[Home] [Sutta Indexes] [Glossology] [Site Sub-Sections]
[Pāḷi English Dictionary] [Sutta Search]

#### Majjhima Nikāya
II. Majjhima-Paṇṇāsa
5. Brāhmaṇa Vagga

#### The Middle Length Sayings
II. The Middle Fifty Discourses
5. The Division on Brahmans

#### Sutta 94

#### Ghoṭamukha Suttaṁ

# Discourse with Ghoṭamukha

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.

[350]

[1][chlm][upal] THUS have I heard:

At one time the venerable Udena was staying near Benares in the Khemiya Mango Grove.

Now at that time
the brahman Ghotamukha had arrived at Benares
on some business or other.

Then while the brahman Ghoṭamukha was pacing up and down
and roaming about on foot
he approached the Khemiya Mango Grove.

Now at that time
the venerable Udena was pacing up and down
in the open.

Then the brahman Ghoṭamukha approached the venerable Udena;
having approached,
he exchanged greetings with the venerable Udena,
and having conversed in a friendly and courteous way,
he spoke thus,
while still pacing up and down,
to the venerable Udena
while he was still pacing up and down:[1]

"My good recluse,
there is no going forth under Dhamma,[2]
or so it seems to me;
but then
is this through not seeing revered men like yourself,
or that which,
in this matter,
is Dhamma?"

When this had been said,
the venerable Udena came down
from the place for pacing up and down,
entered a dwelling-place
and sat down on an appointed seat.

And the brahman Ghoṭamukha
also coming down from the place for pacing up and down
and entering the dwelling-place
stood at a respectful distance.

The venerable Udena spoke thus to the brahman Ghoṭamukha
as he was standing at a respectful distance:

"Brahman, there are seats;
do sit down if you like."

"While waiting for the good Udena
we do not sit down.

For how could one like me
presume to sit down on a seat
before being invited?"

Then the brahman Ghoṭamukha,
having taken a low seat,
sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance,
the brahman Ghoṭamukha spoke thus to the venerable Udena:

"My good recluse,
there is no going forth under Dhamma,
or so it seems to me;
but then,
is this through not seeing revered men like yourself,
or that which,
in this matter,
is Dhamma?"

[351] "But if you, brahman,
could allow what is approved by me,
and could reject what should be rejected,
and should you not know
the meaning of what is said by me
were to question me further about it,
saying:

'What is this, good Udena,
what is the meaning of that?' -
having arranged it like this
we might have some conversation."

"I will allow what is approved by the good Udena,
and I will reject what should be rejected,
and if I do not know the meaning
of what is said by the good Udena
I will question the honoured Udena further about it,
saying:

'What is this, good Udena,
what is the meaning of that?' -
having arranged it like this
let there be some conversation between us."

"Brahman, these four kinds of persons are found in the world.[3]

What four?

As to this, brahman, some person is a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of self-torment;

as to this, brahman, some person is a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others;

as to this, brahman, some person is both a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of tormenting self,
and a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others;

as to this, brahman, some person is neither a self-tormentor,
not intent on the practice of self-torment,
nor a tormentor of others,
not intent on the practice of tormenting others.

He, neither a self-tormentor
nor a tormentor of others,
is here-now allayed,
quenched,
become cool,
an experiencer of bliss
that lives with self Brahma-become.

Of these four persons, brahman,
which appeals to your mind?"

"Now, revered sir, that person who is a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of self-torment -
that person does not appeal to my mind.

And, revered sir, that person who is a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others -
neither does that person appeal to my mind.

And, revered sir, that person who is a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of self-torment,
and who is also a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others -
neither does that person appeal to my mind.

But, good Udena, whatever person
is neither a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of self-torment,
nor a tormentor or others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others,
he, neither a self-tormentor
nor a tormentor of others,
is here-now allayed,
quenched,
become cool,
an experiencer of bliss
that lives with self Brahma-become.

He does not mortify
or torment
either himself or others -
(all of them)
yearning for happiness
and recoiling from pain.

Therefore this person appeals to my mind."

"Brahman, there are these two companies.[4]

Which two?

Here, brahman, some company,
inflamed with a passion
for gems and jewelry,[5]
looks about for a wife and children,
men and women slaves,
fields and sites,
gold and silver.

But here, brahman, some company,
not inflamed with a passion
for gems and jewelry,
getting rid of wife and children,
men and women slaves,
fields and sites,
gold and silver,
goes forth from home into homelessness.

This person, brahman,
neither torments himself
nor is intent on the practice of self-torment,
he is not a tormentor of others
nor intent on the practice of tormenting others.

He, neither a self-tormentor
nor a tormentor of others,
is here-now allayed,
quenched,
become cool,
an experiencer of bliss
that lives with self Brahma-become.

In which company do you, brahman,
mostly see that man -
in that company
that is inflamed with a passion
for gems and jewelry
and looks about for a wife and children,
men and women slaves,
fields and sites,
gold and silver;
or in that company
that is not inflamed with a passion
for gems and [352] jewelry and that,
getting rid of wife and children,
men and women slaves,
fields and sites,
gold and silver,
goes forth from home into homelessness?"

"This man, good Udena,
who is neither a tormentor of self
intent on the practice of tormenting self,
who is not a tormentor of others
intent on the practice of tormenting others,
and who, neither a self-tormentor
nor a tormentor of others,
is here-now allayed,
quenched,
become cool,
an experiencer of bliss
that lives with self Brahma-become -
I mostly see that man
in that company that is not inflamed with a passion
for gems and jewelry
and that, getting rid of wife and children,
men and women slaves,
fields and sites,
gold and silver,
goes forth from home into homelessness."

"But this was said by you just now, brahman:

'We understand thus, good recluse,
there is no going forth under Dhamma,
or so it seems to me;
but then,
is this through not seeing revered men like yourself,
or that which,
in this matter,
is Dhamma?"

"Good Udena, these words spoken to me
are certainly helpful.

There is a going forth under Dhamma,
or so it (now) seems to me,
and so may the good Udena understand me.

But it would be good
if, out of compassion,
the good Udena would explain to me in full
these four kinds of persons
that he has spoken of in brief
but not explained in full."

"Well then, brahman, listen,
attend carefully
and I will speak."

"Yes, sir,"
the brahman Ghoṭamukha answered the venerable Udena in assent.

The venerable Udena spoke thus:

"And which, brahman,
is the person who torments self
and is intent on the practice of self-torment?

Here, brahman, some person is unclothed, flouting life's decencies,[6]
licking his hands (after meals),
not one to come when asked to do so,
not one to stand still when asked to do so.

He does not consent (to accept food) offered to (me)
or specially prepared for (him)
nor to (accept) an invitation (to a meal).

He does not accept
(food) straight from a cooking pot or pan,
nor within the threshould,
nor among the faggots,
nor among the rice-pounders,
nor when two people were eating,
nor from a pregnant woman,
nor from one giving suck,
nor from one co-habiting with a man,
nor from gleanings,
nor near where a dog is standing,
nor where flies are swarming,
nor fish,
nor meat.

He drinks neither fermented liquor
nor spirits
nor rice-gruel.

He is a one-house-man,
a one-piece-man,
or a two-house-man,
a two-piece-man
or a three-house-man,
a three-piece-man
or a four-house-man,
a four-piece-man
or a five-house-man,
a five-piece-man
or a six-house-man,
a six-piece-man
or a seven-house-man,
a seven-piece-man.

He subsists on one little offering,
and he subsists on two little offerings
and he subsists on three little offerings
and he subsists on four little offerings
and he subsists on five little offerings
and he subsists on six little offerings
and he subsists on seven little offerings.

He takes food only once a day,
and once in two days
and once in three days
and once in four days
and once in five days
and once in six days
and once in seven days.

He lives intent on the practice
of eating rice at regular fort-nightly intervals.

He comes to be one feeding on potherbs
or feeding on millet
or on wild rice
or on snippets of skin
or on water-plants
or on the red powder of rice husks
or on the discarded scum of rice on the boil
or on the flour of oil-seeds
or grass
or cowdung.

He is one who subsisted
on forest roots and fruits,
eating the fruits that had fallen.

He wares coarse hempen cloths,
and he wares mixed cloths,
and he wares cerements,
and he wares rags taken from the dust heap,
and he wares tree-bark fibre,
and he wares antelope skins,
and he wares strips of antelope skin,
and he wares cloths of kusa-grass,
and he wares cloths of bark,
and he wares cloths of wood shavings,
and he wares a blanket of human hair,
and he wares a blanket of animal hair,
and he wares owls' feathers.

He is one who plucks out
the hair of his head and beard,
intent on the practice of plucking out
the hair of head and beard.

He becomes one who stands upright,
refusing a seat;
He becomes one who squats on his haunches,
intent on the practice of squatting.

He becomes one for covered thorns,
making his bed on covered thorns;
and he is intent on the practice
of going down to the water to bathe
up to three times in an evening.

Thus in many a way
does he live intent on the practice
of mortifying and tormenting his body.

Brahman, this is called
the person who is a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of self-torment.

And which, brahman,
is the person who is a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others?

In this case, brahman,
some person is a cattle-butcher,
or a pig-killer,
fowler,
deer-stalker,
hunter,
fisherman,
thief,
executioner,
jailer,
or (one of) those others
who follow a bloody calling.

This is the person, brahman,
who is called a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others.

And which, brahman,
is the person who is both a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of tormenting self,
and also a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others?

In this case, brahman,
some person is a noble anointed king
or a very rich brahman.

He, having had a new conference hall built
to the east of the town,
having had his head and beard shaved,
having put on a shaggy skin,
having smeared his body with ghee and oil,
scratching his back with a deer-horn,
enters the conference hall
together with his chief consort
and a brahman priest.

Then he lies down to sleep
on the bare grassy ground.

The king lives on the milk from one udder
of a cow that has a calf of like colour,
his chief consort lives on the milk from the second udder,
the brahman priest lives on the milk from the third udder,
the milk from the fourth udder
they offer to the fire;
the calf lives on what is over.

He speaks thus:

'Let so many bulls be slain for the sacrifice,
let so many steers be slain for the sacrifice,
let so many heifers be slain for the sacrifice,
let so many goats be slain for the sacrifice,
let so many rams be slain for the sacrifice,
let so many trees be felled
for the sacrificial posts,
let so much kusa-grass be reaped
for the sacrificial spot.'

Those who are called his slaves
or messengers
or workpeople,
they, scared of the stick,
scared of danger,
with tearful faces and crying,
set about their preparations.

This, brahman, is called
the person who is both a self-tormentor,
intent on the practice of self-torment,
and a tormentor of others,
intent on the practice of tormenting others.

And which, brahman, is the person
who is neither a self-tormentor,
not intent on the practice of self-torment,
nor a tormentor of others,
not intent on the practice of tormenting others,
and who, neither a self-tormentor
nor a tormentor of others,
is here-now allayed,
quenched,
become cool,
an experiencer of bliss
that lives with self Brahma-become?

Here, brahman, a Tathāgata arises in the world,
a perfected one,
a fully Self-awakened one
endowed with right knowledge and conduct,
well-farer,
knower of the worlds,
the matchless charioteer of men to be tamed,
the Awakened One,
the Lord.

He makes known this world
with the devas,
with Māra,
with Brahmā,
creation
with its recluses and brahmans,
its devas and men,
having realized them by his own super-knowledge.

He teaches Dhamma which is lovely at the beginning,
lovely in the middle,
lovely at the ending,
with the spirit and the letter;
he proclaims the Brahma-faring
wholly fulfilled,
quite purified.

A householder
or a householder's son
or one born in another family
hears that Dhamma.

Having heard that Dhamma,
he gains faith in the Tathāgata.

Endowed with this faith
that he has acquired,
he reflects in this way:

'The household life is confined and dusty;
going forth is of the open;
it is not easy for one who lives in a house
to fare the Brahma-faring
wholly fulfilled,
wholly pure,
polished like a conch-shell.

Suppose now that I,
having cut off hair and beard,
having put on saffron robes,
should go forth from home
into homelessness?'

After a time,
getting rid of his wealth,
be it small or great,
getting rid of his circle of relations,
be it small or great,
having cut off his hair and beard,
having put on saffron robes,
he goes forth from home
into homelessness.

He, being thus one who has gone forth
and who is endowed with the training
and the way of living of monks,
abandoning onslaught on creatures,
is one who abstains from onslaught on creatures;
the stick laid aside,
the knife laid aside,
he lives kindly,
scrupulous,
friendly
and compassionate
towards all breathing things and creatures.

Abandoning the taking of what is not given,
he is one who abstains from taking what is not given;
being one who takes (only) what is given,
who waits for what is given,
not by stealing he lives with a self become pure.

Abandoning unchastity,
he is one who is chaste,
keeping remote (from unchastity),
abstaining from dealings with women.

Abandoning lying speech,
he is one who abstains from lying speech,
a truth-speaker,
a bondsman to truth,
trustworthy,
dependable,
no deceiver of the world.

Abandoning slanderous speech,
he is one who abstains from slanderous speech;
having heard something here
he is not one for repeating it elsewhere
for (causing) variance among these (people),
or having heard something elsewhere
he is not one to repeat it there
for (causing) variance among these (people).

In this way
he is a reconciler of those who are at variance,
and one who combines those who are friends.

Concord is his pleasure,
concord his delight,
concord his joy,
concord is the motive of his speech.

Abandoning harsh speech,
he is one who abstains from harsh speech.

Whatever speech is gentle,
pleasing to the ear,
affectionate,
going to the heart,
urbane,
pleasant to the manyfolk,
agreeable to the manyfolk -
he comes to be one who utters speech like this.

Abandoning frivolous chatter,
he is one who abstains from frivolous chatter.

He is a speaker at a right time,
a speaker of fact,
a speaker on the goal,
a speaker on Dhamma,
a speaker on discipline,
he speaks words that are worth treasuring,
with similes at a right time
that are discriminating,
connected with the goal.

He comes to be one who abstains
from what involves destruction to seed-growth,
to vegetable growth.

He comes to be one who eats one meal a day,
refraining at night,
abstaining from eating at a wrong time.

He comes to be one who abstains
from watching shows of dancing,
singing,
music.

He comes to be one who abstains
from using garlands,
scents,
unguents,
adornments,
finery.

He comes to be one who abstains
from using high beds,
large beds.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting gold and silver.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting raw grain.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting raw meat.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting women and girls.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting women slaves and men slaves.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting goats and sheep.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting fowl and swine.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting elephants, cows, horses, mares.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting fields and sites.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting messages or going on such.

He comes to be one who abstains from buying and selling.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting from cheating with weights.

He comes to be one who abstains
from accepting from cheating with bronzes.

He comes to be one who abstains
from cheating with measures.

He comes to be one who abstains
from the crooked ways of bribery, fraud and deceit.

He comes to be one who abstains
from maiming, murdering, manacling, highway robbery.

He comes to be contented
with the robes for protecting his body,
with the almsfood for sustaining his stomach.

Wherever he goes
he takes these things with him as he goes.

As a bird on the wing
wherever it flies
takes its' wings with it as it flies,
so a monk,
contented with the robes for protecting his body,
with the almsfood for sustaining his stomach,
wherever he goes
takes these things with him as he goes.

He, possessed of the ariyan body of moral habit,
subjectively experiences unsullied well-being.

Having seen a material shape with the eye,
he is not entranced by the general appearance,
he is not entranced by the detail.

If he dwells with this organ of sight uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil unskilled states of mind,
might predominate.

So he fares along controlling it;
he guards the organ of sight,
he comes to control over the organ of sight.

Having heard a sound with the ear,
he is not entranced by the general appearance,
he is not entranced by the detail.

If he dwells with this organ of hearing uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil unskilled states of mind,
might predominate.

So he fares along controlling it;
he guards the organ of hearing,
he comes to control over the organ of hearing.

Having smelt a smell with the nose,
he is not entranced by the general appearance,
he is not entranced by the detail.

If he dwells with this organ of smell uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil unskilled states of mind,
might predominate.

So he fares along controlling it;
he guards the organ of smell,
he comes to control over the organ of smell.

Having savoured a taste with the tongue,
he is not entranced by the general appearance,
he is not entranced by the detail.

If he dwells with this organ of taste uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil unskilled states of mind,
might predominate.

So he fares along controlling it;
he guards the organ of taste,
he comes to control over the organ of taste.

Having felt a touch with the body,
he is not entranced by the general appearance,
he is not entranced by the detail.

If he dwells with this organ of touch uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil unskilled states of mind,
might predominate.

So he fares along controlling it;
he guards the organ of touch,
he comes to control over the organ of touch.

Having cognised a mental object with the mind,
he is not entranced by the general appearance,
he is not entranced by the detail.

If he lives with this organ of mind uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil unskilled states of mind
might predominate.

So he fares along controlling it;
he guards the organ of mind,
he comes to control over the organ of mind.

If he is possessed of this ariyan control of the (sense-) organs,
he subjectively experiences unsullied well-being.

Whether he is setting out
or returning,
he is one who comports himself properly;
whether he is looking down
or looking round,
he is one who comports himself properly;
whether he is bending back
or stretching out (his arm),
he is one who comports himself properly;
whether he is carrying his outer cloak,
his bowl,
his robe,
he is one who comports himself properly;
whether he is munching,
drinking,
eating,
savouring,
he is one who comports himself properly;
whether he is obeying the calls of nature,
he is one who comports himself properly;
whether he is walking,
standing,
asleep,
awake,
talking,
silent,
he is one who comports himself properly.

Possessed of this ariyan body of moral habit
and possessed of this ariyan control of the (sense-) organs
and possessed of this ariyan mindfulness
and clear consciousness,
he chooses a remote lodging in a forest,
at the root of a tree,
on a mountain slope,
in a wilderness,
in a hill-cave,
in a cemetery,
in a forest haunt,
in the open
or on a heap of straw.

He, returning from alms-gathering
after his meal,
sits down cross-legged
holding the back erect,
having made mindfulness
rise up in front of him.

He, having got rid of covetousness for the world,
lives with a mind devoid of coveting,
he purifies the mind of coveting.

By getting rid of the taint of ill-will,
he lives benevolent in mind;
and compassionate for the welfare
of all creatures and beings,
he purifies the mind of the taint of ill-will.

By getting rid of sloth and torpor,
he lives devoid of sloth and torpor;
perceiving the light,
mindful and clearly conscious,
he purifies the mind of sloth and torpor.

By getting rid of restlessness and worry,
he lives calmly,
the mind subjectively tranquillised,
he purifies the mind of restlessness and worry.

By getting rid of doubt,
he lives doubt-crossed;
unperplexed as to the states that are skilled,
he purifies his mind of doubt.

He, by getting rid of these five hindrances -
defilements of a mind and weakening to intuitive wisdom -
aloof from pleasure of the senses,
aloof from unskilled states of mind,
enters and abides in the first meditation,
which is accompanied by initial thought and discursive thought,
is born of aloofness
and is rapturous and joyful.

And again, brahman, a monk,
by allaying initial and discursive thought,
his mind subjectively tranquillised
and fixed on one point,
enters on
and abides in
the second meditation
which is devoid of initial and discursive thought,
is born of concentration
and is rapturous and joyful.

And again, brahman, a monk,
by the fading out of rapture,
dwells with equanimity,
attentive and clearly conscious,
and experiences in his person
that joy of which the ariyans say:
'Joyful lives he who has equanimity and is mindful,'
and he enters on
and abides in
the third meditation.

And again, brahman, a monk
by getting rid of joy,
by getting rid of anguish,
by the going down of his former pleasures and sorrows,
enters on
and abides in
the fourth meditation
which has neither anguish nor joy,
and which is entirely purified
by equanimity and mindfulness.

Thus with the mind composed,
quite purified,
quite clarified,
without blemish,
without defilement,
grown soft and workable,
stable,
immovable,
he directs his mind
to the knowledge and recollection of former habitations.

He recollects a variety of former habitations, thus:

One birth,
two births,
three births,
four births,
five births,
ten births,
twenty births,
thirty births,
forty births,
fifty births,
a hundred births,
a thousand births,
a hundred thousand births,
and many an eon of integration
and many an eon of disintegration
and many an eon of integration-disintegration:

'Such a one was I by name,
having such and such a clan,
such and such a colour,
so I was nourished,
such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end.

Passing from this,
I came to be in another state
where I was such a one by name,
having such and such a clan,
such and such a colour,
so I was nourished,
such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end.

Passing from this,
I arose here.'

Thus he recollects divers former habitations
in all their modes and detail.

■

With the mind composed thus,
quite purified,
quite clarified,
without blemish,
without defilement,
grown soft and workable,
stable,
immovable,
he directs his mind
to the knowledge of the passing hence
and the arising of beings.

With the purified deva-vision
surpassing that of men,
he sees beings as they pass hence
or come to be;
he comprehends that beings are mean,
excellent,
comely,
ugly,
well-going,
ill-going,
according to the consequences of deeds,
and thinks:

'Indeed these worthy beings
who were possessed of wrong conduct in body,
speech
and thought,
scoffers at the ariyans,
holding a wrong view,
incurring deeds consequent on a wrong view -
these, at the breaking up of the body after dying,
have arisen in a sorrowful state,
a bad bourn,
the abyss,
Niraya Hell.

But these worthy beings
who were possessed of good conduct in body,
speech
and thought,
who did not scoff at the ariyans,
holding a right view,
incurring deeds consequent on a right view -
these at the breaking up of the body after dying,
have arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.'

Thus with the purified deva-vision
surpassing that of men
does he see beings as they pass hence,
as they arise;
he comprehends that beings are mean,
excellent,
comely,
ugly,
well-going,
ill-going
according to the consequences of deeds.

■

With the mind composed thus,
quite purified,
quite clarified,
without blemish,
without defilement,
grown soft and workable,
stable,
immovable,
he directs his mind
to the knowledge of the destruction of the cankers.

He comprehends as it really is:

'This is anguish',
'this is the arising of anguish',
'this is the stopping of anguish',
'this is the course leading to the stopping of anguish'.

He comprehends as it really is:

'These are the cankers',
'this is the arising of the cankers',
'this is the stopping of the cankers',
'this is the course leading to the stopping of the cankers'.

Knowing thus,
seeing thus,
his mind is freed from the canker of sense-pleasures
and his mind is freed from the canker of becoming
and his mind is freed from the canker of ignorance.

In freedom the knowledge comes to be:

'I am freed';
and he comprehends:

'Destroyed is birth,
brought to a close the Brahma-faring,
done is what was to be done,
there is no more of being such or so.'

This, brahman, is called
the person who is neither a self-tormentor
intent on the practice of tormenting self,
nor a tormentor of others
intent on the practice of tormenting others.

He, neither a self-tormentor
nor a tormentor of others,
is here-now allayed,
quenched,
become cool,
an experiencer of bliss
that lives with self Brahma-become."

When this had been said Ghoṭamukha the brahman spoke thus,
to the venerable Udena:

"Excellent, good Udena,
excellent, good Udena.

It is as if, good Udena,
one might set upright what had been upset,[7]
or might disclose what was covered,
or point out the way
to one who had gone astray,
or might bring an [353] oil-lamp into the darkness
so that those with vision might see material shapes -
even so is Dhamma made clear
in many a figure by the good Udena.

I am going to the revered Udena for refuge,
and to Dhamma
and to the Order of monks.

May the revered Udena accept me
as a lay-follower,
one gone for refuge from today forth
for as long as life lasts."

"But do not you, brahman,
go for refuge to me.

You must go only
to that Lord for refuge
to whom I have gone for refuge."

"But where, good Udena,
is this revered Gotama staying now,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One?"

"Brahman, this Lord,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One,
has now attained final nibbāna."

"Good Udena, if we should hear that that honoured[8] Gotama were ten yojana distant,
we should go the ten yojana
so as to see that honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One;
if we should hear that that honoured Gotama were twenty yojana distant,
we should go the twenty yojana
so as to see that honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One;
if we should hear that that honoured Gotama were thirty yojana distant,
we should go the thirty yojana
so as to see that honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One;
if we should hear that that honoured Gotama were forty yojana distant,
we should go the forty yojana
so as to see that honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One;
if we should hear that that honoured Gotama were fifty yojana distant,
we should go the fifty yojana
so as to see that honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One.

And, good Udena,
even if we heard that the honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One
were a hundred yojana distant,
we should go the hundred ycjana
so as to see that honoured Gotama,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One.

But, good Udena,
since that revered[9] Gotama has attained final nibbāna,
we are going for refuge
to that honoured Gotama
who has attained final nibbāna
and to Dhamma
and to the Order of monks.

May the revered Udena
accept me as a lay-follower
going for refuge
from today forth
for as long as life lasts.

And, good Udena,
the king of Aṅga
daily gives me a regular supply of alms,[10]
so I am giving the good Udena
one of these regular supplies of alms."

"But what, brahman,
does the king of Aṅga give you daily
as a regular supply of alms?" "Five hundred kahāpaṇa, good Udena."

"But, brahman,
it is not allowable for us to receive gold and silver."[11]

"If it is not allowable to the good Udena,
I will have a dwelling-place built for the good Udena."

"If you, brahman, wish to have a dwelling-place built for me,
do have an assembly hall built
for the Order at Pāṭaliputta."

"I am even more delighted and pleased with the good Udena
that he urges me to make a gift to the Order.

So I, good Udena, will [354] have an assembly hall built for the Order
at Pāṭaliputta
from this regular supply of alms
and from subsequent supplies of alms."

Then Ghoṭamukha the brahman
from this regular supply of alms
and from subsequent supplies of alms
had an assembly hall built for the Order
at Pāṭaliputta.

At the present time it is called Ghotamukhī.

Discourse with Ghoṭamukha

[1] Following the v.l. caṅkamantaṁ, instead of text's ekamantaṁ.

[2] dhammiko paribbājo, explained by dhammikā pabbajjā at MA. iii. 412.

[3] As at M. 1. 341, above, p. 5 ff.

[4] Cf. A. i. 70-76.

[5] maṇikuṇḍalesu; perhaps jewelled earrings; cf. M. ii. 64. Also see S. i. 77 = Dhp. 345, 346 = Jā. ii. 140 for the sentiment expressed in the first half of this paragraph, and Thag. 187.

[6] As at M. i. 343 to 349; see above, p. 7 to p. 14.

[7] From here to the second request to be accepted as a lay disciple, cf. M. ii. 90.

[8] bhavantaṁ.

[9] bhavaṁ.

[10] niccabhikkhā, alms as a permanent or constant gift.

[11] Nissag. XVIII, see Vin. iii. 236 ff.

Contact:
Copyright Statement