1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—∥So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākaccāno avantīsu viharati kuraraghare pavatte pabbate.Now at that time Venerable Mahākaccāna was staying in the land of the Avantis near Kuraraghara on Steep Mountain.1.4Tena kho pana samayena soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo āyasmato mahākaccānassa upaṭṭhāko hoti.And the layman Soṇa of the Sharp Ears was Mahākaccāna’s attendant.

2.1Atha kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:Then as Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,2.2“yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.“As I understand Master Mahākaccāna’s teachings, it’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell.2.3Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan”ti.Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?”

3.1Atha kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then Soṇa went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then he said,3.2Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

4.1“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:4.2‘yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.4.3Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.4.4Pabbājetu maṁ, bhante, ayyo mahākaccāno”ti.“May Master Mahākaccāna please give me the going forth!”

5.1Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mahākaccāno soṇaṁ upāsakaṁ kuṭikaṇṇaṁ etadavoca:When this was said, Mahākaccāna said to him,5.2“dukkaraṁ kho, soṇa, yāvajīvaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.“It’s hard to lead the spiritual life as long as you live, eating in one part of the day and sleeping alone.5.3Iṅgha tvaṁ, soṇa, tattheva āgārikabhūto samāno buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ anuyuñja kālayuttaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyan”ti.Come now, Soṇa, while remaining a layperson just as you are, devote yourself to the instructions of the Buddhas, leading the spiritual life at suitable times, eating in one part of the day and sleeping alone.”5.4Atha kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa yo ahosi pabbajjābhisaṅkhāro so paṭipassambhi.Then Soṇa’s aspiration to go forth died down.

6.1Dutiyampi kho …pe…For a second time, while in private retreat the thought came to Soṇa that he should go forth, but the outcome was the same.6.2dutiyampi kho āyasmā mahākaccāno soṇaṁ upāsakaṁ kuṭikaṇṇaṁ etadavoca:6.3“dukkaraṁ kho, soṇa, yāvajīvaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.6.4Iṅgha tvaṁ, soṇa, tattheva āgārikabhūto samāno buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ anuyuñja kālayuttaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyan”ti.6.5Dutiyampi kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa yo ahosi pabbajjābhisaṅkhāro so paṭipassambhi.

7.1Tatiyampi kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:For a third time, as Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,7.2“yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.“As I understand Master Mahākaccāna’s teachings, it’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell.7.3Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan”ti.Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?”7.4Tatiyampi kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.For a third time, Soṇa went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then he said,7.5Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

8.1“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:8.2‘yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.8.3Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.8.4Pabbājetu maṁ, bhante, ayyo mahākaccāno”ti.“May Master Mahākaccāna please give me the going forth!”

9.1Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno soṇaṁ upāsakaṁ kuṭikaṇṇaṁ pabbājesi.Then Mahākaccāna gave Soṇa the going forth.9.2Tena kho pana samayena avantidakkhiṇāpatho appabhikkhuko hoti.Now at that time the southern region, including Avanti, was short of monks.9.3Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno tiṇṇaṁ vassānaṁ accayena kicchena kasirena tato tato dasavaggaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātetvā āyasmantaṁ soṇaṁ upasampādesi.It took three years and much struggle and difficulty before Venerable Mahākaccāna was able to assemble from here and there a Saṅgha consisting of ten monks and give Venerable Soṇa the full ordination.

10.1Atha kho āyasmato soṇassa vassaṁvuṭṭhassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:Then as Venerable Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,10.2“na kho me so bhagavā sammukhā diṭṭho, api ca sutoyeva me:“I have not personally seen the Buddha. I have only heard reports that10.3‘so bhagavā īdiso ca īdiso cā’ti.that Blessed One is like this or like that.10.4Sace maṁ upajjhāyo anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhan”ti.If my mentor allows, I should go to see that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.”

11.1Atha kho āyasmā soṇo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then in the late afternoon, Soṇa came out of retreat, went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then Mahākaccāna said,11.2Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā soṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

12.1“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:12.2‘na kho me so bhagavā sammukhā diṭṭho, api ca sutoyeva me—12.3so bhagavā īdiso ca īdiso cā’ti.12.4Sace maṁ upajjhāyo anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhan”ti.12.5(…)

13.1“Sādhu sādhu, soṇa;“Good, good, Soṇa!13.2gaccha tvaṁ, soṇa, taṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ.Go to see the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.13.3Dakkhissasi tvaṁ, soṇa, taṁ bhagavantaṁ pāsādikaṁ pasādanīyaṁ santindriyaṁ santamānasaṁ uttamadamathasamathamanuppattaṁ dantaṁ guttaṁ yatindriyaṁ nāgaṁ.You will see that Blessed One who is impressive and inspiring, with peaceful faculties and heart, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties.13.4Disvāna mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ puccha:On seeing him, in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably, saying,13.5‘upajjhāyo me, bhante, āyasmā mahākaccāno bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchatī’”ti.‘Sir, my mentor Venerable Mahākaccāna bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.’”

14.1“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā soṇo āyasmato mahākaccānassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sāvatthi tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.Saying, “Yes, sir,” Soṇa welcomed and agreed with Mahākaccāna’s words. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled Mahākaccāna, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sāvatthī.14.2Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sāvatthi jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Eventually he came to Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Grove. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.14.3Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā soṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Soṇa said to the Buddha,14.4“upajjhāyo me, bhante, āyasmā mahākaccāno bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchatī”ti.“Sir, my mentor Venerable Mahākaccāna bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.”

15.1“Kacci, bhikkhu, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kaccisi appakilamathena addhānaṁ āgato, na ca piṇḍakena kilantosī”ti?“I hope you’re keeping well, mendicant, I hope you’re all right. And I hope you have arrived from your journey unwearied, having had no trouble getting almsfood.”15.2“Khamanīyaṁ, bhagavā, yāpanīyaṁ, bhagavā, appakilamathena cāhaṁ, bhante, addhānaṁ āgato, na ca piṇḍakena kilantomhī”ti.“I’m keeping well, Blessed One, I’m all right. And I have arrived from my journey unwearied, having had no trouble getting almsfood.”

16.1Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,16.2“imassānanda, āgantukassa bhikkhuno senāsanaṁ paññāpehī”ti.“Prepare lodgings for this visiting mendicant.”16.3Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:Then Venerable Ānanda thought,16.4“yassa kho maṁ bhagavā āṇāpeti:“When the Buddha orders me16.5‘imassānanda, āgantukassa bhikkhuno senāsanaṁ paññāpehī’ti, icchati bhagavā tena bhikkhunā saddhiṁ ekavihāre vatthuṁ, icchati bhagavā āyasmatā soṇena saddhiṁ ekavihāre vatthun”ti.to prepare lodgings for a specific mendicant, he wishes to stay in the same dwelling with that mendicant. The Buddha wishes to stay together with Venerable Soṇa.”16.6Yasmiṁ vihāre bhagavā viharati, tasmiṁ vihāre āyasmato soṇassa senāsanaṁ paññāpesi.He prepared lodgings for Soṇa in the same dwelling where the Buddha was staying.

17.1Atha kho bhagavā bahudeva rattiṁ abbhokāse nisajjāya vītināmetvā pāde pakkhāletvā vihāraṁ pāvisi.The Buddha spent much of the night sitting meditation in the open. Then he got up from his seat, washed his feet, and entered the dwelling.17.2Āyasmāpi kho soṇo bahudeva rattiṁ abbhokāse nisajjāya vītināmetvā pāde pakkhāletvā vihāraṁ pāvisi.Venerable Soṇa did the same.17.3Atha kho bhagavā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya āyasmantaṁ soṇaṁ ajjhesi:Then the Buddha rose at the crack of dawn and addressed Soṇa,17.4“paṭibhātu taṁ, bhikkhu, dhammo bhāsitun”ti.“Speak some Dhamma, mendicant, as you feel inspired.”

18.1“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā soṇo bhagavato paṭissutvā soḷasa aṭṭhakavaggikāni sabbāneva sarena abhaṇi.∥“Yes, sir,” replied Soṇa. He intoned all sixteen discourses in the Chapter of the Eights.¹18.2Atha kho bhagavā āyasmato soṇassa sarabhaññapariyosāne abbhanumodi:When Soṇa finished his intoning, the Buddha applauded, saying,18.3“sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu, suggahitāni te, bhikkhu, soḷasa aṭṭhakavaggikāni sumanasikatāni sūpadhāritāni, kalyāṇiyāsi vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā.“Good, good, mendicant! You have learned the sixteen discourses of the Chapter of the Eights well, you have applied the mind and remembered it well. You are a good speaker, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning.18.4Kati vassosi tvaṁ, bhikkhū”ti?How many rains have you been ordained, mendicant?”18.5“Ekavasso ahaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“I have one rains, Blessed One.”18.6“Kissa pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, evaṁ ciraṁ akāsī”ti?“But why did it take you so long to make it?”18.7“Ciraṁ diṭṭho me, bhante, kāmesu ādīnavo;“Sir, I have long seen the drawbacks of sensual pleasures,18.8api ca sambādho gharāvāso bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo”ti.yet living in a house is cramped, with many duties and much to do.”

19.1Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

20.1“Disvā ādīnavaṁ loke,∥“Seeing the danger of the world,20.2ñatvā dhammaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;I understood the truth without attachments.20.3Ariyo na ramatī pāpe,The Noble One does not delight in evil,20.4pāpe na ramatī sucī”ti.the Pure One does not delight in evil.”

20.5Chaṭṭhaṁ.