True DhammaLibrary · Community
SN 14.15PTS SN 2.1551 min read

Walking Together

Caṅkamasutta

The Buddha points out that each of the great disciples has a retinue of students of a similar character. And the monks in Devadatta’s retinue all have evil wishes.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 14.15Linked Discourses 14.15
  • 0.22. DutiyavaggaChapter Two

0.3CaṅkamasuttaWalking Together

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.11.2Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was walking together with several mendicants not far from the Buddha.1.3āyasmāpi kho mahāmoggallāno sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was doing likewise, as were1.4āyasmāpi kho mahākassapo sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Venerable Mahākassapa,1.5āyasmāpi kho anuruddho sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Venerable Anuruddha,1.6āyasmāpi kho puṇṇo mantāniputto sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Venerable Puṇṇa son of Mantāṇī,1.7āyasmāpi kho upāli sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Venerable Upāli,1.8āyasmāpi kho ānando sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati;Venerable Ānanda,1.9devadattopi kho sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhagavato avidūre caṅkamati.and Devadatta.

2.1PTS 2.156Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:Then the Buddha said to the mendicants,2.2“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, sāriputtaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?“Mendicants, do you see Sāriputta walking together with several mendicants?”

2.3“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.4“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū mahāpaññā.“All of those mendicants have great wisdom.2.5Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, moggallānaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Moggallāna walking together with several mendicants?”

2.6“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.7“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū mahiddhikā.“All of those mendicants have great psychic power.2.8Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, kassapaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Kassapa walking together with several mendicants?”

2.9“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.10“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dhutavādā.“All of those mendicants advocate austerities.2.11Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, anuruddhaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Anuruddha walking together with several mendicants?”

2.12“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.13“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dibbacakkhukā.“All of those mendicants have clairvoyance.2.14Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, puṇṇaṁ mantāniputtaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Puṇṇa son of Mantāṇī walking together with several mendicants?”

2.15“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.16“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dhammakathikā.“All of those mendicants are Dhamma speakers.2.17Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, upāliṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Upāli walking together with several mendicants?”

2.18“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.19“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū vinayadharā.“All of those mendicants are experts in monastic law.2.20Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, ānandaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Ānanda walking together with several mendicants?”

2.21“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.22“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū bahussutā.“All of those mendicants are very learned.2.23Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, devadattaṁ sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ caṅkamantan”ti?Do you see Devadatta walking together with several mendicants?”2

2.24“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

2.25“Sabbe kho ete, bhikkhave, bhikkhū pāpicchā.“All of those mendicants have corrupt wishes.

3.1Dhātusova, bhikkhave, sattā saṁsandanti samenti.Sentient beings join together and converge because of an element.3.2Hīnādhimuttikā hīnādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti;Those who have inferior convictions join together and converge with those who have inferior convictions.3.3kalyāṇādhimuttikā kalyāṇādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti.Those who have good convictions join together and converge with those who have good convictions.

3.4Atītampi kho, bhikkhave, addhānaṁ dhātusova sattā saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu.In the past,3.5Hīnādhimuttikā hīnādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu;3.6kalyāṇādhimuttikā kalyāṇādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandiṁsu samiṁsu.4.1Anāgatampi kho, bhikkhave, addhānaṁ dhātusova sattā saṁsandissanti samessanti.in the future,4.2Hīnādhimuttikā hīnādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti;4.3kalyāṇādhimuttikā kalyāṇādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandissanti samessanti.5.1PTS 2.157Etarahipi kho, bhikkhave, paccuppannaṁ addhānaṁ dhātusova sattā saṁsandanti samenti.and also in the present, sentient beings join together and converge because of an element.5.2Hīnādhimuttikā hīnādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samenti;Those who have inferior convictions join together and converge with those who have inferior convictions.5.3kalyāṇādhimuttikā kalyāṇādhimuttikehi saddhiṁ saṁsandanti samentī”ti.Those who have good convictions join together and converge with those who have good convictions.”

5.4Pañcamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The seven good monks here are among the Buddha’s greatest disciples, all of whom were regarded as possessing great qualities of character and spiritual prowess. They each had their own speciality, which attracted students of a similar character.

    ↩ sn14.15:1.1

  2. Devadatta was the Buddha’s cousin and nemesis. After going forth together with several other relatives of the Buddha (Kd 17:1.4.1), his initial success in meditation was corrupted by his desire for gains and fame (SN 17.35). He tried to take over the Saṅgha but was denounced by the Buddha. His attempt to create a schismatic faction failed and he died in disgrace.

    ↩ sn14.15:2.23