Puṇṇasutta

Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.

And then Venerable Puṇṇa went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“Santi kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. ‘Nandisamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi …pe… santi kho, puṇṇa, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe… santi kho, puṇṇa, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī. ‘Nandisamudayā dukkhasamudayo, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

“Puṇṇa, there are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, this gives rise to relishing. Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say. There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … There are ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, this gives rise to relishing. Relishing is the origin of suffering, I say.

Santi kho, puṇṇa, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nirujjhati nandī. ‘Nandinirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi …pe… santi kho, puṇṇa, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato nirujjhati nandī. ‘Nandinirodhā dukkhanirodho, puṇṇā’ti vadāmi.

There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, relishing ceases. When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say. … There are ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, relishing ceases. When relishing ceases, suffering ceases, I say.

Iminā tvaṁ, puṇṇa, mayā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito katamasmiṁ janapade viharissasī”ti? “Atthi, bhante, sunāparanto nāma janapado, tatthāhaṁ viharissāmī”ti.

Puṇṇa, now that I’ve given you this brief advice, what country will you live in?” “Sir, there’s a country named Sunāparanta; I will live there.”

“Caṇḍā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā; pharusā kho, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā. Sace taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tatra te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

“The people of Sunāparanta are wild and rough, Puṇṇa. If they abuse and insult you, what will you think of them?”

“Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā akkosissanti paribhāsissanti, tatra me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime pāṇinā pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they abuse and insult me, I will think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t hit me with their fists.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

“But if they do hit you with their fists, what will you think of them then?”

“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā pāṇinā pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they hit me with their fists, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t throw stones at me.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

“But if they do throw stones at you, what will you think of them then?”

“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime daṇḍena pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they throw stones at me, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t beat me with a club.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sace pana puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā daṇḍena pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

“But if they do beat you with a club, what will you think of them then?”

“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā daṇḍena pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ me nayime satthena pahāraṁ dentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they beat me with a club, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t stab me with a knife.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sace pana te, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā satthena pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

“But if they do stab you with a knife, what will you think of them then?”

“Sace me, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā satthena pahāraṁ dassanti, tatra me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘bhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, subhaddakā vatime sunāparantakā manussā, yaṁ maṁ nayime tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropentī’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they stab me with a knife, I’ll think: ‘These people of Sunāparanta are gracious, truly gracious, since they don’t take my life with a sharp knife.’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sace pana taṁ, puṇṇa, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tatra pana te, puṇṇa, kinti bhavissatī”ti?

“But if they do take your life with a sharp knife, what will you think of them then?”

“Sace maṁ, bhante, sunāparantakā manussā tiṇhena satthena jīvitā voropessanti, tatra me evaṁ bhavissati: ‘santi kho tassa bhagavato sāvakā kāyena ca jīvitena ca aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti, taṁ me idaṁ apariyiṭṭhaññeva satthahārakaṁ laddhan’ti. Evamettha, bhagavā, bhavissati; evamettha, sugata, bhavissatī”ti.

“If they take my life with a sharp knife, I’ll think: ‘There are disciples of the Buddha who looked for a suicide weapon because they were horrified, repelled, and disgusted with the body and with life. And I have found this without looking!’ That’s what I’ll think, Blessed One. That’s what I’ll think, Holy One.”

“Sādhu sādhu, puṇṇa. Sakkhissasi kho tvaṁ, puṇṇa, iminā damūpasamena samannāgato sunāparantasmiṁ janapade vatthuṁ. Yassadāni tvaṁ, puṇṇa, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.

“Good, good Puṇṇa! Having such self-control and peacefulness, you will be quite capable of living in Sunāparanta. Now, Puṇṇa, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo bhagavato vacanaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sunāparanto janapado tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sunāparanto janapado tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā puṇṇo sunāparantasmiṁ janapade viharati. Atha kho āyasmā puṇṇo tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsakasatāni paṭivedesi. Tenevantaravassena pañcamattāni upāsikāsatāni paṭivedesi. Tenevantaravassena tisso vijjā sacchākāsi. Tenevantaravassena parinibbāyi.

And then Puṇṇa welcomed and agreed with the Buddha’s words. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sunāparanta. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Sunāparanta, and stayed there. Within that rainy season he confirmed around five hundred male and five hundred female lay followers. And within that same rainy season he realized the three knowledges. And within that same rainy season he became fully extinguished.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “yo so, bhante, puṇṇo nāma kulaputto bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito, so kālaṅkato. Tassa kā gati ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, the gentleman named Puṇṇa, who was advised in brief by the Buddha, has passed away. Where has he been reborn in his next life?”

“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto, paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ vihesesi. Parinibbuto, bhikkhave, puṇṇo kulaputto”ti. Pañcamaṁ.

“Mendicants, Puṇṇa was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Puṇṇa has become completely quenched.”