Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saṃyutta
1. Ambapāli Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
47. Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
1. Ambapālī
Sutta 8
Sūda Suttaṃ
The Cook[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][bodh][than] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Suppose, monks, a foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful cook
of rājahs or royal ministers,
put in charge of the various sorts of soup,[2]
to wit:
soups to be classified as sour,[3]
bitter,
pungent,
sweet,
alkaline,
non-alkaline,
salty
or otherwise.
Now, monks, that foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful cook
does not take proper note[4] of his master's[5] taste,
thus:
'Today my [129] master likes this soup,'
or
'he reaches out for that,'
or
'he takes a good helping of this,'
or
'he praises this one';
'today master likes sour soup,'
or
'today he reaches out[6] for sour soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of sour soup,'
or
'today he praises sour soup;'
'today master likes bitter soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for bitter soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of bitter soup,'
or
'today he praises bitter soup;'
'today master likes pungent soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for pungent soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of pungent soup,'
or
'today he praises pungent soup;'
'today master likes sweet soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for sweet soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of sweet soup,'
or
'today he praises sweet soup;'
'today master likes alkaline soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for alkaline soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of alkaline soup,'
or
'today he praises alkaline soup;'
'today master likes non-alkaline soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for non-alkaline soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of non-alkaline soup,'
or
'today he praises non-alkaline soup;'
'today master likes salty soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for salty soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of salty soup,'
or
'today he praises salty soup;'
'today master likes non-salty soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for non-salty soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of non-salty soup,'
or
'today he praises non-salty soup;'
In each case he does not take note
of his master5s likes and dislikes.
Therefore, monks, that foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful cook
gets no perquisites of clothing
or gratuities
or offerings.[7]
Why so?
Because, monks, that foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful cook
does not take note of his master's tastes.
Just in the same way, monks,
here some foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful monk
abides in body contemplating body[ed1] (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting,
but, though he abides in body contemplating body,
his mind is not concentrated,
the corruptions[8] of mind are not abandoned,
he takes no proper note of that.
■
He abides in feelings contemplating feelings (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting,
but, though he abides in feelings contemplating feelings,
his mind is not concentrated,
the corruptions of mind are not abandoned,
he takes no proper note of that.
■
He abides in mind contemplating mind (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting,
but, though he abides in mind contemplating mind,
his mind is not concentrated,
the corruptions of mind are not abandoned,
he takes no proper note of that.
■
He abides in mind-states contemplating mind-states (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting,
but, though he abides in mind-states contemplating mind-states,
his mind is not concentrated,
the corruptions of mind are not abandoned,
he takes no proper note[9] of that matter.
Thus that foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful monk
gets no perquisites of pleasant living in this very life,
he has no perquisites of mindfulness and composure.
Why so?
Because that foolish,
inexperienced,
unskilful monk
takes no note of his own mind.
§
But suppose, monks, that there is a wise,
experienced,
skilful cook
of rajahs or royal ministers,
put in charge of the various sorts of soup,
to wit:
soups to be classified as sour,
bitter,
pungent,
sweet,
alkaline,
non-alkaline,
salty
or otherwise.
[130] Thus, monks, that wise,
experienced,
skilful cook
takes proper note of his master's tastes,
thus:
'Today my master likes this soup,'
or
'he reaches out for that,'
or
'he takes a good helping of this,'
or
'he praises this one';
'today master likes sour soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for sour soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of sour soup,'
or
'today he praises sour soup;'
'today master likes bitter soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for bitter soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of bitter soup,'
or
'today he praises bitter soup;'
'today master likes pungent soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for pungent soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of pungent soup,'
or
'today he praises pungent soup;'
'today master likes sweet soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for sweet soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of sweet soup,'
or
'today he praises sweet soup;'
'today master likes alkaline soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for alkaline soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of alkaline soup,'
or
'today he praises alkaline soup;'
'today master likes non-alkaline soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for non-alkaline soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of non-alkaline soup,'
or
'today he praises non-alkaline soup;'
'today master likes salty soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for salty soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of salty soup,'
or
'today he praises salty soup;'
'today master likes non-salty soup,'
or
'today he reaches out for non-salty soup,'
or
'today he takes a good helping of non-salty soup,'
or
'today he praises non-salty soup;'
Well, monks, that wise,
experienced,
skilful cook
has perquisites of clothing,
gratuities
and offerings.
Why so?
Because the wise fellow studies his master's tastes.
Just in the same way, monks,
here we may have some wise,
experienced,
skilful monk.
He abides in body contemplating body (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting.
As he thus abides in body contemplating body,
his mind is concentrated,
the corruptions are abandoned,
he takes proper note of that matter.
■
He abides in feelings contemplating feelings (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting.
As he thus abides in feelings contemplating feelings,
his mind is concentrated,
the corruptions are abandoned,
he takes proper note of that matter.
■
He abides in mind contemplating mind (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting.
As he thus abides in mind contemplating mind,
his mind is concentrated,
the corruptions are abandoned,
he takes proper note of that matter.
■
He abides in mind-states contemplating mind-states (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
and mindful,
bv restraining the dejection in the world
arising from coveting.
As he thus abides in mind-states contemplating mind-states,
his mind is concentrated,
the corruptions are abandoned,
he takes proper note of that matter.
■
Thus, monks, this wise,
experienced,
skilful monk
gets the perquisites of pleasant living even in this very life,
he has the perquisites of mindfulness and composure.
What is the cause of that?
It is because this wise,
experienced,
skilful monk
takes proper note of his own mind.
[1] Comm. at VM. i, 150.
[2] Nānā-ccayehi (not accayehi) = nānā-sayehi, nānā-vidhehi. Comy.
[3] Ambil'aggehi, etc. = ambila-koṭṭhāsehi. Comy.
[4] For nimitta-gāhī, cf. Dialog. i, 80 n.; Buddh. Psych. Eth., p. 351.
[5] Text bhattassa throughout, but Sinh. MSS. bhattussa. VM. Bhattu- (gen. of bhattar, 'supporter, employer,' not 'husband' as generally translated. Thus in the same sentence we should read bhattu sūpeyyaṇ for bhatta-s).
[6] Abhiharati = gahaṇ'atthāya hatthaṇ pasārati. Comy.
[7] Abhihārānaṇ = dāyānaṇ Comy.
[8] The five hindrances. Comy.
[9] As above on nimitta. He takes no note of the progress or stages of his lesson (kammaṭṭhānaṇ). Comy.
[ed1] The BJT Pali puts this in the negative ('abides in body not contemplating body as...') which makes better sense.
