Vatthugāthā

Sutta Nipāta 5.1

Anthology of Discourses 5.1

Vatthugāthā

Introductory Verses

Kosalānaṁ purā rammā,

From the fair city of the Kosalans

agamā dakkhiṇāpathaṁ;

to the southern region

Ākiñcaññaṁ patthayāno,

came a brahmin expert in hymns,

brāhmaṇo mantapāragū.

aspiring to nothingness.

So assakassa visaye,

He settled in a region under the shared dominion

aḷakassa samāsane;

of Assaka and Muḷaka,

Vasi godhāvarīkūle,

where he lived on the bank of the Godāvarī River,

uñchena ca phalena ca.

getting by on gleanings and fruit.

Tasseva upanissāya,

He was supported

gāmo ca vipulo ahu;

by a prosperous village nearby.

Tato jātena āyena,

With the revenue earned from there

mahāyaññamakappayi.

he performed a great sacrifice.

Mahāyaññaṁ yajitvāna,

When he had completed the great sacrifice,

puna pāvisi assamaṁ;

he returned to his hermitage once more.

Tasmiṁ paṭipaviṭṭhamhi,

Upon his return,

añño āgañchi brāhmaṇo.

another brahmin arrived.

Ugghaṭṭapādo tasito,

Foot-sore and thirsty,

paṅkadanto rajassiro;

with grotty teeth and dusty head,

So ca naṁ upasaṅkamma,

he approached the other

satāni pañca yācati.

and asked for five hundred coins.

Tamenaṁ bāvarī disvā,

When Bāvari saw him,

āsanena nimantayi;

he invited him to sit down,

Sukhañca kusalaṁ pucchi,

asked of his happiness and well-being,

idaṁ vacanamabravi.

and said the following.

“Yaṁ kho mama deyyadhammaṁ,

“Whatever I had available to give,

Sabbaṁ visajjitaṁ mayā;

I have already distributed.

Anujānāhi me brahme,

Believe me, brahmin,

Natthi pañcasatāni me”.

I don’t have five hundred coins.”

“Sace me yācamānassa,

“If, good fellow, you do not

bhavaṁ nānupadassati;

give me what I ask,

Sattame divase tuyhaṁ,

then on the seventh day,

muddhā phalatu sattadhā”.

let your head explode in seven!”

Abhisaṅkharitvā kuhako,

After performing a ritual,

bheravaṁ so akittayi;

that charlatan uttered his dreadful curse.

Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,

When he heard these words,

bāvarī dukkhito ahu.

Bāvari became distressed.

Ussussati anāhāro,

Not eating, he grew emaciated,

Sokasallasamappito;

stricken by the dart of sorrow.

Athopi evaṁ cittassa,

And in such a state of mind,

Jhāne na ramatī mano.

he could not enjoy absorption.

Utrastaṁ dukkhitaṁ disvā,

Seeing him anxious and distraught,

Devatā atthakāminī;

a goddess wishing to help,

Bāvariṁ upasaṅkamma,

approached Bāvari

Idaṁ vacanamabravi.

and said the following.

“Na so muddhaṁ pajānāti,

“That charlatan understands nothing

Kuhako so dhanatthiko;

about the head, he only wants money.

Muddhani muddhapāte vā,

When it comes to heads or head-splitting,

Ñāṇaṁ tassa na vijjati”.

he has no knowledge at all.”

“Bhotī carahi jānāsi,

“Then you, Madam, must know—

Taṁ me akkhāhi pucchitā;

please answer my question.

Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca,

Let me hear what you say

Taṁ suṇoma vaco tava”.

about heads and head-splitting.”

“Ahampetaṁ na jānāmi,

“I too do not know that,

Ñāṇamettha na vijjati;

I have no knowledge in that matter.

Muddhani muddhādhipāte ca,

When it comes to heads or head-splitting,

Jinānaṁ hettha dassanaṁ”.

it is the Victors who have vision.”

“Atha ko carahi jānāti,

“So who then,

Asmiṁ pathavimaṇḍale;

in all this vast territory,

Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca,

does know about heads and head-splitting?

Taṁ me akkhāhi devate”.

Please tell me, goddess.”

“Purā kapilavatthumhā,

“From the city of Kapilavatthu

Nikkhanto lokanāyako;

the World Leader has gone forth.

Apacco okkākarājassa,

He is a scion of King Okkāka,

Sakyaputto pabhaṅkaro.

a Sakyan, and a beacon.

So hi brāhmaṇa sambuddho,

For he, brahmin, is the Awakened One!

Sabbadhammāna pāragū;

He has gone beyond all things;

Sabbābhiññābalappatto,

he has attained to all knowledge and power;

Sabbadhammesu cakkhumā;

his eye sees clearly in all things,

Sabbakammakkhayaṁ patto,

he has attained the end of all deeds;

Vimutto upadhikkhaye.

he is freed with the ending of attachments.

Buddho so bhagavā loke,

That Buddha, the Blessed One in the world,

Dhammaṁ deseti cakkhumā;

the Clear-eyed One, teaches Dhamma.

Taṁ tvaṁ gantvāna pucchassu,

Go to him and ask—

So te taṁ byākarissati”.

he will answer you.”

Sambuddhoti vaco sutvā,

When he heard the word “Buddha”,

Udaggo bāvarī ahu;

Bāvari was elated.

Sokassa tanuko āsi,

His sorrow faded,

Pītiñca vipulaṁ labhi.

and he was filled to brimming with joy.

So bāvarī attamano udaggo,

Uplifted, elated, and inspired,

Taṁ devataṁ pucchati vedajāto;

Bāvari questioned that goddess:

“Katamamhi gāme nigamamhi vā pana,

“But in what village or town,

Katamamhi vā janapade lokanātho;

or in what land is the protector of the world,

Yattha gantvāna passemu,

where we may go and pay respects

Sambuddhaṁ dvipaduttamaṁ”.

to the Awakened One, best of men?”

“Sāvatthiyaṁ kosalamandire jino,

“Near Sāvatthī, home of the Kosalans,
is the Victor

Pahūtapañño varabhūrimedhaso;

abounding in wisdom, vast in intelligence.

So sakyaputto vidhuro anāsavo,

That Sakyan is indefatigable, free of defilements,

Muddhādhipātassa vidū narāsabho”.

that captain of men understands head-splitting.”

Tato āmantayī sisse,

Therefore he addressed his acolytes,

Brāhmaṇe mantapārage;

brahmins who had mastered the hymns:

“Etha māṇavā akkhissaṁ,

“Come, students, I shall speak.

Suṇātha vacanaṁ mama.

Listen to what I say.

Yasseso dullabho loke,

Today has arisen in the world

Pātubhāvo abhiṇhaso;

one whose appearance in the world

Svājja lokamhi uppanno,

is hard to find again—

Sambuddho iti vissuto;

he is renowned as the Awakened One.

Khippaṁ gantvāna sāvatthiṁ,

Quickly go to Sāvatthī

Passavho dvipaduttamaṁ”.

and see the best of men.”

“Kathaṁ carahi jānemu,

“Brahmin, how then are we to know

Disvā buddhoti brāhmaṇa;

the Buddha when we see him?

Ajānataṁ no pabrūhi,

We don’t know, please tell us,

Yathā jānemu taṁ mayaṁ”.

so we can recognize him.”

“Āgatāni hi mantesu,

“The marks of a great man

Mahāpurisalakkhaṇā;

have been handed down in our hymns.

Dvattiṁsāni ca byākkhātā,

Thirty-two have been described,

Samattā anupubbaso.

complete and in order.

Yassete honti gattesu,

One upon whose body is found

Mahāpurisalakkhaṇā;

these marks of a great man

Dveyeva tassa gatiyo,

has two possible destinies,

Tatiyā hi na vijjati.

there is no third.

Sace agāraṁ āvasati,

If he stays at home,

Vijeyya pathaviṁ imaṁ;

having conquered this land

Adaṇḍena asatthena,

without rod or sword,

Dhammena manusāsati.

he shall govern by principle.

Sace ca so pabbajati,

But if he goes forth

Agārā anagāriyaṁ;

from the lay life to homelessness,

Vivaṭṭacchado sambuddho,

he becomes an Awakened One, a perfected one,

Arahā bhavati anuttaro.

with veil cast off, supreme.

Jātiṁ gottañca lakkhaṇaṁ,

Ask him about my birth, clan, and marks,

Mante sisse punāpare;

my hymns and acolytes; and further,

Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca,

about heads and head-splitting—

Manasāyeva pucchatha.

but do so only in your mind!

Anāvaraṇadassāvī,

If he is the Buddha

Yadi buddho bhavissati;

of unhindered vision,

Manasā pucchite pañhe,

he will answer with his voice

Vācāya vissajessati”.

the questions in your mind.”

Bāvarissa vaco sutvā,

Sixteen brahmin acolytes

Sissā soḷasa brāhmaṇā;

heard what Bāvari said:

Ajito tissametteyyo,

Ajita, Tissametteyya,

Puṇṇako atha mettagū.

Puṇṇaka and Mettagū,

Dhotako upasīvo ca,

Dhotaka and Upasīva,

Nando ca atha hemako;

Nanda and then Hemaka,

Todeyya-kappā dubhayo,

both Todeyya and Kappa,

Jatukaṇṇī ca paṇḍito.

and Jatukaṇṇī the astute,

Bhadrāvudho udayo ca,

Bhadrāvudha and Udaya,

Posālo cāpi brāhmaṇo;

and the brahmin Posāla,

Mogharājā ca medhāvī,

Mogharāja the intelligent,

Piṅgiyo ca mahāisi.

and Piṅgiya the great seer.

Paccekagaṇino sabbe,

Each of them had their own following,

Sabbalokassa vissutā;

they were renowned the whole world over.

Jhāyī jhānaratā dhīrā,

Those attentive ones,
meditators who love absorption,

Pubbavāsanavāsitā.

were redolent with the potential
of their past deeds.

Bāvariṁ abhivādetvā,

Having bowed to Bāvari,

Katvā ca naṁ padakkhiṇaṁ;

and circled him to his right,

Jaṭājinadharā sabbe,

they set out for the north,

Pakkāmuṁ uttarāmukhā.

with their dreadlocks and hides.

Aḷakassa patiṭṭhānaṁ,

First to Patiṭṭhāna of Muḷaka,

Purimāhissatiṁ tadā;

then on to the citadel of Māhissatī;

Ujjeniñcāpi gonaddhaṁ,

to Ujjenī and Gonaddhā,

Vedisaṁ vanasavhayaṁ.

and Vedisa, and Vanasa.

Kosambiñcāpi sāketaṁ,

Then to Kosambī and Sāketa,

Sāvatthiñca puruttamaṁ;

and the capital city of Sāvatthī;

Setabyaṁ kapilavatthuṁ,

on they went to Setavyā and Kapilavatthu,

Kusinārañca mandiraṁ.

and the homestead at Kusinārā.

Pāvañca bhoganagaraṁ,

To Pāvā they went, and Bhoga City,

Vesāliṁ māgadhaṁ puraṁ;

and on to Vesālī and the Magadhan city.

Pāsāṇakaṁ cetiyañca,

Finally they reached the Pāsāṇaka Shrine,

Ramaṇīyaṁ manoramaṁ.

fair and delightful.

Tasitovudakaṁ sītaṁ,

Like a thirsty person to cool water,

Mahālābhaṁva vāṇijo;

like a merchant to great profit,

Chāyaṁ ghammābhitattova,

like a heat-struck person to shade,

Turitā pabbatamāruhuṁ.

they quickly climbed the mountain.

Bhagavā tamhi samaye,

At that time the Buddha,

Bhikkhusaṅghapurakkhato;

at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha,

Bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti,

was teaching the mendicants the Dhamma,

Sīhova nadatī vane.

like a lion roaring in the jungle.

Ajito addasa buddhaṁ,

Ajita saw the Buddha,

Sataraṁsiṁva bhāṇumaṁ;

like the sun shining with a hundred rays,

Candaṁ yathā pannarase,

like the moon on the fifteenth day

Pāripūriṁ upāgataṁ.

when it has come into its fullness.

Athassa gatte disvāna,

Then he saw his body,

Paripūrañca byañjanaṁ;

complete in all features.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito haṭṭho,

Thrilled, he stood to one side

Manopañhe apucchatha.

and asked this question in his mind.

“Ādissa jammanaṁ brūhi,

“Speak about the brahmin’s birth;

Gottaṁ brūhi salakkhaṇaṁ;

of his clan; and his own marks;

Mantesu pāramiṁ brūhi,

what hymns is he proficient in;

Kati vāceti brāhmaṇo”.

and how many he teaches.”

“Vīsaṁ vassasataṁ āyu,

“His age is a hundred and twenty.

So ca gottena bāvarī;

By clan he is a Bāvari.

Tīṇissa lakkhaṇā gatte,

There are three marks on his body.

Tiṇṇaṁ vedāna pāragū.

He is a master of the three Vedas,

Lakkhaṇe itihāse ca,

the teachings on the marks, the testaments,

Sanighaṇḍusakeṭubhe;

the vocabularies, and the rituals.

Pañcasatāni vāceti,

He teaches recitation to five hundred,

Sadhamme pāramiṁ gato”.

and has reached proficiency in his own teaching.”

“Lakkhaṇānaṁ pavicayaṁ,

“O supreme man, cutter of craving,

Bāvarissa naruttama;

please reveal in detail

Kaṅkhacchida pakāsehi,

Bāvari’s marks—

Mā no kaṅkhāyitaṁ ahu”.

let us doubt no longer!”

“Mukhaṁ jivhāya chādeti,

“He can cover his face with his tongue;

Uṇṇassa bhamukantare;

there is a tuft of hair between his eyebrows;

Kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ,

his private parts are sheathed in a foreskin:

Evaṁ jānāhi māṇava”.

know them as this, student.”

Pucchañhi kiñci asuṇanto,

Hearing the answers

Sutvā pañhe viyākate;

without having heard any questions,

Vicinteti jano sabbo,

all the people, inspired,

Vedajāto katañjalī.

with cupped palms, wondered:

“Ko nu devo vā brahmā vā,

“Who is it that asked a question with their mind?

Indo vāpi sujampati;

Was it a god or divinity?

Manasā pucchite pañhe,

Or Indra, Sujā’s husband?

Kametaṁ paṭibhāsati”.

To whom does the Buddha reply?”

“Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca,

“Bāvari asks

Bāvarī paripucchati;

about heads and head-splitting.

Taṁ byākarohi bhagavā,

May the Buddha please answer,

Kaṅkhaṁ vinaya no ise”.

and so, O seer, dispel our doubt.”

“Avijjā muddhāti jānāhi,

“Know ignorance as the head,

Vijjā muddhādhipātinī;

and knowledge as the head-splitter,

Saddhāsatisamādhīhi,

when joined with faith, mindfulness, and immersion,

Chandaviriyena saṁyutā”.

and enthusiasm and energy.”

Tato vedena mahatā,

At that, the student,

Santhambhitvāna māṇavo;

full of inspiration,

Ekaṁsaṁ ajinaṁ katvā,

arranged his antelope-skin cloak over one shoulder,

Pādesu sirasā pati.

and fell with his head to the Buddha’s feet.

“Bāvarī brāhmaṇo bhoto,

“Good fellow, the brahmin Bāvari

Saha sissehi mārisa;

together with his acolytes,

Udaggacitto sumano,

elated and happy,

Pāde vandati cakkhuma”.

bows to your feet, O Clear-eyed One!”

“Sukhito bāvarī hotu,

“May the brahmin Bāvari be happy,

Saha sissehi brāhmaṇo;

together with his acolytes.

Tvañcāpi sukhito hohi,

And may you, too, be happy!

Ciraṁ jīvāhi māṇava.

May you live long, student.

Bāvarissa ca tuyhaṁ vā,

To Bāvari and you all

Sabbesaṁ sabbasaṁsayaṁ;

I grant the opportunity to clear up all doubt.

Katāvakāsā pucchavho,

Please ask

Yaṁ kiñci manasicchatha”.

whatever you want.”

Sambuddhena katokāso,

Granted the opportunity by the Buddha,

Nisīditvāna pañjalī;

they sat down with cupped palms.

Ajito paṭhamaṁ pañhaṁ,

Ajita asked the Realized One

Tattha pucchi tathāgataṁ.

the first question right there.

Vatthugāthā niṭṭhitā.

The introductory verses are finished.