Saṃyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
28. Sāriputta Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
3. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the Elements of Sensory Existence and other Subjects
28. Kindred Sayings on Sāriputta
Sutta 10
Sūci-Mukhī Suttaṃ
Pure-Face[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha
at the Squirrels' Feeding-ground.
Then the venerable Sāriputta,
rising up at early dawn,
[190] robed himself,
and taking bowl and robe
entered Rājagaha to beg for alms.
After begging straight on
from house to house[2] in Rājagaha
he was eating his meal,
leaning against a certain wall.
Then the wandering sister Pure-Face
came up to the venerable Sāriputta
and addressed him thus:
"0 recluse, why do you eat looking downwards?"
"I do nñt eat looking downwards, sister."
"Then, recluse, you are eating looking upwards."
"I do not eat looking upwards, sister."
"Then, recluse, you are eating looking to the four quarters."
"I do not eat looking to the four quarters, sister."
"Then, recluse, you are eating looking to the points between the four quarters."
"I do not eat, sister, looking to the points between the four quarters."
"Then how, forsooth, how are you eating, recluse?
For when I question you
'0 recluse, why do you eat looking downwards?'
you answer:
'I do nñt eat looking downwards, sister.'
When I question you
'Then, recluse, you are eating looking upwards.'
you answer:
'I do not eat looking upwards, sister.'
When I question you
'Then, recluse, you are eating looking to the four quarters.'
you answer:
'I do not eat looking to the four quarters, sister.'
When I question you
'Then, recluse, you are eating looking to the points between the four quarters.'
you answer:
'I do not eat, sister, looking to the points between the four quarters.'"
"Whatsoever recluses and brahmins, sister,
get their living in a wrong way
by the practice of divination
and of such low arts, -
these, sister, are called
'recluses and brahmins who eat looking downwards.'
Whatsoever recluses and brahmins, sister,
get their living in a wrong way
by the practice of star-gazing
and such low arts,[3] -
such as these, sister, are called
'recluses and brahmins who eat looking upward.'
Whatsoever recluses and brahmins, sister,
get their living in a wrong way
by the practice of sending messages
and going errands,[4] -
such as these, sister, are called
'recluses and brahmins who eat looking to the four quarters.'
[191] Whatsoever recluses and brahmins, sister,
get their living in a wrong way
by the practice of palmistry
and such low arts, -
these, sister, are called
'recluses and brahmins who eat looking to the points between the four quarters.'
But I, sister, am one who gets his living
in no one of these ways.
Rightly do I seek my food,
and rightly do I eat my food
when I have sought it."
Thereupon the wanderer Pure-Face
roamed from street to street
and from crossways to crossways
in Rājagaha
and thus proclaimed:
"Rightly do the recluses
who are sons of the Sakyan
win their food.
Blamelessly do the recluses
who are sons of the Sakyan
win their food.
Do ye give alms
to the recluses
who are sons of the Sakyan."
[1] Suci-mukhī.
[2] Sapadānaṇ. See Words in Pali Dictionary. The derivation is uncertain.
[3] Vatthu. and tiracchāna-vijjā. Comy. says 'such as, by the mean occupation of divination of the best plots for 'growing gourds, pumpkins and radishes.' Cf. Vin. ii, 139; D. i, 9. The practice of such arts was forbidden to the Order.
[4] Cf. Dialog. i, 15; there is a certain word-play in bhuñjanti (eat). It means both enjoying food, and enjoying generally; thus 'are maintained by.' Cf. K.S. i, 15 n. 1.
