Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Minor Collection (Khuddaka)

Ud, part 52

Seven Matted-Hair Ascetics · Sattajaṭilasutta

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So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery. Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and sat outside the gate. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bahidvārakoṭṭhake nisinno hoti. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Now at that time seven matted-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven naked ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, and seven wanderers passed by not far from the Buddha. Their armpits and bodies were hairy, and their nails were long; and they carried their pack with shoulder-poles.

Tena kho pana samayena satta ca jaṭilā, satta ca nigaṇṭhā, satta ca acelakā, satta ca ekasāṭakā, satta ca paribbājakā, parūḷhakacchanakhalomā khārivividhamādāya bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti.

King Pasenadi saw them passing by. He got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, raised his joined palms toward those various ascetics, and pronounced his name three times: “Sirs, I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala! I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala! I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!”

Addasā kho rājā pasenadi kosalo te satta ca jaṭile, satta ca nigaṇṭhe, satta ca acelake, satta ca ekasāṭake, satta ca paribbājake, parūḷhakacchanakhalome khārivividhamādāya bhagavato avidūre atikkamante. Disvāna uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena te satta ca jaṭilā, satta ca nigaṇṭhā, satta ca acelakā, satta ca ekasāṭakā, satta ca paribbājakā, tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā tikkhattuṁ nāmaṁ sāvesi: “rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo; rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo; rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo”ti.

Then, not long after those ascetics had left, King Pasenadi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, these are among those in the world who are perfected or who are on the path to perfection!”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo acirapakkantesu tesu sattasu ca jaṭilesu, sattasu ca nigaṇṭhesu, sattasu ca acelakesu, sattasu ca ekasāṭakesu, sattasu ca paribbājakesu, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “ye kho, bhante, loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā ete tesaṁ aññatare”ti.

“Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home with your children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, fragrance, and makeup, and accepting gold and currency, it’s hard for you to know who is perfected or on the path to perfection.

“Dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena—ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannāti.

You can get to know a person’s ethics by living with them. But only after a long time, not casually; only when attentive, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless. You can get to know a person’s purity by dealing with them. … You can get to know a person’s resilience in times of trouble. … You can get to know a person’s wisdom by discussion. But only after a long time, not casually; only when attentive, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.”

Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññena. Saṁvohārena kho, mahārāja, soceyyaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññena. Āpadāsu kho, mahārāja, thāmo veditabbo. So ca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññena. Sākacchāya kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññenā”ti.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing, how well said this was by the Buddha. …

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā: ‘dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena—ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannāti. Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ …pe… sākacchāya kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññenā’”ti.

Sir, these are my spies, my undercover agents returning after spying on the country. I shall later make use of what they first spied out. Now—when they have rinsed off the dust and dirt, and are nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed, and dressed in white—they will amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.”

“Ete, bhante, mama purisā corā ocarakā janapadaṁ ocaritvā gacchanti. Tehi paṭhamaṁ ociṇṇaṁ ahaṁ pacchā osārissāmi. Idāni te, bhante, taṁ rajojallaṁ pavāhetvā sunhātā suvilittā kappitakesamassū odātavatthavasanā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgibhūtā paricāressantī”ti.

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

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Don’t strive in every situation, don’t become another’s man. Don’t live depending on another, and don’t use the teaching to make money.”

“Na vāyameyya sabbattha, nāññassa puriso siyā; Nāññaṁ nissāya jīveyya, dhammena na vaṇiṁ care”ti. Dutiyaṁ.