Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
42. Gāmani Saṃyutta
Sutta 9
Kula Suttaṃ
Clans
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time The Lucky Man
was traveling in Kosala
walking together with
an honorable company of beggars, and
had at that time
come to Nālandā.
While there in Nālandā
The Lucky Man was residing
in Pāvarika's Mango Grove.[1]
Moreover at that time
Nālandā was having difficulties —
the rice plants were rotting,[2]
turning white as bones, and
people were subsisting on
soup made from grasses.[3]
Also at that time
Nāta's Son, the Nigaṇṭha
was dwelling in Nāḷandā
together with
a large retinue of Nigaṇṭhas.[4]
There then Asibandhakas's Son, the headman,
a disciple of
the Nigaṇṭha, Nāta's Son
went to where the Nigaṇṭha, Nāta's Son was located,
drew near and
having drawn near the Nigaṇṭha, Nāta's Son,
having given salutation,
took a seat to one side.
Then Asibandhakas's Son,
having taken a seat to one side,
the Nigaṇṭha, Nāta's Son, said this to him:
"Come you, headman,
take issue[5] with the shaman Gotama's speech, and thus
this lovely sounding reputation
will spread abroad about you:
'Asibandhakas's Son, the headman,
so great in potency,
so great in eminence,
stuck it to
the shaman Gotama.'"
"How questioning, Bhante,
would I take issue with
the shaman Gotama,
so great in potency,
so great in eminence?"
"Come you headman,
go to where the shaman Gotama
is located, and
draw near and
having drawn near the shaman Gotama,
having given salutation,
say this to him:
'Is it not true, Bhante,
that The Lucky Man,
in not just one way,
praises sympathy for,
praises the preservation of,
praises pity for,
the clans?'
If, headman, the shaman Gotama,
thus questioned,
thus responds:
'It is even so, headman,
the Tathāgata,
in not just one way,
praises sympathy for,
praises the preservation of,
praises pity for,
the clans'
then you should respond thus:
"But how is it then, Bhante,
that The Lucky Man,
at a time when
Nālandā is having such difficulties —
the rice plants rotting,
turning white as bones, and
people subsisting on
soup made from grasses
travels in Kosala
walking together with
a great company of beggars?
Unkindly,
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!
Ruinously,
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!
Without compassion
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!'
This two-pronged question, headman,
thus put to the shaman Gotama,
he will be seen unable
either to spit it out
or swallow it down."
Then, replying,
"So be it, Bhante."
the headman Asibandhakas's Son,
rose up from his seat,
gave salutation to Nāta's Son, the Nigaṇṭha,
departed keeping him to his right, and
made his way to where The Lucky Man was located.
Having drawn near The Lucky Man,
having given salutation,
he took a seat to one side.
Having taken a seat to one side,
Asibandhaka's Son, the headman,
said this to The Lucky Man:
"Is it not true, Bhante,
that The Lucky Man,
in not just one way,
praises sympathy for,
praises the preservation of,
praises pity for,
the clans?"
"It is even so, headman,
the Tathāgata,
in not just one way,
praises sympathy for,
praises the preservation of,
praises pity for,
the clans."
"But how is it then, Bhante,
that The Lucky Man,
at a time when
Nālandā is having such difficulties —
the rice plants rotting,
turning white as bones, and
people subsisting on
soup made from grasses
traveles in Kosala
walking together with
a great company of beggars?
Unkindly,
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!
Ruinously,
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!
Without compassion
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!"
As to this, headman,
in ninety-one kappas[6]
where I have former recollection,
I have no knowledge
of injury to the clans,
of even so little as an upset,
resulting from a cooked offering —
great wealth,
abundant silver coinage,
abundant means of livelihood,
abundant grains and treasure,
all arise from giving, and
thus arise from
perception of this truth.
There are, headman,
eight which result
in the ruination of clans:
Kings bring about the ruination of clans, or
robbers bring about the ruination of clans, or
fire brings about the ruination of clans, or
water brings about the ruination of clans, or
ruination is brought about by being without a river, or
badly planned commerce comes to nothing,
wealth is scattered,
thrown away,
burnt up, and
just the changeable nature of things
for an eighth.
These are, headman,
the eight which bring about
in the ruination of clans.
These eight driving forces, headman,
these eight reasons,
that are there to be seen —
if someone speaks of me thus:
'Unkindly,
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!
Ruinously,
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!
Without compassion
The Lucky Man acts
towards the clans!'
That speech, headman,
not let go,
that mental state
not let go,
that view
not given up —
then sucha one is
cast into Niraya."
This said Asibandhaka's son, the headman,
said this to The Lucky Man:
"Wonderful, Bhante!
Wonderful Bhante!
Just as though, Bhante,
one were to set upright the upside-down,
or uncover the covered,
or to show the way to one who was lost,
or were to bring a light into the darkness
so that creatures there might see:
'There are Forms!'
In the same way, The Lucky Man has
in many a figure
presented his Dhamma.
I take myself to the Venerable Lucky Man for refuge,
I take myself to the Dhamma for refuge;
I take myself to the Saṇgha for refuge.
May the Venerable Gotama remember me
as a lay disciple
who from this day
and for as long as life lasts
has taken refuge."
[1] DPPN: Pāvārikambavana. A Mango-grove at Nālandā where the Buddha stayed when on a visit there. It was there that he preached the Kevaṭṭa Sutta, (DN 11) the Sampasādaniya Suttta (DN 28) and the Upāli Sutta.
[2] Reading du-vīhi-tikā (where paddy grows badly) with Woodward.
[3] Salākāvuttā, Soup made from grass as many of the French had to do prior to (and such starvation being one of the causes of) their revolution.
[4] Nigaṇtha Usually translated (and meaning) the Unclothed. But the word means "Freed from ties". Unbound (except that Bhikkhu Thanissaro uses that as his translation of Nibbāna). A Jain.
[5] Āropehi. Stick it to. Hoist. Take up. Woodward: Join issue; Bhikkhu Thanissaro: refute the words.
