Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.21

Numbered Discourses 8.21

3. Gahapativagga

3. Householders

Paṭhamauggasutta

With Ugga of Vesālī

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi¹ samannāgataṁ uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ dhārethā”ti.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, you should remember the householder Ugga of Vesālī as someone who has eight amazing and incredible qualities.”

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggassa gahapatino vesālikassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho uggo gahapati vesāliko yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ so bhikkhu etadavoca:

Then a certain bhikkhu robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Ugga of Vesālī, where he sat on the seat spread out. Then Ugga of Vesālī went up to that bhikkhu, bowed, and sat down to one side. The bhikkhu said to him:

“Aṭṭhahi kho tvaṁ, gahapati, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato. Katame te, gahapati, aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, yehi tvaṁ samannāgato bhagavatā byākato”ti?

“Householder, the Buddha declared that you have eight amazing and incredible qualities. What are the eight qualities that he spoke of?”

“Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi: ‘katamehi aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato’ti. Api ca, bhante, ye me aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā saṁvijjanti,; taṁ suṇohi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Sir, I don’t know what eight amazing and incredible qualities the Buddha was referring to. But these eight amazing and incredible qualities are found in me. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, gahapatī”ti kho so bhikkhu uggassa gahapatino vesālikassa paccassosi. Uggo gahapati vesāliko etadavoca:

“Yes, householder,” replied the bhikkhu. Ugga of Vesālī said this:

“yadāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ paṭhamaṁ dūratova addasaṁ; saha dassaneneva me, bhante, bhagavato cittaṁ pasīdi. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, paṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

“Sir, when I first saw the Buddha off in the distance, my heart was inspired as soon as I saw him. This is the first incredible and amazing quality found in me.

So kho ahaṁ, bhante, pasannacitto bhagavantaṁ payirupāsiṁ. Tassa me bhagavā anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ—dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ; kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ, nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi. Yadā maṁ bhagavā aññāsi kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi—dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ. Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya; evamevaṁ kho me tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi: ‘yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman’ti. So kho ahaṁ, bhante, diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane tattheva buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ agamāsiṁ, brahmacariyapañcamāni ca sikkhāpadāni samādiyiṁ. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, dutiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

With confident heart I paid homage to the Buddha. The Buddha taught me step by step, with a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven. He explained the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation. And when he knew that my mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he explained the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye, in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in me: ‘Everything that has a beginning has an end.’ I saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. I went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. Right there I went for refuge to the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha. And I undertook the five training rules with celibacy as the fifth. This is the second incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, catasso komāriyo pajāpatiyo ahesuṁ. Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, yena tā pajāpatiyo tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā tā pajāpatiyo etadavacaṁ: ‘mayā kho, bhaginiyo, brahmacariyapañcamāni sikkhāpadāni samādinnāni. Yā icchati sā idheva bhoge ca bhuñjatu puññāni ca karotu, sakāni vā ñātikulāni gacchatu. Hoti vā pana purisādhippāyo, kassa vo dammī’ti? Evaṁ vutte, sā, bhante, jeṭṭhā pajāpati maṁ etadavoca: ‘itthannāmassa maṁ, ayyaputta, purisassa dehī’ti. Atha kho ahaṁ, bhante, taṁ purisaṁ pakkosāpetvā vāmena hatthena pajāpatiṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena bhiṅgāraṁ gahetvā tassa purisassa oṇojesiṁ. Komāriṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhante, dāraṁ pariccajanto nābhijānāmi cittassa aññathattaṁ. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, tatiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

I had four teenage wives. And I went to them and said: ‘Sisters, I’ve undertaken the five training rules with celibacy as fifth. If you wish, you may stay here, enjoy my wealth, and do good deeds. Or you can return to your own families. Or would you prefer if I gave you to another man?’ When I said this, my eldest wife said to me: ‘Master, please give me to such-and-such a man.’ Then I summoned that man. Taking my wife with my left hand and a ceremonial vase with my right, I presented her to that man with the pouring of water. But I can’t recall getting upset while giving away my teenage wife. This is the third incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Saṁvijjanti kho pana me, bhante, kule bhogā. Te ca kho appaṭivibhattā sīlavantehi kalyāṇadhammehi. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, catuttho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

And though my family has wealth, it’s shared without reserve with ethical people of good character. This is the fourth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Yaṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhikkhuṁ payirupāsāmi; sakkaccaṁyeva payirupāsāmi, no asakkaccaṁ. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, pañcamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

When I pay homage to a bhikkhu, I do so carefully, not carelessly. This is the fifth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

So ce, bhante, me āyasmā dhammaṁ deseti; sakkaccaṁyeva suṇomi, no asakkaccaṁ. No ce me so āyasmā dhammaṁ deseti, ahamassa dhammaṁ desemi. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, chaṭṭho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

If that venerable teaches me the Dhamma, I listen carefully, not carelessly. But if they don’t teach me the Dhamma, I teach them. This is the sixth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Anacchariyaṁ kho pana maṁ, bhante, devatā upasaṅkamitvā ārocenti: ‘svākkhāto, gahapati, bhagavatā dhammo’ti. Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, tā devatā evaṁ vadāmi: ‘vadeyyātha vā evaṁ kho tumhe devatā no vā vadeyyātha, atha kho svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo’ti. Na kho panāhaṁ, bhante, abhijānāmi tatonidānaṁ cittassa unnatiṁ: ‘maṁ vā devatā upasaṅkamanti, ahaṁ vā devatāhi saddhiṁ sallapāmī’ti. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, sattamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

It’s not unusual for deities to come to me and announce: ‘Householder, the Buddha’s teaching is well explained!’ When they say this I say to them: ‘The Buddha’s teaching is well explained, regardless of whether or not you deities say so!’ But I don’t recall getting too excited by the fact that the deities come to me, and I have a conversation with them. This is the seventh incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni, nāhaṁ tesaṁ kiñci attani appahīnaṁ samanupassāmi. Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, aṭṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

Of the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha, I don’t see any that I haven’t given up. This is the eighth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Ime kho me, bhante, aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā saṁvijjanti. Na ca kho ahaṁ jānāmi—katamehi cāhaṁ² aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato”ti.

These eight amazing and incredible qualities are found in me. But I don’t know what eight amazing and incredible qualities the Buddha was referring to.”

Atha kho so bhikkhu uggassa gahapatino vesālikassa nivesane piṇḍapātaṁ gahetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. Atha kho so bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu yāvatako ahosi uggena gahapatinā vesālikena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo, taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.

Then that bhikkhu, after taking almsfood in Ugga of Vesālī’s home, got up from his seat and left. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. He informed the Buddha of all he had discussed with the householder Ugga of Vesālī. The Buddha said:

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Yathā taṁ uggo gahapati vesāliko sammā byākaramāno byākareyya, imeheva kho, bhikkhu, aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato uggo gahapati vesāliko mayā byākato. Imehi ca pana, bhikkhu, aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ uggaṁ gahapatiṁ vesālikaṁ dhārehī”ti.

“Good, good, bhikkhu! When I declared that the householder Ugga of Vesālī was someone who has eight amazing and incredible qualities, I was referring to the same eight qualities that he rightly explained to you. You should remember the householder Ugga of Vesālī as someone who has these eight amazing and incredible qualities.”

Paṭhamaṁ.