Upakasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Atha kho upako maṇḍikāputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho upako maṇḍikāputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Once the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Then Upaka the son of Maṇḍikā went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Ahañhi, bhante, evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘yo koci parūpārambhaṁ vatteti, parūpārambhaṁ vattento sabbo so na upapādeti. Anupapādento gārayho hoti upavajjo’”ti. “Parūpārambhañce, upaka, vatteti parūpārambhaṁ vattento na upapādeti, anupapādento gārayho hoti upavajjo. Tvaṁ kho, upaka, parūpārambhaṁ vattesi, parūpārambhaṁ vattento na upapādesi, anupapādento gārayho hosi upavajjo”ti. “Seyyathāpi, bhante, ummujjamānakaṁyeva mahatā pāsena bandheyya; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, ummujjamānakoyeva bhagavatā mahatā vādapāsena baddho”ti.

“Sir, this is my doctrine and view: ‘Whoever goes on complaining about others without giving any reasons is reprehensible and at fault.’” “Upaka, if someone goes on complaining about others without giving a reason, they’re reprehensible and at fault. But that’s what you do, so you’re reprehensible and at fault!” “Sir, like a fish caught in a big trap just as it rises, so the Buddha caught me in a big trap of words just as I rose up.”

“Idaṁ akusalanti kho, upaka, mayā paññattaṁ. Tattha aparimāṇā padā aparimāṇā byañjanā aparimāṇā tathāgatassa dhammadesanā— itipidaṁ akusalanti. Taṁ kho panidaṁ akusalaṁ pahātabbanti kho, upaka, mayā paññattaṁ. Tattha aparimāṇā padā aparimāṇā byañjanā aparimāṇā tathāgatassa dhammadesanā— itipidaṁ akusalaṁ pahātabbanti.

“Upaka, I’ve declared: ‘This is unskillful.’ And for that there are limitless words, phrasings, and teachings of the Realized One: ‘This is another way of saying that this is unskillful.’ I’ve declared: ‘The unskillful should be given up.’ And for that there are limitless words, phrasings, and teachings of the Realized One: ‘This is another way of saying that the unskillful should be given up.’

Idaṁ kusalanti kho, upaka, mayā paññattaṁ. Tattha aparimāṇā padā aparimāṇā byañjanā aparimāṇā tathāgatassa dhammadesanā— itipidaṁ kusalanti. Taṁ kho panidaṁ kusalaṁ bhāvetabbanti kho, upaka, mayā paññattaṁ. Tattha aparimāṇā padā aparimāṇā byañjanā aparimāṇā tathāgatassa dhammadesanā— itipidaṁ kusalaṁ bhāvetabban”ti.

I’ve declared that: ‘This is skillful.’ And for that there are limitless words, phrasings, and teachings of the Realized One: ‘This is another way of saying that this is skillful.’ I’ve declared: ‘The skillful should be developed.’ And for that there are limitless words, phrasings, and teachings of the Realized One: ‘This is another way of saying that the skillful should be developed.’”

Atha kho upako maṇḍikāputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā yāvatako ahosi bhagavatā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ rañño māgadhassa ajātasattussa vedehiputtassa ārocesi. Evaṁ vutte, rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto kupito anattamano upakaṁ maṇḍikāputtaṁ etadavoca: “yāva dhaṁsī vatāyaṁ loṇakāradārako yāva mukharo yāva pagabbo yatra hi nāma taṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ āsādetabbaṁ maññissati; apehi tvaṁ, upaka, vinassa, mā taṁ addasan”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.

And then Upaka son of Maṇḍikā approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he went up to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha. He told the King of all they had discussed. But Ajātasattu became angry and upset, and said to Upaka, “How rude of this salt-maker’s boy! How scurrilous and impudent of him to imagine he could attack the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha! Get out, Upaka, go away! Don’t let me see you again.”