{"id":"mn124","title":"With Bakkula","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"mn124","title":"With Bakkula","units":[{"id":"mn124:0","sourceIds":["mn124:0.1","mn124:0.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Majjhima Nikāya 124\nBākulasutta","en":"Middle Discourses 124\nWith Bakkula"}},{"id":"mn124:1","sourceIds":["mn124:1.1","mn124:1.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ me sutaṁ—\nekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā bākulo rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.","en":"So I have heard.\nAt one time Venerable Bakkula was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground."}},{"id":"mn124:2","sourceIds":["mn124:2.1","mn124:2.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho acelakassapo āyasmato bākulassa purāṇagihisahāyo yenāyasmā bākulo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā bākulena saddhiṁ sammodi.\nSammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho acelakassapo āyasmantaṁ bākulaṁ etadavoca:","en":"Then the naked ascetic Kassapa, an old friend of Bakkula in the lay life, approached him, and exchanged greetings with him.\nWhen the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Venerable Bakkula,"}},{"id":"mn124:3","sourceIds":["mn124:3.1","mn124:3.2","mn124:3.3","mn124:3.4","mn124:3.5","mn124:3.6","mn124:3.7","mn124:3.8","mn124:3.9","mn124:3.10"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kīvaciraṁ pabbajitosi, āvuso bākulā”ti?\n“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassā”ti.\n“Imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ methuno dhammo paṭisevito”ti?\n“Na kho maṁ, āvuso kassapa, evaṁ pucchitabbaṁ:\n‘imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ methuno dhammo paṭisevito’ti.\nEvañca kho maṁ, āvuso kassapa, pucchitabbaṁ:\n‘imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ kāmasaññā uppannapubbā’”ti?\n(…)\n“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"“Reverend Bakkula, how long has it been since you went forth?”\n“It has been eighty years, reverend.”\n“But in these eighty years, how many times have you had sex?”\n“You shouldn’t ask me such a question.\nRather, you should ask me this:\n‘But in these eighty years, how many times have sensual perceptions ever arisen in you?’”\n“But in these eighty years, how many times have sensual perceptions ever arisen in you?”\n“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any sensual perception has ever arisen in me.”\nThis we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:4-5","sourceIds":["mn124:4-5.1","mn124:4-5.2","mn124:4-5.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi byāpādasaññaṁ …pe…\nvihiṁsāsaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti vihiṁsāsaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any perception of ill will …\nor cruelty has ever arisen in me.”\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:6","sourceIds":["mn124:6.1","mn124:6.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmavitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti kāmavitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any thought of sensuality …"}},{"id":"mn124:7-8","sourceIds":["mn124:7-8.1","mn124:7-8.2","mn124:7-8.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe…\nvihiṁsāvitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"ill will …\nor cruelty has ever arisen in me.”\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:9","sourceIds":["mn124:9.1","mn124:9.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi gahapaticīvaraṁ sāditā”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti gahapaticīvaraṁ sāditā, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"“In these eighty years, I don’t recall accepting a robe from a householder …"}},{"id":"mn124:10","sourceIds":["mn124:10.1","mn124:10.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi satthena cīvaraṁ chinditā”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti satthena cīvaraṁ chinditā …pe… dhārema”.","en":"cutting a robe with a knife …"}},{"id":"mn124:11-15","sourceIds":["mn124:11-15.1","mn124:11-15.2","mn124:11-15.3","mn124:11-15.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi sūciyā cīvaraṁ sibbitā …pe…\nnābhijānāmi rajanena cīvaraṁ rajitā …\nnābhijānāmi kathine cīvaraṁ sibbitā …\nnābhijānāmi sabrahmacārīnaṁ cīvarakamme vicāritā …","en":"sewing a robe with a needle …\ndying a robe …\nsewing a robe during the robe-making ceremony …\nwandering to look for robe material for my companions in the spiritual life when they are making robes …"}},{"id":"mn124:16-19","sourceIds":["mn124:16-19.1","mn124:16-19.2","mn124:16-19.3","mn124:16-19.4","mn124:16-19.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"nābhijānāmi nimantanaṁ sāditā …\nnābhijānāmi evarūpaṁ cittaṁ uppannapubbaṁ:\n‘aho vata maṁ koci nimanteyyā’ti …\nnābhijānāmi antaraghare nisīditā …\nnābhijānāmi antaraghare bhuñjitā …","en":"accepting an invitation …\nhaving such a thought:\n‘If only someone would invite me!’ …\nsitting down inside a house …\neating inside a house …"}},{"id":"mn124:20-25","sourceIds":["mn124:20-25.1","mn124:20-25.2","mn124:20-25.3","mn124:20-25.4","mn124:20-25.5","mn124:20-25.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"nābhijānāmi mātugāmassa anubyañjanaso nimittaṁ gahetā …\nnābhijānāmi mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desitā antamaso catuppadampi gāthaṁ …\nnābhijānāmi bhikkhunupassayaṁ upasaṅkamitā …\nnābhijānāmi bhikkhuniyā dhammaṁ desitā …\nnābhijānāmi sikkhamānāya dhammaṁ desitā …\nnābhijānāmi sāmaṇeriyā dhammaṁ desitā …","en":"getting caught up in the features by way of the details of a lady’s appearance …\nteaching a lady, even so much as a four line verse …\ngoing to the nuns’ quarters …\nteaching the nuns …\nteaching the trainee nuns …\nteaching the novice nuns …"}},{"id":"mn124:26-29","sourceIds":["mn124:26-29.1","mn124:26-29.2","mn124:26-29.3","mn124:26-29.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"nābhijānāmi pabbājetā …\nnābhijānāmi upasampādetā …\nnābhijānāmi nissayaṁ dātā …\nnābhijānāmi sāmaṇeraṁ upaṭṭhāpetā …","en":"giving the going forth …\ngiving the ordination …\ngiving dependence …\nbeing attended by a novice …"}},{"id":"mn124:30-36","sourceIds":["mn124:30-36.1","mn124:30-36.2","mn124:30-36.3","mn124:30-36.4","mn124:30-36.5","mn124:30-36.6","mn124:30-36.7","mn124:30-36.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"nābhijānāmi jantāghare nhāyitā …\nnābhijānāmi cuṇṇena nhāyitā …\nnābhijānāmi sabrahmacārīgattaparikamme vicāritā …\nnābhijānāmi ābādhaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, antamaso gaddūhanamattampi …\nnābhijānāmi bhesajjaṁ upaharitā, antamaso haritakikhaṇḍampi …\nnābhijānāmi apassenakaṁ apassayitā …\nnābhijānāmi seyyaṁ kappetā”.\n“Yampāyasmā …pe… dhārema”.","en":"bathing in the sauna …\nbathing with bath powder …\nlooking for a massage from my spiritual companions …\nbeing ill, even for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder …\nbeing presented with medicine, even as much as a bit of yellow myrobalan …\nleaning on a leaning-board …\npreparing a cot …”\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:37","sourceIds":["mn124:37.1","mn124:37.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi gāmantasenāsane vassaṁ upagantā”.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti gāmantasenāsane vassaṁ upagantā, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"“In these eighty years, I don’t recall commencing the rainy season residence within a village.”\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:38","sourceIds":["mn124:38.1","mn124:38.2","mn124:38.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Sattāhameva kho ahaṁ, āvuso, saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjiṁ;\natha aṭṭhamiyaṁ aññā udapādi.\nYampāyasmā bākulo sattāhameva saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñji; atha aṭṭhamiyaṁ aññā udapādi idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema.","en":"“Reverend, for seven days I ate the nation’s almsfood as a debtor.\nThen on the eighth day I became enlightened.”\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:39","sourceIds":["mn124:39.1","mn124:39.2","mn124:39.3","mn124:39.4","mn124:39.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Labheyyāhaṁ, āvuso bākula, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.\nAlattha kho acelakassapo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.\nAcirūpasampanno panāyasmā kassapo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.\n“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.\nAññataro kho panāyasmā kassapo arahataṁ ahosi.","en":"“Reverend Bakkula, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training?”\nAnd the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training.\nNot long after his ordination, Venerable Kassapa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.\nHe understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.”\nAnd Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfected."}},{"id":"mn124:40","sourceIds":["mn124:40.1","mn124:40.2","mn124:40.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho āyasmā bākulo aparena samayena avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihārena vihāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha:\n“abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto. Ajja me parinibbānaṁ bhavissatī”ti.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihārena vihāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: ‘abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto; ajja me parinibbānaṁ bhavissatī’ti, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.","en":"Then some time later Venerable Bakkula, taking a latchkey, went from dwelling to dwelling, saying,\n“Come forth, venerables, come forth! Today will be my full extinguishment.”\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}},{"id":"mn124:41","sourceIds":["mn124:41.1","mn124:41.2","mn124:41.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Āyasmā bākulo majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnakova parinibbāyi.\n“Yampāyasmā bākulo majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnakova parinibbāyi, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhāremā”ti.\nBākulasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.","en":"And Venerable Bakkula became fully extinguished while seated right in the middle of the Saṅgha.\nThis too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula."}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/mn124/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}