English
Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the forenoon, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kammāsadhamma for alms. Having wandered for alms in Kammāsadhamma, and returned from his alms-round after the meal, he approached a certain grove for his day-dwelling. Having entered that grove, he sat down at the root of a certain tree for his day-dwelling. Then Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer, walking and wandering on foot, approached the fire-house of the brahmin of Bhāradvāja clan. Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer saw a grass mat spread out in the fire-house of the brahmin of Bhāradvāja clan. Having seen it, he said to the brahmin of Bhāradvāja clan: “Whose, good Bhāradvāja, is this grass mat spread out in your fire-house? It seems to me suitable for a recluse’s couch.” “There is, good Māgaṇḍiya, the recluse Gotama, a Sakyan son, gone forth from the Sakya clan. Concerning that good Gotama, such a good report has spread: ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is Arahant, Perfectly Self-Enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, Buddha, Blessed One.’ This couch is spread for that good Gotama.” “A bad sight, good Bhāradvāja, we have seen; a bad sight, good Bhāradvāja, we have seen! That we have seen the couch of that good Gotama, the destroyer of growth!” “Guard that speech, Māgaṇḍiya; guard that speech, Māgaṇḍiya. For many noble wise ones, brahmin wise ones, householder wise ones, and recluse wise ones are deeply devoted to that good Gotama, and are trained in the noble method, in the skillful Dhamma.” “Even if we were to see that good Gotama face to face, good Bhāradvāja, we would say to him face to face: ‘Destroyer of growth—" was the ascetic Gotama. For what reason? Because he is thus spoken of in our suttas.” “If it is not troublesome for the venerable Māgaṇḍiya, I will report this to the ascetic Gotama.” “Let the venerable Bhāradvāja, without much ado, just say what was said.” 208. The Blessed One heard, with the divine ear element, purified and surpassing human, this conversation between the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan and the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya. Then, in the evening, having risen from his seclusion, the Blessed One approached the fire-house of the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan; having approached, the Blessed One sat down on the prepared grass mat. Then the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. To the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan, seated to one side, the Blessed One said this: “Was there, Bhāradvāja, some conversation between you and the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya concerning this very grass mat?” When this was said, the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan, startled and with his hair standing on end, said to the Blessed One: “We were just about to report this to the venerable Gotama. Yet the venerable Gotama has declared what was not declared!” And this intermediate conversation between the Blessed One and the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan was left unfinished. Then the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya, walking about and wandering on foot, approached the fire-house of the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan, and where the Blessed One was; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. To the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya, seated to one side, the Blessed One said this: 209. “ The eye, Māgaṇḍiya, delights in forms, is fond of forms, is pleased by forms. That, for the Tathāgata, is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma. Was it with this in mind, Māgaṇḍiya, that you spoke – ‘The recluse Gotama is a destroyer of growth’? ‘‘Indeed, it was with this in mind, good Gotama, that I spoke – ‘The recluse Gotama is a destroyer of growth’. For what reason? For thus he moves about, teaching us to be barren.’’ The ear, Māgaṇḍiya, delights in sounds, is fond of sounds, is pleased by sounds. That, for the Tathāgata, is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma. The nose, Māgaṇḍiya, delights in smells, is fond of smells, is pleased by smells. That, for the Tathāgata, is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma. The tongue, Māgaṇḍiya, delights in tastes, is fond of tastes, is pleased by tastes. That, for the Tathāgata, is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma. Was it with this in mind, Māgaṇḍiya, that you spoke – ‘The recluse Gotama is a destroyer of growth’? ‘‘Indeed, it was with this in mind, good Gotama, that I spoke – ‘The recluse Gotama is a destroyer of growth’. For what reason? For thus he moves about, teaching us to be barren.’’ The body, Māgaṇḍiya, delights in touches, is fond of touches, is pleased by touches. That, for the Tathāgata, is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma. The mind, Māgaṇḍiya, delights in mental phenomena, is fond of mental phenomena, is pleased by mental phenomena. That, for the Tathāgata, is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma. Was it with this in mind, Māgaṇḍiya, that you spoke – ‘The recluse Gotama is a destroyer of growth’? ‘‘Indeed, it was with this in mind, good Gotama, that I spoke – ‘The recluse Gotama is a destroyer of growth’. For what reason? For thus he moves about, teaching us to be barren.’’ 210. ‘‘What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya – ‘Suppose someone had previously been served by forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, connected with sensual pleasure, enticing. Then, at a later time, having understood as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape from forms, having abandoned craving for forms, having removed the fever of forms, he would dwell without thirst, with his mind inwardly tranquil. What would you have to say about this person, Māgaṇḍiya?’’’ ‘‘Nothing, good Gotama. Yes. What do you think about this, Magandiya – Suppose someone was formerly indulged in sounds cognizable by the ear... in scents cognizable by the nose... in tastes cognizable by the tongue... and in tactile sensations cognizable by the body, which were agreeable, desirable, charming, lovely, connected with sensual pleasures, and enticing. Then, at a later time, having understood as they really are the origin, the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape from these tactile sensations, having abandoned craving for tactile sensations, having allayed the fever of tactile sensations, he would dwell free from thirst, with his mind inwardly calmed. What would you have to say about this, Magandiya? Nothing, Venerable Gotama. But I, Magandiya, when I was formerly a householder, was endowed and furnished with the five strands of sensual pleasure. I indulged in forms cognizable by the eye, which were agreeable, desirable, charming, lovely, connected with sensual pleasures, and enticing. in sounds cognizable by the ear... in scents cognizable by the nose... in tastes cognizable by the tongue... and in tactile sensations cognizable by the body, which were agreeable, desirable, charming, lovely, connected with sensual pleasures, and enticing. For me, Magandiya, there were three palaces – one for the rainy season, one for the winter, and one for the summer. I, Magandiya, in the rainy season palace, for the four months of the rainy season, being entertained by female musicians, did not descend from the palace. Then, at a later time, having understood as they really are the origin, the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape from these sensual pleasures, having abandoned craving for sensual pleasures, having allayed the fever of sensual pleasures, I dwell free from thirst, with my mind inwardly calmed. I see other beings who are not free from passion for sensual pleasures, being devoured by craving for sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. I do not envy them, nor do I delight in that. What is the reason for that? That which is, Māgaṇḍiya, the delight apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states – even having attained divine happiness, one stands – delighting in that delight, I do not long for the lower, I do not delight in it. 212. Just as, Māgaṇḍiya, a householder or a householder's son, rich, with great wealth, with great possessions, would enjoy, endowed and furnished with the five strands of sensual pleasure: with forms cognizable by the eye... ...and touchables, desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, connected with sensuality, arousing passion. Having practiced good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, good conduct in mind, with the breaking up of the body, after death, he would reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the Tāvatiṃsa gods. There, in the Nandana grove, surrounded by a host of nymphs, endowed and furnished with the five divine strands of sensual pleasure, he would enjoy. He would see a householder or a householder's son enjoying, endowed and furnished with the five strands of sensual pleasure. What do you think, Māgaṇḍiya? Would that deity, enjoying in the Nandana grove, surrounded by a host of nymphs, endowed and furnished with the five divine strands of sensual pleasure, long for that householder or householder's son? Or for the five human strands of sensual pleasure? Or be drawn to human sensual pleasures? "No, indeed, Venerable Gotama." "For what reason?" "Because, Venerable Gotama, divine sensual pleasures are far superior and more refined than human sensual pleasures." "Even so, Māgaṇḍiya, when I was formerly a householder, I enjoyed, endowed and furnished with the five strands of sensual pleasure: