Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
1. Devadaha Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
III. The Final Fifty Discourses
1. The Devadaha Division

Sutta 107

Gaṇaka-Moggallāna Suttaɱ

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

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[52]

[1][chlm][upal][pnji][than] Thus I have heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthi
in the palace of Migara’s mother^[1]
in the Eastern Monastery.

Then the brahman Ganaka-Moggallāna approached the Lord;
having approached he exchanged greetings with the Lord;
having conversed in a friendly and courteous way,
he sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance,
Ganaka-Moggallāna the brahman
spoke thus to the Lord:

“Just as, good Gotama,
in this palace of Migara’s mother
there can be seen a gradual training,
a gradual doing,
a gradual practice,^[2]
that is to say
as far as the last flight of stairs,^[3]
so, too, good Gotama,
for these brahmans there can be seen
a gradual training,
a gradual doing,
a gradual practice,
that is to say
in the study [of the Vedas];^[4]
so too, good Gotama,
for these archers
there can be seen a gradual training,
a gradual doing,
a gradual practice,
that is to say in archery;
so too, good Gotama,
for us whose livelihood is calculation^[5]
there can be seen a gradual training,
a gradual practice,
that is to say in accountancy.

For when we get a pupil, good Gotama,
we first of all make him calculate:
‘One one,
two twos,
three threes,
four fours,
five fives,
six sixes,
seven sevens,
eight eights,
nine nines,
ten tens,’
and we, good Gotama,
also make him calculate a hundred.

Is it not possible, good Gotama,
to lay down a similar gradual training,
gradual doing,
gradual practice
in respect of this Dhamma and discipline?”

“It is possible, brahman,
to lay down a gradual training,
a gradual doing,
a gradual practice
in respect of this Dhamma and discipline.

Brahman, even a skilled trainer of horses,^[6]
having taken on a beautiful thoroughbred
first of all gets it used to the training
in respect of wearing the bit.

Then he gets it used to further training —
even so brahman,
the Tathāgata,
having taken on a man
[53] to be tamed,
first of all disciplines him thus:

Morality

‘Come you, monk, be of moral habit,
live controlled by the control of the Obligations,
endowed with [right] behavior and posture,
seeing peril in the slightest fault and,
undertaking them,
train yourself in the rules of training.’

As soon, brahman,
as the monk is of moral habit,
controlled by the control of the Obligations,
endowed with [right] behavior and posture;
seeing peril in the slightest fault and,
undertaking them,
trains himself in the rules of training,
the Tathāgata disciplines him further saying:

Sense-control

‘Come you monk,
be guarded as to the doors of the sense-organs;^[7]
having seen a material shape with the eye,
do not be entranced with the general appearance,
do not be entranced with the detail;
for if one dwells with the organ of sight uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil, unskillful states of mind,
may flow in.

So fare along controlling it,
guard the organ of sight,
achieve control over the organ of sight.

Having heard a sound with the ear,
do not be entranced with the general appearance,
do not be entranced with the detail;
for if one dwells with the organ of sight uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil, unskillful states of mind,
may flow in.

So fare along controlling it,
guard the organ of sight,
achieve control over the organ of sight.

Having smelt a smell with the nose,
do not be entranced with the general appearance,
do not be entranced with the detail;
for if one dwells with the organ of smell uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil, unskillful states of mind,
may flow in.

So fare along controlling it,
guard the organ of smell,
achieve control over the organ of smell.

Having savoured a taste with the tongue,
do not be entranced with the general appearance,
do not be entranced with the detail;
for if one dwells with the organ of taste uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil, unskillful states of mind,
may flow in.

So fare along controlling it,
guard the organ of taste,
achieve control over the organ of taste.

Having felt a touch with the body,
do not be entranced with the general appearance,
do not be entranced with the detail;
for if one dwells with the organ of touch uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil, unskillful states of mind,
may flow in.

So fare along controlling it,
guard the organ of touch,
achieve control over the organ of touch.

Having cognized a mental state with the mind,
do not be entranced with the general appearance,
do not be entranced with the detail;
for if one dwells with the organ of mind uncontrolled,
covetousness and dejection,
evil, unskillful states of mind,
may flow in.

So fare along controlling it,
guard the organ of mind,
achieve control over the organ of mind.

Moderation in eating

“As soon, brahman,
as a monk is guarded as to the doors of the sense-organs,
the Tathāgata disciplines him further,
saying:

‘Come you, monk,
be moderate in eating;
you should take food reflecting carefully,
not for fun
or indulgence
or personal charm
or beautification,
but taking just enough for maintaining this body
and keeping it going,
for keeping it unharmed,
for furthering the Brahma-faring,
with the thought:

“Thus will I crush out an old feeling,
and I will not allow a new feeling to arise,
and then there will be for me
subsistence and blamelessness
and abiding in comfort.”‘

Vigilance

As soon, brahman,
as a monk is moderate in eating,
the Tathāgata disciplines him further,
saying:

‘Come you, monk,
dwell intent on vigilance;
during the day
while pacing up and down,
while sitting down,
cleanse the mind
of obstructive mental states;
during the middle watch of the night,
lie down on the right side
in the lion posture,
[54] foot resting on foot,
mindful,
clearly conscious,
reflecting on the thought of getting up again;
during the last watch of the night,
when you have arisen,
while pacing up and down,
while sitting down,
cleanse the mind
of obstructive mental states.’

Mindfulness and clear consciousness

“As soon, brahman,
as a monk is intent on vigilance,
the Tathāgata disciplines him further,
saying:^[8]

‘Come you, monk,
be possessed of mindfulness
and clear consciousness,^[9]
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are approaching or departing,
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are looking ahead
or looking round,
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are bending in
or stretching out [the arms],
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are carrying the outer cloak,
the bowl
or robe,
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are eating,
drinking,
munching,
savouring,
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are obeying the calls of nature,
acting with clear consciousness
whether you are walking,
standing,
sitting,
asleep,
awake,
talking
or being silent.’

Overcoming of the five hindrances

“As soon, brahman,
as he is possessed of mindfulness
and clear consciousness,
the Tathāgata disciplines him further,
saying:

‘Come you, monk,
choose a remote lodging
in a forest,^[10]
at the root of a tree,
on a mountain slope,
in a glen,
a hill cave,
a cemetery,
a woodland grove,
in the open,
or on a heap of straw.’

On returning from alms-gathering
after the meal,
the monk sits down cross-legged,
holding the back erect,
having made mindfulness rise up in front of him.

He, getting rid of covetousness for the world,
dwells with a mind
devoid of covetousness,
he cleanses the mind
of covetousness.

Getting rid of the taint of ill-will,
he dwells benevolent in mind;
compassionate and merciful
towards all creatures and beings,
he cleanses the mind
of ill-will.

Getting rid of sloth and torpor,
he dwells without sloth or torpor;
perceiving the light,
mindful and clearly conscious
he cleanses the mind
of sloth and torpor.

Getting rid of restlessness and worry,
he dwells calmly;
the mind inward tranquil,
he cleanses the mind
of restlessness and worry.

Getting rid of doubt,
he dwells doubt-crossed;
unperplexed as to the states that are skilled,
he cleanses his mind
of doubt.

Jhana

“He, by getting rid of these five hindrances,
which are defilements of the mind
and deleterious to intuitive wisdom,
aloof from pleasures of the senses,
aloof from unskilled states of mind,
enters and abides in
the first meditation
which is accompanied by initial [55] thought
and discursive thought,
is born of aloofness
and is rapturous
and joyful.

By allaying initial thought
and discursive thought,
his mind subjectively tranquilized
and fixed on one point,
he enters and abides in
the second meditation
which is devoid of initial thought
and discursive thought,
is born of concentration
and is rapturous
and joyful.

By the fading out of rapture,
he dwells with equanimity,
attentive and clearly conscious,
and experiences in his person
that joy
of which the ariyans say:

‘Joyful lives he
who has equanimity
and is mindful,’

and he enters and abides in
the third meditation.

By getting rid of anguish,
by the going down
of his former pleasures and sorrows,
he enters and abides in
the fourth meditation
which has neither anguish nor joy,
and which is entirely purified
by equanimity
and mindfulness.

Brahman, such is my instruction
for those monks who are learners who,
perfection being not yet attained,^[11]
dwell longing for
the incomparable security from the bonds.

But as for those monks
who are perfected ones,
the cankers destroyed,
who have lived the life,
done what was to be done,
shed the burden,
attained to their own goal,
the fetters of becoming
utterly destroyed,
and who are freed
by perfect profound knowledge —
these things conduce
both to their abiding in ease here and now
as well as to their mindfulness
and clear consciousness.”

When this had been said,
the brahman Ganaka-Moggallāna spoke thus to the Lord:

“Now, on being exhorted thus
and instructed thus
by the good Gotama,
do all the good Gotama’s disciples
attain the unchanging goal^[12] —
nibbana
or do some not attain it?”

“Some of my disciples, brahman,
on being exhorted and instructed thus by me,
attain the unchanging goal —
nibbana;
some do not attain it.”

“What is the cause, good Gotama,
what the reason
that; since nibbana does exist,^[13]
since the way leading to nibbana exists,
since the good Gotama exists as adviser,
some of the good Gotama’s disciples
on being exhorted thus
and instructed thus
by the good Gotama,
attain the unchanging goal —
nibbana,
but some do not attain it?”

[56] “Well then, brahman,
I will question you on this point
in reply.

As it is pleasing to you,
so you may answer me.

What do you think about this, brahman?

Are you skilled in the way
leading to Rājagaha?”

“Yes, sir,
skilled am I
in the way leading to Rājagaha.”

“What do you think about this?

A man might come along here
wanting to go to Rājagaha.

Having approached you,
he might speak thus:

‘I want to go to Rājagaha, sir;
show me the way to this Rājagaha.’

You might speak thus to him:

“Yes, my good man,
this road goes to Rājagaha;
go along it for a while.

When you have gone along it for a while
you will see a village;
go along for a while;
when you have gone along for a while
you will see a market town;
go for a while.

When you have gone along for a while
you will see Rājagaha
with its delightful parks,
delightful forests,
delightful fields,
delightful ponds.

But although he has been exhorted
and instructed thus by you,
he might take the wrong road
and go westwards.

Then a second man might come along
wanting to go to Rājagaha.

Having approached you,
he might speak thus:

‘I want to go to Rājagaha, sir;
show me the way to this Rājagaha.’

You might speak thus to him:

“Yes, my good man,
this road goes to Rājagaha;
go along it for a while.

When you have gone along it for a while
you will see a village;
go along for a while;
when you have gone along for a while
you will see a market town;
go for a while.

When you have gone along for a while
you will see Rājagaha
with its delightful parks,
delightful forests,
delightful fields,
delightful ponds.’

Exhorted and instructed thus by you
he might get to Rājagaha safely.

What is the cause, brahman,
what the reason that,
since Rājagaha does exist,
since the way leading to Rājagaha exists,
since you exist as adviser,
the one man,
although being exhorted
and instructed thus by you,
may take the wrong road
and go westwards
while the other may get to Rājagaha safely?”

“What can I, good Gotama, do
in this matter?

A shower of the way, good Gotama, am I.”

“Even so, brahman,
nibbana does exist,
the way leading to nibbana exists
and I exist as adviser.

But some of my disciples,
on being exhorted
and instructed thus by me
attain the unchanging goal —
nibbana,
some do not attain it.

What can I, brahman, do
in this matter?

A shower of the way, brahman,
is a Tathāgata.”

When this had been said,
the brahman Ganaka-Moggallāna spoke thus
to the Lord:

“Good Gotama, as for those persons^[14]
who, in want of a way of living,
having gone forth from home into homelessness
without faith,
who are crafty,
fraudulent,
deceitful,
who are unbalanced
and puffed up,
who are shifty,
scurrilous
and of loose talk,
the doors of whose sense-organs are not guarded,
who do not know moderation in eating,
who are not intent on vigilance,
indifferent to recluseship,
not of [57] keen respect for the training,
who are ones for abundance,
lax,
taking the lead in backsliding,
shirking the burden of seclusion,
who are indolent,
of feeble energy,
of confused mindfulness,
not clearly conscious,
not concentrated
but of wandering minds,
who are weak in wisdom,
drivellers —
the good Gotama is not in communion with them.

But as for those young men of respectable families
who have gone forth from home
into homelessness
from faith,
who are not crafty,
fraudulent
or deceitful,
who are not unbalanced
or puffed up,
who are not shifty,
scurrilous
or of loose talk,
the doors of whose sense-organs are guarded,
who know moderation in eating,
who are intent on vigilance,
longing for recluseship,
of keen respect for the training,
who are not ones for abundance,
not lax,
shirking,
backsliding,
taking the lead in seclusion,
who are of stirred up energy,
self-resolute,
with mindfulness aroused,
clearly conscious,
concentrated,
their minds one-pointed,
who have wisdom,
are not drivellers —
the good Gotama is in communion with them.

As, good Gotama,
black gum is pointed to
as chief of root-scents,^[15]
as red sandalwood is pointed to
as chief of the pith-scents,
as jasmine is pointed to
as chief of the flower scents —
even so is the exhortation of the good Gotama
highest among the teachings of today.^[16]

Excellent, good Gotama,
excellent, good Gotama.

As, good Gotama,
one might set upright
what had been upset,
or disclose what had been covered,
or show the way
to one who had gone astray,
or bring an oil-lamp
into the darkness
so that those with vision
might see material shapes —
even so in many a figure
is Dhamma made clear
by the good Gotama.

I am going to the revered Gotama for refuge
and to Dhamma
and to the Order of monks.

May the good Gotama accept me as a lay-follower
going for refuge
from today forth
for as long as life lasts.”

^[1] A seven-storied palace is not to be built in one day, MA. iv. 69.

^[2] Cf. M. i. 479.

^[3] yāva pacchimā sopānakaḷebarā; cf. M. ii. 92, Vin. ii. 128.

^[4] ajjhena; cf. M. ii. 199. “It is not possible to learn the three Vedas by heart in one day,” MA. iv. 69; cf Jā. v. 10.

^[5] Gaṇanā, see B.D. ii. 176, n.5. Above spelt gaṇānā. (“From this profession of his, the distinguishing addition to the brahman’s name is derived” — Ed., The Wheel].

^[6] Cf. M. i. 446.

^[7] Cf. M. i. 355 ff. for the following.

^[8] M. iii. 3 now goes on differently from M. i. 355-356.

^[9] Cf. M. iii. 90, 135; D. i. 70; A. ii. 210.

^[10] Cf. M. i. 181, etc.

^[11] appattamānasā, as at S. i. 121. “Those who have not attained the fruits,” MA. iv. 70; who “have not attained arahantship.” SA. i. 183. Referring to the sekhā, learners, or those still undergoing training.

^[12] accantaniṭṭhā. Accanta can also mean utmost, culminating, supreme.

^[13] tiṭṭhat’eva nibbānaɱ; but it possibly means “granted that there is indeed nibbāna.” This however is unnecessary since the brahman aleady assumes there is nibbāna, and is here only emphasising (eva) his belief.

^[14] From here s far as he beginning of the simile, cf. M. i. 32.

^[15] Cf. S. iii. 156, v. 44, A. v. 22 and see G.S. v. 17, n. 1.

^[16] paramajjadhammesu. Dhammā are things taught (among other meanings). MA. iv. 70 says: the eachings of today, ajjadhammā, mean the teachings of the six (heretical ?) teachers; among them the word of Gotama is the supreme, the utmost.