Sundarīsutta

Udāna 4.8

Heartfelt Sayings 4.8

Sundarīsutta

With Sundarī

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.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sakkato hoti garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

Now at that time the Buddha was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

Bhikkhusaṅghopi sakkato hoti garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

And the mendicant Saṅgha was also honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

Aññatitthiyā pana paribbājakā asakkatā honti agarukatā amānitā apūjitā anapacitā na lābhino cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

But the wanderers who followed other religions were not honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they didn’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

Atha kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā bhagavato sakkāraṁ asahamānā bhikkhusaṅghassa ca yena sundarī paribbājikā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā sundariṁ paribbājikaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then those wanderers who followed other religions, unable to bear the esteem of the mendicant Saṅgha, approached the female wanderer Sundarī and said,

“ussahasi tvaṁ, bhagini, ñātīnaṁ atthaṁ kātun”ti?

“Sister, are you able to do something for the welfare of your kin?”

“Kyāhaṁ, ayyā, karomi?

“What can I do, masters?

Kiṁ mayā na sakkā kātuṁ?

How can I help?

Jīvitampi me pariccattaṁ ñātīnaṁ atthāyā”ti.

I’d even give my life for the welfare of my kin.”

“Tena hi, bhagini, abhikkhaṇaṁ jetavanaṁ gacchāhī”ti.

“Well then, sister, frequently visit Jeta’s Grove.”

“Evaṁ, ayyā”ti kho sundarī paribbājikā tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ paṭissutvā abhikkhaṇaṁ jetavanaṁ agamāsi.

“Yes, masters,” she replied, and did as they asked.

Yadā te aññiṁsu aññatitthiyā paribbājakā:

When those wanderers knew

“vodiṭṭhā kho sundarī paribbājikā bahujanena abhikkhaṇaṁ jetavanaṁ gacchantī”ti.

that Sundarī had been clearly seen by many people frequently visiting Jeta’s Grove,

Atha naṁ jīvitā voropetvā tattheva jetavanassa parikhākūpe nikkhipitvā yena rājā pasenadi kosalo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavocuṁ:

they killed her and dumped her in the ditch around Jeta’s Grove. Then they went to see King Pasenadi of Kosala and said to him,

“yā sā, mahārāja, sundarī paribbājikā; sā no na dissatī”ti.

“Great king, we cannot find the female wanderer Sundarī.”

“Kattha pana tumhe āsaṅkathā”ti?

“But where do you suspect she is?”

“Jetavane, mahārājā”ti.

“At Jeta’s Grove, Great King.”

“Tena hi jetavanaṁ vicinathā”ti.

“Well then, search Jeta’s Grove.”

Atha kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā jetavanaṁ vicinitvā yathānikkhittaṁ parikhākūpā uddharitvā mañcakaṁ āropetvā sāvatthiṁ pavesetvā rathiyāya rathiyaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā manusse ujjhāpesuṁ:

So the wanderers searched Jeta’s Grove. They pulled her body up from the ditch where they had dumped it, and lifted it on a bier. Having entered Sāvatthī, they went from street to street and from square to square, complaining to people:

“Passathāyyā samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ kammaṁ.

“See the deed of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan!

Alajjino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā dussīlā pāpadhammā musāvādino abrahmacārino.

Shameless are these ascetics who follow the Sakyan, immoral and wicked. They are liars and unchaste.

Ime hi nāma dhammacārino samacārino brahmacārino saccavādino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā paṭijānissanti.

Sure, they claim to be of principled and moral conduct, to be chaste, truthful, ethical, and of good character.

Natthi imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, natthi imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

But they have no asceticism, no spirituality.

Naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Asceticism and spirituality are lost to them!

Kuto imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, kuto imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ?

Where is their asceticism, where their spirituality?

Apagatā ime sāmaññā, apagatā ime brahmaññā.

They have abandoned asceticism and spirituality!

Kathañhi nāma puriso purisakiccaṁ karitvā itthiṁ jīvitā voropessatī”ti.

How on earth can a man, having done a man’s business, kill a woman!”

Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyaṁ manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti:

Then at that time when the people of Sāvatthī saw the mendicants they abused and insulted them with rude, harsh words:

“Alajjino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā dussīlā pāpadhammā musāvādino abrahmacārino.

“Shameless are these ascetics who follow the Sakyan, immoral, wicked. They are liars and unchaste.

Ime hi nāma dhammacārino samacārino brahmacārino saccavādino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā paṭijānissanti.

Sure, they claim to be of principled and moral conduct, to be chaste, truthful, ethical, and of good character.

Natthi imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, natthi imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

But they have no asceticism, no spirituality.

Naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Asceticism and spirituality are lost to them!

Kuto imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, kuto imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ?

Where is their asceticism, where their spirituality?

Apagatā ime sāmaññā, apagatā ime brahmaññā.

They have abandoned asceticism and spirituality!

Kathañhi nāma puriso purisakiccaṁ karitvā itthiṁ jīvitā voropessatī”ti.

How on earth can a man, having done a man’s business, kill a woman!”

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.

“Etarahi, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti:

‘alajjino ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā dussīlā pāpadhammā musāvādino abrahmacārino.

Ime hi nāma dhammacārino samacārino brahmacārino saccavādino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā paṭijānissanti.

Natthi imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, natthi imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, naṭṭhaṁ imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ.

Kuto imesaṁ sāmaññaṁ, kuto imesaṁ brahmaññaṁ?

Apagatā ime sāmaññā, apagatā ime brahmaññā.

Kathañhi nāma puriso purisakiccaṁ karitvā itthiṁ jīvitā voropessatī’”ti.

“Neso, bhikkhave, saddo ciraṁ bhavissati sattāhameva bhavissati. Sattāhassa accayena antaradhāyissati.

“That rumor, mendicants, won’t last long. It will only be seven days, then it will vanish.

Tena hi, bhikkhave, ye manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti, te tumhe imāya gāthāya paṭicodetha:

So you may respond to those critics with this verse:

‘Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,

A liar goes to hell,

Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;

as does one who denies what they did.

Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,

Both are equal in the hereafter,

Nihīnakammā manujā paratthā’”ti.

those men of base deeds.”

Atha kho te bhikkhū bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā ye manussā bhikkhū disvā asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosanti paribhāsanti rosanti vihesanti te imāya gāthāya paṭicodenti:

The mendicants memorized that verse in the Buddha’s presence, then used it to respond to those critics.

“Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,

Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;

Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,

Nihīnakammā manujā paratthā”ti.

Manussānaṁ etadahosi:

People thought,

“akārakā ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā, nayimehi kataṁ, sapantime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā”ti.

“These ascetics who follow the Sakyan didn’t do it, it was not done by them, they swear it.”

Neva so saddo ciraṁ ahosi. Sattāhameva ahosi. Sattāhassa accayena antaradhāyi.

That rumor didn’t last long. It was seven days, then it vanished.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavato etadavocuṁ:

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

How well said this was by the Buddha:

‘neso, bhikkhave, saddo ciraṁ bhavissati. Sattāhameva bhavissati. Sattāhassa accayena antaradhāyissatī’ti.

‘That rumor, mendicants, won’t last long. It will only be seven days, then it will vanish.’

Antarahito so, bhante, saddo”ti.

That rumor has vanished, sir.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Tudanti vācāya janā asaññatā,

“People out of control stab with words,

Sarehi saṅgāmagataṁva kuñjaraṁ;

like they stab a tusker in battle with darts.

Sutvāna vākyaṁ pharusaṁ udīritaṁ,

When they hear a harsh word spoken,

Adhivāsaye bhikkhu aduṭṭhacitto”ti.

a mendicant should endure with no anger in heart.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.