With Bhadraka Bhadrakasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Mallas, near the Mallian town named Uruvelakappa. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu viharati uruvelakappaṁ nāma mallānaṁ nigamo. Then Bhadraka the village chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho bhadrako gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho bhadrako gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Please, sir, let the Blessed One teach me the origin and disappearance of suffering.” “sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca desetū”ti.

“Chief, if I were to teach you about the origin and disappearance of suffering in connection with the past, saying “Ahañce te, gāmaṇi, atītamaddhānaṁ ārabbha dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca deseyyaṁ: ‘this is how it was in the past,’ you might have doubts or uncertainties about that. ‘evaṁ ahosi atītamaddhānan’ti, tatra te siyā kaṅkhā, siyā vimati. If I were to teach you about the origin and disappearance of suffering in connection with the future, saying Ahañce te, gāmaṇi, anāgatamaddhānaṁ ārabbha dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca deseyyaṁ: ‘this is how it will be in the future,’ you might have doubts or uncertainties about that. ‘evaṁ bhavissati anāgatamaddhānan’ti, tatrāpi te siyā kaṅkhā, siyā vimati. Rather, chief, I will teach you about the origin and disappearance of suffering as I am sitting right here and you are sitting right there. Api cāhaṁ, gāmaṇi, idheva nisinno ettheva te nisinnassa dukkhassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca desessāmi. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” Taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” Bhadraka replied. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho bhadrako gāmaṇi bhagavato paccassosi. The Buddha said this: Bhagavā etadavoca:

“What do you think, chief? “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, Are there any people here in Uruvelakappa who, if they were executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, it would cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” atthi te uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ te vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“There are, sir.” “Atthi me, bhante, uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ me vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“But are there any people here in Uruvelakappa who, if they were executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, it would not cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” “Atthi pana te, gāmaṇi, uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ te vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā nuppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“There are, sir.” “Atthi me, bhante, uruvelakappe manussā yesaṁ me vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā nuppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“What’s the cause, chief, what’s the reason why, if this was to happen to some people it could cause you sorrow, while if it happens to others it does not?” “Ko nu kho, gāmaṇi, hetu, ko paccayo yena te ekaccānaṁ uruvelakappiyānaṁ manussānaṁ vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“The people regarding whom this would give rise to sorrow are those I have desire and passion. “Yesaṁ me, bhante, uruvelakappiyānaṁ manussānaṁ vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā, atthi me tesu chandarāgo. The people regarding whom this would not give rise to sorrow are those I don’t have desire and passion.” Yesaṁ pana, bhante, uruvelakappiyānaṁ manussānaṁ vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā nuppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā, natthi me tesu chandarāgo”ti.

“With this present phenomenon that you have seen, understood, immediately attained, and fathomed, you can apply the same method to the past and future: “Iminā tvaṁ, gāmaṇi, dhammena diṭṭhena viditena akālikena pattena pariyogāḷhena atītānāgate nayaṁ nehi: ‘All the suffering that arose in the past was rooted and sourced in desire. ‘yaṁ kho kiñci atītamaddhānaṁ dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajji sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ. For desire is the root of suffering. Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassa. All the suffering that will arise in the future will be rooted and sourced in desire. Yampi hi kiñci anāgatamaddhānaṁ dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjissati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ. For desire is the root of suffering.’” Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’”ti.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! “Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. How well said this was by the Buddha! Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā: ‘All the suffering that arises is rooted and sourced in desire. ‘yaṁ kiñci dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ. For desire is the root of suffering.’ Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’ti.

I have a boy called Ciravāsi, who resides in a house away from here. Atthi me, bhante, ciravāsī nāma kumāro bahi āvasathe paṭivasati. I rise early and dispatch someone, saying: So khvāhaṁ, bhante, kālasseva vuṭṭhāya purisaṁ uyyojemi: ‘Go, lad, and check on my boy Ciravāsi.’ ‘gaccha, bhaṇe, ciravāsiṁ kumāraṁ jānāhī’ti. Until they get back I worry: Yāvakīvañca, bhante, so puriso nāgacchati, tassa me hoteva aññathattaṁ: ‘I hope nothing’s wrong with Ciravāsi!’” ‘mā heva ciravāsissa kumārassa kiñci ābādhayitthā’”ti.

“What do you think, chief? “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, If Ciravāsi was executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, would it cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” ciravāsissa kumārassa vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“How could it not, sir?” “Ciravāsissa me, bhante, kumārassa vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā jīvitassapi siyā aññathattaṁ, kiṁ pana me nuppajjissanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“This too is a way to understand: “Imināpi kho etaṁ, gāmaṇi, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ: ‘All the suffering that arises is rooted and sourced in desire. ‘yaṁ kiñci dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ. For desire is the root of suffering.’ Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’ti.

What do you think, chief? Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, Before you’d seen or heard of Ciravāsi’s mother, did you have any desire or passion or fondness for her?” yadā te ciravāsimātā adiṭṭhā ahosi, assutā ahosi, te ciravāsimātuyā chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Then was it because you saw or heard of her that you had “Dassanaṁ vā te, gāmaṇi, āgamma savanaṁ vā evaṁ te ahosi: desire or passion or fondness for her?” ‘ciravāsimātuyā chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā’”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, chief? “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, If Ciravāsi’s mother was executed, imprisoned, fined, or condemned, would it cause you sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” ciravāsimātuyā te vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“How could it not, sir?” “Ciravāsimātuyā me, bhante, vadhena vā bandhena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā jīvitassapi siyā aññathattaṁ, kiṁ pana me nuppajjissanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti.

“This too is a way to understand: “Imināpi kho etaṁ, gāmaṇi, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ: ‘All the suffering that arises is rooted and sourced in desire. ‘yaṁ kiñci dukkhaṁ uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, sabbaṁ taṁ chandamūlakaṁ chandanidānaṁ. For desire is the root of suffering.’” Chando hi mūlaṁ dukkhassā’”ti.