

Anthology of Discourses 2.14

Dhammikasutta

With Dhammika

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho dhammiko upāsako pañcahi upāsakasatehi saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dhammiko upāsako bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then the lay follower Dhammika, together with five hundred lay followers, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and addressed him in verse:

“Pucchāmi taṁ gotama bhūripañña,

“I ask you, Gotama, whose wisdom is vast:

Kathaṅkaro sāvako sādhu hoti;

what does one do to become a good disciple,

Yo vā agārā anagārameti,

both one who has left the home,

Agārino vā panupāsakāse.

and the lay followers staying at home?

Tuvañhi lokassa sadevakassa,

For you understand the course and destiny

Gatiṁ pajānāsi parāyaṇañca;

of the world with all its gods.

Na catthi tulyo nipuṇatthadassī,

There is no equal to you who sees the subtle meaning,

Tuvañhi buddhaṁ pavaraṁ vadanti.

for you are the Buddha most excellent, they say.

Sabbaṁ tuvaṁ ñāṇamavecca dhammaṁ,

Having experienced all knowledge,

Pakāsesi satte anukampamāno;

you reveal the teaching out of sympathy for beings.

Vivaṭṭacchadosi samantacakkhu,

All-seer, you have cast off the veil,

Virocasi vimalo sabbaloke.

and immaculate, you dazzle the whole world.

Āgañchi te santike nāgarājā,

The dragon king Erāvaṇa,
hearing you called ‘Victor’,

Erāvaṇo nāma jinoti sutvā;

came into your presence.

Sopi tayā mantayitvājjhagamā,

He consulted with you then,
having heard your words,

Sādhūti sutvāna patītarūpo.

left consoled, saying ‘Excellent!’

Rājāpi taṁ vessavaṇo kuvero,

And King Kuvera Vessavaṇa also

Upeti dhammaṁ paripucchamāno;

approached to ask about the teaching.

Tassāpi tvaṁ pucchito brūsi dhīra,

You also answered him, O attentive one,

So cāpi sutvāna patītarūpo.

and hearing you he too was consoled.

Ye kecime titthiyā vādasīlā,

Those monastics of other religions given to debate,

Ājīvakā vā yadi vā nigaṇṭhā;

whether Ājīvakas or Jains,

Paññāya taṁ nātitaranti sabbe,

all fail to overtake you in wisdom,

Ṭhito vajantaṁ viya sīghagāmiṁ.

like a standing man next to a sprinter.

Ye kecime brāhmaṇā vādasīlā,

Those brahmins given to debate,

Vuddhā cāpi brāhmaṇā santi keci;

some of whom are quite senior,

Sabbe tayi atthabaddhā bhavanti,

all end up beholden to you for the meaning,

Ye cāpi aññe vādino maññamānā.

and others too who think themselves debaters.

Ayañhi dhammo nipuṇo sukho ca,

So subtle and pleasant is the teaching

Yoyaṁ tayā bhagavā suppavutto;

that is well proclaimed by you, Blessed One.

Tameva sabbepi sussūsamānā,

It’s all we long to hear. So when asked,

Taṁ no vada pucchito buddhaseṭṭha.

O Best of Buddhas, tell us!

Sabbepime bhikkhavo sannisinnā,

All these mendicants have gathered,

Upāsakā cāpi tatheva sotuṁ;

and the layfolk too are here to listen.

Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ,

Let them hear the teaching
the immaculate one discovered,

Subhāsitaṁ vāsavasseva devā”.

like gods listening to the fine words of Vāsava.”

“Suṇātha me bhikkhavo sāvayāmi vo,

“Listen to me, mendicants, I will educate you

Dhammaṁ dhutaṁ tañca carātha sabbe;

in the cleansing teaching; all bear it in mind.

Iriyāpathaṁ pabbajitānulomikaṁ,

A thoughtful person, seeing the meaning,

Sevetha naṁ atthadaso mutīmā.

would adopt the deportment
proper to a renunciate.

No ve vikāle vicareyya bhikkhu,

No way would a mendicant go out at the wrong time;

Gāme ca piṇḍāya careyya kāle;

at the right time, they’d walk the village for alms.

Akālacāriñhi sajanti saṅgā,

For chains bind one who wanders at the wrong time,

Tasmā vikāle na caranti buddhā.

which is why the Buddhas avoid it.

Rūpā ca saddā ca rasā ca gandhā,

Sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches,

Phassā ca ye sammadayanti satte;

which drive beings mad—

Etesu dhammesu vineyya chandaṁ,

dispel desire for such things,

Kālena so pavise pātarāsaṁ.

and enter for the morning meal at the right time.

Piṇḍañca bhikkhu samayena laddhā,

After receiving alms for the day,

Eko paṭikkamma raho nisīde;

on returning a mendicant would sit in private alone.

Ajjhattacintī na mano bahiddhā,

Inwardly reflective, they’d curb their mind

Nicchāraye saṅgahitattabhāvo.

from outside things, keeping themselves collected.

Sacepi so sallape sāvakena,

Should they converse with a disciple,

Aññena vā kenaci bhikkhunā vā;

with anyone else, or with a mendicant,

Dhammaṁ paṇītaṁ tamudāhareyya,

they’d bring up only the sublime teaching,

Na pesuṇaṁ nopi parūpavādaṁ.

not dividing or blaming.

Vādañhi eke paṭiseniyanti,

For some contend in debate,

Na te pasaṁsāma parittapaññe;

but we praise not those of little wisdom.

Tato tato ne pasajanti saṅgā,

In place after place they are bound in chains,

Cittañhi te tattha gamenti dūre.

for they send their mind over there far away.

Piṇḍaṁ vihāraṁ sayanāsanañca,

Alms, a dwelling, a bed and seat,

Āpañca saṅghāṭirajūpavāhanaṁ;

and water for rinsing the dust from the cloak—

Sutvāna dhammaṁ sugatena desitaṁ,

after hearing the teaching of the Holy One,

Saṅkhāya seve varapaññasāvako.

a disciple of outstanding wisdom
would use these after appraisal.

Tasmā hi piṇḍe sayanāsane ca,

That’s why, when it comes to alms and lodgings,

Āpe ca saṅghāṭirajūpavāhane;

and water for rinsing the dust from the cloak,

Etesu dhammesu anūpalitto,

a mendicant is unsullied in the midst of these things,

Bhikkhu yathā pokkhare vāribindu.

like a droplet on a lotus-leaf.

Gahaṭṭhavattaṁ pana vo vadāmi,

Now I shall tell you the householder’s duty,

Yathākaro sāvako sādhu hoti;

doing which one becomes a good disciple.

Na hesa labbhā sapariggahena,

For one burdened with possessions
does not get to realize

Phassetuṁ yo kevalo bhikkhudhammo.

the whole of the mendicant’s practice.

Pāṇaṁ na hane na ca ghātayeyya,

They’d not kill any creature, nor have them killed,

Na cānujaññā hanataṁ paresaṁ;

nor grant permission for others to kill.

Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ,

They’ve laid aside violence toward all creatures

Ye thāvarā ye ca tasā santi loke.

frail or firm that there are in the world.

Tato adinnaṁ parivajjayeyya,

Next, a disciple would avoid knowingly

Kiñci kvaci sāvako bujjhamāno;

taking anything not given at all,

Na hāraye harataṁ nānujaññā,

they’d not get others to do it,
nor grant them permission to steal;

Sabbaṁ adinnaṁ parivajjayeyya.

they’d avoid all theft.

Abrahmacariyaṁ parivajjayeyya,

A sensible person would avoid the unchaste life,

Aṅgārakāsuṁ jalitaṁva viññū;

like a burning pit of coals.

Asambhuṇanto pana brahmacariyaṁ,

But if unable to remain chaste,

Parassa dāraṁ na atikkameyya.

they’d not transgress with another’s partner.

Sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā,

In a council or assembly,

Ekassa veko na musā bhaṇeyya;

or one on one, they would not lie.

Na bhāṇaye bhaṇataṁ nānujaññā,

They’d not get others to lie,
nor grant them permission to lie;

Sabbaṁ abhūtaṁ parivajjayeyya.

they’d avoid all untruths.

Majjañca pānaṁ na samācareyya,

A householder espousing this teaching

Dhammaṁ imaṁ rocaye yo gahaṭṭho;

would not consume liquor or drink.

Na pāyaye pivataṁ nānujaññā,

They’d not get others to drink,
nor grant them permission to drink;

Ummādanantaṁ iti naṁ viditvā.

knowing that ends in intoxication.

Madā hi pāpāni karonti bālā,

For drunken fools do bad things,

Kārenti caññepi jane pamatte;

and encourage other heedless folk.

Etaṁ apuññāyatanaṁ vivajjaye,

Shun this field of demerit,

Ummādanaṁ mohanaṁ bālakantaṁ.

the maddening, deluding frolic of fools.

Pāṇaṁ na hane na cādinnamādiye,

You shouldn’t kill living creatures, or steal,

Musā na bhāse na ca majjapo siyā;

or lie, or drink liquor.

Abrahmacariyā virameyya methunā,

Be chaste, refraining from sex,

Rattiṁ na bhuñjeyya vikālabhojanaṁ.

and don’t eat at night, the wrong time.

Mālaṁ na dhāre na ca gandhamācare,

Not wearing garlands or applying fragrance,

Mañce chamāyaṁ va sayetha santhate;

you should sleep on a low bed,
or a mat on the ground.

Etañhi aṭṭhaṅgikamāhuposathaṁ,

This is the eight-factored sabbath, they say,

Buddhena dukkhantagunā pakāsitaṁ.

revealed by the Buddha,
who has gone to suffering’s end.

Tato ca pakkhassupavassuposathaṁ,

Then having rightly undertaken the sabbath

Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiñca aṭṭhamiṁ;

complete in all its eight factors

Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca pasannamānaso,

on the fourteenth, fifteenth,
and eighth of the fortnight,

Aṭṭhaṅgupetaṁ susamattarūpaṁ.

as well as on the fortnightly special displays,

Tato ca pāto upavutthuposatho,

at daybreak after the sabbath

Annena pānena ca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ;

a clever person, rejoicing with confident heart,

Pasannacitto anumodamāno,

would distribute food and drink

Yathārahaṁ saṁvibhajetha viññū.

to the mendicant Saṅgha as is fitting.

Dhammena mātāpitaro bhareyya,

One should rightfully support one’s parents,

Payojaye dhammikaṁ so vaṇijjaṁ;

and undertake a legitimate business.

Etaṁ gihī vattayamappamatto,

A diligent layperson observing these duties

Sayampabhe nāma upeti deve”ti.

ascends to the gods named ‘self-radiant’.”

Dhammikasuttaṁ cuddasamaṁ.

Cūḷavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ratanāmagandho hiri ca,

maṅgalaṁ sūcilomena;

Dhammacariyañca brāhmaṇo,

nāvā kiṁsīlamuṭṭhānaṁ.

Rāhulo puna kappo ca,

paribbājaniyaṁ tathā;

Dhammikañca viduno āhu,

cūḷavagganti cuddasāti.