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SN 7.5PTS (1st ed) SN 1.1641 min read

Harmless

Ahiṁsakasutta

A brahmin called “Harmless” visits the Buddha, who teaches him the true meaning of harmlessness.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.5Linked Discourses 7.5
  • 0.21. Arahantavagga1. The Perfected Ones

0.3AhiṁsakasuttaHarmless

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Atha kho ahiṁsakabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.Then the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Harmless went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

1.3Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho ahiṁsakabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said,1.4“ahiṁsakāhaṁ, bho gotama, ahiṁsakāhaṁ, bho gotamā”ti.“I am Harmless, worthy Gotama, I am Harmless!”1

2.1“Yathā nāmaṁ tathā cassa,“If you were really like your name,2.2siyā kho tvaṁ ahiṁsako;then you’d be Harmless.2.3Yo ca kāyena vācāya,But a truly harmless person2.4manasā ca na hiṁsati;does no harm by way of2.5Sa ve ahiṁsako hoti,body, speech, or mind;2.6yo paraṁ na vihiṁsatī”ti.they don’t harm anyone else.”

3.1Evaṁ vutte, ahiṁsakabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Harmless said to the Buddha,3.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! …” …3.3abbhaññāsi.3.4Aññataro ca panāyasmā ahiṁsakabhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Bhāradvāja the Harmless became one of the perfected.

Translator’s notes

  1. The name “harmless” (ahiṁsaka) was also given to Aṅgulimāla after his awakening (MN 86:18.35).

    ↩ sn7.5:1.4