Nālakasutta

Sutta Nipāta 3.11

Anthology of Discourses 3.11

Nālakasutta

About Nālaka

Ānandajāte tidasagaṇe patīte,

The seer Asita in his daily meditation

Sakkañca indaṁ sucivasane ca deve;

saw the bright-clad gods of the host of Thirty

Dussaṁ gahetvā atiriva thomayante,

and their lord Sakka joyfully celebrating,

Asito isi addasa divāvihāre.

waving streamers in exuberant exaltation.

Disvāna deve muditamane udagge,

Seeing the gods rejoicing, elated,

Cittiṁ karitvāna idamavoca tattha;

he paid respects and said this there:

“Kiṁ devasaṅgho atiriva kalyarūpo,

“Why is the community of gods
in such excellent spirits?

Dussaṁ gahetvā ramayatha kiṁ paṭicca.

Why take up streamers and whirl them about?

Yadāpi āsī asurehi saṅgamo,

Even in the war with the titans,

Jayo surānaṁ asurā parājitā;

when gods were victorious and titans defeated,

Tadāpi netādiso lomahaṁsano,

there was no such excitement.

Kimabbhutaṁ daṭṭhu marū pamoditā.

What marvel have the celestials seen
that they so rejoice?

Seḷenti gāyanti ca vādayanti ca,

Shouting and singing and playing music,

Bhujāni phoṭenti ca naccayanti ca;

they clap their hands and dance.

Pucchāmi vohaṁ merumuddhavāsine,

I ask you, dwellers on Mount Meru’s peak,

Dhunātha me saṁsayaṁ khippa mārisā”.

quickly dispel my doubt, good fellows!”

“So bodhisatto ratanavaro atulyo,

“The being intent on awakening, a peerless gem,

Manussaloke hitasukhatthāya jāto;

has been born in the human realm
for the sake of welfare and happiness,

Sakyāna gāme janapade lumbineyye,

in Lumbinī, a village in the Sakyan land.

Tenamha tuṭṭhā atiriva kalyarūpā.

That’s why we’re so happy, in such excellent spirits.

So sabbasattuttamo aggapuggalo,

He is supreme among all beings, the peak individual,

Narāsabho sabbapajānamuttamo;

captain of men, supreme among all creatures.

Vattessati cakkamisivhaye vane,

He will roll forth the wheel in the grove of the seers,

Nadaṁva sīho balavā migābhibhū”.

roaring like a mighty lion, lord of beasts.”

Taṁ saddaṁ sutvā turitamavasarī so,

Hearing this, he swiftly descended

Suddhodanassa tada bhavanaṁ upāvisi;

and right away approached Suddhodana’s home.

Nisajja tattha idamavocāsi sakye,

Seated there he said this to the Sakyans,

“Kuhiṁ kumāro ahamapi daṭṭhukāmo”.

“Where is the boy? I too wish to see him!”

Tato kumāraṁ jalitamiva suvaṇṇaṁ,

Then the Sakyans showed their son
to the one named Asita—

Ukkāmukheva sukusalasampahaṭṭhaṁ;

the boy shone like burning gold

Daddallamānaṁ siriyā anomavaṇṇaṁ,

well-wrought in the forge;

Dassesu puttaṁ asitavhayassa sakyā.

dazzling with glory, of peerless beauty.

Disvā kumāraṁ sikhimiva pajjalantaṁ,

The boy beamed like crested flame,

Tārāsabhaṁva nabhasigamaṁ visuddhaṁ;

pure as the moon, lord of stars traversing the sky,

Suriyaṁ tapantaṁ saradarivabbhamuttaṁ,

blazing like the sun free of stormclouds
after the rains;

Ānandajāto vipulamalattha pītiṁ.

seeing him, he was joyful, brimming with happiness.

Anekasākhañca sahassamaṇḍalaṁ,

The celestials held up a parasol in the sky,

Chattaṁ marū dhārayumantalikkhe;

many-ribbed and thousand-circled;

Suvaṇṇadaṇḍā vītipatanti cāmarā,

and golden-handled chowries waved—

Na dissare cāmarachattagāhakā.

but none could see who held
the chowries or the parasols.

Disvā jaṭī kaṇhasirivhayo isi,

When the matted hair seer named “Dark Splendor”

Suvaṇṇanikkhaṁ viya paṇḍukambale;

had seen the boy like a gold ingot on a cream rug

Setañca chattaṁ dhariyanta muddhani,

with a white parasol held over his head,

Udaggacitto sumano paṭiggahe.

he received him, elated and happy.

Paṭiggahetvā pana sakyapuṅgavaṁ,

Having received the Sakyan bull,

Jigīsako lakkhaṇamantapāragū;

the seeker, master of marks and hymns,

Pasannacitto giramabbhudīrayi,

lifted up his voice with confident heart:

“Anuttarāyaṁ dvipadānamuttamo”.

“He is supreme, the best of men!”

Athattano gamanamanussaranto,

But then, remembering he would depart this world,

Akalyarūpo gaḷayati assukāni;

his spirits fell and his tears flowed.

Disvāna sakyā isimavocuṁ rudantaṁ,

Seeing the weeping seer, the Sakyans said,

“No ce kumāre bhavissati antarāyo”.

“Surely there will be no threat to the boy?”

Disvāna sakye isimavoca akalye,

Seeing the crestfallen Sakyans, the seer said,

“Nāhaṁ kumāre ahitamanussarāmi;

“I do not forsee harm befall the boy,

Na cāpimassa bhavissati antarāyo,

and there will be no threat to him,

Na orakāyaṁ adhimānasā bhavātha.

not in the least; set your minds at ease.

Sambodhiyaggaṁ phusissatāyaṁ kumāro,

This boy shall reach the highest awakening.

So dhammacakkaṁ paramavisuddhadassī;

As one of perfectly purified vision,
compassionate for the welfare of the many,

Vattessatāyaṁ bahujanahitānukampī,

he shall roll forth the wheel of the teaching;

Vitthārikassa bhavissati brahmacariyaṁ.

his spiritual path will become widespread.

Mamañca āyu na ciramidhāvaseso,

But I have not long left in this life,

Athantarā me bhavissati kālakiriyā;

I shall die before then.

Sohaṁ na sossaṁ asamadhurassa dhammaṁ,

I will never hear the teaching of the one
who bore the unequaled burden.

Tenamhi aṭṭo byasanaṅgato aghāvī”.

That’s why I’m so upset and distraught—
it’s a disaster for me!”

So sākiyānaṁ vipulaṁ janetvā pītiṁ,

Having brought abundant happiness to the Sakyans,

Antepuramhā niggamā brahmacārī;

the spiritual seeker left the royal compound.

So bhāgineyyaṁ sayaṁ anukampamāno,

He had a nephew; and out of sympathy

Samādapesi asamadhurassa dhamme.

he encouraged him in the teaching
of the one who bore the unequaled burden.

“Buddhoti ghosaṁ yada parato suṇāsi,

“When you hear the voice of another saying
‘Buddha’—

Sambodhipatto vivarati dhammamaggaṁ;

one who has attained awakening
and who reveals the foremost teaching—

Gantvāna tattha samayaṁ paripucchamāno,

go there and ask about his breakthrough;

Carassu tasmiṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ”.

lead the spiritual life under that Blessed One.”

Tenānusiṭṭho hitamanena tādinā,

Now, that Nālaka had a store of accumulated merit;

Anāgate paramavisuddhadassinā;

so when instructed by one of such kindly intent,

So nālako upacitapuññasañcayo,

with perfectly purified vision of the future,

Jinaṁ patikkhaṁ parivasi rakkhitindriyo.

he waited anticipating the Victor,
guarding his senses.

Sutvāna ghosaṁ jinavaracakkavattane,

When he heard of the Victor rolling forth
the excellent wheel he went to him,

Gantvāna disvā isinisabhaṁ pasanno;

and seeing the boss seer, he became confident.

Moneyyaseṭṭhaṁ munipavaraṁ apucchi,

The time of Asita’s instruction had arrived;

Samāgate asitāvhayassa sāsaneti.

so he asked the excellent sage
about the highest sagacity.

Vatthugāthā niṭṭhitā.

The introductory verses are finished.

“Aññātametaṁ vacanaṁ,

“I now know that Asita’s words

Asitassa yathātathaṁ;

have turned out to be true.

Taṁ taṁ gotama pucchāmi,

I ask you this, Gotama,

Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ.

who has gone beyond all things:

Anagāriyupetassa,

For one who has entered the homeless life,

Bhikkhācariyaṁ jigīsato;

seeking food on alms round,

Muni pabrūhi me puṭṭho,

when questioned, O sage, please tell me

Moneyyaṁ uttamaṁ padaṁ”.

of sagacity, the ultimate state.”

“Moneyyaṁ te upaññissaṁ,

“I shall school you in sagacity,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Dukkaraṁ durabhisambhavaṁ;

“so difficult and challenging.

Handa te naṁ pavakkhāmi,

Come, I shall tell you all about it.

Santhambhassu daḷho bhava.

Brace yourself; stay strong!

Samānabhāgaṁ kubbetha,

In the village, keep the same attitude

Gāme akkuṭṭhavanditaṁ;

no matter if reviled or praised.

Manopadosaṁ rakkheyya,

Guard against ill-tempered thoughts;

Santo anuṇṇato care.

wander peaceful and humble.

Uccāvacā niccharanti,

Many different things come up,

Dāye aggisikhūpamā;

like tongues of fire in a forest.

Nāriyo muniṁ palobhenti,

Women try to seduce a sage—

Tā su taṁ mā palobhayuṁ.

let them not seduce you!

Virato methunā dhammā,

Refraining from sex,

Hitvā kāme paropare;

having left behind sensual pleasures high and low,

Aviruddho asāratto,

don’t be hostile or attached

Pāṇesu tasathāvare.

to living creatures firm or frail.

Yathā ahaṁ tathā ete,

‘As am I, so are they;

Yathā ete tathā ahaṁ;

as are they, so am I’—

Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,

Treating others like oneself,

Na haneyya na ghātaye.

neither kill nor incite to kill.

Hitvā icchañca lobhañca,

Leaving behind desire and greed

Yattha satto puthujjano;

for what ordinary people are attached to,

Cakkhumā paṭipajjeyya,

one whose eye is clear would set out to practice,

Tareyya narakaṁ imaṁ.

they’d cross over this abyss.

Ūnūdaro mitāhāro,

With empty stomach, taking limited food,

Appicchassa alolupo;

few in wishes, not greedy;

Sadā icchāya nicchāto,

truly hungerless regarding all desires,

Aniccho hoti nibbuto.

desireless, one is quenched.

Sa piṇḍacāraṁ caritvā,

Having wandered for alms,

Vanantamabhihāraye;

they’d take themselves into the forest;

Upaṭṭhito rukkhamūlasmiṁ,

and nearing the foot of a tree,

Āsanūpagato muni.

the sage would take their seat.

Sa jhānapasuto dhīro,

That attentive one intent on absorption,

Vanante ramito siyā;

would delight within the forest.

Jhāyetha rukkhamūlasmiṁ,

They’d practice absorption at the foot of a tree,

Attānamabhitosayaṁ.

filling themselves with bliss.

Tato ratyā vivasāne,

Then, at the end of the night,

Gāmantamabhihāraye;

they’d take themselves into a village.

Avhānaṁ nābhinandeyya,

They’d not welcome being called,

Abhihārañca gāmato.

nor offerings brought from the village.

Na munī gāmamāgamma,

A sage who has come to a village

Kulesu sahasā care;

would not walk hastily among the families.

Ghāsesanaṁ chinnakatho,

They’d not discuss their search for food,

Na vācaṁ payutaṁ bhaṇe.

nor would they speak suggestively.

Alatthaṁ yadidaṁ sādhu,

‘I got something, that’s good.

Nālatthaṁ kusalaṁ iti;

I got nothing, that’s fine.’

Ubhayeneva so tādī,

Unaffected in both cases,

Rukkhaṁvupanivattati.

they return right to the tree.

Sa pattapāṇi vicaranto,

Wandering with bowl in hand,

Amūgo mūgasammato;

not dumb, but thought to be dumb,

Appaṁ dānaṁ na hīḷeyya,

they wouldn’t scorn a tiny gift,

Dātāraṁ nāvajāniyā.

nor look down upon the giver.

Uccāvacā hi paṭipadā,

For the practice has many aspects,

Samaṇena pakāsitā;

as revealed by the Ascetic.

Na pāraṁ diguṇaṁ yanti,

They do not go to the far shore twice,

Nayidaṁ ekaguṇaṁ mutaṁ.

nor having gone once do they fall away.

Yassa ca visatā natthi,

When a mendicant has no creeping,

Chinnasotassa bhikkhuno;

and has cut the stream of craving,

Kiccākiccappahīnassa,

and given up all the various duties,

Pariḷāho na vijjati.

no fever is found in them.

Moneyyaṁ te upaññissaṁ,

I shall school you in sagacity.

Khuradhārūpamo bhave;

Practice as if you were licking a razor’s edge.

Jivhāya tālumāhacca,

With tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth,

Udare saññato siyā.

be restrained regarding your stomach.

Alīnacitto ca siyā,

Don’t be sluggish in mind,

Na cāpi bahu cintaye;

nor think overly much.

Nirāmagandho asito,

Be free of putrefaction and unattached,

Brahmacariyaparāyaṇo.

committed to the spiritual life.

Ekāsanassa sikkhetha,

Train in a lonely seat,

Samaṇūpāsanassa ca;

attending closely to ascetics;

Ekattaṁ monamakkhātaṁ,

solitude is sagacity, they say.

Eko ce abhiramissasi;

If you welcome solitude,

Atha bhāhisi dasadisā.

you’ll light up the ten directions.

Sutvā dhīrānaṁ nighosaṁ,

Having heard the words of the attentive,

Jhāyīnaṁ kāmacāginaṁ;

the meditators who’ve given up sensual desires,

Tato hiriñca saddhañca,

a follower of mine would develop

Bhiyyo kubbetha māmako.

conscience and faith all the more.

Taṁ nadīhi vijānātha,

Understand this by the way streams move

Sobbhesu padaresu ca;

in clefts and crevices:

Saṇantā yanti kusobbhā,

the little creeks flow on resounding,

Tuṇhī yanti mahodadhī.

while silent flow the great rivers.

Yadūnakaṁ taṁ saṇati,

What is lacking, resounds;

Yaṁ pūraṁ santameva taṁ;

what is full is at peace.

Aḍḍhakumbhūpamo bālo,

The fool is like a half-full pot;

Rahado pūrova paṇḍito.

the wise like a brimfull lake.

Yaṁ samaṇo bahuṁ bhāsati,

When the Ascetic speaks much

Upetaṁ atthasañhitaṁ;

it is relevant and meaningful:

Jānaṁ so dhammaṁ deseti,

knowing, he teaches the Dhamma;

Jānaṁ so bahu bhāsati.

knowing, he speaks much.

Yo ca jānaṁ saṁyatatto,

But one who, knowing, is self-controlled,

Jānaṁ na bahu bhāsati;

knowing, does not speak much;

Sa munī monamarahati,

that sage is worthy of sagacity,

Sa munī monamajjhagā”ti.

that sage has achieved sagacity.”

Nālakasuttaṁ ekādasamaṁ.