ĀḶAVAKA SUTTA - Buddhism, Philosophy, and Khmer Literature

Breaking

Buddhism, Philosophy, and Khmer Literature

The teachings of the Buddha are aimed solely at liberating sentient beings from suffering. The Basic Teachings of Buddha which are core to Buddhism are: The Three Universal Truths; The Four Noble Truths; and The Noble Eightfold Path.

Post Top Ad

Post Top Ad

Thursday, June 13, 2019

ĀḶAVAKA SUTTA


ĀḶAVAKA SUTTA
12. ¾¼avakasutta½ (216-217)

  246. Eva½ me suta½– eka½ samaya½ bhagav± ±¼aviya½ viharati ±¼avakassa yakkhassa bhavane. Atha kho ±¼avako yakkho yena bhagav± tenupasaªkami; upasaªkamitv± bhagavanta½ etadavoca– “nikkhama, samaº±”ti.
Thus have I heard, on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Āḷavī, the haunt of the yakkha Āḷavaka. Then the yakkha Āḷavaka approached the Blessed One and said to him: “Get out, ascetic!”
“S±dh±vuso”ti bhagav± nikkhami.  “Pavisa, samaº±”ti. “S±dh±vuso”ti bhagav± p±visi.  Dutiyampi kho ±¼avako yakkho bhagavanta½ etadavoca– “nikkhama, samaº±”ti. “S±dh±vuso”ti bhagav± nikkhami. “Pavisa, samaº±”ti. “S±dh±vuso”ti bhagav± p±visi. Tatiyampi kho ±¼avako yakkho bhagavanta½ etadavoca   “nikkhama, samaº±”ti. “S±dh±vuso”ti bhagav± nikkhami. “Pavisa, samaº±”ti. “S±dh±vuso”ti bhagav± p±visi.
“All right, friend,” The Blessed One said, and he went out.
“Come in, ascetic.”
“All right, friend,” The Blessed One said, and he went in
A second time … A third time the yakkha Āḷavaka said to the Blessed One: “Get out, ascetic!”
“All right, friend,” The Blessed One said, and he went out.
“Come in, ascetic.”
“All right, friend,” The Blessed One said and he went in.

Catutthampi kho ±¼avako yakkho bhagavanta½ etadavoca– “nikkhama, samaº±”ti.

“Na khv±ha½ ta½, ±vuso, nikkhamiss±mi. Ya½ te karaº²ya½ ta½ karoh²”ti.

A fourth time the yakkha Āḷavaka said to the Blessed One: “Get out, ascetic!”
“I won’t go out, friend.  Do whatever you have to do.”

“Pañha½ ta½, samaºa, pucchiss±mi. Sace me na by±karissasi, citta½ v± te khipiss±mi, hadaya½ v± te ph±less±mi, p±desu v± gahetv± p±ragaªg±ya khipiss±m²”ti.

“I’ll ask you a question, ascetic. If you won’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane or I’ll split your heart or I’ll grab you by the feet and hurl you cross the Ganges.

“Na khv±ha½ ta½, ±vuso, pass±mi sadevake loke sam±rake sabrahmake sassamaºabr±hmaºiy± paj±ya sadevamanuss±ya, ye me citta½ v± khipeyya hadaya½ v± ph±leyya, p±desu v± gahetv± p±ragaªg±ya khipeyya. Api ca tva½, ±vuso, puccha yad± kaªkhas²”ti

“I do not see anyone in this world, friend, with its devas, Māra, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and Brahmins, its devas and humans, who could drive me insane, or split my heart or grab me by the feet and hurl me across the Ganges. But ask whatever you want, friend.”
“Ki½s³dha vitta½ purisassa seµµha½, ki½su suciººa½ sukham±vah±ti. 
Ki½su have s±dutara½ ras±na½, katha½j²vi½ j²vitam±hu seµµhan”ti. 

“What here is a man’s best treasure? 
What practiced well brings happiness? 
What is really the sweetest of tastes? 
How lives the one who they say lives best?

“Saddh²dha vitta½ purissa seµµha½, dhammo suciººo sukham±vah±ti. 
Sacca½ have s±dutara½ ras±na½, paññ±j²vi½ j²vitam±hu seµµhan”ti. 

“Faith is here a man’s best treasure;
Practiced Dhamma well brings happiness;
Truth is really the sweetest of tastes;
One living by wisdom they say lives best.”

“Katha½su tarati ogha½, katha½su tarati aººava½; 
 Katha½su dukkhamacceti, katha½su parisujjhat²”ti. 
“How does one crossed over the flood?
How does one cross the rugged sea?
How does one overcome suffering?
How is one purified?”

 “Saddh±ya (pg. 1.0217) tarati ogha½, appam±dena aººava½; 
 V²riyena dukkhamacceti, paññ±ya parisujjhat²”ti. 

“By faith one crosses over the flood,
By the diligence, the rugged sea.
By energy one overcomes suffering,
By wisdom one is purified”
“Katha½su labhate pañña½, katha½su vindate dhana½; 
 Katha½su kitti½ pappoti, katha½ mitt±ni ganthati. 
 Asm± lok± para½ loka½, katha½ pecca na socat²”ti. 
“How does one gain wisdom?
How does one find a wealth?
How does one achieve acclaim? 
How bind friends to oneself? 
When parsing from this world to the next,
How does one not sorrow?”

 “Saddah±no arahata½, dhamma½ nibb±napattiy±; 
 Suss³sa½ labhate pañña½, appamatto vicakkhaºo.
“Placing faith in the Dhamma of the Arahants
For the attainment of Nibbāna,
From desire to learn one gains wisdom,
If one is diligent and astute.”

“Patir³pak±r² dhurav±, uµµh±t± vindate dhana½; 
 Saccena kitti½ pappoti, dada½ mitt±ni ganthati. 
 Asm± lok± para½ loka½, eva½ pecca na socati. 
“Doing what is proper, dutiful,
One with initiative finds wealth. 
By truthfulness one wins acclaim;
Giving, one binds friends.
That is how one does not sorrow
When passing from this life to the next.”

 “Yassete caturo dhamm±, saddhassa gharamesino; 
 Sacca½ dammo dhiti c±go, sa ve pecca na socati. 
 “Iªgha aññepi pucchassu, puth³ samaºabr±hmaºe; 
 Yadi sacc± damm± c±g±, khanty± bhiyyodha vijjat²”ti. 

“The faithful seeker of the household life
In whom dwell these four qualities
Truth, Dhamma, Steadfastness, generosity
Does not sorrow when he passes on.”

“Katha½ nu d±ni puccheyya½, puth³ samaºabr±hmaºe; 
 Yoha½ ajja paj±n±mi, yo attho sampar±yiko. 
 “Atth±ya vata me buddho, v±s±y±¼avim±gam±
Yoha½ ajja paj±n±mi, yattha dinna½ mahapphala½. 
“So aha½ vicariss±mi, g±m± g±ma½ pur± pura½; 
Namassam±no sambuddha½, dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti. 

Yakkhasa½yutta½ samatta½. 

Tassudd±na½– 
Indako sakka s³ci ca, maºibhaddo ca s±nu ca; 
Piyaªkara punabbasu sudatto ca, dve sukk± c²ra-±¼av²ti dv±dasa. 
“Come now, ask others as well,
The man the ascetic and Brahmins,
Whether there is found here anything better than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”
“Why now should I ask this question
Of the many ascetics and Brahmins
Today I have understood
The good pertaining to the future life.”
“Indeed, for my sake the Buddha came
To recite that Āḷavī
Today I have understood
where a gift bears great fruit”

“I myself will travel about
From village to village, town to town,
Paying homage to the Enlightened One
And to the excellence of the Dhamma.”
Ref. Another translation by Piyadassi
 10. yakkhasa½yutta½

1.      Virati sacca:              The Truth caused by refraining from falsehood
2.                                                                              Vacī sacca:    The Truth (verbal truth) contribute to one’s mental development through tranquility meditation and Insight meditation
3.      Paramattha sacca:     The Truth in the ultimate sense.


10. ΀avakasutta
   *EvaÑ me sutaÑ–ekaÑ samayaÑ BhagavÈ ŒÄaviyaÑ viharati ŒÄavakassa yakkhassa bhavane. Atha kho ŒÄavako yakkho yena BhagavÈ tenupasa~kami, upasa~kamitvÈ BhagavantaÑ etadavoca "nikkhama samaÓÈ"ti.
________________________________________________________________________
         1. AjjhattasaÒÒÊ (SyÈ, KaÑ, Ka)                                                                                                        * SaÑ 1. 216 piÔÔhepi.


"SÈdhÈvuso"ti BhagavÈ nikkhami. "Pavisa samaÓÈ"ti. "SÈdhÈvuso"ti BhagavÈ pÈvisi.
     Dutiyampi kho. Pa . Tatiyampi kho ŒÄavako yakkho BhagavantaÑ etadavoca "nikkhama samaÓÈ"ti. "SÈdhÈvuso"ti BhagavÈ nikkhami. "Pavisa samaÓÈ"ti. "SÈdhÈvuso"ti BhagavÈ pÈvisi.
     Catutthampi kho ŒÄavako yakkho BhagavantaÑ etadavoca "nikkhama samaÓÈ"ti. Na khvÈhaÑ taÑ Èvuso nikkhamissÈmi, yaÑ te karaÓÊyaÑ taÑ karohÊti.
     PaÒhaÑ taÑ samaÓa pucchissÈmi. Sace me na byÈkarissasi, cittaÑ vÈ te khipissÈmi, hadayaÑ vÈ te phÈlessÈmi, pÈdesu vÈ gahetvÈ pÈraga~gÈya khipissÈmÊti.
   Na khvÈhaÑ taÑ Èvuso passÈmi sadevake loke samÈrake sabrahmake sassamaÓabrÈhmaÓiyÈ pajÈya sadevamanussÈya, yo me cittaÑ vÈ khipeyya, hadayaÑ vÈ phÈleyya, pÈdesu vÈ gahetvÈ pÈraga~gÈya khipeyya, api ca tvaÑ Èvuso puccha, yadÈka~khasÊti. Atha kho ŒÄavako yakkho BhagavantaÑ gÈthÈya ajjhabhÈsi–

  183. "KiÑ s|'dha vittaÑ purisassa seÔÔhaÑ,
KiÑ su1 suciÓÓaÑ sukhamÈvahÈti.
KiÑ su have sÈdutaraÑ rasÈnaÑ,
KathaÑjÊviÑjÊvitamÈhu seÔÔhaÑ.                                  (1)

  184. SaddhÊdha vittaÑ purisassa seÔÔhaÑ,
Dhammo suciÓÓo sukhamÈvahÈti.
SaccaÑ have sÈdutaraÑ rasÈnaÑ,
PaÒÒÈjÊviÑjÊvitamÈhu seÔÔhaÑ.                                    (2)

  185. KathaÑ su tarati oghaÑ, kathaÑ su tarati aÓÓavaÑ.
          KathaÑ su dukkhamacceti, kathaÑ su parisujjhati.                (3)

  186. SaddhÈya tarati oghaÑ, appamÈdena aÓÓavaÑ.
          VÊriyena2 dukkhamacceti, paÒÒÈya parisujjhati.                   (4)
________________________________________________________________________
         1. KiÑ s| (SÊ)                                                                    2. Viriyena (SÊ, SyÈ, KaÑ, I)


  187. KathaÑ su labhate paÒÒaÑ, kathaÑ su vindate dhanaÑ.
          KathaÑ su kittiÑ pappoti, kathaÑ mittÈni ganthati.
         AsmÈ lokÈ paraÑ lokaÑ, kathaÑ pecca na socati.                    (5)

  188. SaddahÈno ArahataÑ, dhammaÑ NibbÈnapattiyÈ.
         Suss|saÑ1 labhate paÒÒaÑ, appamatto vicakkhaÓo.                  (6)

  189. Patir|pakÈrÊ dhuravÈ, uÔÔhÈtÈ vindate dhanaÑ.
         Saccena kittiÑ pappoti, dadaÑ mittÈni ganthati.                      (7)

  190. Yassete caturo dhammÈ, saddhassa gharamesino.
         SaccaÑ dhammo2 dhiti cÈgo, sa ve pecca na socati.                  (8)

  191. I~gha aÒÒepi pucchassu, puth| samaÓabrÈhmaÓe.
         Yadi saccÈ damÈ cÈgÈ, khantyÈ bhiyyo'dha vijjati.                     (9)

  192. KathaÑ nu dÈni puccheyyaÑ, puth| samaÓabrÈhmaÓe.
         YohaÑ3 ajja pajÈnÈmi, yo attho samparÈyiko.                          (10)

  193. AtthÈya vata me Buddho, vÈsÈyÈ'ÄavimÈgamÈ.
          YohaÑ3 ajja pajÈnÈmi, yattha dinnaÑ mahapphalaÑ.                 (11)

  194. So ahaÑ vicarissÈmi, gÈmÈ gÈmaÑ purÈ puraÑ.
         NamassamÈno SambuddhaÑ, dhammassa ca sudhammatan"ti.      (12)
ŒÄavakasuttaÑ dasamaÑ.

AḶAVAKA SUTTA-REVIEW QUESTIONS
Q.1    The Yakkha Aḷavaka went up to the blessed one and said to Him: “go out, ascetic” why did he say like this?
Ans:    The Yakkha Aḷavaka said like this to the blessed one because he wanted to make the Blessed One annoy or irritate.

Q.2   When the Yakkha Aḷavaka said to the Blessed One to go out and go in, the Blessed One accepted politely whatever the Āḷavaka said, why?
Ans.    When Yakkha Aḷavaka said to the Blessed One to go out and go in, the Blessed One accepted the Yakkha’s order and went out and in the mansion giving a very pleasant reply “very well, Friend Āḷavaka” because a hostile man can not be calmed by hostility. Just a piece of the bear’s gall put into the nostril of a wild furious dog will make it worse; even so a rude ferocious person, when retaliated with rudeness and ferocity, will become more violent. In fact such a man should be tamed with gentleness. This natural phenomenon the Blessed One understood thoroughly. The Blessed One, therefore, accepted politely whatever the Yakkha Aḷavaka said by saying “yes, sir”.

Q.3    Why did the Blessed One go in and out three times, when the Āḷavaka asked Him to?
Ans.    Just as a man desirous of filling a glass jar with catumadhu (food or medicine containing four ingredients) cleanse the inside of the jar, even so the Buddha desirous of filling the jar-like heart of the ogre with the Catumadhu-like suparamundance Dhamma was to clear the ogre’s heart of the dirt-like anger. The Blessed One, therefore, went in and out three times, when the Aḷavaka asked Him to.

Q.4    Why did the Yakkha Aḷavaka ask the Blessed One for the fourth times “get out, ascetic”?
Ans. The Yakkha entertained a wicked desire thus: “the monk is really docile. When ordered, but once, ‘come in’ ‘he went in’ when ordered but once, ‘get out. In this way, I will make him weary during the whole night. Having made him weary thus will I throw him to the other side of the Ganga by holding his two legs. “Accordingly, he asked to the Blessed One for the fourth times, “Get out, ascetic”.

Q.5    Mention why the Blessed One said to the Yakkha “I do not see anyone (superior to me) in the world, friend, with its devas, māras and Brahmin, etc.”
Ans:    on hearing the Yakkha’s words, the Blessed One wished to show the unique power of Buddhas, unique in the sense that it was not shared by any in the world; for, nobody could do any harms to the four things in their possession; the gains accrued to them, their life, their omniscience, and their physical rays. So the blessed one said to the Yakkha, “I don’t see, etc...”

Q.6    The Blessed One said, “Faith is here a man’s best treasure.” How is faith compared to treasure?
Ans:    Just as various mundane properties such as gold, silver, etc.., though their usefulness bring about both physical happiness and mental happiness, just as they prevent one from thirst, hunger and other form of suffering, just as they effected the cessation of poverty, just as they form the cause for gaining pearls, rubies, etc.., just as they attracted admiration from other, even so the two kinds of faith (saddha) mundane and supra-mundane, bring about both secular happiness and spiritual happiness, even so faith being the leading virtue of those take the right course of conduct prevents one from suffering in saṃsara such of rebirth, old age, and so on, even so it effects the cessation of poverty of virtues; even so it forms the cause of winning the Dhamma jewel such as the seven constituent of wisdom (Bojjhaṅga) which are sati-sambojjhaṅga and others.

Q.7    Give the answer of the following questions said by the Yakkha Aḷavaka to the Blessed One:
(1) What here is a man’s best treasure?
(2) What practiced well brings happiness?
(3) What is the really sweetest of tastes?
(4) How lives the one who they say lives best?
Ans:    (1) a man’s best treasure here is faith (saddha) mundane as well as supramundane.
          (2) The ten wholesome acts or the three good works of charity, morality and meditation, which practiced well, can bring the threefold happiness (sukkha) of humans, Devas and Nibbāna.
          (3) The truth (sacca) significant of Nibbāna, which is the reality in its ultimate sense (paramattha sacca) or the truthful speech of oral auspicious (vacisacca) achieved by refraining from falsehood (virati sacca) is really the sweetest of taste.
          (4) Men of virtue such as Buddha and others say that the life of a being that lives, following the right course of conduct continuously, is the best.

Q.8    What do they say one living by wisdom lives best?
Ans:    An individual with both eyes, the eye of intelligence in mundane development and the eye of intelligence in supra-mundane development, lives by doing his domestic tasks, by taking refuge in the Triple gem, by keeping the precepts, by fasting, by fulfilling other human social duties only through wisdom. A monk lives by accomplishing his ascetic undertaking such as sīla visuddhi, (purification of morality) citta visuddhi (purification of mind) and other through wisdom. Only the life of one who abides by wisdom is said the best by men of virtue such as Buddha and others.

Q.9    How do you understand through learning the verse ‘sadhāya tarati oghaṃ appamādena aṇṇavaṃ viriyena dukkhamaccheti paññya paridujjhaṭi’?
Ans:    This verse shows how to understand as follow: the person, who has already crossed fourfold flood (ogha) i.e.., the flood of sensual desire, etc, by faith, crosses the ocean of Saṃsara by vigilance goes beyond the round of misery by energy and is also purified the dirt of passion by wisdom.  Speaking contrarily, the person who has n o faith does not spring forwards because of non-belief in the way of crossing the flood.  His mind is also ensnared with five sensual pleasures and attached to them.  So he does not cross the ocean of Saṃsāra.  He lives in miserable life because he is lazy and full of unwholesome deeds.  He has a little knowledge and does not know the Path of purification.  In this way, he cannot purify his mind.  Thus, this verse shows what should be understood.

Q.10  Answer two of the following questions in accordance with Āḷavaka Sutta:
(a)           How one does acquires wisdom? 
(b)     How does one occupy wealth?
(c)     How does one attain good reputation?
(d)     How does one make friends?
(e)     How does one grieve on passing away from this world to the next?
Ans: (a)    He who has deep faith in the ten wholesome acts and the thirty-seven constituents of Enlightenment that contribute to the attainment of Nibbāna taught by Buddhas, Paccekka-Buddhas and Ārahats; who respectfully pays attention to the wise; who is mindful and earnest; and who reflects thoroughly on the two speeches, one well-spoken (subhādita) and the other ill spoken (dubbhāsita) acquires the twofold wisdom, mundane and supra-mundane.
(b)          He who performs these two things leading to both worldly and spiritual wealth in harmony with the place and time, who by mental energy does not abandon his duty and who is physically energetic as well, certainly occupies the two-fold wealth.
(c)           By auspicious truthful speech one does attain good reputation that “this man is the speaker of truth”, or by the attainment of ultimate reality of Nibbāna does he reach fame, people would say, “he is a Buddha” he is a Paccekabuddha,” or he is the disciple of the Buddha”.
(d)          He who without stinginess but wholeheartedly gives somebody what he or she wants makes friends.
(e)           He who faithful and seeking the benefit of one’s home, in whom exist four things, namely, sacca (truthfulness) dhamma( wisdom), dhiti (physical and mental energy), cāga (generosity) indeed does not give on passing away from this world to the next.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Post Top Ad

Privacy and cookie settings