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SN 42.8PTS SN 4.3175 min read

A Horn Blower

Saṅkhadhamasutta

The Buddha asks the chief Asibandhakaputta, a Jain, how Mahāvīra the Jain leader teaches his followers. He replies that you go to a rebirth depending on what you usually do. But the Buddha points out that even a killer only spends a small amount of time actually killing. The Buddha’s approach is to point out that deeds have results, and to encourage the abandoing of bad deeds and the adoption of good deeds.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 42.8Linked Discourses 42.8
  • 0.21. Gāmaṇivagga1. Chiefs

0.3SaṅkhadhamasuttaA Horn Blower

1.1PTS 4.318Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.At one time the Buddha was staying near Nāḷandā in Pāvārika’s Mango Grove.

1.2Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi nigaṇṭhasāvako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho asibandhakaputtaṁ gāmaṇiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:Then Asibandhaka’s son the chief, who was a disciple of the Jains, went up to the Buddha, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,1.3“kathaṁ nu kho, gāmaṇi, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desetī”ti?“Chief, how does the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan teach his disciples?”

1.4“Evaṁ kho, bhante, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:“Sir, this is how the Jain Ñātika teaches his disciples:1.5‘yo koci pāṇaṁ atipāteti, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko, yo koci adinnaṁ ādiyati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko, yo koci kāmesu micchā carati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko, yo koci musā bhaṇati sabbo, so āpāyiko nerayiko.‘Everyone who kills a living creature, steals, commits sexual misconduct, or lies goes to a place of loss, to hell.1.6Yaṁbahulaṁ yaṁbahulaṁ viharati, tena tena nīyatī’ti.You’re led on by what you frequently live by.’11.7Evaṁ kho, bhante, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desetī”ti.This is how the Jain Ñātika teaches his disciples.”

1.8“‘Yaṁbahulaṁ yaṁbahulañca, gāmaṇi, viharati, tena tena nīyati’, evaṁ sante na koci āpāyiko nerayiko bhavissati, yathā nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa vacanaṁ.“‘You’re led on by what you usually live by’: if this were true, then, according to what the Jain Ñātika says, no one would go to a place of loss, to hell.

2.1Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,What do you think, chief?2.2yo so puriso pāṇātipātī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, katamo bahutaro samayo, yaṁ vā so pāṇamatipāteti, yaṁ vā so pāṇaṁ nātipātetī”ti?Take a person who kills living creatures. If we compare periods of time during the day and night, which is more frequent: the occasions when they’re killing or when they’re not killing?”

2.3“Yo so, bhante, puriso pāṇātipātī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, appataro so samayo yaṁ so pāṇamatipāteti, atha kho sveva bahutaro samayo yaṁ so pāṇaṁ nātipātetī”ti.“The occasions when they’re killing are less frequent, while the occasions when they’re not killing are more frequent.”

2.4“‘Yaṁbahulaṁ yaṁbahulañca, gāmaṇi, viharati tena tena nīyatī’ti, evaṁ sante na koci āpāyiko nerayiko bhavissati, yathā nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa vacanaṁ.“‘You’re led on by what you usually live by’: if this were true, then, according to what the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan says, no one would go to a place of loss, to hell.

3.1Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi,What do you think, chief?3.2yo so puriso adinnādāyī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, katamo bahutaro samayo, yaṁ vā so adinnaṁ ādiyati, yaṁ vā so adinnaṁ nādiyatī”ti.Take a person who steals …3.3“Yo so, bhante, puriso adinnādāyī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya appataro so samayo, yaṁ so adinnaṁ ādiyati, atha kho sveva bahutaro samayo, yaṁ so adinnaṁ nādiyatī”ti.3.4“‘Yaṁbahulaṁ yaṁbahulañca, gāmaṇi, viharati tena tena nīyatī’ti, evaṁ sante na koci āpāyiko nerayiko bhavissati, yathā nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa vacanaṁ.

4.1PTS 4.319Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso kāmesumicchācārī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, katamo bahutaro samayo, yaṁ vā so kāmesu micchā carati, yaṁ vā so kāmesu micchā na caratī”ti?Take a person who commits sexual misconduct …4.2“Yo so, bhante, puriso kāmesumicchācārī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, appataro so samayo yaṁ so kāmesu micchā carati, atha kho sveva bahutaro samayo, yaṁ so kāmesu micchā na caratī”ti.4.3“‘Yaṁbahulaṁ yaṁbahulañca, gāmaṇi, viharati tena tena nīyatī’ti, evaṁ sante na koci āpāyiko nerayiko bhavissati, yathā nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa vacanaṁ.

5.1Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, yo so puriso musāvādī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, katamo bahutaro samayo, yaṁ vā so musā bhaṇati, yaṁ vā so musā na bhaṇatī”ti?Take a person who lies. If we compare periods of time during the day and night, which is more frequent: the occasions when they’re lying or when they’re not lying?”

5.2“Yo so, bhante, puriso musāvādī rattiyā vā divasassa vā samayāsamayaṁ upādāya, appataro so samayo, yaṁ so musā bhaṇati, atha kho sveva bahutaro samayo, yaṁ so musā na bhaṇatī”ti.“The occasions when they’re lying are less frequent, while the occasions when they’re not lying are more frequent.”

5.3“‘Yaṁbahulaṁ yaṁbahulañca, gāmaṇi, viharati tena tena nīyatī’ti, evaṁ sante na koci āpāyiko nerayiko bhavissati, yathā nigaṇṭhassa nāṭaputtassa vacanaṁ.“‘You’re led on by what you usually live by’: if this were true, then, according to what the Jain Ñātika says, no one would go to a place of loss, to hell.

6.1PTS 4.320Idha, gāmaṇi, ekacco satthā evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi:Take some teacher who has this doctrine and view:6.2‘yo koci pāṇamatipāteti, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko, yo koci adinnaṁ ādiyati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko, yo koci kāmesu micchā carati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko, yo koci musā bhaṇati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko’ti.‘Everyone who kills a living creature, steals, commits sexual misconduct, or lies goes to a place of loss, to hell.’6.3Tasmiṁ kho pana, gāmaṇi, satthari sāvako abhippasanno hoti.And there’s a disciple who is devoted to that teacher.6.4Tassa evaṁ hoti:They think:6.5‘mayhaṁ kho satthā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—‘My teacher has this doctrine and view:6.6yo koci pāṇamatipāteti, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayikoti.“Everyone who kills a living creature, steals, commits sexual misconduct, or lies goes to a place of loss, to hell.”6.7Atthi kho pana mayā pāṇo atipātito, ahampamhi āpāyiko nerayikoti diṭṭhiṁ paṭilabhati.But I’ve killed living creatures …6.8Taṁ, gāmaṇi, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.6.9Mayhaṁ kho satthā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—6.10yo koci adinnaṁ ādiyati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayikoti.6.11Atthi kho pana mayā adinnaṁ ādinnaṁ ahampamhi āpāyiko nerayikoti diṭṭhiṁ paṭilabhati.stolen …6.12Taṁ, gāmaṇi, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.6.13Mayhaṁ kho satthā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—6.14yo koci kāmesu micchā carati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayiko’ti.6.15Atthi kho pana mayā kāmesu micchā ciṇṇaṁ.committed sexual misconduct …6.16‘Ahampamhi āpāyiko nerayiko’ti diṭṭhiṁ paṭilabhati.6.17Taṁ, gāmaṇi, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.6.18Mayhaṁ kho satthā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—6.19yo koci musā bhaṇati, sabbo so āpāyiko nerayikoti.6.20Atthi kho pana mayā musā bhaṇitaṁ.or lied.’6.21‘Ahampamhi āpāyiko nerayiko’ti diṭṭhiṁ paṭilabhati.They get the view: ‘I too am going to a place of loss, to hell.’6.22Taṁ, gāmaṇi, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.Unless they give up that speech and that thought, and let go of that view, they will be placed in hell as if delivered there.

7.1Idha pana, gāmaṇi, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.But consider when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.7.2So anekapariyāyena pāṇātipātaṁ garahati vigarahati, ‘pāṇātipātā viramathā’ti cāha.In many ways he criticizes and denounces killing living creatures, saying: ‘Stop killing living creatures!’7.3Adinnādānaṁ garahati vigarahati, ‘adinnādānā viramathā’ti cāha.He criticizes and denounces stealing …7.4Kāmesumicchācāraṁ garahati, vigarahati ‘kāmesumicchācārā viramathā’ti cāha.sexual misconduct …7.5Musāvādaṁ garahati vigarahati ‘musāvādā viramathā’ti cāha.lying, saying: ‘Stop lying!’7.6Tasmiṁ kho pana, gāmaṇi, satthari sāvako abhippasanno hoti.And there’s a disciple who is devoted to that teacher.27.7So iti paṭisañcikkhati:Then they reflect:7.8‘bhagavā kho anekapariyāyena pāṇātipātaṁ garahati vigarahati, pāṇātipātā viramathāti cāha.‘In many ways the Buddha criticizes and denounces killing living creatures, saying: “Stop killing living creatures!”7.9Atthi kho pana mayā pāṇo atipātito yāvatako vā tāvatako vā.But I have killed living creatures to a certain extent.7.10Yo kho pana mayā pāṇo atipātito yāvatako vā tāvatako vā, taṁ na suṭṭhu, taṁ na sādhu.That’s not right, it’s not good,7.11Ahañceva kho pana tappaccayā vippaṭisārī assaṁ.and I feel remorseful because of it.7.12Na metaṁ pāpaṁ kammaṁ akataṁ bhavissatī’ti.But I can’t undo what I have done.’7.13So iti paṭisaṅkhāya tañceva pāṇātipātaṁ pajahati.Reflecting like this, they give up killing living creatures,7.14Āyatiñca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti.and in future they don’t kill living creatures.7.15Evametassa pāpassa kammassa pahānaṁ hoti.That’s how to give up this bad deed7.16Evametassa pāpassa kammassa samatikkamo hoti.and get past it.

8.1PTS 4.321‘Bhagavā kho anekapariyāyena adinnādānaṁ garahati vigarahati, adinnādānā viramathāti cāha.‘In many ways the Buddha criticizes and denounces stealing …’8.2Atthi kho pana mayā adinnaṁ ādinnaṁ yāvatakaṁ vā tāvatakaṁ vā.8.3Yaṁ kho pana mayā adinnaṁ ādinnaṁ yāvatakaṁ vā tāvatakaṁ vā taṁ na suṭṭhu, taṁ na sādhu.8.4Ahañceva kho pana tappaccayā vippaṭisārī assaṁ, na metaṁ pāpaṁ kammaṁ akataṁ bhavissatī’ti.8.5So iti paṭisaṅkhāya tañceva adinnādānaṁ pajahati.8.6Āyatiñca adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti.8.7Evametassa pāpassa kammassa pahānaṁ hoti.8.8Evametassa pāpassa kammassa samatikkamo hoti.

9.1‘Bhagavā kho pana anekapariyāyena kāmesumicchācāraṁ garahati vigarahati, kāmesumicchācārā viramathāti cāha.‘In many ways the Buddha criticizes and denounces sexual misconduct …’9.2Atthi kho pana mayā kāmesu micchā ciṇṇaṁ yāvatakaṁ vā tāvatakaṁ vā.9.3Yaṁ kho pana mayā kāmesu micchā ciṇṇaṁ yāvatakaṁ vā tāvatakaṁ vā taṁ na suṭṭhu, taṁ na sādhu.9.4Ahañceva kho pana tappaccayā vippaṭisārī assaṁ, na metaṁ pāpaṁ kammaṁ akataṁ bhavissatī’ti.9.5So iti paṭisaṅkhāya tañceva kāmesumicchācāraṁ pajahati, āyatiñca kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti.9.6Evametassa pāpassa kammassa pahānaṁ hoti.9.7Evametassa pāpassa kammassa samatikkamo hoti.

10.1‘Bhagavā kho pana anekapariyāyena musāvādaṁ garahati vigarahati, musāvādā viramathāti cāha.‘In many ways the Buddha criticizes and denounces lying, saying: “Stop lying!”10.2Atthi kho pana mayā musā bhaṇitaṁ yāvatakaṁ vā tāvatakaṁ vā.But I have lied to a certain extent.10.3Yaṁ kho pana mayā musā bhaṇitaṁ yāvatakaṁ vā tāvatakaṁ vā taṁ na suṭṭhu, taṁ na sādhu. Ahañceva kho pana tappaccayā vippaṭisārī assaṁ, na metaṁ pāpaṁ kammaṁ akataṁ bhavissatī’ti.That’s not right, it’s not good, and I feel remorseful because of it. But I can’t undo what I have done.’10.4So iti paṭisaṅkhāya tañceva musāvādaṁ pajahati, āyatiñca musāvādā paṭivirato hoti.Reflecting like this, they give up lying, and in future they refrain from lying.10.5Evametassa pāpassa kammassa pahānaṁ hoti. Evametassa pāpassa kammassa samatikkamo hoti.That’s how to give up this bad deed and get past it.

11.1PTS 4.322So pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti.They give up killing living creatures.311.2Adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti.They give up stealing.11.3Kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti.They give up sexual misconduct.11.4Musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti.They give up lying.11.5Pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti.They give up backbiting.11.6Pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti.They give up harsh speech.11.7Samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti.They give up talking nonsense.11.8Abhijjhaṁ pahāya anabhijjhālu hoti.They give up covetousness.11.9Byāpādappadosaṁ pahāya abyāpannacitto hoti.They give up ill will and malevolence.11.10Micchādiṭṭhiṁ pahāya sammādiṭṭhiko hoti.They give up wrong view and have right view.

12.1Sa kho so, gāmaṇi, ariyasāvako evaṁ vigatābhijjho vigatabyāpādo asammūḷho sampajāno paṭissato mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.That noble disciple is rid of desire, rid of ill will, unconfused, aware, and mindful. They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.412.2Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, balavā saṅkhadhamo appakasireneva catuddisā viññāpeyya;Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They’d easily make themselves heard in the four quarters.512.3evameva kho, gāmaṇi, evaṁ bhāvitāya mettāya cetovimuttiyā evaṁ bahulīkatāya yaṁ pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ, na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhati.In the same way, when the heart’s release by love has been developed and cultivated like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there.6

13.1Sa kho so, gāmaṇi, ariyasāvako evaṁ vigatābhijjho vigatabyāpādo asammūḷho sampajāno paṭissato karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…Then that noble disciple is rid of desire, rid of ill will, unconfused, aware, and mindful. They meditate spreading a heart full of compassion …713.2muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe….They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing …813.3Upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.913.4Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, balavā saṅkhadhamo appakasireneva catuddisā viññāpeyya;Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They’d easily make themselves heard in the four quarters.13.5evameva kho, gāmaṇi, evaṁ bhāvitāya upekkhāya cetovimuttiyā evaṁ bahulīkatāya yaṁ pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhatī”ti.In the same way, when the heart’s release by equanimity has been developed and cultivated like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there.”

14.1Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he said this, Asibandhaka’s son the chief said to the Buddha,14.2“abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…“Excellent, sir! Excellent! …14.3upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

14.4Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This saying echoes Sūtrakṛtāṅga 1.5.1.4–5, but appears to misrepresent the Jain text. There, Mahāvīra says a person who “relentlessly kills movable and immovable beings for the sake of his own comfort, who injures them, who takes what is not freely given, who does not train at all in what is to be cultivated, the impudent sinner who, unsated, injures many beings will go to hell” (translation adapted from Jacobi). The closeness of the two passages is shown by the form: the first phrase speaks of the ill deeds that are done, while the second phrase in both cases uses the word bahuṇa/bahula, “frequently, repeatedly, usually”. The use of “relentlessly” (tivva, Pali tibba, Sanskrit tīrva) implies a violent and excessive action. As quoted in the Pali, the first phrase of Mahāvīra’s view suggests that anyone at all who kills will go to hell. This sense is conveyed through the emphatic distributive pronoun yo koci (“everyone who”), whereas the Jain text has the unemphatic je (“one who”). The Jain text restricts the distributive to one who does not train “at all” (kiṁci). Thus the thrust of the Jain passage is that one who frequently kills for their own pleasure, without even trying to do better, will go to hell. The sense of the Pali passage is both more severe and less coherent, as the first phrase implies that any killer goes to hell, while the second speaks of habitual action.

    ↩ sn42.8:1.6

  2. The following passage shows a healthy response to one’s own ethical lapses, lost neither in guilt nor in denial, but acknowledging the mistake and determining to do better.

    ↩ sn42.8:7.6

  3. These are the “ten ways of doing skillful deeds” (dasakusalakammapathā). There is a detailed explanation at MN 41:7.1.

    ↩ sn42.8:11.1

  4. Established on skillful deeds of body, speech, and mind, they undertake the set of four meditations known in later traditions as either the “divine meditations” (brahmavihārā) or the “immeasurables” (appamaññā). These are four wholesome emotional states that can be developed as a basis for samādhi. They were evidently pre-Buddhist, although they have not been traced as a group in pre-Buddhist texts. However, they are shared with later non-Buddhist texts such as Yogasūtra 1.33 and the Jain Tattvārthasūtra 7.11.

    “Love” (mettā) is a universal positive regard and well-wishing free of personal desires or attachments.

    ↩ sn42.8:12.1

  5. See MN 99:24.4, DN 13:77.1.

    ↩ sn42.8:12.2

  6. The mind in jhāna is so powerful that it effectively overrides any limited kamma, including ordinary good or bad deeds. Unless they have committed serious crimes with a fixed kammic result such as matricide, etc., the meditator will be reborn in a Brahmā realm.

    ↩ sn42.8:12.3

  7. “Compassion” (karuṇā) is the quality of empathy with the suffering of another or oneself and the wish to remove it.

    ↩ sn42.8:13.1

  8. “Rejoicing” (muditā) is joyful celebration in the success of others or oneself, free of jealousy or cynicism.

    ↩ sn42.8:13.2

  9. Equanimity (upekkhā) is literally “close watching”, not interfering but standing ready when needed. It is not indifference, which is why it emerges only at the end, after the positive emotions are developed.

    ↩ sn42.8:13.3