With Soṇadaṇḍa 6.1-47

6.1

Evaṃ vutte, soṇadaṇḍo brāhmaṇo te brāhmaṇe etadavoca:

When they had spoken, Soṇadaṇḍa said to those brahmins:

6.2

“Tena hi, bho, mamapi suṇātha, yathā mayameva arahāma taṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ;

“Well then, gentlemen, listen to why it’s appropriate for me to go to see the ascetic Gotama,

6.3

na tveva arahati so bhavaṃ gotamo amhākaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ.

and it’s not appropriate for him to come to see me.

6.4

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo ubhato sujāto mātito ca pitito ca, saṃsuddhagahaṇiko yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā, akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.

He is well born on both his mother’s and father’s side, stemming from a clean vessel, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation.

6.5

Yampi, bho, samaṇo gotamo ubhato sujāto mātito ca pitito ca saṃsuddhagahaṇiko yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā, akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena, imināpaṅgena na arahati so bhavaṃ gotamo amhākaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ;

For this reason it’s not appropriate for the ascetic Gotama to come to see me;

6.6

atha kho mayameva arahāma taṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ.

rather, it’s appropriate for me to go to see him.

6.7

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo mahantaṃ ñātisaṅghaṃ ohāya pabbajito …pe…

When he went forth he abandoned a large family circle. …

6.8

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo pahūtaṃ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṃ ohāya pabbajito bhūmigatañca vehāsaṭṭhaṃ ca …pe…

When he went forth he abandoned abundant gold, both coined and uncoined, stored above and below ground. …

6.9

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo daharova samāno yuvā susukāḷakeso bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato paṭhamena vayasā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajito …pe…

He went forth from the lay life to homelessness while still a youth, young, with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life. …

6.10

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo akāmakānaṃ mātāpitūnaṃ assumukhānaṃ rudantānaṃ kesamassuṃ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajito …pe…

Though his mother and father wished otherwise, weeping with tearful faces, he shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness. …

6.11

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, brahmavaṇṇī, brahmavacchasī, akhuddāvakāso dassanāya …pe…

He is attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. He has divine looks and lustre, remarkable to behold. …

6.12

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sīlavā ariyasīlī kusalasīlī kusalasīlena samannāgato …pe…

He is ethical, possessing ethical conduct that is noble and skillful. …

6.13

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo kalyāṇavāco kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā …pe…

He’s a good speaker who enunciates well, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning. …

6.14

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo bahūnaṃ ācariyapācariyo …pe…

He’s a tutor of tutors. …

6.15

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo khīṇakāmarāgo vigatacāpallo …pe…

He has ended sensual desire, and is rid of caprice. …

6.16

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo kammavādī kiriyavādī apāpapurekkhāro brahmaññāya pajāya …pe…

He teaches the efficacy of deeds and action. He doesn’t wish any harm upon the community of brahmins. …

6.17

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo uccā kulā pabbajito asambhinnakhattiyakulā …pe…

He went forth from an eminent family of unbroken aristocratic lineage. …

6.18

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo aḍḍhā kulā pabbajito mahaddhanā mahābhogā …pe…

He went forth from a rich, affluent, and wealthy family. …

6.19

Samaṇaṃ khalu, bho, gotamaṃ tiroraṭṭhā tirojanapadā pañhaṃ pucchituṃ āgacchanti …pe…

People come from distant lands and distant countries to question him. …

6.20

Samaṇaṃ khalu, bho, gotamaṃ anekāni devatāsahassāni pāṇehi saraṇaṃ gatāni …pe…

Many thousands of deities have gone for refuge for life to him. …

6.21

Samaṇaṃ khalu, bho, gotamaṃ evaṃ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:

He has this good reputation:

6.22

‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti …pe…

‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ …

6.23

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo dvattiṃsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato …pe…

He has the thirty-two marks of a great man. …

6.24

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo ehisvāgatavādī sakhilo sammodako abbhākuṭiko uttānamukho pubbabhāsī …pe…

He is welcoming, congenial, polite, smiling, open, the first to speak. …

6.25

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo catunnaṃ parisānaṃ sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito …pe…

He’s honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by the four assemblies. …

6.26

Samaṇe khalu, bho, gotame bahū devā ca manussā ca abhippasannā …pe…

Many gods and humans are devoted to him. …

6.27

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo yasmiṃ gāme vā nigame vā paṭivasati, na tasmiṃ gāme vā nigame vā amanussā manusse viheṭhenti …pe…

While he is residing in a village or town, non-human entities do not harass them. …

6.28

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo saṅghī gaṇī gaṇācariyo puthutitthakarānaṃ aggamakkhāyati. Yathā kho pana, bho, etesaṃ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṃ yathā vā tathā vā yaso samudāgacchati, na hevaṃ samaṇassa gotamassa yaso samudāgato.

He leads an order and a community, and tutors a community, and is said to be the best of the various religious founders. He didn’t come by his fame in the same ways as those other ascetics and brahmins.

6.29

Atha kho anuttarāya vijjācaraṇasampadāya samaṇassa gotamassa yaso samudāgato …pe…

Rather, he came by his fame due to his supreme knowledge and conduct. …

6.30

Samaṇaṃ khalu, bho, gotamaṃ rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro saputto sabhariyo sapariso sāmacco pāṇehi saraṇaṃ gato …pe…

King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha and his wives and children have gone for refuge for life to the ascetic Gotama. …

6.31

Samaṇaṃ khalu, bho, gotamaṃ rājā pasenadi kosalo saputto sabhariyo sapariso sāmacco pāṇehi saraṇaṃ gato …pe…

King Pasenadi of Kosala and his wives and children have gone for refuge for life to the ascetic Gotama. …

6.32

Samaṇaṃ khalu, bho, gotamaṃ brāhmaṇo pokkharasāti saputto sabhariyo sapariso sāmacco pāṇehi saraṇaṃ gato …pe…

The brahmin Pokkharasāti and his wives and children have gone for refuge for life to the ascetic Gotama. …

6.33

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito …pe…

He’s honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by King Bimbisāra of Magadha …

6.34

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito …pe…

King Pasenadi of Kosala …

6.35

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo brāhmaṇassa pokkharasātissa sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito …pe…

and the brahmin Pokkharasāti.

6.36

Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo campaṃ anuppatto, campāyaṃ viharati gaggarāya pokkharaṇiyā tīre.

The ascetic Gotama has arrived at Campā and is staying at the Gaggarā Lotus Pond.

6.37

Ye kho pana, bho, keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā amhākaṃ gāmakhettaṃ āgacchanti atithī no te honti.

Any ascetic or brahmin who comes to stay in our village district is our guest,

6.38

Atithī kho panamhehi sakkātabbā garukātabbā mānetabbā pūjetabbā apacetabbā.

and should be honored and respected as such.

6.39

Yampi, bho, samaṇo gotamo campaṃ anuppatto campāyaṃ viharati gaggarāya pokkharaṇiyā tīre, atithimhākaṃ samaṇo gotamo;

6.40

atithi kho panamhehi sakkātabbo garukātabbo mānetabbo pūjetabbo apacetabbo.

6.41

Imināpaṅgena na arahati so bhavaṃ gotamo amhākaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ.

For this reason, too, it’s not appropriate for the worthy Gotama to come to see me;

6.42

Atha kho mayameva arahāma taṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ.

rather, it’s appropriate for me to go to see him.

6.43

Ettake kho ahaṃ, bho, tassa bhoto gotamassa vaṇṇe pariyāpuṇāmi, no ca kho so bhavaṃ gotamo ettakavaṇṇo.

This is the extent of the worthy Gotama’s praise that I have memorized. But his praises are not confined to this,

6.44

Aparimāṇavaṇṇo hi so bhavaṃ gotamo”ti.

for the praise of the worthy Gotama is limitless.”

6.45

Evaṃ vutte, te brāhmaṇā soṇadaṇḍaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ etadavocuṃ:

When he had spoken, those brahmins said to him,

6.46

“yathā kho bhavaṃ soṇadaṇḍo samaṇassa gotamassa vaṇṇe bhāsati ito cepi so bhavaṃ gotamo yojanasate viharati, alameva saddhena kulaputtena dassanāya upasaṅkamituṃ api puṭosenā”ti.

“According to Soṇadaṇḍa’s praises, if the worthy Gotama were staying within a hundred leagues, it’d be worthwhile for a faithful gentleman to go to see him, even if he had to carry his own provisions in a knapsack.”

6.47

“Tena hi, bho, sabbeva mayaṃ samaṇaṃ gotamaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāmā”ti.

“Well then, gentlemen, let’s all go to see the ascetic Gotama.”