Dhammapada 3.9: 9. Soreyyattheravatthu

3.9.p1

Na taṃ mātā pitā kayirāti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā sāvatthiyaṃ jetavane viharanto soreyyattheraṃ ārabbha kathesi.

_Neither mother nor father could do this._ This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at the Jetavana in Sāvatthi with reference to the treasurer, Elder Soreyya. The story begins in the city of Soreyya and ends in the city of Sāvatthi.

3.9.p2

Vatthu soreyyanagare samuṭṭhitaṃ, sāvatthiyaṃ niṭṭhāpesi. Sammāsambuddhe sāvatthiyaṃ viharante soreyyanagare soreyyaseṭṭhiputto ekena sahāyakena saddhiṃ sukhayānake nisīditvā mahantena parivārena nhānatthāya nagarā nikkhami. Tasmiṃ khaṇe mahākaccāyanatthero soreyyanagaraṃ piṇḍāya pavisitukāmo hutvā bahinagare saṅghāṭiṃ pārupati. Therassa ca suvaṇṇavaṇṇaṃ sarīraṃ. Soreyyaseṭṭhiputto taṃ disvā cintesi – ‘‘aho vata ayaṃ vā thero mama bhariyā bhaveyya, mama vā bhariyāya sarīravaṇṇo etassa sarīravaṇṇo viya bhaveyyā’’ti. Tassa cintitamatteyeva purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, itthiliṅgaṃ pāturahosi. So lajjamāno yānakā oruyha palāyi. Parijano taṃ asañjānanto ‘‘kimeta’’nti āha. Sāpi takkasilamaggaṃ paṭipajji. Sahāyakopissā ito cito ca vicaritvāpi nāddasa. Sabbe nhāyitvā gehaṃ agamiṃsu. ‘‘Kahaṃ seṭṭhiputto’’ti ca vutte, ‘‘nhatvā āgato bhavissatīti maññimhā’’ti vadiṃsu. Athassa mātāpitaro tattha tattha pariyesitvā apassantā roditvā paridevitvā, ‘‘mato bhavissatī’’ti matakabhattaṃ adaṃsu. Sā ekaṃ takkasilagāmiṃ satthavāhaṃ disvā yānakassa pacchato pacchato anubandhi.

While the Supremely Enlightened was in residence at Sāvatthi, the following incident took place in the city of Soreyya: A treasurer's son named Soreyya, together with a certain intimate friend of his, sitting in a carriage, accompanied by a large retinue, drove out of

the city to bathe. At that moment Elder Mahā Kaccāyana, intending to enter the city of Soreyya for alms, was putting on his mantle outside of the city gate. When the treasurer's son Soreyya saw the golden-hued body of the Elder, he thought to himself, "Oh, that this Elder might become my wife! Else may the hue of my wife's body become like the hue of his body!"

The instant this thought passed through his mind Soreyya was transformed from a man into a woman. He descended from the carriage in embarrassment and took to flight. His attendants, not understanding what had taken place, said, "What does this mean? What does this mean?" Soreyya, thus transformed into a woman set out on the road to Takkasilā. His carriage-companion searched everywhere for him, but failed to find him. When all the members of the party had bathed, they returned home. They were asked, "Where is the treasurer's son?" They replied, "We supposed that, after bathing, he must have returned home." His mother and father searched everywhere for him, but failing to find him, wept and lamented. And concluding that he must be dead, they gave the funeral feast.

Soreyyā, now a woman, seeing a caravan leader bound for Takkasilā, followed close behind his wagon. Members of the caravan noticed her and said, "She keeps following close behind our wagon, but we do not know whose daughter she is." Said she, "Masters, drive your own wagon. I will follow on foot." Having continued her journey on foot for a considerable distance, she bribed her masters with the present of a seal-ring to make room for her in a certain wagon. The men of the caravan thought to themselves, "Our treasurer's son, who lives in the city of Sāvatthi, has no wife. We will tell him about this woman, and he will give us a handsome present." So when they reached Takkasilā, they went and said to him, "Master, we have brought you a jewel of a woman." When the treasurer's son heard this, he sent for her. Observing that she suited his age and was exceedingly beautiful, he fell in love with her and married her.

3.9.p3

Atha naṃ manussā disvā, ‘‘amhākaṃ yānakassa pacchato pacchato anugacchati, mayaṃ ‘kassesā dārikā’ti taṃ na jānāmā’’ti vadiṃsu. Sāpi ‘‘tumhe attano yānakaṃ pājetha, ahaṃ padasā gamissāmī’’ti gacchantī aṅgulimuddikaṃ datvā ekasmiṃ yānake okāsaṃ kāresi. Manussā cintayiṃsu – ‘‘takkasilanagare amhākaṃ seṭṭhiputtassa bhariyā natthi, tassa ācikkhissāma, mahāpaṇṇākāro no bhavissatī’’ti. Te gehaṃ gantvā, ‘‘sāmi, amhehi tumhākaṃ ekaṃ itthiratanaṃ ānīta’’nti āhaṃsu. So taṃ sutvā taṃ pakkosāpetvā attano vayānurūpaṃ abhirūpaṃ pāsādikaṃ disvā uppannasineho gehe akāsi. Purisā hi itthiyo, itthiyo vā purisā abhūtapubbā nāma natthi. Purisā hi parassa dāresu aticaritvā kālaṃ katvā bahūni vassasatasahassāni niraye paccitvā manussajātiṃ āgacchantā attabhāvasate itthibhāvaṃ āpajjanti.

(For there are no men who have not, at some time or other, been women; and no women who have not, at some time or other, been men. For example, men who have sinned with the wives of other men are after death tormented in Hell for hundreds of thousands of

3.9.p4

Ānandattheropi kappasatasahassaṃ pūritapāramī ariyasāvako saṃsāre saṃsaranto ekasmiṃ attabhāve kammārakule nibbatto. Paradārakammaṃ katvā niraye paccitvā pakkāvasesena cuddasasu attabhāvesu purisassa pādaparicārikā itthī ahosi, sattasu attabhāvesu bījuddharaṇaṃ pāpuṇi. Itthiyo pana dānādīni puññāni katvā itthibhāve chandaṃ virājetvā, ‘‘idaṃ no puññaṃ purisattabhāvapaṭilābhāya saṃvattatū’’ti cittaṃ adhiṭṭhahitvā kālaṃ katvā purisattabhāvaṃ paṭilabhanti, patidevatā hutvā sāmike sammāpaṭipattivasenāpi purisattabhāvaṃ paṭilabhanteva.

years, and upon resuming human estate are reborn as women during a hundred successive states of existence. For even the Elder Ānanda, who fulfilled the Perfections for a hundred thousand cycles of time and was a Noble Disciple, reborn as a blacksmith in a certain state of existence, as he passed from one state of existence to another in the round of existences, sinned with the wife of another man. As a result he suffered torment in Hell, and thereafter, because the fruit of his evil deed was not yet exhausted, he was obliged to spend fourteen existences as the wife of another man, and seven existences in addition, before the effect of his evil deed was completely exhausted. On the other hand women, by bestowing alms and performing other works of merit, by putting away desire to continue in existence longer as women, by forming the resolution, “May this work of merit of ours avail to procure for us rebirth as men,” obtain rebirth as men after death. Likewise wives who conduct themselves properly towards their husbands obtain rebirth as men. But this treasurer’s son, having unwisely set his thought on the Elder, was in that very existence transformed into a woman.)

3.9.p5

Ayaṃ pana seṭṭhiputto there ayoniso cittaṃ uppādetvā imasmiṃyeva attabhāve itthibhāvaṃ paṭilabhi. Takkasilāyaṃ seṭṭhiputtena saddhiṃ saṃvāsamanvāya pana tassā kucchiyaṃ gabbho patiṭṭhāsi. Sā dasamāsaccayena puttaṃ labhitvā tassa padasā gamanakāle aparampi puttaṃ paṭilabhi. Evamassā kucchiyaṃ vutthā dve, soreyyanagare taṃ paṭicca nibbattā dveti cattāro puttā ahesuṃ. Tasmiṃ kāle soreyyanagarato tassā sahāyako seṭṭhiputto pañcahi sakaṭasatehi takkasilaṃ gantvā sukhayānake nisinno nagaraṃ pāvisi. Atha naṃ sā uparipāsādatale vātapānaṃ vivaritvā antaravīthiṃ olokayamānā ṭhitā disvā sañjānitvā dāsiṃ pesetvā pakkosāpetvā mahātale nisīdāpetvā mahantaṃ sakkārasammānaṃ akāsi. Atha naṃ so āha – ‘‘bhadde, tvaṃ ito pubbe amhehi na diṭṭhapubbā, atha ca pana no mahantaṃ sakkāraṃ karosi, jānāsi tvaṃ amhe’’ti. ‘‘Āma, sāmi, jānāmi, nanu tumhe soreyyanagaravāsino’’ti? ‘‘Āma, bhadde’’ti. Sā mātāpitūnañca bhariyāya ca puttānañca arogabhāvaṃ pucchi. Itaro ‘‘āma, bhadde, arogā’’ti vatvā ‘‘jānāsi tvaṃ ete’’ti āha. ‘‘Āma sāmi, jānāmi. Tesaṃ eko putto atthi, so kahaṃ, sāmī’’ti? ‘‘Bhadde, mā etaṃ kathehi, mayaṃ tena saddhiṃ ekadivasaṃ sukhayānake nisīditvā nhāyituṃ nikkhantā nevassa gatiṃ jānāma, ito cito ca vicaritvā taṃ adisvā mātāpitūnaṃ ārocayimhā, tepissa roditvā kanditvā petakiccaṃ kiriṃsū’’ti. ‘‘Ahaṃ so, sāmī’’ti. ‘‘Apehi, bhadde, kiṃ kathesi mayhaṃ sahāyo devakumāro viya eko puriso’’ti? ‘‘Hotu, sāmi, ahaṃ so’’ti. ‘‘Atha idaṃ kiṃ nāmā’’ti? ‘‘Taṃ divasaṃ te ayyo mahākaccāyanatthero diṭṭho’’ti? ‘‘Āma, diṭṭho’’ti. Ahaṃ ayyaṃ mahākaccāyanattheraṃ oloketvā, ‘‘aho vata ayaṃ vā thero mama bhariyā bhaveyya, etassa vā sarīravaṇṇo viya mama bhariyāya sarīravaṇṇo bhaveyyā’’ti cintesiṃ. Cintitakkhaṇeyeva me purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, itthiliṅgaṃ pātubhavi. Athāhaṃ lajjamānā kassaci kiñci vattuṃ asakkuṇitvā tato palāyitvā idhāgatā, sāmīti.

So the son of the treasurer of Soreyya, transformed into a woman, was married to the son of the treasurer of Takkasilā, and as a result of their living together, she conceived a child in her womb. When ten lunar months had elapsed, she gave birth to a son. When the latter was old enough to walk, she gave birth to a second son. Thus Soreyyā, who was the father of two sons born in the city of Soreyya, became the mother of two more sons born in the city of Takkasilā, making four sons in all.

Just at this time the treasurer’s son who was Soreyya’s carriage-companion set out from the city of Soreyya with five hundred carts, and arriving at Takkasilā, entered town seated in his carriage. At that moment the woman Soreyyā stood at an open window on the topmost floor of her palace, looking down into the street. As soon as she saw him, she recognized him, and sending a slave-woman to him, she summoned him within, provided a seat for him in the great hall of the palace, and bestowed upon him the usual attentions and honors. Said the guest to the host, “My lady, I never saw you before, but you have been exceedingly kind to me. Do you know who I am?” “Yes, my lord, I know perfectly who you are. Do you not reside in the city of Soreyya?” “Yes, my lady.” Thereupon his host inquired after the health of her mother and father and former wife and sons. “They are very well indeed,” replied the visitor, and then queried, “Do you know them?” “Yes, my lord, I know them very well. And, my lord, they have a son. Where is he?”

“My lady, I beg you not to speak of him. One day, seated in a carriage together, we drove out of the city to bathe, and all of a sudden he disappeared. None of us know where he went or whatever became of him. We searched everywhere for him, but failed to find him. Finally we told his mother and father, whereupon they wept and lamented and performed the rites for the dead.” “My lord, I am he.” “Go away, my lady. What are you saying? He was an intimate friend of mine, he was like a celestial youth, he was a man.” “Never mind, my lord; I am he, all the same.” “What is the explanation of this?” inquired her visitor. “Do you remember seeing the noble Elder Mahā Kaccāyana that day?” inquired his host. “Yes, I remember seeing him.” “Well, when I looked upon the noble Elder Mahā Kaccāyana, I thought to myself, ‘Oh, that this Elder might become my wife! Else may the hue of my wife’s body become like the hue of his body!’ The instant this thought passed through my mind I was transformed from a man into a woman. Well, my lord, I was so embarrassed that I was unable to speak to anyone. Therefore I took to flight and came here.” “Oh, it was very wrong for you to do what you did. Why did you not tell me? And did you beg the Elder’s pardon?” “No, my lord, I did not beg his pardon. But do you know where the Elder is?” “He resides near this very city.” “Were he to come here, my lord, I should like to give food in alms to my noble Elder.” “Very well, make provision for him immediately. I will prevail upon our noble Elder to pardon you.”

3.9.p6

‘‘Aho vata te bhāriyaṃ kammaṃ kataṃ, kasmā mayhaṃ nācikkhi, apica pana te thero khamāpito’’ti? ‘‘Na khamāpito, sāmi. Jānāsi pana tvaṃ kahaṃ thero’’ti? ‘‘Imameva nagaraṃ upanissāya viharatī’’ti. ‘‘Sace piṇḍāya caranto idhāgaccheyya, ahaṃ mama ayyassa bhikkhāhāraṃ dadeyyaṃ, sāmī’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi sīghaṃ sakkāraṃ karohi, amhākaṃ ayyaṃ khamāpessāmā’’ti so therassa vasanaṭṭhānaṃ gantvā vanditvā ekamantaṃ nisinno, ‘‘bhante, sve mayhaṃ bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā’’ti āha. ‘‘Nanu tvaṃ, seṭṭhiputta, āgantukosī’’ti. ‘‘Bhante, mā amhākaṃ āgantukabhāvaṃ pucchatha, sve me bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā’’ti. Thero adhivāsesi, gehepi therassa mahāsakkāro paṭiyatto. Thero punadivase taṃ gehadvāraṃ agamāsi. Atha naṃ nisīdāpetvā paṇītenāhārena parivisitvā seṭṭhiputto taṃ itthiṃ gahetvā therassa pādamūle nipajjāpetvā, ‘‘bhante, mayhaṃ sahāyikāya khamathā’’ti āha. ‘‘Kimeta’’nti? ‘‘Ayaṃ, bhante, pubbe mayhaṃ piyasahāyako hutvā tumhe oloketvā evaṃ nāma cintesi, athassa purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, itthiliṅgaṃ pātubhavi, khamatha, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi uṭṭhahatha, khamāmi vo aha’’nti. Therena ‘‘khamāmī’’ti vuttamatteyeva itthiliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, purisaliṅgaṃ pātubhavi.

So Soreyya’s former carriage-companion went to the place where the Elder resided, paid obeisance to him, sat down respectfully on one side, and said to him, “Reverend Sir, pray receive alms from me to-morrow.” The Elder replied, “Treasurer’s son, are you not a visitor here?” “Reverend Sir, pray do not ask me whether I am a visitor or not. Receive alms from me to-morrow.” The Elder accepted the invitation, and bounteous provisions were made ready for the Elder in the house. On the following day the Elder came and stood at the door of that house. The treasurer’s son provided him with a seat and served him with choice food. Then, taking that woman, he caused her to prostrate herself before the Elder’s feet and said, “Reverend Sir, pardon my friend.” Said the Elder, “What does this mean?” Said the treasurer’s son, “Reverend Sir, this woman used to be my dearest male friend. One day he looked upon you and thought this and that and was immediately transformed from a man into a woman. Pardon her, Reverend Sir.” Said the Elder, “Very well, rise. I pardon you.”

As soon as the Elder uttered the words “I pardon you,” Soreyya was transformed from a woman into a man. As soon as she was transformed again into a man, the son of the treasurer of Takkasilā said to her, “Good friend, since you are the mother of these two boys and I am their father, they are truly the sons of us both. Therefore we may continue to live here. Be not unhappy.” Soreyya replied, “Friend, I have undergone two transformations in one state of existence. First I was a man, then I was a woman, and now I have again become a man. First I became the father of two sons, and but recently I became the mother of two sons. Think not that, after having undergone two transformations in one state of existence, I shall ever live the house-life again. I shall become a monk under my noble Elder. It is your duty to care for these two boys. Do not neglect them.” So saying, Soreyya kissed the two boys and embraced them, and handing them over to their father, departed from the house and became a monk under the Elder. The Elder admitted Soreyya to the Order, received his full profession, and then, taking him with him, set out for Sāvatthi, and in due time arrived at that city. Thereafter he was known as Elder Soreyya.

3.9.p7

Purisaliṅge pātubhūtamatteyeva taṃ takkasilāya seṭṭhiputto āha – ‘‘samma sahāyaka, ime dve dārakā tava kucchiyaṃ vutthattā maṃ paṭicca nibbattattā ubhinnampino puttā eva, idheva vasissāma, mā ukkaṇṭhī’’ti. ‘‘Samma, ahaṃ ekenattabhāvena paṭhamaṃ puriso hutvā itthibhāvaṃ patvā puna puriso jātoti vippakārappatto, paṭhamaṃ maṃ paṭicca dve puttā nibbattā, idāni me kucchito dve puttā nikkhantā, svāhaṃ ekenattabhāvena vippakārappatto, puna ‘gehe vasissatī’ti saññaṃ mā kari, ahaṃ mama ayyassa santike pabbajissāmi. Ime dve dārakā tava bhārāti, imesu mā pamajjī’’ti vatvā putte sīse paricumbitvā parimajjitvā ure nipajjāpetvā pitu niyyādetvā nikkhamitvā therassa santike pabbajjaṃ yāci. Theropi naṃ pabbājetvā upasampādetvā gaṇhitvāva cārikaṃ caramāno anupubbena sāvatthiṃ agamāsi. Tassa soreyyattheroti nāmaṃ ahosi. Janapadavāsino taṃ pavattiṃ ñatvā saṅkhubhitvā kotūhalajātā taṃ upasaṅkamitvā pucchiṃsu – ‘‘evaṃ kira, bhante’’ti? ‘‘Āma, āvuso’’ti. ‘‘Bhante, evarūpampi kāraṇaṃ nāma hoti’’? ‘‘Tumhākaṃ kucchiyaṃ kira dve puttā nibbattā, tumhe paṭicca dve jātā, tesaṃ vo kataresu balavasineho hotī’’ti? ‘‘Kucchiyaṃ vutthakesu, āvuso’’ti. Āgatāgatā nibaddhaṃ tatheva pucchiṃsu.

When the inhabitants of the country learned what had happened, they were much agitated and excited. And approaching the Elder Soreyya, they asked him, “Reverend Sir, is this report true?” “Yes, brethren.” “Reverend Sir, matters stand thus: you are said to be the mother of two sons and the father of two sons as well. For which pair of sons have you the stronger affection?” “For the pair of which I am the mother.” All those who came invariably asked the Elder the same question, and again and again the Elder returned the answer, “I have the stronger affection for the pair of sons of which I am the mother.”

3.9.p8

Thero ‘‘kucchiyaṃ vuttakesu eva sineho balavā’’ti punappunaṃ kathento harāyamāno ekova nisīdati, ekova tiṭṭhati. So evaṃ ekattūpagato attabhāve khayavayaṃ samuṭṭhāpetvā saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi. Atha naṃ āgatāgatā pucchanti – ‘‘bhante, evaṃ kira nāma ahosī’’ti? ‘‘Āmāvuso’’ti. ‘‘Kataresu sineho balavā’’ti? ‘‘Mayhaṃ katthaci sineho nāma natthī’’ti. Bhikkhū ‘‘ayaṃ abhūtaṃ kathesi, purimadivasesu ‘kucchiyaṃ vutthaputtesu sineho balavā’ti vatvā idāni ‘mayhaṃ katthaci sineho natthī’ti vadati, aññaṃ byākaroti, bhante’’ti āhaṃsu. Satthā ‘‘na, bhikkhave, mama putto aññaṃ byākaroti, mama puttassa sammāpaṇihitena cittena maggassa diṭṭhakālato paṭṭhāya na katthaci sineho jāto, yaṃ sampattiṃ neva mātā, na pitā kātuṃ sakkoti, taṃ imesaṃ sattānaṃ abbhantare pavattaṃ sammāpaṇihitaṃ cittameva detī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

Thereupon the Elder withdrew himself from the multitude: when he sat, he sat alone, and when he stood, he stood alone. Having thus sought solitude, he grasped firmly the thought of decay and death and attained Arahatship, together with the Supernatural Faculties. All those who came to see him asked the question, “Was that report true, Reverend Sir? Was that report true?” “Yes, brethren.” “For which pair of sons have you the stronger affection?” “My affections are set on no one.” Said the monks to the Teacher, "This monk says what is not true. On former days he used to say, 'I have the stronger affection for the pair of sons of which I am the mother.' Now, however, he says, 'My affections are set on no one.' He utters falsehood, Reverend Sir." Said the Teacher, "Monks, my son does not utter falsehood. My son's mind has been rightly directed ever since the day when he beheld the Path. Neither a mother nor a father can confer the benefit which a well-directed mind alone confers on these living beings." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

3.9.43

‘‘Na taṃ mātā pitā kayirā, aññe vāpi ca ñātakā;
Sammāpaṇihitaṃ cittaṃ, seyyaso naṃ tato kare’’ti.

43. Neither mother nor father could do this, nor other relatives besides;
Thoughts well-directed could do this far better.

3.9.43_2

Tatthana tanti taṃ kāraṇaṃ neva mātā kareyya, na pitā, na aññe ñātakā. Sammāpaṇihitanti dasasu kusalakammapathesu sammā ṭhapitaṃ. Seyyaso naṃ tato kareti tato kāraṇato seyyaso naṃ varataraṃ uttaritaraṃ kareyya, karotīti attho. Mātāpitaro hi puttānaṃ dhanaṃ dadamānā ekasmiṃyeva attabhāve kammaṃ akatvā sukhena jīvikakappanaṃ dhanaṃ dātuṃ sakkonti. Visākhāya mātāpitaropi tāva mahaddhanā mahābhogā, tassā ekasmiṃyeva attabhāve sukhena jīvikakappanaṃ dhanaṃ adaṃsu. Catūsu pana dīpesu cakkavattisiriṃ dātuṃ samatthā mātāpitaropi nāma puttānaṃ natthi, pageva dibbasampattiṃ vā paṭhamajjhānādisampattiṃ vā, lokuttarasampattidāne kathāva natthi, sammāpaṇihitaṃ pana cittaṃ sabbampetaṃ sampattiṃ dātuṃ sakkoti. Tena vuttaṃ ‘‘seyyaso naṃ tato kare’’ti.

3.9.43_3

Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pattā. Desanā mahājanassa sātthikā jātāti.

3.9.43_4

Soreyyattheravatthu navamaṃ.

3.9.43_5

Cittavaggavaṇṇanā niṭṭhitā.

3.9.43_6

Tatiyo vaggo.