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SN 7.21PTS (1st ed) SN 1.1822 min read

With Saṅgārava

Saṅgāravasutta

A brahmin believes that by bathing he can wash away his sins. But the Buddha speaks of the Dhamma as a lake for true purification.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.21Linked Discourses 7.21
  • 0.22. Upāsakavagga2. Lay Followers

0.3SaṅgāravasuttaWith Saṅgārava

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Tena kho pana samayena saṅgāravo nāma brāhmaṇo sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasati udakasuddhiko, udakena parisuddhiṁ pacceti, sāyaṁ pātaṁ udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.Now at that time there was a brahmin named Saṅgārava staying in Sāvatthī. He practiced purification by water, believing in purification by water. He lived committed to the practice of immersing himself in water at daybreak and dusk.11.3Atha 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.

1.4Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:He 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 said to him,1.5“idha, bhante, saṅgāravo nāma brāhmaṇo sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasati udakasuddhiko, udakena suddhiṁ pacceti, sāyaṁ pātaṁ udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.“Sir, there is a brahmin named Saṅgārava staying in Sāvatthī. He practices purification by water, believing in purification by water. He lives devoted to ritual bathing at daybreak and dusk.1.6Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā yena saṅgāravassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.Please visit him at his home out of sympathy.”1.7Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.The Buddha consented with silence.

2.1Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena saṅgāravassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the brahmin Saṅgārava, and sat down on the seat spread out.2.2Atha kho saṅgāravo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.Then the brahmin Saṅgārava went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

2.3Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho saṅgāravaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,2.4“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, udakasuddhiko, udakena suddhiṁ paccesi, sāyaṁ pātaṁ udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharasī”ti?“Is it really true, brahmin, that you practice purification by water, believing in purification by water; that you live committed to the practice of immersing yourself in water at daybreak and dusk?”

2.5“Evaṁ, bho gotama”.“Yes, worthy Gotama.”

2.6“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno udakasuddhiko, udakasuddhiṁ paccesi, sāyaṁ pātaṁ udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharasī”ti?“But brahmin, for what reason do you practice purification by water?”

2.7“Idha me, bho gotama, yaṁ divā pāpakammaṁ kataṁ hoti, taṁ sāyaṁ nhānena pavāhemi, yaṁ rattiṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ hoti taṁ pātaṁ nhānena pavāhemi.“It’s because, Worthy Gotama, whatever bad deeds I’ve done during the day I rinse off by bathing at dusk; and whatever bad deeds I’ve done during the night, I rinse off by bathing at dawn.22.8Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bho gotama, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno udakasuddhiko, udakena suddhiṁ paccemi, sāyaṁ pātaṁ udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharāmī”ti.That’s the reason why I practice purification by water.”

3.1“Dhammo rahado brāhmaṇa sīlatittho,“The teaching is a lake, brahmin, <j>into which ethics are the stairs,3.2Anāvilo sabbhi sataṁ pasattho;unclouded, praised by the fine to the good.3.3Yattha have vedaguno sinātā,There the knowledge masters go to bathe,3.4Anallagattāva taranti pāran”ti.and cross to the far shore with dry limbs.”

4.1Evaṁ vutte, saṅgāravo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, Saṅgārava said to the Buddha,4.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …4.3upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Translator’s notes

  1. A Saṅgārava of Sāvatthī appears in a number of discourses, and his spiritual progression can be traced. Here he practices purification in water, and (apparently later) asked the Buddha about sacrifice (AN 3.60). He further asked how hymns are remembered (SN 46.55, AN 5.193). In all these discourses he was said to have gone for refuge at the end. Finally he asks the more meaningful spiritual question about the near shore and far shore (AN 10.117, AN 10.169). It is possible that the teenage “student” (māṇava) Saṅgārava living at Caṇḍalakappa (MN 100) graduated and moved to nearby Sāvatthī where he became known as the “brahmin” Saṅgārava. This would only make sense, however, if we disregard the statements on going for refuge, as he clearly followed the Brahmanical path for quite some time. See too note on SN 46.55:2.2.

    ↩ sn7.21:1.2
  2. This quasi-physical understanding of good and evil predates the Buddha, and is found among Jains as well. The practice of ritual bathing is also listed among the self-mortifications, but it seems to fit better here, as bathing in India is not unpleasant (MN 12:45.12).

    ↩ sn7.21:2.7