English
2. The Udumbarika Sutta The Story of Nigrodha the Wanderer 49. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain. Now at that time, Nigrodha the Wanderer was staying at the Udumbarika Wanderer's Park, together with a large assembly of wanderers, about three hundred wanderers. Then Sandhāna the householder, in the middle of the day, set out from Rājagaha to see the Blessed One. Then it occurred to Sandhāna the householder: "It is not the right time to see the Blessed One. The Blessed One is in seclusion. It is not the right time to see the mind-developing bhikkhus either. The mind-developing bhikkhus are in seclusion. What if I were to go to the Udumbarika Wanderer's Park, to where Nigrodha the Wanderer is?" Then Sandhāna the householder went to where the Udumbarika Wanderer's Park was. 50. Now at that time, Nigrodha the Wanderer was sitting with a large assembly of wanderers, making a loud, noisy, great din, engaging in various kinds of low talk. Such as: talk of kings, talk of robbers, talk of ministers, talk of armies, talk of fear, talk of war, talk of food, talk of drink, talk of clothes, talk of beds, talk of garlands, talk of perfumes, talk of relatives, talk of vehicles, talk of villages, talk of market towns, talk of cities, talk of countries, talk of women, talk of heroes, talk of streets, talk of watering places, talk of departed spirits, various kinds of talk, talk of the world, talk of the ocean, talk of existence and non-existence. 51. Nigrodha the Wanderer saw Sandhāna the householder coming from afar. Seeing him, he quieted his assembly: "Be silent, sirs, do not make a noise, sirs. This disciple of Gotama the ascetic is coming, Sandhāna the householder. As far as the disciples of Gotama the ascetic, householders in white clothes, dwelling in Rājagaha Santi, this Sandhāna the householder is one of them. These venerable ones desire quiet, they are trained in quiet, they praise quiet. Perhaps, knowing the assembly to be quiet, they might think it suitable to approach.” When this was said, those wanderers remained silent. 52. Then Sandhāna the householder approached Nigrodha the wanderer. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with Nigrodha the wanderer. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Sandhāna the householder said this to Nigrodha the wanderer: “These other sect wanderers, venerable sirs, when they meet and gather, are noisy, loud, and boisterous, engaged in various kinds of animal talk. Such as talk of kings… …or talk of this existence and other existences. But that Blessed One, venerable sirs, frequents remote forest and wilderness dwellings, which are quiet, with little noise, free from human bustle, suitable for seclusion.” 53. When this was said, Nigrodha the wanderer said this to Sandhāna the householder: “Indeed, householder, you should know, with whom does the ascetic Gotama converse? With whom does he engage in discussion? With whom does he engage in an exchange of wisdom? The ascetic Gotama’s wisdom is ruined by empty dwellings; the ascetic Gotama is not accustomed to assemblies; he is not fit for conversation. He frequents only the remote edges. Just as a one-eyed cow, wandering at the fringes, frequents only the remote edges. Even so, the ascetic Gotama’s wisdom is ruined by empty dwellings; the ascetic Gotama is not accustomed to assemblies; he is not fit for conversation. He frequents only the remote edges. Come, householder, if the ascetic Gotama were to come to this assembly, we would confound him with a single question, we would, I think, suppress him like an empty pot.” 54. Now the Blessed One heard, with the divine ear element, which is purified, ...this conversation between the householder Sandhāna, who had transcended human limitations, and Nigrodha the wanderer. Then the Blessed One, having descended from Gijjhakūṭa mountain, approached the peacock sanctuary on the bank of Sumāgadhā; having approached, he walked in the open air at the peacock sanctuary on the bank of Sumāgadhā. Then Nigrodha the wanderer saw the Blessed One walking in the open air at the peacock sanctuary on the bank of Sumāgadhā. Having seen him, he quieted his assembly: "Be silent, sirs, do not make a sound, this recluse Gotama is walking in the open air at the peacock sanctuary on the bank of Sumāgadhā. Indeed, that venerable one desires silence, he praises silence. Perhaps, having known the assembly to be silent, he might think it proper to approach. If the recluse Gotama should come to this assembly, we would ask him this question: 'What, venerable sir, is that teaching of the Blessed One, by which the Blessed One trains his disciples, by which the disciples, trained by the Blessed One, declare themselves to have attained assurance, a disposition of the holy life from the beginning?'" When this was said, those wanderers became silent. Discourse on Asceticism and Repulsion 55. Then the Blessed One approached Nigrodha the wanderer. Then Nigrodha the wanderer said to the Blessed One: "Come, venerable sir, Blessed One, welcome, venerable sir, to the Blessed One. It has been a long time, venerable sir, since the Blessed One made this journey, that is, to come here. Let the Blessed One sit, venerable sir, this seat is prepared." The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat. Nigrodha the wanderer also took a low seat and sat to one side. To Nigrodha the wanderer, who was sitting to one side, the Blessed One said: "What kind of talk, Nigrodha, were you engaged in just now, and what was the discussion that was interrupted?" When this was said, Nigrodha the wanderer said to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, we saw the Blessed One at the peacock sanctuary on the bank of Sumāgadhā..." walking in the open air, we saw him and said this: 'If the ascetic Gotama were to come to this assembly, we would ask him this question: 'What, venerable sir, is that Dhamma of the Blessed One, by which the Blessed One trains his disciples, by which the Blessed One's disciples, being trained, profess to have attained assurance and the fundamental holy life?' This, venerable sir, was our conversation, left unfinished; then the Blessed One arrived.'" 56. "It is difficult for you, Nigrodha, who hold other views, other preferences, other inclinations, who are trained otherwise, who practice otherwise, to understand that by which I train my disciples, by which my disciples, being trained, profess to have attained assurance and the fundamental holy life. Come now, Nigrodha, ask me a question about your own ascetic practice of self-mortification: 'How, venerable sir, is ascetic self-mortification complete, and how is it incomplete?'" When this was said, those wanderers became noisy, loud and boisterous, saying: "Oh, how wonderful! Oh, how amazing! The ascetic Gotama's great power and might! For he will set aside his own doctrine, and challenge with another's doctrine!" 57. Then the wanderer Nigrodha, having silenced those wanderers, said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, we are proponents of ascetic self-mortification, we consider ascetic self-mortification as essential, we are devoted to ascetic self-mortification. How, venerable sir, is ascetic self-mortification complete, and how is it incomplete?" "Here, Nigrodha, an ascetic is naked, of loose conduct, licking his hands, not coming when asked, not stopping when asked, not accepting food brought to him, not accepting food prepared specifically for him, not accepting an invitation. He does not accept food from the mouth of a pot, nor from the mouth of a bowl, nor from between two doors, nor from between two sticks, nor from between two pestles, nor from two people eating, nor from a pregnant woman, nor from a nursing woman, nor from a woman with a man between her." not in gatherings, not where there is a presence, not where flies swarm, not fish, not meat, not liquor, not intoxicants, not rice-gruel he drinks. He is a one-house-seeker, or a one-mouthful-seeker; or a two-house-seeker, or a two-mouthful-seeker; or a seven-house-seeker, or a seven-mouthful-seeker. He lives on one alms-gift, he lives on two alms-gifts, he lives on seven alms-gifts. He eats food once a day, he eats food once every two days, he eats food once every seven days. Thus, he lives devoted to such a practice of eating at intervals, even for half a month. He is a vegetable-eater, or a wild-millet-eater, or a wild-rice-eater, or a moss-eater, or a rice-bran-eater, or a rice-scum-eater, or a rice-gruel-eater, or a oil-cake-eater, or a grass-eater, or a cow-dung-eater. He lives on forest roots and fruits, eating fallen fruits. He wears coarse hempen clothes, he wears coarse woven clothes, he wears clothes from corpses, he wears rag-robes from dust-heaps, he wears tree-bark clothes, he wears antelope hide, he wears strips of antelope hide, he wears kusa-grass garments, he wears bark garments, he wears wood-shaving garments, he wears hair blankets, he wears horse-hair blankets, he wears owl-wing garments. He is a hair-and-beard plucker, devoted to the practice of plucking hair and beard. He is a stander, rejecting a seat. He is a squatting practitioner, devoted to the practice of squatting. He is a thorn-bed sleeper, making his bed on thorns. He makes his bed on planks, he makes his bed on the bare ground. He is a one-sided sleeper, covered in dust and dirt. He is an open-air dweller, living wherever he is. He is a food-distorter, devoted to the practice of distorted food. He is a non-drinker, devoted to the practice of non-drinking. He lives devoted to the practice of descending into water three times in the evening. What do you think, Nigrodha, if this is so, is this asceticism and austerity is it fulfilled or unfulfilled?" "Indeed, venerable sir, when it is so, asceticism and abhorrence are fulfilled, not unfulfilled."