5. Uposathavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.43

Numbered Discourses 8.43

5. Uposathavagga

5. Sabbath

Visākhāsutta

With Visākhā on the Sabbath

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

Atha kho visākhā migāramātā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho visākhaṁ migāramātaraṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to her:

“aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato kho, visākhe, uposatho upavuttho mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso mahājutiko mahāvipphāro.

“Visākhā, the observance of the sabbath with its eight factors is very fruitful and beneficial and dazzling and bountiful.

Kathaṁ upavuttho ca, visākhe, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato uposatho mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso mahājutiko mahāvipphāro?

And how should it be observed?

Idha, visākhe, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:

It’s when a noble disciple reflects:

‘yāvajīvaṁ arahanto pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā nihitadaṇḍā nihitasatthā lajjī dayāpannā, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampino viharanti.

‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They are scrupulous and kind, and live full of sympathy for all living beings.

Ahampajja imañca rattiṁ imañca divasaṁ pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho lajjī dayāpanno, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharāmi.

I, too, for this day and night will give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. I’ll be scrupulous and kind, and live full of sympathy for all living beings.

Imināpaṅgena arahataṁ anukaromi, uposatho ca me upavuttho bhavissatī’ti.

I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’

Iminā paṭhamena aṅgena samannāgato hoti …pe….

This is its first factor. …

‘Yāvajīvaṁ arahanto uccāsayanamahāsayanaṁ pahāya uccāsayanamahāsayanā paṭiviratā nīcaseyyaṁ kappenti—mañcake vā tiṇasanthārake vā.

‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up high and luxurious beds. They sleep in a low place, either a cot or a straw mat.

Ahampajja imañca rattiṁ imañca divasaṁ uccāsayanamahāsayanaṁ pahāya uccāsayanamahāsayanā paṭivirato nīcaseyyaṁ kappemi—mañcake vā tiṇasanthārake vā.

I, too, for this day and night will give up high and luxurious beds. I’ll sleep in a low place, either a cot or a straw mat.

Imināpaṅgena arahataṁ anukaromi, uposatho ca me upavuttho bhavissatī’ti.

I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’

Iminā aṭṭhamena aṅgena samannāgato hoti.

This is its eighth factor.

Evaṁ upavuttho kho, visākhe, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato uposatho mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso mahājutiko mahāvipphāro.

The observance of the sabbath with its eight factors in this way is very fruitful and beneficial and dazzling and bountiful.

Kīvamahapphalo hoti, kīvamahānisaṁso, kīvamahājutiko, kīvamahāvipphāro?

How much so?

Seyyathāpi, visākhe, yo imesaṁ soḷasannaṁ mahājanapadānaṁ pahūtarattaratanānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kāreyya, seyyathidaṁ—

Suppose you were to rule as sovereign lord over these sixteen great countries—Aṅga, Magadha, Kāsi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Cetī, Vaccha, Kuru, Pañcāla, Maccha, Sūrasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhāra, and Kamboja—full of the seven kinds of precious things.

aṅgānaṁ magadhānaṁ kāsīnaṁ kosalānaṁ vajjīnaṁ mallānaṁ cetīnaṁ vaṅgānaṁ kurūnaṁ pañcālānaṁ macchānaṁ sūrasenānaṁ assakānaṁ avantīnaṁ gandhārānaṁ kambojānaṁ, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatassa uposathassa etaṁ kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ.

This wouldn’t be worth a sixteenth part of the sabbath with its eight factors.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Kapaṇaṁ, visākhe, mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya.

Because human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.

Yāni, visākhe, mānusakāni paññāsa vassāni, cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.

Fifty years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods of the four great kings.

Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.

Thirty such days make up a month.

Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.

Twelve such months make up a year.

Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni pañca vassasatāni cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The lifespan of the gods of the four great kings is five hundred of these heavenly years.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, visākhe, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.

It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods of the four great kings.

Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, visākhe, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:

This is what I was referring to when I said:

‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.

‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

Yaṁ, visākhe, mānusakaṁ vassasataṁ, tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.

A hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods of the thirty-three.

Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.

Thirty such days make up a month.

Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.

Twelve such months make up a year.

Tena saṁvaccharena vassasahassaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The lifespan of the gods of the thirty-three is a thousand of these divine years.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, visākhe, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.

It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods of the thirty-three.

Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, visākhe, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:

This is what I was referring to when I said:

‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.

‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

Yāni, visākhe, mānusakāni dve vassasatāni …pe…

Two hundred years in the human realm …

cattāri vassasatāni …pe…

Four hundred years in the human realm …

aṭṭha vassasatāni …pe…

Eight hundred years in the human realm …

soḷasa vassasatāni paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.

Sixteen hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods who control what is created by others.

Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.

Thirty such days make up a month.

Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.

Twelve such months make up a year.

Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni soḷasa vassasahassāni paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The life span of the gods who control what is created by others is sixteen thousand of these heavenly years.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, visākhe, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.

It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods who control what is created by others.

Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, visākhe, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:

This is what I was referring to when I said:

‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāyā’ti.

‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

Pāṇaṁ na haññe na cadinnamādiye,

You shouldn’t kill living creatures, or steal,

Musā na bhāse na ca majjapo siyā;

or lie, or drink liquor.

Abrahmacariyā virameyya methunā,

Be chaste, refraining from sex,

Rattiṁ na bhuñjeyya vikālabhojanaṁ.

and don’t eat at night, the wrong time.

Mālaṁ na dhāre na ca gandhamācare,

Not wearing garlands or applying fragrance,

Mañce chamāyaṁ va sayetha santhate;

you should sleep on a low bed, <j>or a mat on the ground.

Etañhi aṭṭhaṅgikamāhuposathaṁ,

This is the eight-factored sabbath, they say,

Buddhena dukkhantagunā pakāsitaṁ.

explained by the Buddha, <j>who has gone to suffering’s end.

Cando ca suriyo ca ubho sudassanā,

The moon and sun are both fair to see,

Obhāsayaṁ anupariyanti yāvatā;

radiating as far as they revolve.

Tamonudā te pana antalikkhagā,

Those dispellers of darkness, travellers in midair,

Nabhe pabhāsanti disāvirocanā.

shine in the firmament, lighting up the quarters.

Etasmiṁ yaṁ vijjati antare dhanaṁ,

All of the wealth that’s found in this realm—

Muttā maṇi veḷuriyañca bhaddakaṁ;

pearls, gems, fine beryl too,

Siṅgīsuvaṇṇaṁ atha vāpi kañcanaṁ,

mountain gold or lustrous gold,

Yaṁ jātarūpaṁ haṭakanti vuccati.

or the native gold called ‘coruscant’—

Aṭṭhaṅgupetassa uposathassa,

they’re not worth a sixteenth part

Kalampi te nānubhavanti soḷasiṁ;

of the sabbath with its eight factors,

Candappabhā tāragaṇā ca sabbe.

as starlight cannot rival the moon.

Tasmā hi nārī ca naro ca sīlavā,

So an ethical woman or man,

Aṭṭhaṅgupetaṁ upavassuposathaṁ;

who has observed the eight-factored sabbath,

Puññāni katvāna sukhudrayāni,

having made merit whose outcome is happiness,

Aninditā saggamupenti ṭhānan”ti.

blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”

Tatiyaṁ.