Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
IX. Samaṇa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
IX. The Recluse
Sutta 90
Pankadhā or Saṇkavā Suttaṃ
Pankadhā
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was going his rounds among the Kosalans
together with a great company of monks,
and on coming to Pankadhā,[1]
a district of the Kosalans,
there abode.
(Now Pankadhā is a district of the Kosalans.)[2]
Now on that occasion
a certain monk named Kassapa,
of the Kassapa clan,[3]
was resident at Pankadhā,
and it happened that the Exalted One was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the [217] precepts.
Then the monk Kassapa,
while the Exalted One was tbus engaged,
did not approve,
was dissatisfied (and kept thinking):
"This recluse is much too scrupulous."[4]
2. So the Exalted One,
after staying at Pankadhā as long as he wished,
set forth on his rounds towards Rājagaha,
and on arrival
took up his quarters there
and was staying near Rājagaha
on Vultures' Peak.
Then the monk Kassapa
of the Kassapa clan,
not long after the departure of the Exalted One,
felt remorse and regret,
thinking:
"It is a loss to me!
It is indeed no gain to me!
It is ill-gotten by me!
It is indeed a thing
not well gotten by me that,
when the Exalted One was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the precepts,
I did not approve
but was dissatisfied,
and thought:
'This recluse is much too scrupulous'.
Suppose now I were to go to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
were to explain my transgression to him as such."
§
3. So the monk Kassapa
of the Kassapa clan
set his lodging in order,
took bowl and outer robe
and set off for Rājagaha
and thence to where the Exalted One was staying
on Vultures' Peak.
On coming to him
he saluted him
and sat down at one side.
So seated
Kassapa the monk said this
to the Exalted One:
"Just now, lord,
the Exalted One was going his rounds among the Kosalans
together with a great company of monks,
and on coming to Pankadhā,[5]
a district of the Kosalans,
there abode.
Now on that occasion
I was resident at Pankadhā,
and it happened that the Exalted One was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the precepts.
Then I,
while the Exalted One was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the precepts,
did not approve,
was dissatisfied (and kept thinking):
'This recluse is much too scrupulous.'
Then the Exalted One,
after staying at Pankadhā as long as he wished,
set forth on his rounds
towards Rājagaha,
and on arrival took up his quarters there
and was staying near Rājagaha
on Vultures' Peak.
Then I,
not long after the departure of the Exalted One,
felt remorse and regret,
thinking:
'It is a loss to me!
It is indeed no gain to me!
It is ill-gotten by me!
It is indeed a thing
not well gotten by me that,
when the Exalted One was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the precepts,
I did not approve
but was dissatisfied,
and thought:
"This recluse is much too scrupulous".
Suppose now I were to go to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
were to explain my transgression to him as such.'
[218] Transgression, lord, overcame me,
such was my folly,
my infatuation,
my wrong-doing,
in that,
while the Exalted One was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the precepts,
I did not approve
but was dissatisfied,
and thought:
'This recluse is much too scrupulous'.
May the Exalted One, lord,
accept my confession from me
who have transgressed,
to be a restraint upon me in the future."[6]
■
4. "Verily, Kassapa, transgression overcame you,
such was your folly,
your infatuation,
your wrong-doing,
in that,
while I was instructing,
inciting
and gladdening the monks
with a religious talk
suitable to the keeping of the precepts,
you did not approve
but were dissatisfied,
and thought:
'This recluse is much too scrupulous'.
Yet, Kassapa,
since you have seen your transgression as such
and made confession as is right,
we do accept this of you.
Growth verily, Kassapa, is this
in the discipline of an Ariyan,
when, having seen one's transgression as such,
he makes confession thereof as is right,
and in future practises self-restraint.
§
5. Now, Kassapa,
if an elder monk be not desirous of the training,
if he speak not in praise
of undertaking the training,
and if other monks also
are not desirous of the training
and he do not incite them to undertake it,
and if he speak not in praise thereof
what is true and real
at the proper time
to those monks who are desirous of the training, -
of such an elder monk, Kassapa,
I utter no praise.
Why not?
Because other monks would keep company with him, saying:
'The Master speaks in praise of him.'
Now those who should keep company with him
would come to share his views.
If they should do so
it would be to their loss and sorrow for many a day.
Therefore, Kassapa,
I speak not in praise of such an elder monk.
■
6. Again, Kassapa, if a monk of middle standing be not desirous of the training,
if he speak not in praise
of undertaking the training,
and if other monks also
are not desirous of the training
and he do not incite them to undertake it,
and if he speak not in praise thereof
what is true and real
at the proper time
to those monks who are desirous of the training, -
of such a monk of middle standing, Kassapa,
I utter no praise.
Why not?
Because other monks would keep company with him, saying:
'The Master speaks in praise of him.'
Now those who should keep company with him
would come to share his views.
If they should do so
it would be to their loss and sorrow for many a day.
Therefore, Kassapa,
I speak not in praise of such a monk of middle standing.
■
If likewise a novice be not desirous of the training,
if he speak not in praise
of undertaking the training,
and if other monks also
are not desirous of the training
and he do not incite them to undertake it,
and if he speak not in praise thereof
what is true and real
at the proper time
to those monks who are desirous of the training, -
of such a novice monk, Kassapa,
I utter no praise.
Why not?
Because other monks would keep company with him, saying:
'The Master speaks in praise of him.'
Now those who should keep company with him
would come to share his views.
If they should do so
it would be to their loss and sorrow for many a day.
Therefore, Kassapa,
I speak not in praise of such a novice monk.
■
7. But, Kassapa, if an elder monk be desirous of the training,
if he speak in praise of undertaking the training,
if he incite other monks,
not so desirous,
to undertake it,
if he speak in praise of it
praise which is true and real
at the proper [219] time
to those who are so desirous, -
of such an one I utter praise.
Why so?
Because other monks would keep company with him, saying:
'The Master praises him.'
Now they who should keep company with him
would come to share his views.
If they should do so
it would be to their profit and happiness for a long time.
Therefore, Kassapa,
I speak in praise of such an elder monk.
■
8. Again, Kassapa, if a monk of middle standing be desirous of the training,
if he speak in praise of undertaking the training,
if he incite other monks,
not so desirous,
to undertake it,
if he speak in praise of it
praise which is true and real
at the proper time
to those who are so desirous, -
of such an one I utter praise.
Why so?
Because other monks would keep company with him, saying:
'The Master praises him.'
Now they who should keep company with him
would come to share his views.
If they should do so
it would be to their profit and happiness for a long time.
Therefore, Kassapa,
I speak in praise of such a monk of middle standing.
■
Again, Kassapa, if a novice monk be desirous of the training,
if he speak in praise of undertaking the training,
if he incite other monks,
not so desirous,
to undertake it,
if he speak in praise of it
praise which is true and real
at the proper time
to those who are so desirous, -
of such an one I utter praise.
Why so?
Because other monks would keep company with him, saying:
'The Master praises him.'
Now they who should keep company with him
would come to share his views.
If they should do so
it would be to their profit and happiness for a long time.
Therefore, Kassapa,
I speak in praise of such novice monk.
[1] Pankadhā (? marshland) does not occur elsewhere in the Canon.
[2] I fancy this sentence is an explanatory remark of Comy.
[3] Another of this name is mentioned at S. i, 193.
[4] Adhisallikhate'vāyaṃ should read adhisallikhat'evayaṃ. Not in Pali Dict. (see my note supra on § 67). Comy. ativiya sallikhati: ativiya sallikhitaṃ katvā saṇha-saṇhaṃ katheti. The idea is of smoothing, refining or polishing a shell; cf. sankha-likhita (sīla), D. i, 63; sallekhitā-cara (= parisuddha-jīvo), MP. 230, of scrupulosity.
[5] I omit the note on P.
[6] For this formula of confession cf. Vin Texts, i, 261; D. i, 85; K.S. ii, 91, 138,' etc.
