snp.3.6 Suttanipata

With Sabhiya

said Sabhiya,
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Now at that time the wanderer Sabhiya had been presented with several questions by a deity who was a former blood relation, saying:
“Sabhiya, you should live the spiritual life with whatever ascetic or brahmin answers these questions.”
Then Sabhiya, after learning those questions in the presence of that deity, approached those ascetics and brahmins who led an order and a community, and taught a community, who were well-known and famous religious founders, regarded as holy by many people. That is,
Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta, Pakudha Kaccāyana, and Ajita Kesakambala.
And he asked them those questions,
but they were stumped by them.
Displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness,
they questioned Sabiya in return.
Then Sabhiya thought,
“Those famous ascetics and brahmins
were stumped by my questions.
Displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness,
they questioned me in return on that matter.
Why don’t I return to a lesser life so I can enjoy sensual pleasures?”
Then Sabhiya thought,
“This ascetic Gotama also leads an order and a community, and teaches a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, regarded as holy by many people.
Why don’t I ask him this question?”
Then he thought,
“Even those ascetics and brahmins who are elderly and senior, who are advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; who are senior, long standing, long gone forth; who lead an order and a community, and teach a community; who are well-known and famous religious founders, regarded as holy by many people—that is
Pūraṇa Kassapa and the rest—
were stumped by my questions.
They displayed annoyance, hate, and bitterness, and even questioned me in return.
How can the ascetic Gotama possibly answer my questions,
since he is so young in age and newly gone forth?”
Then he thought,
“An ascetic should not be looked down upon or disparaged because they are young.
Though young, the ascetic Gotama has great psychic power and might. Why don’t I ask him this question?”
Then Sabhiya set out for Rājagaha.
Traveling stage by stage, he came to Rājagaha, the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. He went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side,
and addressed the Buddha in verse:
“I’ve come full of doubts and uncertainties,”
said Sabhiya,
“wishing to ask some questions.
Please solve them for me.
Answer my questions in turn, in accordance with the truth.”
“You have come from afar, Sabhiya,”
said the Buddha,
“wishing to ask some questions.
I shall solve them for you,
answering your questions in turn, in accordance with the truth.
Ask me your question, Sabhiya,
whatever you want.
I’ll solve each and every
question you have.”
Then Sabhiya thought,
“It’s incredible, it’s amazing!
Where those other ascetics and brahmins didn’t even give me a chance, the Buddha has invited me.”
Uplifted and elated, full of rapture and happiness, he asked this question.
“What must one attain to be called a mendicant?”
said Sabhiya,
“How is one ‘sweet’, how said to be ‘tamed’?
How is one declared to be ‘awakened’?
May the Buddha please answer my question.”
“When by the path they have walked themselves,”
said the Buddha to Sabhiya,
“they reach quenching, with doubt overcome;
giving up desire to continue existence or to end it,
their journey complete, their rebirths ended: that is a mendicant.
Equanimous towards everything, mindful,
they don’t harm anyone in the world.
An ascetic who has crossed over, unclouded,
not full of themselves, is sweet-natured.
Their faculties have been developed
inside and out in the whole world.
Having pierced through this world and the next,
tamed, they bide their time.
They have examined the aeons in their entirety,
and both sides of transmigration—passing away and rebirth.
Rid of dust, unblemished, purified:
the one they call ‘awakened’ has attained the end of rebirth.”
And then, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, uplifted and elated, full of rapture and happiness, Sabhiya asked another question:
“What must one attain to be called ‘brahmin’?”
said Sabhiya.
“Why is one an ‘ascetic’, and how a ‘bathed initiate’?
How is one declared to be a ‘giant’?
May the Buddha please answer my question.”
“Having banished all bad things,”
said the Buddha to Sabhiya,
“immaculate, well-composed, steadfast,
consummate, they’ve left transmigration behind:
unattached, one such is called ‘brahmin’.
A peaceful one who has given up good and evil,
stainless, understanding this world and the next,
gone beyond rebirth and death:
one such is rightly called ‘ascetic’.
Having washed off all bad things
inside and out in the whole world,
among gods and humans bound to creations,
the one they call ‘washed’ does not return to creation.
They do nothing monstrous at all in the world,
discarding all fetters and bonds,
everywhere not stuck, freed:
one such is rightly called ‘giant’.”
And then Sabhiya asked another question:
“Who is a ‘field-victor’ according to the Buddhas?”
said Sabhiya,
“Why is one ‘skillful’, and how ‘a wise scholar’?
How is one declared to be a ‘sage’?
May the Buddha please answer my question.”
“They are victorious over the fields of deeds in their entirety,”
said the Buddha to Sabhiya,
“the fields of gods, humans, and Brahmas;
released from the root bondage to all fields:
one such is rightly called ‘field-victor’.
They have examined the stockpiles of deeds in their entirety,
the stockpiles of gods, humans, and Brahmas;
released from the root bondage to all stockpiles:
one such is rightly called ‘skillful’.
They have examined whiteness
both inside and out; understanding purity,
they have left dark and bright behind:
one such is rightly called ‘a wise scholar’.”
Understanding the nature of the bad and the good
inside and out in the whole world;
one worthy of honor by gods and humans,
who has escaped from the net and the snare: that is a sage.”
And then Sabhiya asked another question:
“What must one attain to be called ‘knowledge master’?”
said Sabhiya,
“Why is one ‘studied’, and how is one ‘heroic’?
How to gain the name ‘thoroughbred’?
May the Buddha please answer my question.”
“They have examined knowledges in their entirety,”
said the Buddha to Sabhiya,
“those that are current among ascetics and brahmins;
rid of greed for all feelings,
having left all knowledges behind: that is a knowledge master.
Having studied proliferation and name & form
inside and out—the root of disease;
released from the root bondage to all disease:
one such is rightly called ‘studied’.
Refraining from all evil here,
heroic, he escapes from the suffering of hell;
he is heroic and energetic:
one such is rightly called ‘hero’.
Whoever’s bonds are cut,
the root of clinging inside and out;
released from the root bondage to all clinging:
one such is rightly called ‘thoroughbred’.”
And then Sabhiya asked another question:
“What must one attain to be called ‘scholar’?”
“Why is one ‘noble’, and how is one ‘well conducted’?
How to gain the name ‘wanderer’?
May the Buddha please answer my question.”
“One who has learned every teaching,”
said the Buddha to Sabhiya,
“and has known for themselves whatever is blameworthy and blameless in the world;
a champion, decided, liberated,
untroubled everywhere: they call them ‘scholar’.
Having cut off defilements and attachments,
being wise, they enter no womb.
They’ve expelled the bog of the three perceptions,
the one they call ‘noble’ does not return to creation.
One here who is accomplished and skillful in all forms of good conduct;
always understanding the teaching,
everywhere not stuck, freed in mind,
who has no repulsion: they are ‘well-conducted’.
They wander full of wisdom,
having banished any deed that results in suffering,
deceit and conceit, as well as greed and anger,
—above, below, all round, between.
They have made a limit on name & form;
the one they call a ‘wanderer’ has reached their destination.”
And then, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, uplifted and elated, full of rapture and happiness, Sabhiya got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:
“O one of vast wisdom, there are three & sixty opinions
based on the doctrines of ascetics:
they are expressions of perception, based on perception.
Having dispelled them all, you passed over the dark flood.
You have gone to the end, gone beyond suffering,
you are perfected, a fully awakened Buddha; I think you have ended defilements.
Splendid, intelligent, abounding in wisdom,
ender of suffering—you brought me across!
When you understood my uncertainty,
you brought me beyond doubt—homage to you!
A sage, accomplished in the ways of sagacity,
you are gentle, not hardhearted, O kinsman of the Sun.
Any doubts that I once had,
you have answered for me, O Seer.
Clearly you are a sage, an Awakened One,
there are no hindrances in you.
All your distress
is blown away and mown down.
Cooled, tamed, steadfast:
truth is your strength.
O giant among giants, O great hero,
when you are speaking
all the gods rejoice,
including both Nārada and Pabbata.
Homage to you, O thoroughbred!
Homage to you, supreme among men!
In the world with its gods,
you have no counterpart.
You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher,
you are the sage who has overcome Māra;
you have cut off the underlying tendencies,
you’ve crossed over, and you bring humanity across.
You have transcended attachments,
your defilements are shattered;
you are a lion, free of grasping,
with fear and dread given up.
Like a graceful lotus
to which water does not stick,
so both good and evil
do not stick to you.
Stretch out your feet, great hero:
Sabhiya bows to the Teacher.”
Then the wanderer Sabhiya bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet and said,
“Excellent, sir! Excellent! …
I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.
Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence?”
“Sabhiya, if someone formerly ordained in another sect wishes to take the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training, they must spend four months on probation. When four months have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, they’ll give the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.
However, I have recognized individual differences in this matter.”
“Sir, if four months probation are required in such a case, I’ll spend four years on probation. When four years have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, let them give me the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.”
And the wanderer Sabhiya received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.
And Venerable Sabhiya became one of the perfected.