Tuvaṭakasutta

Sutta Nipāta 4.14

Anthology of Discourses 4.14

Tuvaṭakasutta

Speedy

“Pucchāmi taṁ ādiccabandhu,

“Great seer, I ask you, the Kinsman of the Sun,

Vivekaṁ santipadañca mahesi;

about seclusion and the state of peace.

Kathaṁ disvā nibbāti bhikkhu,

How, having seen, is a mendicant extinguished,

Anupādiyāno lokasmiṁ kiñci”.

not grasping anything in this world?”

“Mūlaṁ papañcasaṅkhāya,

“They would cut off the idea, ‘I am the thinker’,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Mantā asmīti sabbamuparundhe;

“which is the root of all judgments
that emerge from proliferation.

Yā kāci taṇhā ajjhattaṁ,

Ever mindful, they would train to remove

Tāsaṁ vinayā sadā sato sikkhe.

any internal cravings.

Yaṁ kiñci dhammamabhijaññā,

Regardless of what things they know,

Ajjhattaṁ atha vāpi bahiddhā;

whether internal or external,

Na tena thāmaṁ kubbetha,

they wouldn’t be proud because of that,

Na hi sā nibbuti sataṁ vuttā.

for that is not quenching, say the good.

Seyyo na tena maññeyya,

They wouldn’t let that make them conceited,

Nīceyyo atha vāpi sarikkho;

thinking themselves better or worse or alike.

Phuṭṭho anekarūpehi,

When questioned in many ways,

Nātumānaṁ vikappayaṁ tiṭṭhe.

they wouldn’t keep justifying themselves.

Ajjhattamevupasame,

A mendicant would be settled internally,

Na aññato bhikkhu santimeseyya;

and not seek peace from another.

Ajjhattaṁ upasantassa,

For one at peace inside themselves,

Natthi attā kuto nirattā vā.

there’s no picking up, whence putting down?

Majjhe yathā samuddassa,

Just as, in the middle of the ocean,

Ūmi no jāyatī ṭhito hoti;

no waves arise, it stays still;

Evaṁ ṭhito anejassa,

so too one unstirred is still—

Ussadaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci”.

a mendicant would make
no pretension regarding anything.”

“Akittayī vivaṭacakkhu,

“He whose eyes are open has explained

Sakkhidhammaṁ parissayavinayaṁ;

the truth he witnessed,
where adversities are removed.

Paṭipadaṁ vadehi bhaddante,

Please now speak of the practice, sir,

Pātimokkhaṁ atha vāpi samādhiṁ”.

the monastic code and immersion in samādhi.”

“Cakkhūhi neva lolassa,

“With eyes not wanton,

Gāmakathāya āvaraye sotaṁ;

they’d turn their ears from village gossip.

Rase ca nānugijjheyya,

They wouldn’t be greedy for flavors,

Na ca mamāyetha kiñci lokasmiṁ.

nor possessive about anything in the world.

Phassena yadā phuṭṭhassa,

Though struck by contacts,

Paridevaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci;

a mendicant would not lament at all.

Bhavañca nābhijappeyya,

They wouldn’t pray for another life,

Bheravesu ca na sampavedheyya.

nor tremble in the face of dangers.

Annānamatho pānānaṁ,

When they receive food and drink,

Khādanīyānaṁ athopi vatthānaṁ;

edibles and clothes,

Laddhā na sannidhiṁ kayirā,

they wouldn’t store them up,

Na ca parittase tāni alabhamāno.

nor worry about not getting them.

Jhāyī na pādalolassa,

Meditative, not footloose,

Virame kukkuccā nappamajjeyya;

they’d avoid remorse and not be negligent.

Athāsanesu sayanesu,

Then a mendicant would stay

Appasaddesu bhikkhu vihareyya.

in quiet places to sit and rest.

Niddaṁ na bahulīkareyya,

They wouldn’t take much sleep,

Jāgariyaṁ bhajeyya ātāpī;

but, being keen,
would apply themselves to wakefulness.

Tandiṁ māyaṁ hassaṁ khiḍḍaṁ,

They’d give up sloth, illusion, mirth, and play,

Methunaṁ vippajahe savibhūsaṁ.

and sex and ornamentation.

Āthabbaṇaṁ supinaṁ lakkhaṇaṁ,

They wouldn’t cast Artharvaṇa spells,
interpret dreams

No vidahe athopi nakkhattaṁ;

or omens, or practice astrology.

Virutañca gabbhakaraṇaṁ,

My followers would not study ominous animal cries,

Tikicchaṁ māmako na seveyya.

work as a doctor, or treat an impacted fetus.

Nindāya nappavedheyya,

Not shaken by criticism,

Na uṇṇameyya pasaṁsito bhikkhu;

a mendicant would not gloat when praised.

Lobhaṁ saha macchariyena,

They’d cast aside greed and stinginess,

Kodhaṁ pesuṇiyañca panudeyya.

anger, and slander.

Kayavikkaye na tiṭṭheyya,

They’d not stand for buying and selling;

Upavādaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci;

a mendicant would not speak ill at all.

Gāme ca nābhisajjeyya,

They wouldn’t linger in the village,

Lābhakamyā janaṁ na lapayeyya.

nor cajole people from desire for profit.

Na ca katthitā siyā bhikkhu,

A mendicant would be no boaster,

Na ca vācaṁ payuttaṁ bhāseyya;

nor would they speak suggestively.

Pāgabbhiyaṁ na sikkheyya,

They wouldn’t train in impudence,

Kathaṁ viggāhikaṁ na kathayeyya.

nor speak argumentatively.

Mosavajje na nīyetha,

They wouldn’t be led into lying,

Sampajāno saṭhāni na kayirā;

nor be deliberately devious.

Atha jīvitena paññāya,

And they’d never look down on another

Sīlabbatena nāññamatimaññe.

because of livelihood, wisdom, or precepts and vows.

Sutvā rusito bahuṁ vācaṁ,

Though provoked from hearing much talk

Samaṇānaṁ vā puthujanānaṁ;

from ascetics saying all different things,

Pharusena ne na paṭivajjā,

they wouldn’t react harshly,

Na hi santo paṭisenikaronti.

for the virtuous do not retaliate.

Etañca dhammamaññāya,

Having understood this teaching,

Vicinaṁ bhikkhu sadā sato sikkhe;

inquiring, a mendicant would always train mindfully.

Santīti nibbutiṁ ñatvā,

Knowing quenching as peace,

Sāsane gotamassa na pamajjeyya.

they’d not be negligent in Gotama’s bidding.

Abhibhū hi so anabhibhūto,

For he is the vanquisher, the unvanquished,

Sakkhidhammamanītihamadassī;

seer of the truth as witness, not by legends—

Tasmā hi tassa bhagavato sāsane,

that’s why, being diligent, they would always train

Appamatto sadā namassamanusikkhe”ti.

respectfully in the Buddha’s teaching.”

Tuvaṭakasuttaṁ cuddasamaṁ.