Sutta Pitaka
Samyutta Nikāya
Division I –– Sagātha
Book 3 –– Kosala Saṃyutta
Chapter 1 –– Pathama vaggo
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
3. 1. 1.
(1) Daharo –– Should Not Be Belittled
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then king Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side.
3. Then king Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Good Gotama, do you too acknowledge the attainment of rightful enlightenment?”
4. “Great king, speaking of attaining rightful enlightenment, I am that one person, who has attained the rightful, noble enlightenment.”
5. “Good Gotama, those recluses and Brahmins with followers, gatherings, teachers of gatherings, well-known and famous ford makers accepted by many, such as Purana Kassapa, Makkhaligosala, Niganta Nathaputta, Sanjayabelattiputta, Kakudha Kacchayana and Ajitha Kesakambala. I asked them, whether they acknowledge the rightful attainment of enlightenment. Being asked they did not acknowledge the rightful attainment of enlightenment.
“Why does good Gotama, yet so young, recently gone forth, acknowledge it?”
6. “Great king, these four should not be belittled, looked down upon, saying they are young. What four? Great king, the warrior prince, a creeping thing, a speck of fire, and a bhikkhu, should not be belittled, looked down upon, saying they are young, small or recently gone forth.”
7. Saying that, the Blessed One, the Teacher further said:
Should not be belittled, because he is young
It is possible that he would be the warrior king
If he becomes the warrior king, and angered,
Will make use of his royal powers and much trouble will ensue
Therefore avoid him and protect your life.
9. “In village or the forest, seeing a creeping thing,
Should not be belittled, thinking it is small
In dark and bright colours, he glides beautifully,
If hurt, one day, he will sting the foolish, man or woman
Therefore avoid him and protect your life.
10. “A speck of fire burns everything, in a moment, carried by the wind.
Should not be belittled, thinking it is small
If fire is supported, it grows large blown by the wind
If disturbed one day, it will burn the foolish, man or woman.
Therefore avoid it and protect your life.
11. “The forest is burnt, in a moment by the fire blown by the wind,
Then there rises small shoots, after some time.”
12. “If there is a virtuous bhikkhu, that looks resplendent,
He has no sons, cattle, no heirs, or wealth to enjoy,
Without an accumulation and heirs, is like a palm stump.
13. “Therefore, the wise, for their own welfare,
Should behave in the correct manner towards these four; that is
reptiles, fire, the warrior king and the virtuous bhikkhu.”
“Venerable sir, now I understand! It’s as though something overturned is reinstated. Some thing covered is made manifest. The path is shown to someone who has lost his way. The darkness is dispelled with an oil lamp, so that those who have sight may see forms. The Blessed One, has explained the Teaching in various ways. Now I take refuge in the Blessed One, in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus.”
3. 1. 2.
(2) Puriso –– To Man’s Distress
1. In Sāvatthi
2. King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side.
3. King Pasenadi of Kosala asked the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how many things arise to a man for his ill being, unpleasantness and distress?”
4. “Great king, three things arise for a man’s ill being, unpleasantness and distress. What three? Greed, hate and delusion arise for a man’s ill being, unpleasantness and distress.”
They hurt him, like the best of barks that hinder the growth of much fruit.”
(3) Rāja –– The King
1. In Sāvatthi.
2. King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, worshipped sat on a side and said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, is there anything else, for the born, other than decay and death?”
3. “Great king, there is no other, than decay and death.”
4. “Great king, even the warriors, with great halls, much wealth and resources, much gold and silver, so many ways and resources and lots of grains, for them too for the born, there is decay and death.”
5. “Great king, even the brahmins, with great halls, the householders with great halls, much wealth and resources, much gold and silver, so many ways and resources and lots of grains, for them too for the born, there is decay and death.”
6. “Great king, even the bhikkhus, who are perfect, destroyed desires, lived up and done their duties, laid aside their burdens, have attained the highest good, have destroyed the bond ‘to be‘, released rightly knowing, to them too, there is the breaking up of the body, laying down the carcass.
And to the body too, there comes decay
The teaching of the mind does not decay
The appeased are known everywhere.”
(4) Piya –– Beloved
1. In Sāvatthi
2. King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, worshipped sat on a side and said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, when I was lost in my thoughts, this occurred to me, ‘Who is dear to one self and who is not dear to one self? Then it occurred to me:
3. “He that misbehaves by body, by words and by mind is not dear to himself. How ever much he may say, ‘the self is dear to me’ the self is not dear to him. What is the reason? What a person, does to someone he dislikes, that he does to himself. Therefore the self is not dear to him.
4. “He that behaves correctly by body, by words and by mind is dear to himself. How ever much he may say, ‘the self is not dear to me’ the self is dear to him. What is the reason? What a person, does to someone he likes, that he does to himself. Therefore the self is dear to him.”
5. “Great king! That is so! Whoever misbehaves by body, words and mind, to him the self is not dear. Whoever behaves correctly by body, words and mind, to him the self is dear.
6. “Knowing that the self is dear to you, do not yoke it to evil,
Pleasantness is always obtained with difficulty.
The ender is the destroyer of humanity.
Why become his friend? When going what do you take?
Do you want to be his follower, following him like his shadow?
A human does both merit and demerit, they are his friends,
They are his following, like his shadow they follow him.
Therefore do merit, forever thinking of the other world.
Merit establishes beings in the other world.”
3. 1. 5.
(5) Attānarakkhita –– Unprotected Self
1. In Sāvatthi.
2. King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, when I was lost in my thoughts, this occurred to me, ‘Who protects the self and who does not protect the self? Then it occurred to me:
3. “He that misbehaves by body, by words and by mind, does not protect the self.
“How ever much he may be protected by his array of elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, yet his self is not protected. What is the reason? His external is protected yet his internal is not protected. Therefore the self is not protected.
4. “Of his that behaves correctly by body, by words and by mind the self is protected. Even if he is not protected by his array of elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, yet his self is protected. What is the reason? His internal is protected, his external is unprotected. Therefore the self is protected.”
5. “Great king, that is right. Whoever misbehaves by body, words and mind, has an unprotected self. Whoever behaves correctly by body, words and mind, has a protected self. What is the reason? Great king, his internal is protected, although his external is not protected.
Mental restraint is good! Restraint of all is good!
The shameful one, restrained all round, is protected.”
(6) Appakā –– A Few
1. In Sāvatthi.
2. King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, worshipped sat on a side and said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, when I was lost in my thoughts, this occurred to me, ‘there are a few in this world, who on gaining great wealth and riches do not become intoxicated and negligent, do not greed for sensuality and fall on the wrong track hurting beings. Yet there are many more who on gaining great wealth and riches become intoxicated and negligent, greed for sensuality and fall on the wrong track, hurting beings.”
3. “Great king, it is so! There are a few in this world, who on gaining great wealth and riches do not become intoxicated and negligent, do not greed for sensuality and fall on the wrong track hurting beings. Yet there are many more who on gaining great wealth and riches, become intoxicated and negligent, greed for sensuality and fall on the wrong track, hurting beings.”
People forget the essential, like wild animals ensnared in a trap,
It’s late, when they realize the sharp and evil results.”
(7) Atthakaraṇa –– Giving Judgement
1. King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One, worshipped sat on a side and said to the Blessed One:
2. “Venerable sir, when adjudicating I found that even the warriors even the Brahmins and even the householders with great halls, much wealth and resources, much gold and silver, so many ways and resources and lots of grains telling lies with awareness, for sensual gains and reasons. Venerable sir, then it occurred to me, it is useless my sitting as judge. A suitable one should be appointed.”
3. “Great king, even the warriors even the Brahmins and even the householders with great halls, much wealth and resources, much gold and silver, so many ways and resources and lots of grains, tell lies with awareness, for sensual gains and reasons. It will be for their ill being and unpleasantness for a long time.”
People forget the essential, like the fish caught in a net,
It’s late, when they realize the sharp and evil results.”
(8) Mallika –– Queen Mallika
1. The origin is in Sāvatthi.
2. At that time king Pasenadi of Kosala was in the upper storey of rhe palace.
3. Then king Pasenadi of Koslala asked queen Mallika: “Mallika, is there anyone dear to you, more than your self?”
4. “Great king, there is no one dear to me, more than my self Is there anyone dear to you, more than your self?”
5. “Mallika, to me too, there is no one, more dear than, my self.”
6. Then king Pasenadi of Kosala descended from the upper storey of his palace approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, I was in the upper storey of the palace with queen Mallika, and I asked her, whether there was anyone dear to her more than her self and she said, great king, there is no one dear to me, more than my self and she aksed me, whether there was anyone dear to me, more than my self. I replied that to me too, there was no one, more dear than my self.”
Then the Blessed One knowing the deep meaning, said this stanza that moment.
More dear than the self could not be found anywhere
The self, in general is dear to all,
Therefore those who love the self should not hurt others.”
3. 1. 9.
(9) Yañña –– A Sacrifice
1. The origin is in Sāvatthi.
2. At that time king Pasenadi of Kosala was to make a great sacrifice and five hundred bulls, five hundred young calves, five hundred young cows, five hundred goats and five hundred pigs, were fixed to posts for the sacrifice.
3. Even the slaves, messengers and workmen were made to work under pressure and punishment and they attended to their work frightened with tearing eyes.
4. Many bhikkhus putting on robes in the morning, and taking bowls and robes entered Sāvatthi for the alms round. After going the alms round and when the meal was over and returning from the alms round they approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said to the Blessed One:
5. “Venerāble sir, king Pasenadi of Kosala, has to offer a great sacrifice and five hundred bulls, five hundred young calves, five hundred young cows, five hundred goats and five hundred pigs, are fixed to posts for the sacrifice.
Even the slaves, messengers and workmen are made to work under pressure and punishment and they attended to their work frightened with tearing eyes.”
6. The Blessed One knowing the deep meaning, said these stanzas that moment.
Huge plantain trees, bearing fruit destroying these are no good.
There, goats, sheep and cattle are vividly killed,
Those are not the sacrifices, which great sages approach.
Sacrifices without trouble, where it is always pleasant
Where, goats, sheep and cattle are not vividly killed,
They are the rightful sacrifices, which great sages approach.
The wise make such sacrifices and they are of great fruit
In such sacrifices even the gods delight.
(10) Bandhanā –– Bond
1. At that time king Pasenadi of Kosala was getting a large number of humans bound. Some were bound with ropes, some with chains and others with skeletal chains.
2. Many bhikkhus putting on robes in the morning, and taking bowls and robes entered Sāvatthi for the alms round. After going the alms round and when the meal was over returning from the alms round they approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said to the Blessed One:
3. “Venerable sir, king Pasenadi of Kosala is getting a large number of humans bound. Some are bound with ropes, some with chains and others with skeletal chains.”
The Blessed One knowing, what it means, said these stanzas that moment.
When compared to longings for ear rings and gems for wife and sons
This is the strong bond, from which it is difficult to find release
Some go forth, cutting even this bond, giving up sensual desires.”
