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SN 45.4PTS SN 5.42 min read

Regarding the Brahmin Jānussoṇi

Jāṇussoṇibrāhmaṇasutta

Ānanda sees the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi resplendent on his all-white chariot. He asks the Buddha whether there is a similarly divine vehicle in Buddhism. The Buddha responds by drawing a detailed set of analogies between the eightfold path and a chariot.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.4Linked Discourses 45.4
  • 0.21. Avijjāvagga1. Ignorance

0.3JāṇussoṇibrāhmaṇasuttaRegarding the Brahmin Jānussoṇi

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.1.3Addasā kho āyasmā ānando jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sabbasetena vaḷavābhirathena sāvatthiyā niyyāyantaṁ.He saw the brahmin Jānussoṇi driving out of Sāvatthī in an all-white chariot drawn by mares.11.4Setā sudaṁ assā yuttā honti setālaṅkārā, seto ratho, setaparivāro, setā rasmiyo, setā patodalaṭṭhi, setaṁ chattaṁ, setaṁ uṇhīsaṁ, setāni vatthāni, setā upāhanā, setāya sudaṁ vālabījaniyā bījīyati.The yoked horses were pure white, as were the ornaments, chariot, upholstery, reins, goad, and canopy. And his turban, robes, sandals were white, as was the chowry fanning him.

1.5Tamenaṁ jano disvā evamāha:When people saw it they exclaimed,1.6“brahmaṁ vata, bho, yānaṁ.“Wow! That’s a divine vehicle!1.7Brahmayānarūpaṁ vata, bho”ti.It’s a vehicle fit for divinity!”

2.1PTS 5.5Atha kho āyasmā ānando sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding,3.1“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ.3.2Addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sabbasetena vaḷavābhirathena sāvatthiyā niyyāyantaṁ.3.3Setā sudaṁ assā yuttā honti setālaṅkārā, seto ratho, setaparivāro, setā rasmiyo, setā patodalaṭṭhi, setaṁ chattaṁ, setaṁ uṇhīsaṁ, setāni vatthāni, setā upāhanā, setāya sudaṁ vālabījaniyā bījīyati.3.4Tamenaṁ jano disvā evamāha:3.5‘brahmaṁ vata, bho, yānaṁ.3.6Brahmayānarūpaṁ vata, bho’ti.3.7Sakkā nu kho, bhante, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye brahmayānaṁ paññāpetun”ti?“Sir, can you point out a divine vehicle in this teaching and training?”

4.1“Sakkā, ānandā”ti bhagavā avoca:“I can, Ānanda,” said the Buddha.

4.2“imasseva kho etaṁ, ānanda, ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ:“These are all terms for the noble eightfold path:4.3‘brahmayānaṁ’ itipi, ‘dhammayānaṁ’ itipi, ‘anuttaro saṅgāmavijayo’ itipīti.‘divine vehicle’, or else ‘vehicle of truth’, or else ‘supreme victory in battle’.

5.1PTS 5.6Sammādiṭṭhi, ānanda, bhāvitā bahulīkatā rāgavinayapariyosānā hoti, dosavinayapariyosānā hoti, mohavinayapariyosānā hoti.When right view is developed and cultivated it culminates with the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.5.2Sammāsaṅkappo, ānanda, bhāvito bahulīkato rāgavinayapariyosāno hoti, dosavinayapariyosāno hoti, mohavinayapariyosāno hoti.When right purpose …5.3Sammāvācā, ānanda, bhāvitā bahulīkatā rāgavinayapariyosānā hoti, dosa …pe… mohavinayapariyosānā hoti.right speech …5.4Sammākammanto, ānanda, bhāvito bahulīkato rāgavinayapariyosāno hoti, dosa …pe… mohavinayapariyosāno hoti.right action …5.5Sammāājīvo, ānanda, bhāvito bahulīkato rāgavinayapariyosāno hoti, dosa …pe… mohavinayapariyosāno hoti.right livelihood …5.6Sammāvāyāmo, ānanda, bhāvito bahulīkato rāgavinayapariyosāno hoti, dosa …pe… mohavinayapariyosāno hoti.right effort …5.7Sammāsati, ānanda, bhāvitā bahulīkatā rāgavinayapariyosānā hoti, dosa …pe… mohavinayapariyosānā hoti.right mindfulness …5.8Sammāsamādhi, ānanda, bhāvito bahulīkato rāgavinayapariyosāno hoti, dosa …pe… mohavinayapariyosāno hoti.right immersion is developed and cultivated it culminates with the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.

6.1Iminā kho etaṁ, ānanda, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā imassevetaṁ ariyassa aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ:This is a way to understand how these are all terms for the noble eightfold path:6.2‘brahmayānaṁ’ itipi, ‘dhammayānaṁ’ itipi, ‘anuttaro saṅgāmavijayo’ itipī”ti.‘divine vehicle’, or else ‘vehicle of truth’, or else ‘supreme victory in battle’.”

6.3Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.

7.1Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:2

8.1“Yassa saddhā ca paññā ca,“Of which the qualities of faith and wisdom38.2Dhammā yuttā sadā dhuraṁ;are always yoked to the shaft;8.3Hirī īsā mano yottaṁ,conscience its draft-pole, mind its strap,48.4Sati ārakkhasārathi.mindfulness its careful driver;

9.1Ratho sīlaparikkhāro,the chariot equipped with ethics,59.2jhānakkho cakkavīriyo;its axle absorption, energy its wheel;9.3Upekkhā dhurasamādhi,equanimity and immersion its draft-pole,69.4anicchā parivāraṇaṁ.desirelessness its upholstery;7

10.1Abyāpādo avihiṁsā,of which good will, harmlessness,10.2viveko yassa āvudhaṁ;and seclusion are its weaponry;10.3Titikkhā cammasannāho,endurance, its shield and armor:810.4yogakkhemāya vattati.to sanctuary from the yoke it rolls—

11.1Etadattani sambhūtaṁ,this, originating in oneself,911.2brahmayānaṁ anuttaraṁ;is the supreme divine vehicle.11.3Niyyanti dhīrā lokamhā,The attentive leave the world in it,11.4aññadatthu jayaṁ jayan”ti.sure of winning the victory.”

11.5Catutthaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. For Jānussoṇi, see SN 12.47:1.2 and note.

    A chariot drawn by mares was the preferred vehicle of Jānussoṇi (MN 99:30.1, MN 27:2.1), as well as the brahmin student Ambaṭṭha DN 3:1.6.1. Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.2.1 depicts Jānaśruti’s wealth as including cows, gold, and a chariot drawn by mules.

    ↩ sn45.4:1.3

  2. Verses connecting parts of the Dhamma to a chariot are also found at SN 1.46 and SN 41.5.

    ↩ sn45.4:7.1

  3. The yassa (“of which …”) with which the verses open is not answered until etad (“this”) in the final verse. This creates a suspension over the entire text, like an unresolved note in a chord sequence. The suspense is further heightened by the absence of active verbs, drawing out the moment when movement finally starts; and it is literal movement, as the chariot “rolls” right into the resolution of “this” in the final verse. Only then is the true nature of the “divine vehicle” revealed. Such elaborate literary conceits, rare in the Suttas, are common in the Vedas. It is employed here to evoke the sophistication of Vedic verse, paralleling the luxury of the chariot. While I normally do not attempt to mimic Pali syntax so literally, here I feel the poetic effect is dramatic enough that it’s worth trying.

    ↩ sn45.4:8.1

  4. It is not easy to differentiate the dhura (“shaft”) from the īsā (“draft-pole”). The īsā is like the tusks of an elephant (MN 61.7.1, Ud 6.4:24.2), a forepart that might collide (SN 11.6:2.2), and which a colt might shake off (AN 8.14:12.4). Certain ancient images, such as the Indus Valley Daimabad toy chariot, clearly show a second part, a thicker “shaft” with a cylindrical end into which the draft-pole was fitted, which is perhaps the load-bearing dhura.

    ↩ sn45.4:8.3

  5. Here at the start of the second verse is a partial resolution as the subject, left implicit in the first verse, is revealed.

    ↩ sn45.4:9.1

  6. The Chinese parallel at SA 769 is helpful: 捨三昧為轅.

    ↩ sn45.4:9.3

  7. Elaborate “upholstery” is described at DN 17:2.5.7.

    ↩ sn45.4:9.4

  8. As the soma “endures” the blows of the pressing stone (Rig Veda 2.13.3).

    ↩ sn45.4:10.3

  9. The text plays with Vedic expressions, but the intent is purely Buddhist—the path rolls onwards due to one’s own practice.

    ↩ sn45.4:11.1