Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.20

Numbered Discourses 8.20

2. Mahāvagga

2. The Great Chapter

Uposathasutta

Uposatha 

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā tadahuposathe bhikkhusaṅghaparivuto nisinno hoti. Atha kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante paṭhame yāme, uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantā, bhante, ratti, nikkhanto paṭhamo yāmo, ciranisinno bhikkhusaṅgho. Uddisatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ pātimokkhan”ti.

Now, at that time it was the Uposatha day, and the Buddha was sitting surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks. And then, as the night was getting late, in the first watch of the night, Venerable Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha and said, “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the first watch of the night, and the Saṅgha of monks has been sitting long. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.”

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.

But when he said this, the Buddha kept silent.

Dutiyampi kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante majjhime yāme, uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantā, bhante, ratti, nikkhanto majjhimo yāmo, ciranisinno bhikkhusaṅgho. Uddisatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ pātimokkhan”ti.

For a second time, as the night was getting late, in the middle watch of the night, Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha and said, “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the middle watch of the night, and the Saṅgha of monks has been sitting long. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.”

Dutiyampi kho bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.

But for a second time the Buddha kept silent.

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante pacchime yāme, uddhaste aruṇe, nandimukhiyā rattiyā uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantā, bhante, ratti, nikkhanto pacchimo yāmo, uddhastaṁ aruṇaṁ, nandimukhī ratti; ciranisinno bhikkhusaṅgho. Uddisatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ pātimokkhan”ti.

For a third time, as the night was getting late, in the last watch of the night, as dawn stirred, bringing joy to the night, Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha and said, “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the last watch of the night and dawn stirs, bringing joy to the night. And the Saṅgha has been sitting long. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.”

“Aparisuddhā, ānanda, parisā”ti.

“Ānanda, the assembly is not pure.”

Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi: “kaṁ nu kho bhagavā puggalaṁ sandhāya evamāha: ‘aparisuddhā, ānanda, parisā’”ti?

Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thought, “Who is the Buddha talking about?”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sabbāvantaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasākāsi. Addasā kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ puggalaṁ dussīlaṁ pāpadhammaṁ asuciṁ saṅkassarasamācāraṁ paṭicchannakammantaṁ assamaṇaṁ samaṇapaṭiññaṁ abrahmacāriṁ brahmacāripaṭiññaṁ antopūtiṁ avassutaṁ kasambujātaṁ majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnaṁ;

Then he focused on comprehending the minds of everyone in the Saṅgha. He saw that unethical person, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, corrupt, and depraved, sitting in the middle of the Saṅgha.

disvāna uṭṭhāyāsanā yena so puggalo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ puggalaṁ etadavoca: “uṭṭhehāvuso, diṭṭhosi bhagavatā. Natthi te bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ saṁvāso”ti.

When he saw him he got up from his seat, went up to him and said, “Get up, friend. The Buddha has seen you. You can’t live in communion with the monks.”

Evaṁ vutte, so puggalo tuṇhī ahosi.

But when he said this, that person kept silent.

Dutiyampi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ puggalaṁ etadavoca: “uṭṭhehāvuso, diṭṭhosi bhagavatā. Natthi te bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ saṁvāso”ti. Dutiyampi kho so puggalo tuṇhī ahosi.

For a second time

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ puggalaṁ etadavoca: “uṭṭhehāvuso, diṭṭhosi bhagavatā. Natthi te bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ saṁvāso”ti.

and a third time, he asked that monk to leave.

Tatiyampi kho so puggalo tuṇhī ahosi.

But for a third time that person kept silent.

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ puggalaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā bahidvārakoṭṭhakā nikkhāmetvā sūcighaṭikaṁ datvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “nikkhāmito so, bhante, puggalo mayā. Parisuddhā parisā. Uddisatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ pātimokkhan”ti.

Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna took that person by the arm, ejected him out the gate, and bolted the door. Then he went up to the Buddha, and said to him, “I have ejected that person. The assembly is pure. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.”

“Acchariyaṁ, moggallāna, abbhutaṁ, moggallāna. Yāva bāhā gahaṇāpi nāma so moghapuriso āgamissatī”ti.

“It’s incredible, Moggallāna, it’s amazing, how that silly man waited to be taken by the arm!”

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then the Buddha said to the monks:

“tumheva dāni, bhikkhave, uposathaṁ kareyyātha, pātimokkhaṁ uddiseyyātha. Na dānāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ajjatagge uposathaṁ karissāmi, pātimokkhaṁ uddisissāmi. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso yaṁ tathāgato aparisuddhāya parisāya pātimokkhaṁ uddiseyya.

“Now, monks, you should perform the Uposatha day and recite the monastic code. From this day forth, I will not perform the Uposatha day or recite the monastic code. It’s impossible, monks, it can’t happen that a Realized One could recite the monastic code in an impure assembly.

Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti. Katame aṭṭha? Mahāsamuddo, bhikkhave, anupubbaninno anupubbapoṇo anupubbapabbhāro, na āyatakeneva papāto. Yampi, bhikkhave, mahāsamuddo anupubbaninno anupubbapoṇo anupubbapabbhāro, na āyatakeneva papāto; ayaṁ, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde paṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti (yathā purime tathā vitthāro.)

Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things the demons love the ocean. What eight? The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice. This is the first thing the demons love about the ocean.

…pe…

(Tell in full as in the previous discourse.)

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, mahāsamuddo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso. Tatrime bhūtā—timi timiṅgalo timirapiṅgalo asurā nāgā gandhabbā. Vasanti mahāsamudde yojanasatikāpi attabhāvā …pe… pañcayojanasatikāpi attabhāvā. Yampi, bhikkhave, mahāsamuddo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—timi timiṅgalo timirapiṅgalo asurā nāgā gandhabbā; vasanti mahāsamudde yojanasatikāpi attabhāvā …pe… pañcayojanasatikāpi attabhāvā; ayaṁ, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde aṭṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, yaṁ disvā disvā asurā mahāsamudde abhiramanti.

Furthermore, many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, demons, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long. This is the eighth thing the demons love about the ocean. Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things the demons love the ocean.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha imasmiṁ dhammavinaye acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti. Katame aṭṭha?

In the same way, seeing eight incredible and amazing things, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus love this teaching and training. What eight?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahāsamuddo anupubbaninno anupubbapoṇo anupubbapabbhāro, na āyatakeneva papāto; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye anupubbasikkhā anupubbakiriyā anupubbapaṭipadā, na āyatakeneva aññāpaṭivedho. Yampi, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye anupubbasikkhā anupubbakiriyā anupubbapaṭipadā, na āyatakeneva aññāpaṭivedho; ayaṁ, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye paṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti …pe…

The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice. In the same way in this teaching and training the penetration to enlightenment comes from gradual training, progress, and practice, not abruptly. This is the first thing the bhikkhus love about this teaching and training. …

seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, mahāsamuddo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—timi timiṅgalo timirapiṅgalo asurā nāgā gandhabbā, vasanti mahāsamudde yojanasatikāpi attabhāvā …pe… pañcayojanasatikāpi attabhāvā; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, ayaṁ dhammavinayo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso. Tatrime bhūtā—sotāpanno sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno …pe… arahā arahattāya paṭipanno. Yampi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ dhammavinayo mahataṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; tatrime bhūtā—sotāpanno sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno …pe… arahā arahattāya paṭipanno; ayaṁ, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye aṭṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo, yaṁ disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramanti.

Many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, demons, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long. In the same way, great beings live in this teaching and training, and these are those beings. The stream-enterer and the one practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry. The once-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of once-return. The non-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of non-return. The perfected one, and the one practicing for perfection. This is the eighth thing the bhikkhus love about this teaching and training.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, ye disvā disvā bhikkhū imasmiṁ dhammavinaye abhiramantī”ti.

Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things, the bhikkhus love this teaching and training.”

Dasamaṁ.

Mahāvaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Verañjo sīho ājaññaṁ, khaḷuṅkena malāni ca; Dūteyyaṁ dve ca bandhanā, pahārādo uposathoti.