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Ud 6.2PTS Ud 64Jaṭila2 min read

Seven Matted-Hair Ascetics

Sattajaṭilasutta

How to know another person’s character.

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

  • 0.1Udāna 6.2Heartfelt Sayings 6.2

0.2SattajaṭilasuttaSeven Matted-Hair Ascetics

1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.11.3Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bahidvārakoṭṭhake nisinno hoti.Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and sat outside the gate.1.4Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

2.1Tena kho pana samayena satta ca jaṭilā, satta ca nigaṇṭhā, satta ca acelakā, satta ca ekasāṭakā, satta ca paribbājakā, parūḷhakacchanakhalomā khārivividhamādāya bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti.Now at that time seven matted-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven naked ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, and seven wanderers passed by not far from the Buddha. Their armpits and bodies were hairy, and their nails were long; and they carried their pack with shoulder-poles.2

3.1Addasā kho rājā pasenadi kosalo te satta ca jaṭile, satta ca nigaṇṭhe, satta ca acelake, satta ca ekasāṭake, satta ca paribbājake, parūḷhakacchanakhalome khārivividhamādāya bhagavato avidūre atikkamante.King Pasenadi saw them passing by.3.2Disvāna uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena te satta ca jaṭilā, satta ca nigaṇṭhā, satta ca acelakā, satta ca ekasāṭakā, satta ca paribbājakā, tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā tikkhattuṁ nāmaṁ sāvesi:He got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, raised his joined palms toward those various ascetics, and pronounced his name three times:3.3“rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo;“Sirs, I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!3.4rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo;I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!3.5rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo”ti.I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!”

4.1Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo acirapakkantesu tesu sattasu ca jaṭilesu, sattasu ca nigaṇṭhesu, sattasu ca acelakesu, sattasu ca ekasāṭakesu, sattasu ca paribbājakesu, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then, not long after those ascetics had left, King Pasenadi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,4.2“ye kho, bhante, loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā ete tesaṁ aññatare”ti.“Sir, these are among those in the world who are perfected or who are on the path to perfection!”3

5.1“Dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena—ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannāti.“Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home with your children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, fragrance, and makeup, and accepting gold and currency, it’s hard for you to know who is perfected or on the path to perfection.

6.1Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññena.You can get to know a person’s ethics by living with them. But only after a long time, not casually; only when attentive, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.6.2Saṁvohārena kho, mahārāja, soceyyaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññena.You can get to know a person’s purity by dealing with them. …6.3Āpadāsu kho, mahārāja, thāmo veditabbo. So ca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññena.You can get to know a person’s resilience in times of trouble. …6.4Sākacchāya kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññenā”ti.You can get to know a person’s wisdom by discussion. But only after a long time, not casually; only when attentive, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.”

7.1“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,7.2Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:how well said this was by the Buddha. …7.3‘dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena—ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannāti.7.4Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ …pe…7.5sākacchāya kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā.7.6Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā na ittaraṁ, manasikarotā no amanasikarotā, paññavatā no duppaññenā’”ti.

8.1“Ete, bhante, mama purisā corā ocarakā janapadaṁ ocaritvā gacchanti.Sir, these are my spies, my undercover agents returning after spying on the country.48.2Tehi paṭhamaṁ ociṇṇaṁ ahaṁ pacchā osārissāmi.I shall later make use of what they first spied out.58.3Idāni te, bhante, taṁ rajojallaṁ pavāhetvā sunhātā suvilittā kappitakesamassū odātavatthavasanā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgibhūtā paricāressantī”ti.Now—when they have rinsed off the dust and dirt, and are nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed, and dressed in white—they will amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.”

9.1Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

10.1“Na vāyameyya sabbattha,“Don’t strive in every situation,10.2nāññassa puriso siyā;don’t become another’s man.10.3Nāññaṁ nissāya jīveyya,Don’t live depending on another,10.4dhammena na vaṇiṁ care”ti.and don’t use the teaching to make money.”6

10.5Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The same narrative introduces different verses at SN 3.11.

    ↩ ud6.2:1.2

  2. “Matted-hair ascetics” (jaṭilā) were Vedic ascetics practicing bathing and worshiping the sacred flame (Ud 1.9; see note on MN 40:5.10).

    “Jain ascetics” (nigaṇṭhā) were followers of Mahāvīra.

    The next two types might be the two main subsets of Jains. Some Jains were “one-cloth ascetics” (see AN 6.57:4.1); this group came to be known as Śvetāmbara. Others were “naked ascetics” (acelakā; see Ācārāṅga Sūtra 1.6.2, 1.7.7; Uttarādhyayana Sūtra 2); these came to be known as Digambara. On the other hand, Ājīvakas may be naked.

    “Wanderers (paribbājakā) were homeless religious renunciates—male or female—who wandered seeking alms (see note on DN 1:1.1.3).

    For khāri (“pack”) see also SN 7.9:14.1.

    ↩ ud6.2:2.1

  3. This sentence is phrased as a statement in all editions here, and in the parallel passage at Ud 6.2:4.2 all except the PTS edition, where it is a question. The commentary in both places confirms it is meant as a statement (“ime arahanto”ti vutte). Pasenadi is testing the Buddha.

    ↩ ud6.2:4.2

  4. The use of ascetics for spies, which is still common today, is detailed by Kauṭilya in his Arthaśāstra. Those seeking a job can imitate bald (muṇḍa) or matted-hair (jaṭila) ascetics, pretending to live on a handful of greens but secretly eating what they like (as here). Other fake ascetics or spies disguised as merchants then acclaim them to build reputation (as Pasenadi here). When people seek prophecies, he foretells that those loyal to the king shall prosper and those who oppose him will suffer. The king’s minister then ensures that such prophecies come true (1.11.13, 1.13.15). Female mendicants are especially useful for manipulating the wives of officials (5.1.19, 5.1.50, 12.2.20), or officials regarding their wives (11.1.52). Ascetic spies are taught to manipulate loyalties with morality tales (1.14) and to fool enemy kings by faking magical powers (13.2; cp. Devadatta using magic to seduce Ajātasattu at Kd 17:2.1.1). They conduct assassinations by tricking targets into consuming poisons in the guise of a ritual (5.1.33) or love-potions (11.1.40), or he may first instigate rape, then accuse the rapist (11.1.48). Princes may also don the guise of such ascetics in order to escape a coup, while forest ascetics misdirect pursuers (7.17.50). Such spies earn a solid middle income comparable to soldiers, superintendents, teachers, or accountants (5.3.22–3).

    ↩ ud6.2:8.1

  5. Readings for osāpayissāmi are highly uncertain, and the sentence may be corrupt. Udāna commentary glosses paṭipajjissāmi karissāmi, which suggests Sanskrit apāśri, “employ, practice, use”.

    ↩ ud6.2:8.2

  6. The commentary says, “Don’t teach the Dhamma for the sake of money, etc.”

    ↩ ud6.2:10.4