True DhammaLibrary · Community
SN 22.80PTS SN 3.914 min read

Beggars

Piṇḍolyasutta

While staying at Kapilavatthu the Buddha dismissed the the Sangha for misbehaving. Later he decided to support them for the sake of the young mendicants. He reminds them that their livelihood is considered a lowly one, and that one should let go of bad thoughts and wrong views, and see the aggregates as impermanent.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.80Linked Discourses 22.80
  • 0.28. Khajjanīyavagga8. Bitable

0.3PiṇḍolyasuttaBeggars

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

1.2Atha kho bhagavā kismiñcideva pakaraṇe bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇāmetvā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya kapilavatthuṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.Then the Buddha, having dismissed the mendicant Saṅgha for some reason, robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kapilavatthu for alms.11.3Kapilavatthusmiṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena mahāvanaṁ tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya.He wandered for alms in Kapilavatthu. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Great Wood for the day’s meditation,1.4Mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā beluvalaṭṭhikāya mūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.plunged deep into it, and sat at the root of a young wood-apple tree to meditate.

2.1Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,2.2“mayā kho bhikkhusaṅgho pabāḷho.“I have purged the mendicant Saṅgha.22.3Santettha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ.But there are mendicants here who are junior, recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training.2.4Tesaṁ mamaṁ apassantānaṁ siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo.Not seeing me they may change and fall apart.2.5Seyyathāpi nāma vacchassa taruṇassa mātaraṁ apassantassa siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo;If a young calf doesn’t see its mother it may change and fall apart. …2.6evameva santettha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ tesaṁ mamaṁ apassantānaṁ siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo.2.7Seyyathāpi nāma bījānaṁ taruṇānaṁ udakaṁ alabhantānaṁ siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo;Or if young seedlings don’t get water they may change and fall apart.2.8evameva santettha …pe…In the same way, there are mendicants here who are junior, recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training.2.9tesaṁ mamaṁ alabhantānaṁ dassanāya siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo.Not seeing me they may change and fall apart.2.10Yannūnāhaṁ yatheva mayā pubbe bhikkhusaṅgho anuggahito, evameva etarahi anuggaṇheyyaṁ bhikkhusaṅghan”ti.Why don’t I support the mendicant Saṅgha now as I did in the past?”

3.1PTS 3.92Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.Then the divinity Sahampati knew the Buddha’s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha.3.2Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said:3.3“evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!3.4Bhagavatā, bhante, bhikkhusaṅgho pabāḷho.The Buddha has purged the mendicant Saṅgha.3.5Santettha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ.But there are mendicants who are junior, recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training. …3.6Tesaṁ bhagavantaṁ apassantānaṁ siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo.3.7Seyyathāpi nāma vacchassa taruṇassa mātaraṁ apassantassa siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo;3.8evameva santettha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ tesaṁ bhagavantaṁ apassantānaṁ siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo.3.9Seyyathāpi nāma bījānaṁ taruṇānaṁ udakaṁ alabhantānaṁ siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo;3.10evameva santettha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, tesaṁ bhagavantaṁ alabhantānaṁ dassanāya siyā aññathattaṁ siyā vipariṇāmo.3.11Abhinandatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ;May the Buddha be happy with the mendicant Saṅgha!3.12abhivadatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ.May the Buddha welcome the mendicant Saṅgha!3.13Yatheva bhagavatā pubbe bhikkhusaṅgho anuggahito, evameva etarahi anuggaṇhātu bhikkhusaṅghan”ti.May the Buddha support the mendicant Saṅgha now as he did in the past!”

4.1Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.The Buddha consented with silence.4.2Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.Then the divinity Sahampati, knowing that the Buddha had consented, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

5.1PTS 3.93Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena nigrodhārāmo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the Banyan Tree Monastery, where he sat down on the seat spread out.5.2Nisajja kho bhagavā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi yathā te bhikkhū ekadvīhikāya sārajjamānarūpā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkameyyuṁ.Then he used his psychic power to will that the mendicants would come to him timidly, alone or in pairs.5.3Tepi bhikkhū ekadvīhikāya sārajjamānarūpā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:Those mendicants approached the Buddha timidly, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them:

6.1“Antamidaṁ, bhikkhave, jīvikānaṁ yadidaṁ piṇḍolyaṁ.“This is the last of lifestyles, mendicants, namely relying on alms.36.2Abhisāpoyaṁ, bhikkhave, lokasmiṁ piṇḍolo vicarasi pattapāṇīti.The world curses you: ‘You beggar, walking bowl in hand!’6.3Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputtā upenti atthavasikā, atthavasaṁ paṭicca;Yet earnest gentlemen take it up for a good reason.46.4neva rājābhinītā, na corābhinītā, na iṇaṭṭā, na bhayaṭṭā, na ājīvikāpakatā;Not to escape a summons by a king or a summons for a bandit, or because you were in debt or in fear, or in order to make a living.56.5api ca kho otiṇṇāmha jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi dukkhotiṇṇā dukkhaparetāBut because they’re swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re swamped by suffering, mired in suffering.6.6appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethāti.And they think, ‘Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.’

7.1Evaṁ pabbajito cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto.That’s how this gentleman has gone forth.7.2So ca hoti abhijjhālu kāmesu tibbasārāgo byāpannacitto paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo.Yet they covet sensual pleasures; they’re infatuated, full of ill will and malicious intent. They are unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying mind and undisciplined faculties.7.3Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, chavālātaṁ ubhatopadittaṁ majjhe gūthagataṁ, neva gāme kaṭṭhatthaṁ pharati, nāraññe kaṭṭhatthaṁ pharati.Suppose there was a firebrand for lighting a funeral pyre, burning at both ends, and smeared with dung in the middle. It couldn’t be used as timber either in the village or the wilderness.7.4Tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi gihibhogā ca parihīno, sāmaññatthañca na paripūreti.I say that individual is just like this. They’ve missed out on the pleasures of the lay life, and haven’t fulfilled the goal of the ascetic life.

8.1Tayome, bhikkhave, akusalavitakkā—There are these three unskillful thoughts.8.2kāmavitakko, byāpādavitakko, vihiṁsāvitakko.Sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.8.3Ime ca bhikkhave, tayo akusalavitakkā kva aparisesā nirujjhanti?And where do these three unskillful thoughts cease without remainder?8.4Catūsu vā satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacittassa viharato animittaṁ vā samādhiṁ bhāvayato.In those who meditate with their mind firmly established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation; or who develop signless immersion.68.5Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva animitto samādhi bhāvetuṁ.This is quite enough motivation to develop signless immersion.8.6Animitto, bhikkhave, samādhi bhāvito bahulīkato mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso.When signless immersion is developed and cultivated it is very fruitful and beneficial.

9.1PTS 3.94Dvemā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyo—There are these two views.9.2bhavadiṭṭhi ca vibhavadiṭṭhi ca.Views favoring existence and views favoring nonexistence.79.3Tatra kho, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:A learned noble disciple reflects on this:9.4‘atthi nu kho taṁ kiñci lokasmiṁ yamahaṁ upādiyamāno na vajjavā assan’ti?‘Is there anything in the world that I could grasp without fault?’9.5So evaṁ pajānāti:They understand:9.6‘natthi nu kho taṁ kiñci lokasmiṁ yamahaṁ upādiyamāno na vajjavā assaṁ.‘There’s nothing in the world that I could grasp without fault.9.7Ahañhi rūpaññeva upādiyamāno upādiyeyyaṁ vedanaññeva …For in grasping I would grasp only at form, feeling,9.8saññaññeva …perception,9.9saṅkhāreyeva viññāṇaññeva upādiyamāno upādiyeyyaṁ.choices, or consciousness.9.10Tassa me assa upādānapaccayā bhavo;That grasping of mine would be a condition for continued existence.89.11bhavapaccayā jāti;Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.9.12jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhaveyyuṁ.Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.9.13Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo assā’ti.That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.’

10.1Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,What do you think, mendicants?10.2rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?Is form permanent or impermanent?”

10.3“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.“Impermanent, sir.”

10.4“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

10.5“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.“Suffering, sir.”

10.6“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:10.7‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

10.8“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

10.9“Vedanā …“Is feeling …10.10saññā …perception …10.11saṅkhārā …choices …10.12viññāṇaṁ …pe…consciousness permanent or impermanent?” …

10.13tasmātiha, bhikkhave,“So you should truly see …

10.14evaṁ passaṁ …Seeing this …10.15nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

10.16Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Elsewhere, the reason is that the monks are too noisy (MN 67:4.6, Ud 3.3:4.1).

    ↩ sn22.80:1.2

  2. Pabāḷha (“purged”) is unique in this context. Compare Sanskrit pravāhana, “driving out, evacuation”.

    ↩ sn22.80:2.2

  3. The unusual use of anta here is, I believe, a play on words. Per the commentary, it suggests the “least” of lifestyles, but it is also that which “makes an end” of suffering and future lives, as said just a few sentences below.

    ↩ sn22.80:6.1

  4. At Pvr 14:3.1, someone who is atthavasika is acting from the earnest intention for a god outcome.

    ↩ sn22.80:6.3

  5. The terms here follow the same sequence as in the Vinaya account of ordination. Generally, ordination should not be given in such cases, but if it is given, those performing it incur an offense of wrong-doing.

    Soldiers joined the Saṅgha to escape military service, so the Buddha said one should not ordain those in service to a king (Kd 1:40.1.1).

    Several rules regarding ordination of criminals were passed, the thrust of which is that wanted outlaws should not be ordained (Kd 1:41.1.1).

    Another man ordained to escape debt (Kd 1:46.1.1).

    Seventeen boys ordained as novices to get a nice livelihood (Kd 1:49.1.1).

    The only item that does not straightforwardly correspond is “in fear” (bhayaṭṭa). In the Vinaya sequence, the ordination of slaves appears at this point (Kd 1:47.1.1). The connection is suggested by the verses of the water-carrier Puṇṇikā, who speaks of living “in fear” of her masters’ abuse and beatings (Thig 12.1:1.1).

    ↩ sn22.80:6.4

  6. The “signless” (animitta) meditation is described in the canon simply as, “not focusing on any signs, one enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart” (SN 41.7:5.2, MN 43:27.2). The current passage distinguishes it from the four satipaṭṭhānas, which are called the “bases of immersion”, namely, the things on which you focus in order to achieve absorption (samādhinimitta, MN 44:12.3, cf. AN 4.14:4.2). Apparently the “signless” (or “baseless” or “featureless”) meditation proceeds without any such meditation topic. At its deepest level, it focuses on the absence of the signs of greed, hatred, and delusion (SN 41.7:6.10). Compare the “undirected” meditation of SN 47.10.

    ↩ sn22.80:8.4

  7. That is, eternalism and annihilationism.

    ↩ sn22.80:9.2

  8. Here the text integrates the aggregates with dependent origination. The aggregates are grasped by way of desire, but they also form the basis of theories of self, which is central to dependent origination (see SN 12.2:6.3 and note).

    ↩ sn22.80:9.10