Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
Kakudha Vaggo
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter X: Kakudha
Sutta 100
Kakudha Suttaṃ
Kakudha
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Now the Exalted One was once staying near Kosambī,
in Ghosita Park;
and at that time Kakudha,[1] a Koliyan[2] —
the venerable Mahā Moggallāna's servitor —
had just died
and was reborn[3] in a mind-pictured body;[4]
and the form that he took
was such that it filled two or three Magadhan village fields;[5]
yet that form caused suffering
neither to him
nor to another.
■
[96] And Kakudha deva visited the venerable Mahā Moggallāna,
saluted him
and stood at one side;
and so standing,
he spoke thus to the venerable one:
'Sir, in Devadatta has arisen this longing:[6]
"It is I who will lead the Order of monks!"
—and, sir, with the rising of that thought
Devadatta's psychic power has declined.'[7]
Thus spake the deva, Kakudha;
and having spoken so,
he saluted the venerable Mahā Moggallāna and,
keeping him on his right,
disappeared thence.
■
Then went the venerable Mahā Moggallāna
to the Exalted One and,
saluting him,
sat down at one side.
And he told the Exalted One:[8]
At this time, Venerable Sir, Kakudha, a Koliyan
my servitor —
has just died
and was reborn in a mind-pictured body;
and the form that he took
was such that it filled two or three Magadhan village fields
yet that form caused suffering
neither to him
nor to another.
And Kakudha deva visited me saluted me and stood at one side;
and so standing,
he spoke thus:
'Sir, in Devadatta has arisen this longing:
"It is I who will lead the Order of monks!"
—and, sir, with the rising of that thought Devadatta's psychic power has declined.'
Thus spake the deva, Kakudha;
and having spoken so,
he saluted me and,
keeping me on his right,
disappeared thence.
Then I came to the Exalted One.
■
(And the Exalted One said:)
'What, Moggallāna,
have you with your mind
so compassed[9] the mind of Kakudha deva
as to know:
Whatsoever Kakudha deva says,
all that is just thus
and not otherwise?
'Lord, I have so compassed the mind of Kakudha deva
as to know:
Whatsoever Kakudha deva says,
all that is just thus
and not otherwise.'
'Then ward thou thy words, Moggallāna,
ward thou thy words;
for even now the foolish fellow (Devadatta)
will betray himself!
§
Moggallāna, there are these five teachers found in the world.
What five?
Take the case, Moggallāna,
of some teacher whose ways are impure,
but who thinks:
"I am pure,
pure are my ways,
clean and stainless" —
but his disciples know:
"This worthy teacher is impure in his ways,
but thinks:
'I am pure,
pure are my ways,
clean and stainless'
If we tell the householders,
he will not like it;
and how can we do what he will not like?
And he is honoured
by gifts of the requisites:
the robe,
alms,
lodging
and medicaments.
What the self shall do,
even by that
shall the self be known."[10]
Mog- [97] gallāna, the disciples ward such a teacher in his ways;
and such a teacher
expects this warding of his ways of his disciples.
■
Again, Moggallāna, some teacher's mode of livelihood is not pure,
but who thinks:
"I am pure,
pure is my mode of livelihood,
clean and stainless" —
but his disciples know:
"This worthy teacher is impure in his mode of livelihood,
but thinks:
'I am pure,
pure is my mode of livelihood,
clean and stainless'
If we tell the householders,
he will not like it;
and how can we do what he will not like?
And he is honoured
by gifts of the requisites:
the robe,
alms,
lodging
and medicaments.
What the self shall do,
even by that
shall the self be known."
Moggallāna, the disciples ward such a teacher in his mode of livelihood;
and such a teacher
expects this warding of his livelihood of his disciples.
■
Again, Moggallāna, some teacher's Dhamma teaching is not pure,
but who thinks:
"I am pure,
pure is my Dhamma teaching,
clean and stainless" —
but his disciples know:
"This worthy teacher is impure in his Dhamma teaching,
but thinks:
'I am pure,
pure is my Dhamma teaching,
clean and stainless'
If we tell the householders,
he will not like it;
and how can we do what he will not like?
And he is honoured
by gifts of the requisites:
the robe,
alms,
lodging
and medicaments.
What the self shall do,
even by that
shall the self be known."
Moggallāna, the disciples ward such a teacher in his Dhamma teaching;
and such a teacher
expects this warding of his Dhamma teaching of his disciples.
■
Again, Moggallāna, some teacher's exposition is not pure,
but who thinks:
"I am pure,
pure is my exposition,
clean and stainless" —
but his disciples know:
"This worthy teacher is impure in his exposition,
but thinks:
'I am pure,
pure is my exposition,
clean and stainless'
If we tell the householders,
he will not like it;
and how can we do what he will not like?
And he is honoured
by gifts of the requisites:
the robe,
alms,
lodging
and medicaments.
What the self shall do,
even by that
shall the self be known."
Moggallāna, the disciples ward such a teacher in his exposition;
and such a teacher
expects this warding of his exposition of his disciples.
■
Again, Moggallāna, some teacher's knowledge and insight is not pure,
but who thinks:
"I am pure,
pure is my knowledge and insight,
clean and stainless" —
but his disciples know:
"This worthy teacher is impure in his knowledge and insight,
but thinks:
'I am pure,
pure is my knowledge and insight,
clean and stainless'
If we tell the householders,
he will not like it;
and how can we do what he will not like?
And he is honoured
by gifts of the requisites:
the robe,
alms,
lodging
and medicaments.
What the self shall do,
even by that
shall the self be known."
Moggallāna, the disciples ward such a teacher in his knowledge and insight;
and such a teacher
expects this warding of his knowledge and insight of his disciples.
These, Moggallāna, are five teachers found in the world!
§
But I, Moggallāna, am pure in my ways
and know that I am pure;
I know that my ways are pure,
clean and stainless:
My disciples ward not my ways,
nor do I expect this warding of my disciples.
■
I am pure in my mode of livelihood,
and know that I am pure;
I know that my mode of livelihood is pure,
clean and stainless:
My disciples ward not my mode of livelihood,
nor do I expect this warding of my disciples.
■
I am pure in my Dhamma teaching,
and know that I am pure;
I know that my Dhamma teaching is pure,
clean and stainless:
My disciples ward not my Dhamma teaching,
nor do I expect this warding of my disciples.
■
I am pure in my exposition,
and know that I am pure;
I know that my exposition is pure,
clean and stainless:
My disciples ward not my exposition,
nor do I expect this warding of my disciples.
■
I am pure in my knowledge and insight,
and know that I am pure;
I know that my exposition is pure,
clean and stainless:
My disciples ward not my exposition,
nor do I expect this warding of my disciples.
[1] At D. ii, 92 the B. tells of his faring-on, a Non-returner; at S. i, 54, as devaputta, he questions the B. as to whether he is glad or sad; the whole of our sutta recurs at Vin. ii, 185 (S.B.E. xx, 234 ff.); see also Rockhill's Life for the Tibetan version. There he is said to have been Kaundinya's son (Koṇḍañña), but Koṇḍañña seems to have been a Sākya; see Breath. 284; J. i, 56 (Warren, B. in T. 51, 69).
[2] For this clan see C.H.I. i, 177.
[3] Upapanna; at A. iv, 225 this word is used in contrast to paccājāta for beings reborn elsewhere than here.
[4] Manomayaṃ kāyaṃ. Cf. below, § 166; G.S. i, p. 17. Nyāṇatiloka: geisterzeugten.
[5] Comy. says this is tigāvuta, or about six miles!
[6] Our text and S.e. omit 'lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtassa pariyādinnacittasa' of the Vin. version.
[7] See Thomas' Life, 132 ff.
[8] The text repeats in full. [Ed. we have reconstructed the translation using Hare's vocabulary with alterations as appropriate.]
[9] Paricca (wholly gone round), as in the formula of 'thought-reading,' above, p. 12.
[10] yaṃ'tumo karissati, 'tumo'va tena paññāyissati. Comy. yaṃ esa karissati, so eva tena kammena pākaṭo bhavissati. 'By their fruits shall ye know them.' (Matt, vii 20).
