With Godhā the Sakyan Godhasakkasutta

At Kapilavatthu. Kapilavatthunidānaṁ. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to Godhā the Sakyan, and said to her, Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena godhā sakko tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā godhaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca: “Godhā, how many things must an individual have for you to recognize them as a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening?” “katihi tvaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan”ti?

“Mahānāma, an individual must have three things for me to recognize them as a stream-enterer. “Tīhi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ. What three? Katamehi tīhi? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … Idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. the teaching … Dhamme …pe… and the Saṅgha … saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti. When an individual has these three things I recognize them as a stream-enterer. Imehi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, tīhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ.

But Mahānāma, how many things must an individual have for you to recognize them as a stream-enterer?” Tvaṁ pana, mahānāma, katihi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan”ti?

“Godhā, an individual must have four things for me to recognize them as a stream-enterer. “Catūhi khvāhaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ. What four? Katamehi catūhi? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … Idha, godhe, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. the teaching … Dhamme …pe… the Saṅgha … saṅghe …pe… And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. When an individual has these four things I recognize them as a stream-enterer.” Imehi khvāhaṁ, godhe, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan”ti.

“Hold on, Mahānāma, hold on! “Āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma, āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma. Only the Buddha would know whether or not they have these things.” Bhagavāva etaṁ jāneyya etehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ vā asamannāgataṁ vā”ti.

“Come, Godhā, let’s go to the Buddha and inform him about this.” “Āyāma, godhe, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocessāmā”ti.

Then Mahānāma and Godhā went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Mahānāma told the Buddha all that had happened, and then said: Atha kho mahānāmo sakko godhā ca sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yena godhā sakko tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā godhaṁ sakkaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘katihi tvaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ’? Evaṁ vutte, bhante, godhā sakko maṁ etadavoca—

Tīhi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe… saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti. Imehi khvāhaṁ, mahānāma, tīhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ. Tvaṁ pana, mahānāma, katamehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāsi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan’ti?

Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, godhaṁ sakkaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘catūhi khvāhaṁ, godhe, dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇaṁ. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, godhe, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Imehi khvāhaṁ, godhe, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ sotāpannapuggalaṁ ājānāmi avinipātadhammaṁ niyataṁ sambodhiparāyaṇan’ti.

Evaṁ vutte, bhante, godhā sakko maṁ etadavoca: ‘āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma, āgamehi tvaṁ, mahānāma. Bhagavāva etaṁ jāneyya etehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ vā asamannāgataṁ vā’ti. “Sir, some instigation of a legal proceeding might come up. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks the other. Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho ca. I’d side with the Buddha. Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ. May the Buddha remember me as having such confidence. Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu. Some instigation of a legal proceeding might come up. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns the other. … Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho ca. Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ. Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen the other. … Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho ca upāsakā ca. Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ. Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen and the laywomen the other. … Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho upāsakā upāsikāyo ca. Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ. Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu. The Buddha might take one side, and the Saṅgha of monks and the Saṅgha of nuns and the laymen and the laywomen and the world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—the other. Idha, bhante, kocideva dhammo samuppādo uppajjeyya, ekato assa bhagavā ekato bhikkhusaṅgho bhikkhunisaṅgho upāsakā upāsikāyo sadevako ca loko samārako sabrahmako sassamaṇabrāhmaṇī pajā sadevamanussā. I’d side with the Buddha. Yeneva bhagavā tenevāhaṁ assaṁ. May the Buddha remember me as having such confidence.” Evaṁ pasannaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretū”ti.

“Godhā, what do you have to say to Mahānāma when he speaks like this?” “Evaṁvādī tvaṁ, godhe, mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ kiṁ vadesī”ti?

“Sir, I have nothing to say to Mahānāma when he speaks like this, except what is good and wholesome.” “Evaṁvādāhaṁ, bhante, mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ na kiñci vadāmi, aññatra kalyāṇā aññatra kusalā”ti.