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SN 42.5PTS SN 4.3101 min read

A Cavalryman

Assārohasutta

Assāroha the cavalry warrior asks the Buddha whether the belief that warriors have a good rebirth is correct. The Buddha tries to dissuade him, but ultimately reveals that by following the way of violence they head to a bad rebirth. Assāroha is distressed and asks to ordain.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 42.5Linked Discourses 42.5
  • 0.21. Gāmaṇivagga1. Chiefs

0.3AssārohasuttaA Cavalryman

1.1Atha kho assāroho gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho assāroho gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then a cavalry chief went up to the Buddha …1.2“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ assārohānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:1.3‘yo so assāroho saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti.1.4Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?1.5“Alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī”ti.

2.1Dutiyampi kho …pe…2.2tatiyampi kho assāroho gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:2.3“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, pubbakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ assārohānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:2.4‘yo so assāroho saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti.2.5Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?

3.1PTS 4.311“Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, na labhāmi:3.2‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’ti.3.3Api ca kho tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi.3.4Yo so, gāmaṇi, assāroho saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati tassa taṁ cittaṁ pubbe gahitaṁ dukkaṭaṁ duppaṇihitaṁ:3.5‘ime sattā haññantu vā bajjhantu vā ucchijjantu vā vinassantu vā mā ahesuṁ iti vā’ti.3.6Tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajito nāma nirayo tattha upapajjati.3.7Sace kho panassa evaṁ diṭṭhi hoti:3.8‘yo so assāroho saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’ti, sāssa hoti micchādiṭṭhi.3.9Micchādiṭṭhikassa kho panāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, purisapuggalassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—3.10nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā”ti.

4.1Evaṁ vutte, assāroho gāmaṇi parodi, assūni pavattesi.4.2“Etaṁ kho tyāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, nālatthaṁ:4.3‘alaṁ, gāmaṇi, tiṭṭhatetaṁ; mā maṁ etaṁ pucchī’”ti.4.4“Nāhaṁ, bhante, etaṁ rodāmi yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evamāha.4.5Api cāhaṁ, bhante, pubbakehi ācariyapācariyehi assārohehi dīgharattaṁ nikato vañcito paluddho:4.6‘yo so assāroho saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tamenaṁ ussahantaṁ vāyamantaṁ pare hananti pariyāpādenti, so kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā parajitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī’”ti.4.7“Abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…4.8ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.“From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

4.9Pañcamaṁ.