Mahagovindasutta 56.1-15

Mahāgovindasutta 56.1-15

Language: Pāli

56.1

Atha kho, bho, mahāgovindo brāhmaṇo yena te satta ca brāhmaṇamahāsālā satta ca nhātakasatāni tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te satta ca brāhmaṇamahāsāle satta ca nhātakasatāni etadavoca:

Then the Great Steward also went to the seven well-to-do brahmins and seven hundred bathed initiates and said,
The Great Steward

56.2

“aññaṃ dāni bhavanto ācariyaṃ pariyesantu, yo bhavantānaṃ mante vācessati.

“Good fellows, please now find another tutor to teach you to recite the hymns.
The Great Steward

56.3

Icchāmahaṃ, bho, agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajituṃ.

I wish to go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
The Great Steward

56.4

Yathā kho pana me sutaṃ brahmuno āmagandhe bhāsamānassa. Te na sunimmadayā agāraṃ ajjhāvasatā,

As I understand what the Divinity says about putrefaction, it’s not easy to quell while living at home.
The Great Steward

56.5

pabbajissāmahaṃ, bho, agārasmā anagāriyan”ti.

I shall go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
The Great Steward

56.6

“Mā bhavaṃ govindo agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbaji.

“Please don’t go forth from the lay life to homelessness!
The Great Steward

56.7

Pabbajjā, bho, appesakkhā ca appalābhā ca;

The life of one gone forth is of little influence or profit,
The Great Steward

56.8

brahmaññaṃ mahesakkhañca mahālābhañcā”ti.

whereas the life of a brahmin is of great influence and profit.”
The Great Steward

56.9

“Mā bhavanto evaṃ avacuttha: ‘pabbajjā appesakkhā ca appalābhā ca, brahmaññaṃ mahesakkhañca mahālābhañcā’ti.

“Please, good fellows, don’t say that.
The Great Steward

56.10

Ko nu kho, bho, aññatra mayā mahesakkhataro vā mahālābhataro vā.

Who has greater influence and profit than myself?
The Great Steward

56.11

Ahañhi, bho, etarahi rājāva raññaṃ brahmāva brāhmaṇānaṃ devatāva gahapatikānaṃ.

For now I am like a king to kings, like the Divinity to brahmins, like a deity to householders.
The Great Steward

56.12

Tamahaṃ sabbaṃ pahāya agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajissāmi.

Giving up all that, I shall go forth.
The Great Steward

56.13

Yathā kho pana me sutaṃ brahmuno āmagandhe bhāsamānassa, te na sunimmadayā agāraṃ ajjhāvasatā.

As I understand what the Divinity says about putrefaction, it’s not easy to quell while living at home.
The Great Steward

56.14

Pabbajissāmahaṃ, bho, agārasmā anagāriyan”ti.