{"id":"mn58","title":"With Prince Abhaya","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"mn58","title":"With Prince Abhaya","units":[{"id":"mn58:0","sourceIds":["mn58:0.1","mn58:0.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Majjhima Nikāya 58\nAbhayarājakumārasutta","en":"Middle Discourses 58\nWith Prince Abhaya"}},{"id":"mn58:1","sourceIds":["mn58:1.1","mn58:1.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ me sutaṁ—\nekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.","en":"So I have heard.\nAt one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground."}},{"id":"mn58:2","sourceIds":["mn58:2.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho abhayaṁ rājakumāraṁ nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto etadavoca:","en":"Then Prince Abhaya went up to the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Jain Ñātika said to him,"}},{"id":"mn58:3","sourceIds":["mn58:3.1","mn58:3.2","mn58:3.3","mn58:3.4","mn58:3.5","mn58:3.6","mn58:3.7","mn58:3.8","mn58:3.9","mn58:3.10","mn58:3.11","mn58:3.12","mn58:3.13","mn58:3.14","mn58:3.15","mn58:3.16","mn58:3.17","mn58:3.18"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, samaṇassa gotamassa vādaṁ āropehi.\nEvaṁ te kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati:\n‘abhayena rājakumārena samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādo āropito’”ti.\n“Yathā kathaṁ panāhaṁ, bhante, samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādaṁ āropessāmī”ti?\n“Ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ vadehi:\n‘bhāseyya nu kho, bhante, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti?\nSace te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:\n‘bhāseyya, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:\n‘atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, puthujjanena nānākaraṇaṁ?\nPuthujjanopi hi taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti.\nSace pana te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:\n‘na, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā’ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:\n‘atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, devadatto byākato:\n“āpāyiko devadatto, nerayiko devadatto, kappaṭṭho devadatto, atekiccho devadatto”ti?\nTāya ca pana te vācāya devadatto kupito ahosi anattamano’ti.\nImaṁ kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilituṁ.\nSeyyathāpi nāma purisassa ayosiṅghāṭakaṁ kaṇṭhe vilaggaṁ, so neva sakkuṇeyya uggilituṁ na sakkuṇeyya ogilituṁ;\nevameva kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo imaṁ ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilitun”ti.","en":"“Come, prince, refute the ascetic Gotama’s doctrine.\nThen you will get a good reputation:\n‘Prince Abhaya refuted the doctrine of the ascetic Gotama, so mighty and powerful!’”\n“But sir, how am I to do this?”\n“Here, prince, go to the ascetic Gotama and say to him:\n‘Sir, may the Realized One utter speech that is disliked by others?’\nWhen he’s asked this, if he answers:\n‘He may, prince,’ say this to him,\n‘So what then, sir, is the difference between you and an ordinary person?\nFor even an ordinary person may utter speech that is disliked by others.’\nBut if he answers,\n‘He may not, prince,’ say this to him:\n‘So why then, sir, did you declare of Devadatta:\n“Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable”?\nDevadatta was angry and upset with what you said.’\nWhen you put this dilemma to him, the Buddha won’t be able to either spit it out or swallow it down.\nHe’ll be like a man with an iron cross stuck in his throat, unable to either spit it out or swallow it down.”"}},{"id":"mn58:4","sourceIds":["mn58:4.1","mn58:4.2","mn58:4.3","mn58:4.4","mn58:4.5","mn58:4.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho abhayo rājakumāro nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.\nEkamantaṁ nisinnassa kho abhayassa rājakumārassa sūriyaṁ ulloketvā etadahosi:\n“akālo kho ajja bhagavato vādaṁ āropetuṁ.\nSve dānāhaṁ sake nivesane bhagavato vādaṁ āropessāmī”ti bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya attacatuttho bhattan”ti.\nAdhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.","en":"“Yes, sir,” replied Abhaya. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Jain Ñātika, keeping him on his right. Then he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.\nThen he looked up at the sun and thought,\n“It’s too late to refute the Buddha’s doctrine today.\nI shall refute his doctrine in my own home tomorrow.” He said to the Buddha,\n“Sir, would the Buddha, together with three other monks, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?”\nThe Buddha consented with silence."}},{"id":"mn58:5","sourceIds":["mn58:5.1","mn58:5.2","mn58:5.3","mn58:5.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.\nAtha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena abhayassa rājakumārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.\nAtha kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.\nAtha kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.","en":"Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Abhaya rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.\nThen when the night had passed, the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Abhaya’s home, and sat down on the seat spread out.\nThen Abhaya served and satisfied the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.\nWhen the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Abhaya took a low seat, sat to one side,"}},{"id":"mn58:6","sourceIds":["mn58:6.1","mn58:6.2","mn58:6.3","mn58:6.4","mn58:6.5","mn58:6.6","mn58:6.7","mn58:6.8","mn58:6.9","mn58:6.10","mn58:6.11","mn58:6.12","mn58:6.13","mn58:6.14","mn58:6.15","mn58:6.16","mn58:6.17","mn58:6.18","mn58:6.19","mn58:6.20","mn58:6.21","mn58:6.22","mn58:6.23","mn58:6.24","mn58:6.25","mn58:6.26"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“bhāseyya nu kho, bhante, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti?\n“Na khvettha, rājakumāra, ekaṁsenā”ti.\n“Ettha, bhante, anassuṁ nigaṇṭhā”ti.\n“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, rājakumāra, evaṁ vadesi:\n‘ettha, bhante, anassuṁ nigaṇṭhā’”ti?\n“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yena nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho maṁ, bhante, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto etadavoca:\n‘ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, samaṇassa gotamassa vādaṁ āropehi.\nEvaṁ te kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchissati—\nabhayena rājakumārena samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādo āropito’ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ etadavocaṁ:\n‘yathā kathaṁ panāhaṁ, bhante, samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ mahiddhikassa evaṁ mahānubhāvassa vādaṁ āropessāmī’ti?\n‘Ehi tvaṁ, rājakumāra, yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ vadehi:\n“bhāseyya nu kho, bhante, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti?\nSace te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:\n“bhāseyya, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi:\n“atha kiñcarahi te, bhante, puthujjanena nānākaraṇaṁ?\nPuthujjanopi hi taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti.\nSace pana te samaṇo gotamo evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaroti:\n“na, rājakumāra, tathāgato taṁ vācaṁ bhāseyya yā sā vācā paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā”ti, tamenaṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadeyyāsi—\natha kiñcarahi te, bhante, devadatto byākato:\n“āpāyiko devadatto, nerayiko devadatto, kappaṭṭho devadatto, atekiccho devadatto”ti?\nTāya ca pana te vācāya devadatto kupito ahosi anattamano’ti.\nImaṁ kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilituṁ.\nSeyyathāpi nāma purisassa ayosiṅghāṭakaṁ kaṇṭhe vilaggaṁ, so neva sakkuṇeyya uggilituṁ na sakkuṇeyya ogilituṁ;\nevameva kho te, rājakumāra, samaṇo gotamo imaṁ ubhatokoṭikaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno neva sakkhiti uggilituṁ na sakkhiti ogilitun”ti.","en":"and said to him,\n“Sir, may the Realized One utter speech that is disliked by others?”\n“This matter is not categorical, prince.”\n“Then the Jains have lost in this, sir.”\n“But prince, why do you say that\nthe Jains have lost in this?”\nThen Abhaya told the Buddha all that had happened."}},{"id":"mn58:7","sourceIds":["mn58:7.1","mn58:7.2","mn58:7.3","mn58:7.4","mn58:7.5","mn58:7.6","mn58:7.7","mn58:7.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tena kho pana samayena daharo kumāro mando uttānaseyyako abhayassa rājakumārassa aṅke nisinno hoti.\nAtha kho bhagavā abhayaṁ rājakumāraṁ etadavoca:\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rājakumāra,\nsacāyaṁ kumāro tuyhaṁ vā pamādamanvāya dhātiyā vā pamādamanvāya kaṭṭhaṁ vā kaṭhalaṁ vā mukhe āhareyya, kinti naṁ kareyyāsī”ti?\n“Āhareyyassāhaṁ, bhante.\nSace, bhante, na sakkuṇeyyaṁ ādikeneva āhattuṁ, vāmena hatthena sīsaṁ pariggahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena vaṅkaṅguliṁ karitvā salohitampi āhareyyaṁ.\nTaṁ kissa hetu?\nAtthi me, bhante, kumāre anukampā”ti.","en":"Now at that time a little baby boy was sitting in Prince Abhaya’s lap.\nThen the Buddha said to Abhaya,\n“What do you think, prince?\nIf—because of your negligence or his nursemaid’s negligence—your boy were to put a stick or stone in his mouth, what would you do to him?”\n“I’d try to take it out, sir.\nIf that didn’t work, I’d cradle his head with my left hand and take it out using a hooked finger of my right hand, even if it drew blood.\nWhy is that?\nBecause I have sympathy for the boy, sir.”"}},{"id":"mn58:8","sourceIds":["mn58:8.1","mn58:8.2","mn58:8.3","mn58:8.4","mn58:8.5","mn58:8.6","mn58:8.7","mn58:8.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Evameva kho, rājakumāra, yaṁ tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti abhūtaṁ atacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā, na taṁ tathāgato vācaṁ bhāsati.\nYampi tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā, tampi tathāgato vācaṁ na bhāsati.\nYañca kho tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ appiyā amanāpā, tatra kālaññū tathāgato hoti tassā vācāya veyyākaraṇāya.\nYaṁ tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti abhūtaṁ atacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ piyā manāpā, na taṁ tathāgato vācaṁ bhāsati.\nYampi tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ piyā manāpā tampi tathāgato vācaṁ na bhāsati.\nYañca tathāgato vācaṁ jānāti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ sā ca paresaṁ piyā manāpā, tatra kālaññū tathāgato hoti tassā vācāya veyyākaraṇāya.\nTaṁ kissa hetu?\nAtthi, rājakumāra, tathāgatassa sattesu anukampā”ti.","en":"“In the same way, prince, the Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be untrue, false, and pointless, and which is disliked by others.\nThe Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be true and correct, but which is harmful and disliked by others.\nThe Realized One knows the right time to speak so as to explain what he knows to be true, correct, and beneficial, but which is disliked by others.\nThe Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be untrue, false, and pointless, but which is liked by others.\nThe Realized One does not utter speech that he knows to be true and correct, but which is harmful, even if it is liked by others.\nThe Realized One knows the right time to speak so as to explain what he knows to be true, correct, and beneficial, and which is liked by others.\nWhy is that?\nBecause the Realized One has sympathy for sentient beings.”"}},{"id":"mn58:9","sourceIds":["mn58:9.1","mn58:9.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Yeme, bhante, khattiyapaṇḍitāpi brāhmaṇapaṇḍitāpi gahapatipaṇḍitāpi samaṇapaṇḍitāpi pañhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā pucchanti,\npubbeva nu kho, etaṁ, bhante, bhagavato cetaso parivitakkitaṁ hoti ‘ye maṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ pucchissanti tesāhaṁ evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākarissāmī’ti, udāhu ṭhānasovetaṁ tathāgataṁ paṭibhātī”ti?","en":"“Sir, there are astute aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics who come to see you with a question already planned.\nDo you think beforehand that if they ask you like this, you’ll answer like that, or does the answer just strike you on the spot?”"}},{"id":"mn58:10","sourceIds":["mn58:10.1","mn58:10.2","mn58:10.3","mn58:10.4","mn58:10.5","mn58:10.6","mn58:10.7","mn58:10.8","mn58:10.9","mn58:10.10","mn58:10.11"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Tena hi, rājakumāra, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.\nTaṁ kiṁ maññasi, rājakumāra,\nkusalo tvaṁ rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgānan”ti?\n“Evaṁ, bhante, kusalo ahaṁ rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgānan”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rājakumāra,\nye taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:\n‘kiṁ nāmidaṁ rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgan’ti?\nPubbeva nu kho te etaṁ cetaso parivitakkitaṁ assa ‘ye maṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ pucchissanti tesāhaṁ evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākarissāmī’ti, udāhu ṭhānasovetaṁ paṭibhāseyyā”ti?\n“Ahañhi, bhante, rathiko saññāto kusalo rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgānaṁ.\nSabbāni me rathassa aṅgapaccaṅgāni suviditāni.\nṬhānasovetaṁ maṁ paṭibhāseyyā”ti.","en":"“Well then, prince, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.\nWhat do you think, prince?\nAre you skilled in the various parts of a chariot?”\n“I am, sir.”\n“What do you think, prince?\nWhen they come to you and ask:\n‘What’s the name of this chariot part?’\nDo you think beforehand that if they ask you like this, you’ll answer like that, or does the answer appear to you on the spot?”\n“Sir, I’m well-known as a charioteer skilled in a chariot’s parts.\nAll the major and minor parts are well-known to me.\nThe answer just appears to me on the spot.”"}},{"id":"mn58:11","sourceIds":["mn58:11.1","mn58:11.2","mn58:11.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Evameva kho, rājakumāra, ye te khattiyapaṇḍitāpi brāhmaṇapaṇḍitāpi gahapatipaṇḍitāpi samaṇapaṇḍitāpi pañhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā pucchanti, ṭhānasovetaṁ tathāgataṁ paṭibhāti.\nTaṁ kissa hetu?\nSā hi, rājakumāra, tathāgatassa dhammadhātu suppaṭividdhā yassā dhammadhātuyā suppaṭividdhattā ṭhānasovetaṁ tathāgataṁ paṭibhātī”ti.","en":"“In the same way, when astute aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics come to see me with a question already planned, the answer just strikes me on the spot.\nWhy is that?\nBecause the Realized One has clearly penetrated the principle of the teachings, so that the answer just strikes him on the spot.”"}},{"id":"mn58:12","sourceIds":["mn58:12.1","mn58:12.2","mn58:12.3","mn58:12.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ vutte, abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…\najjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.\nAbhayarājakumārasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.","en":"When he had spoken, Prince Abhaya said to the Buddha,\n“Excellent, sir! Excellent! …\nFrom this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/mn58/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}