Kaṇṭakasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ sambahulehi abhiññātehi abhiññātehi therehi sāvakehi saddhiṁ— āyasmatā ca cālena, āyasmatā ca upacālena, āyasmatā ca kukkuṭena, āyasmatā ca kaḷimbhena, āyasmatā ca nikaṭena, āyasmatā ca kaṭissahena; aññehi ca abhiññātehi abhiññātehi therehi sāvakehi saddhiṁ.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof, together with several well-known senior disciples. They included the venerables Cāla, Upacāla, Kakkaṭa, Kaṭimbha, Kaṭa, Kaṭissaṅga, and other well-known senior disciples.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā licchavī bhadrehi bhadrehi yānehi parapurāya uccāsaddā mahāsaddā mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhanti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya. Atha kho tesaṁ āyasmantānaṁ etadahosi: “ime kho sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā licchavī bhadrehi bhadrehi yānehi parapurāya uccāsaddā mahāsaddā mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhanti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya. Saddakaṇṭakā kho pana jhānā vuttā bhagavatā. Yannūna mayaṁ yena gosiṅgasālavanadāyo tenupasaṅkameyyāma. Tattha mayaṁ appasaddā appākiṇṇā phāsuṁ vihareyyāmā”ti. Atha kho te āyasmanto yena gosiṅgasālavanadāyo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; tattha te āyasmanto appasaddā appākiṇṇā phāsuṁ viharanti.

Now at that time several well-known Licchavis plunged deep into the Great Wood to see the Buddha. Driving a succession of fine carriages, they made a colossal racket. Then those venerables thought: “These several well-known Licchavis have plunged deep into the Great Wood to see the Buddha. Driving a succession of fine carriages, they’re making a colossal racket. But the Buddha has said that sound is a thorn to absorption. Let’s go to the Gosiṅga Sal Wood. There we can meditate comfortably, free of noise and crowds.” Then those venerables went to the Gosiṅga Sal Wood, where they meditated comfortably, free of noise and crowds.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “kahaṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, cālo, kahaṁ upacālo, kahaṁ kukkuṭo, kahaṁ kaḷimbho, kahaṁ nikaṭo, kahaṁ kaṭissaho; kahaṁ nu kho te, bhikkhave, therā sāvakā gatā”ti?

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants: “Mendicants, where are Cāla, Upacāla, Kakkaṭa, Kaṭimbha, Kaṭa, and Kaṭissaṅga? Where have these senior disciples gone?”

“Idha, bhante, tesaṁ āyasmantānaṁ etadahosi: ‘ime kho sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā licchavī bhadrehi bhadrehi yānehi parapurāya uccāsaddā mahāsaddā mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhanti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya saddakaṇṭakā kho pana jhānā vuttā bhagavatā yannūna mayaṁ yena gosiṅgasālavanadāyo tenupasaṅkameyyāma tattha mayaṁ appasaddā appākiṇṇā phāsuṁ vihareyyāmā’ti. Atha kho te, bhante, āyasmanto yena gosiṅgasālavanadāyo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu. Tattha te āyasmanto appasaddā appākiṇṇā phāsuṁ viharantī”ti.

And the mendicants told him what had happened.

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave, yathā te mahāsāvakā sammā byākaramānā byākareyyuṁ, saddakaṇṭakā hi, bhikkhave, jhānā vuttā mayā.

“Good, good, mendicants! It’s just as those great disciples have so rightly explained. I have said that sound is a thorn to absorption.

Dasayime, bhikkhave, kaṇṭakā. Katame dasa? Pavivekārāmassa saṅgaṇikārāmatā kaṇṭako, asubhanimittānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa subhanimittānuyogo kaṇṭako, indriyesu guttadvārassa visūkadassanaṁ kaṇṭako, brahmacariyassa mātugāmūpacāro kaṇṭako, paṭhamassa jhānassa saddo kaṇṭako, dutiyassa jhānassa vitakkavicārā kaṇṭakā, tatiyassa jhānassa pīti kaṇṭako, catutthassa jhānassa assāsapassāso kaṇṭako, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā saññā ca vedanā ca kaṇṭako rāgo kaṇṭako doso kaṇṭako moho kaṇṭako.

Mendicants, there are these ten thorns. What ten? Relishing company is a thorn for someone who loves seclusion. Focusing on the feature of beauty is a thorn for someone pursuing the meditation on the feature of ugliness. Seeing shows is a thorn to someone restraining the senses. Lingering in the neighborhood of females is a thorn to chastity. Sound is a thorn to the first absorption. Placing the mind and keeping it connected are a thorn to the second absorption. Rapture is a thorn to the third absorption. Breathing is a thorn to the fourth absorption. Perception and feeling are a thorn to the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling. Greed, hate, and delusion are thorns.

Akaṇṭakā, bhikkhave, viharatha. Nikkaṇṭakā, bhikkhave, viharatha. Akaṇṭakanikkaṇṭakā, bhikkhave, viharatha. Akaṇṭakā, bhikkhave, arahanto; nikkaṇṭakā, bhikkhave, arahanto; akaṇṭakanikkaṇṭakā, bhikkhave, arahanto”ti. Dutiyaṁ.

Mendicants, live free of thorns! Live rid of thorns! Mendicants, live free of thorns and rid of thorns! The perfected ones live free of thorns, rid of thorns, free and rid of thorns.”