an.3.64 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Sarabha

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak. Now on that occasion a wanderer named Sarabha had recently left this Dhamma and discipline. He had been telling an assembly in Rājagaha: “I have learned the Dhamma of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan son. After I learned their Dhamma, I left that Dhamma and discipline.”

Then, one morning, a number of bhikkhus dressed, took their bowls and robes, and entered Rājagaha for alms. They then heard the wanderer Sarabha making such a statement to an assembly in Rājagaha. When those bhikkhus had walked for alms in Rājagaha, after their meal, when they returned from their alms round, they approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Bhante, the wanderer Sarabha, who recently left this Dhamma and discipline, has been telling an assembly in Rājagaha: ‘I have learned the Dhamma of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan son. After I learned their Dhamma, I left that Dhamma and discipline.’ It would be good, Bhante, if the Blessed One would go to the wanderers’ park on the bank of the Sappinikā river and, out of compassion, approach the wanderer Sarabha.” The Blessed One consented by silence.

Then, in the evening, the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and went to the wanderers’ park on the bank of the Sappinikā river. He approached the wanderer Sarabha, sat down on the seat that was prepared for him, and said to him: “Is it true, Sarabha, that you have been saying: ‘I have learned the Dhamma of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan son. After I learned their Dhamma, I left that Dhamma and discipline’?” When this was said, the wanderer Sarabha was silent.

A second time the Blessed One said to the wanderer Sarabha: “Tell me, Sarabha, how have you learned the Dhamma of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan son? If you have not learned it completely, I will complete it. But if you have learned it completely, I will rejoice.” But a second time the wanderer Sarabha was silent.

A third time the Blessed One said to the wanderer Sarabha: “Tell me, Sarabha, how have you learned the Dhamma of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan son? If you have not learned it completely, I will complete it. But if you have learned it completely, I will rejoice.” But a third time the wanderer Sarabha was silent.

Then those wanderers said to the wanderer Sarabha: “The ascetic Gotama has offered to give you whatever you might ask him for, friend Sarabha. Speak, friend Sarabha! How have you learned the Dhamma of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan son? If you have not learned it completely, the ascetic Gotama will complete it for you. But if you have learned it completely, he will rejoice.” When this was said, the wanderer Sarabha sat silenced, disconcerted, hunched over, downcast, glum, and speechless.

Then the Blessed One, having understood that the wanderer Sarabha sat silenced, disconcerted, hunched over, downcast, glum, and speechless, said to those wanderers:

(1) “Wanderers, if anyone should say about me: ‘Though you claim to be perfectly enlightened, you are not fully enlightened about these things,’ I might question him closely about this matter, interrogate him, and cross-examine him. When he is being closely questioned by me, interrogated, and cross-examined, it is impossible and inconceivable that he would not incur one or another of three consequences: he would either answer evasively and divert the discussion to an irrelevant subject; or display anger, hatred, and bitterness; or would sit silenced, disconcerted, hunched over, downcast, glum, and speechless, just like the wanderer Sarabha.

(2) “If, wanderers, anyone should say about me: ‘Though you claim to be one whose taints are destroyed, you have not fully destroyed these taints,’ I might question him closely about this matter, interrogate him, and cross-examine him. When he is being closely questioned by me, interrogated, and cross-examined, it is impossible and inconceivable that he would not incur one or another of three consequences: he would either answer evasively and divert the discussion to an irrelevant subject; or display anger, hatred, and bitterness; or would sit silenced, disconcerted, hunched over, downcast, glum, and speechless, just like the wanderer Sarabha.

(3) “If, wanderers, anyone should say about me: ‘The Dhamma does not lead one who practices it to the complete destruction of suffering, the goal for the sake of which you teach it,’ I might question him closely about this matter, interrogate him, and cross-examine him. When he is being closely questioned by me, interrogated, and cross-examined, it is impossible and inconceivable that he would not incur one or another of three consequences: he would either answer evasively and divert the discussion to an irrelevant subject, or display anger, hatred, and bitterness, or would sit silenced, disconcerted, hunched over, downcast, glum, and speechless, just like the wanderer Sarabha.”

Then the Blessed One, having roared his lion’s roar three times in the wanderers’ park on the bank of the Sappinikā river, rose up into the air and departed.

Then, soon after the Blessed One had left, those wanderers gave the wanderer Sarabha a thorough verbal lashing, saying: “Just as an old jackal in a huge forest might think: ‘I will roar a lion’s roar,’ and yet would only howl and yelp like a jackal, so, friend Sarabha, claiming in the absence of the ascetic Gotama: ‘I will roar a lion’s roar,’ you only howled and yelped like a jackal. Just as, friend Sarabha, a chick might think: ‘I will sing like a cock,’ and yet would only sing like a chick, so, friend Sarabha, claiming in the absence of the ascetic Gotama: ‘I will sing like a cock,’ you only sang like a chick. Just as, friend Sarabha, a bull might think to bellow deeply in an empty cow shed, so, friend Sarabha, in the absence of the ascetic Gotama you thought you could bellow deeply.” In this way those wanderers gave the wanderer Sarabha a thorough verbal lashing.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

With Sarabha

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
Now at that time a wanderer called Sarabha had recently left this teaching and training.
He was telling a crowd in Rājagaha,
“I learned the teaching of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan,
then I left their teaching and training.”
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Rājagaha for alms.
They heard what Sarabha was saying.

Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“The wanderer called Sarabha has recently left this teaching and training.
He was telling a crowd in Rājagaha:
‘I learned the teaching of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan,
then I left their teaching and training.’
Sir, please go to the wanderers’ monastery on the banks of the Sappinī river to see Sarabha the wanderer out of compassion.”
The Buddha consented in silence.
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the wanderers’ monastery on the banks of the Sappinī river to visit Sarabha the wanderer. He sat on the seat spread out, and said to the wanderer Sarabha,
“Is it really true, Sarabha, that you’ve been saying:
‘I learned the teaching of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan,
then I left their teaching and training.’”
When he said this, Sarabha kept silent.
For a second time, the Buddha said to Sarabha,
“Tell me, Sarabha, what exactly have you learned of the teachings of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan?
If you’ve not learned it fully, I’ll fill you in.
But if you have learned it fully, I’ll agree.”
For a second time, Sarabha kept silent.
For a third time, the Buddha said to Sarabha,
“Sarabha, the teachings of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan are clear to me. What exactly have you learned of the teachings of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan?
If you’ve not learned it fully, I’ll fill you in.
But if you have learned it fully, I’ll agree.”
For a third time, Sarabha kept silent.
Then those wanderers said to Sarabha,
“The ascetic Gotama has offered to tell you anything you ask for.
Speak, reverend Sarabha, what exactly have you learned of the teachings of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan?
If you’ve not learned it fully, he’ll fill you in.
But if you have learned it fully, he’ll agree.”
When this was said, Sarabha sat silent, embarrassed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say.
Knowing this, the Buddha said to the wanderers:
“Wanderers, someone might say to me:
‘You claim to be a fully awakened Buddha, but regarding these things you’re not fully awakened.’ Then I’d carefully pursue, press, and grill them on that point.
When grilled by me, they would, without a doubt, fall into one of these three categories. They’d dodge the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. They’d display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. Or they’d sit silent, embarrassed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say, like Sarabha.
Wanderers, someone might say to me:
‘You claim to have ended all defilements, but you still have these defilements.’ Then I’d carefully pursue, press, and grill them on that point.
When grilled by me, they would, without a doubt, fall into one of these three categories. They’d dodge the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. They’d display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. Or they’d sit silent, embarrassed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say, like Sarabha.
Wanderers, someone might say to me:
‘Your teaching does not lead someone who practices it to the goal of the complete ending of suffering.’ Then I’d carefully pursue, press, and grill them on that point.
When grilled by me, they would, without a doubt, fall into one of these three categories. They’d dodge the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. They’d display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. Or they’d sit silent, embarrassed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say, like Sarabha.”
Then the Buddha, having roared his lion’s roar three times in the wanderers’ monastery on the bank of the Sappinī river, rose into the sky and flew away.
Soon after the Buddha left, those wanderers gave Sarabha a comprehensive tongue-lashing:
“Reverend Sarabha, you’re just like an old jackal in the formidable wilderness who thinks, ‘I’ll roar a lion’s roar!’ but they still only manage to squeal and yelp like a jackal.
In the same way, when the ascetic Gotama wasn’t here you said ‘I’ll roar a lion’s roar!’ but you only managed to squeal and yelp like a jackal.
You’re just like a golden oriole who thinks, ‘I’ll cry like a cuckoo!’ but they still only manage to cry like a golden oriole.
In the same way, when the ascetic Gotama wasn’t here you said ‘I’ll cry like a cuckoo!’ but you still only managed to cry like a golden oriole.
You’re just like a bull that thinks to bellow only when the cowstall is empty.
In the same way, you only thought to bellow when the ascetic Gotama wasn’t here.”
That’s how those wanderers gave Sarabha a comprehensive tongue-lashing.