Tripiṭaka 4. Sumanavagga
4. With Sumanā
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Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Atha kho cundī rājakumārī pañcahi rathasatehi pañcahi ca kumārisatehi parivutā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho cundī rājakumārī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Princess Cundī, escorted by five hundred chariots and five hundred royal maidens, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Amhākaṁ, bhante, bhātā cundo nāma rājakumāro, so evamāha:
“Sir, my brother, Prince Cunda, says this:
‘yadeva so hoti itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatin’ti.
‘Take a woman or man who goes for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. Only then do they get reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when their body breaks up, after death.’
‘kathaṁrūpe kho, bhante, satthari pasanno kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatiṁ?
Sir, what kind of teacher should you have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death?
Kathaṁrūpe dhamme pasanno kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatiṁ?
Sir, what kind of teaching should you have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death?
Kathaṁrūpe saṅghe pasanno kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatiṁ?
Sir, what kind of Saṅgha should you have confidence in so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death?
Kathaṁrūpesu sīlesu paripūrakārī kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁyeva upapajjati, no duggatin’”ti?
Sir, what kind of ethics should you fulfill so as to be reborn in a good place, not a bad place, when the body breaks up, after death?”
“Yāvatā, cundi, sattā apadā vā dvipadā vā catuppadā vā bahuppadā vā rūpino vā arūpino vā saññino vā asaññino vā nevasaññināsaññino vā, tathāgato tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho.
“Cundī, the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, is said to be the best of all sentient beings—be they footless, with two feet, four feet, or many feet; with form or formless; with perception or without perception or with neither perception nor non-perception.
Ye kho, cundi, buddhe pasannā, agge te pasannā.
Those who have confidence in the Buddha have confidence in the best.
Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.
Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.
Yāvatā, cundi, dhammā saṅkhatā, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati.
The noble eightfold path is said to be the best of all conditioned things.
Ye, cundi, ariye aṭṭhaṅgike magge pasannā, agge te pasannā, agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.
Those who have confidence in the noble eightfold path have confidence in the best. Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.
Yāvatā, cundi, dhammā saṅkhatā vā asaṅkhatā vā, virāgo tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ—
Fading away is said to be the best of all things whether conditioned or unconditioned.
madanimmadano pipāsavinayo ālayasamugghāto vaṭṭupacchedo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ.
That is, the quelling of vanity, the removing of thirst, the uprooting of clinging, the breaking of the round, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.
Ye kho, cundi, virāge dhamme pasannā, agge te pasannā.
Those who have confidence in the teaching of fading away have confidence in the best.
Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.
Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.
Yāvatā, cundi, saṅghā vā gaṇā vā, tathāgatasāvakasaṅgho tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ—
The Saṅgha of the Realized One’s disciples is said to be the best of all communities and groups.
cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.
It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.
Ye kho, cundi, saṅghe pasannā, agge te pasannā.
Those who have confidence in the Saṅgha have confidence in the best.
Agge kho pana pasannānaṁ aggo vipāko hoti.
Having confidence in the best, the result is the best.
Yāvatā, cundi, sīlāni, ariyakantāni sīlāni tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ—
The ethical conduct loved by the noble ones is said to be the best of all ethics.
akhaṇḍāni acchiddāni asabalāni akammāsāni bhujissāni viññuppasatthāni aparāmaṭṭhāni samādhisaṁvattanikāni.
It is intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion.
Ye kho, cundi, ariyakantesu sīlesu paripūrakārino, agge te paripūrakārino.
Those who fulfill the ethics loved by the noble ones fulfill the best.
Dutiyaṁ.