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SN 22.87

Vakkali — The Elder Vakkali · Bhikkhu Bodhi Your translation is under copyright — Pāli and Sujato's CC0 English shown
49 aligned pairs · 6 peyyāla markers, 3 with a proposed filler · translator Bhikkhu Bodhi
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Pāli

87 (5). Vakkalisuttaṃ

Pāli

Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena

āyasmā vakkali kumbhakāranivesane viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi –

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Then he addressed his carers,

Pāli

‘‘etha tumhe, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha – ‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadetha – ‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu

tenupasaṅkamatu; anukampaṃ upādāyā’’’ti.

‘‘Evamāvuso’’ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Please, reverends, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

‘Sir, please go to the mendicant Vakkali out of sympathy.’”

“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied. They did as he asked.

Pāli

paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu. Ekamantaṃ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṃ etadavocuṃ – ‘‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati; evañca pana vadeti – ‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu; anukampaṃ upādāyā’’’ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

‘Sir, please go to the mendicant Vakkali out of sympathy.’”

Pāli

Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho

āyasmā vakkali bhagavantaṃ dūratova āgacchantaṃ. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ etadavoca – ‘‘alaṃ, vakkali, mā tvaṃ mañcake samadhosi. Santimāni āsanāni paññattāni; tatthāhaṃ nisīdissāmī’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robes, went to Venerable Vakkali.

But the Buddha said to him,

Pāli

Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ etadavoca – ‘‘kacci te,

vakkali, khamanīyaṃ, kacci yāpanīyaṃ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti;

paṭikkamosānaṃ paññāyati, no abhikkamo’’ti?

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

He sat down on the seat spread out and said to Vakkali,

“I hope you’re keeping well, Vakkali; I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

Pāli

‘‘Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṃ, na yāpanīyaṃ; bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṃ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Sir, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

Pāli

‘‘Kacci te, vakkali, na kiñci kukkuccaṃ, na koci vippaṭisāro’’ti?

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“I hope you don’t have any remorse or regret?”

Pāli

‘‘Taggha me, bhante, anappakaṃ kukkuccaṃ,

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Indeed, sir, I have no little remorse and regret.”

Pāli

anappako vippaṭisāro’’ti.

‘‘Kacci pana taṃ, vakkali, attā sīlato na upavadatī’’ti?

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Indeed, sir, I have no little remorse and regret.”

“I hope you have no reason to blame yourself when it comes to ethical conduct?”

Pāli

‘‘Na kho maṃ, bhante, attā sīlato upavadatī’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“No sir, I have no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct.”

Pāli

‘‘No ce kira taṃ, vakkali, attā sīlato upavadati; atha kiñca te kukkuccaṃ ko ca vippaṭisāro’’ti?

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“In that case, Vakkali, why do you have remorse and regret?”

Pāli

‘‘Cirapaṭikāhaṃ, bhante, bhagavantaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamitukāmo, natthi ca me kāyasmiṃ tāvatikā balamattā, yāvatāhaṃ bhagavantaṃ dassanāya

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“For a long time I’ve wanted to go and see the Buddha, but I was physically too weak.”

Pāli

upasaṅkameyya’’nti.

‘‘Alaṃ, vakkali, kiṃ te iminā pūtikāyena diṭṭhena? Yo kho, vakkali, dhammaṃ passati so maṃ passati; yo maṃ passati so dhammaṃ passati. Dhammañhi, vakkali, passanto maṃ passati; maṃ passanto dhammaṃ passati.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Enough, Vakkali! Why would you want to see this rotting body?

Pāli

‘‘Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, vakkali, rūpaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Aniccaṃ, bhante’’.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

What do you think, Vakkali?

Pāli

‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Dukkhaṃ, bhante’’.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

Pāli

‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ – ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’’’ti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, bhante’’.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Suffering, sir.”

Pāli

‘‘Vedanā… sannā… saṅkhārā… viññāṇaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Aniccaṃ, bhante’’…pe… eso me attāti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Tasmātiha…pe… evaṃ passaṃ…pe… nāparaṃ itthattāyāti pajānātī’’ti.

proposed fillerin this suttaconf mediumsource r0l23
Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Dukkhaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ – ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi
anchored on “…Aniccaṃ bhante” … “eso me…”
proposed fillerNO ATTESTED SOURCE
the filler exists nowhere — it would have to be generated from the parallel passage
proposed fillerNO ATTESTED SOURCE
the filler exists nowhere — it would have to be generated from the parallel passage
Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Impermanent, sir.”

Pāli

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena gijjhakūṭo

pabbato tena pakkāmi.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

And then, after giving Venerable Vakkali this advice, the Buddha rose from his seat and went to the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Pāli

Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantassa bhagavato upaṭṭhāke āmantesi – ‘‘etha maṃ, āvuso, mañcakaṃ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṃ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamatha. Kathañhi nāma mādiso antaraghare kālaṃ kattabbaṃ manneyyā’’ti?

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then Venerable Vakkali addressed his carers,

Pāli

‘‘Evamāvuso’’ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ mañcakaṃ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṃ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants, and did as he asked.

Pāli

Atha kho bhagavā tañca rattiṃ tañca divāvasesaṃ gijjhakūṭe pabbate vihāsi. Atha kho dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṃ gijjhakūṭaṃ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu…pe… ekamantaṃ aṭṭhaṃsu.

proposed fillerin this suttaconf lowsource r0l6
upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā
anchored on “…yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu” … “ekamantaṃ…”
Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Meanwhile, the Buddha spent the rest of that night and day on Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Pāli

Ekamantaṃ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī’’ti. Aparā devatā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘‘so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī’’ti. Idamavocuṃ tā devatāyo. Idaṃ vatvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṃ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṃsu.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

One deity said to him,

Pāli

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi – ‘‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, yena vakkali

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

Pāli

bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā vakkaliṃ bhikkhuṃ evaṃ vadetha –

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Come, mendicants, go to the mendicant Vakkali and tell him:

Pāli

‘‘‘Suṇāvuso tvaṃ, vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṃ dvinnañca devatānaṃ. Imaṃ, āvuso, rattiṃ dve

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

‘Vakkali, hear the word of the Buddha and two deities.

Pāli

devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṃ gijjhakūṭaṃ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Late last night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Pāli

tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ aṭṭhaṃsu. Ekamantaṃ ṭhitā

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Late last night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Pāli

kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetīti. Aparā

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

And another deity said to him,

Pāli

devatā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatīti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“He’ll definitely be well freed!”

Pāli

Bhagavā ca taṃ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha – mā bhāyi, vakkali; mā bhāyi, vakkali! Apāpakaṃ te maraṇaṃ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

And the Buddha said,

Pāli

‘‘Evaṃ, bhante’’ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ etadavocuṃ – ‘‘suṇāvuso vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṃ dvinnañca devatāna’’nti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Yes, sir,” those monks replied. They went to Vakkali and said to him:

Pāli

Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi – ‘‘etha maṃ, āvuso, mañcakā oropetha. Kathañhi

nāma mādiso ucce āsane nisīditvā tassa bhagavato sāsanaṃ sotabbaṃ manneyyā’’ti! ‘‘Evamāvuso’’ti

kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ mañcakā oropesuṃ.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then Vakkali addressed his carers,

For how on earth could one such as I presume to listen to the Buddha’s instructions sitting on a high seat?”

“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants, and helped him off his cot.

Pāli

‘‘Imaṃ, āvuso, rattiṃ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā…pe… ekamantaṃ aṭṭhaṃsu. Ekamantaṃ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī’ti. Aparā devatā bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī’ti. Bhagavā ca taṃ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha – ‘mā bhāyi, vakkali; mā bhāyi, vakkali! Apāpakaṃ te maraṇaṃ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’’’ti.

proposed fillerin this suttaconf highsource r0l35
abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṃ gijjhakūṭaṃ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā
anchored on “…āvuso rattiṃ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā” … “ekamantaṃ aṭṭhaṃsu Ekamantaṃ ṭhitā kho āvuso…”
Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Do not fear, Vakkali,

Pāli

‘‘Tena hāvuso, mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha – ‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Vakkali said, “Well then, reverends, in my name bow with your head to the Buddha’s feet. Say to him:

Pāli

Evañca vadetha – ‘rūpaṃ aniccaṃ. Tāhaṃ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṃ vāti na vicikicchāmi.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

And then say:

Pāli

Vedanā aniccā. Tāhaṃ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṃ vāti na vicikicchāmi.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

I have no doubt of that.

Pāli

Sannā… saṅkhārā aniccā. Tāhaṃ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṃ vāti na vicikicchāmi.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

I have no doubt of that.

Pāli

Viññāṇaṃ aniccaṃ. Tāhaṃ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṃ vāti na vicikicchāmī’’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

I have no doubt of that.

Pāli

‘‘Evamāvuso’’ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā pakkamiṃsu. Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantesu tesu bhikkhūsu satthaṃ āharesi.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied, and left.

Pāli

Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu. Ekamantaṃ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṃ etadavocuṃ –

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then those mendicants went up to the Buddha and told him Vakkali’s message.

Pāli

‘‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno; so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati; evañca vadeti – ‘rūpaṃ aniccaṃ. Tāhaṃ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṃ vāti na vicikicchāmi. Vedanā…

sannā… saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṃ aniccaṃ. Tāhaṃ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi. Yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhanti na

vicikicchāmi. Yadaniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṃ vāti na vicikicchāmī’’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

And I’m certain that I have no desire or greed or fondness for what is impermanent, suffering, and perishable.

Pāli

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi – ‘‘āyāma, bhikkhave, yena isigilipassaṃ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamissāma; yattha vakkalinā kulaputtena satthamāharita’’nti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants,

Pāli

‘‘Evaṃ, bhante’’ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ. Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṃ yena isigilipassaṃ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ vakkaliṃ dūratova mañcake vivattakkhandhaṃ semānaṃ.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Pāli

Tena kho pana samayena dhūmāyitattaṃ timirāyitattaṃ gacchateva purimaṃ disaṃ, gacchati

pacchimaṃ disaṃ, gacchati uttaraṃ disaṃ, gacchati dakkhiṇaṃ disaṃ, gacchati uddhaṃ disaṃ, gacchati

adho disaṃ, gacchati anudisaṃ.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Now at that time a cloud of black smoke was moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between.

Pāli

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi – ‘‘passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṃ dhūmāyitattaṃ timirāyitattaṃ gacchateva purimaṃ disaṃ…pe… gacchati anudisa’’nti.

proposed fillerNO ATTESTED SOURCE
the filler exists nowhere — it would have to be generated from the parallel passage
Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants,

Pāli

‘‘Evaṃ, bhante’’.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Pāli

‘‘Eso kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṃ samanvesati – ‘kattha vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṃ patiṭṭhita’nti? Appatiṭṭhitena ca, bhikkhave, viññāṇena vakkali kulaputto parinibbuto’’ti.

Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0

“That’s Māra the Wicked searching for Vakkali’s consciousness, wondering:

Pāli

Pañcamaṃ.

Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka, CC0 public domain via SuttaCentral. English: Bhikkhu Bodhi (and Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi) — https://wisdomexperience.org/product/middle-length-discourses-buddha/