4-42 §1-5 Gāmaṇisamyutta | Samyutta

Chapter VIII

42 Gāmaṇisamyutta
Connected Discourses to Headmen

1 Caṇḍa

At Sāvatthī.

Then the headman Caṇḍa the Wrathful approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Venerable sir, what is the cause and reason why someone here is reckoned as wrathful? And what is the cause and reason why someone here is reckoned as gentle?

Here, headman, someone has not abandoned lust. Because he has not abandoned lust, other people irritate him. Being irritated by others, he manifests irritation: he is reckoned as wrathful.

He has not abandoned hatred. Because he has not abandoned hatred, other people irritate him. Being irritated by others, he manifests irritation: he is reckoned as wrathful.

He has not abandoned delusion. Because he has not abandoned delusion, other people irritate him. Being irritated by others, he manifests irritation: he is reckoned as wrathful.

This, headman, is the cause and reason why someone here is reckoned as wrathful.

Here, headman, someone has abandoned lust. Because he has abandoned lust, other people do not irritate him. Not being irritated by others, he does not manifest irritation:

- he is reckoned as gentle.

He has abandoned hatred. Because he has abandoned hatred, other people do not irritate him. Not being irritated by others, he does not manifest irritation:

- he is reckoned as gentle.

He has abandoned delusion. Because he has abandoned delusion, other people do not irritate him. Not being irritated by others, he does not manifest irritation:

- he is reckoned as gentle.

This, headman, is the cause and reason why someone here is reckoned as gentle.

When this was said, Caṇḍa the headman said to the Blessed One:

Magnificent, venerable sir! Magnificent, venerable sir!

The Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by the Blessed One, as though he were turning upright what had been turned upside down,

revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms.

I go for refuge to the Blessed One, and to the Dhamma, and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. From today let the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.

2 Talapuṭa

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.

Then Talapuṭa the troupe headman approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Venerable sir, I have heard it said among actors of old in the lineage of teachers:

‘If an actor, in the theatre or the arena, entertains and amuses people by truth and lies, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas.’

- What does the Blessed One say about that?

Enough, headman, let it be! Don’t ask me that!

A second time and a third time Talapuṭa the troupe headman said:

Venerable sir, I have heard it said among actors of old in the lineage of teachers: … … What does the Blessed One say about that?

Surely, headman, I am not getting through to you when I say, ‘Enough, headman, let it be! Don’t ask me that!’ But still, I will answer you:

In the theatre or arena, among beings who are not yet free from lust, who are bound by the bondage of lust, an actor entertains them with titillating things that excite them even more strongly to lust.

In the theatre or arena, among beings who are not yet free from hatred, who are bound by the bondage of hatred, an actor entertains them with infuriating things that excite them even more strongly to hatred.

In the theatre or arena, among beings who are not yet free from delusion, who are bound by the bondage of delusion, an actor entertains them with bewildering things that excite them even more strongly to delusion.

Thus, being intoxicated and negligent himself, having made others intoxicated and negligent, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the ‘Hell of Laughter.’

But should he hold such a view as this:

‘If an actor, in the theatre or the arena, entertains and amuses people by truth and lies, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas’

—that is a wrong view on his part. For a person with wrong view, I say, there is one of two destinations: either hell or the animal realm.

When this was said, Talapuṭa the troupe headman cried out and burst into tears.

[The Blessed One said:]

So I did not get through to you when I said,
‘Enough, headman, let it be! Don’t ask me that!’

I am not crying, venerable sir, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but because I have been tricked, cheated, and deceived for a long time by those actors of old in the lineage of teachers who said:

‘If an actor, in the theatre or the arena, entertains and amuses people by truth and lies, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the laughing devas.’

Magnificent, venerable sir! Magnificent, venerable sir!

The Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by the Blessed One, as though he were turning upright what had been turned upside down,

revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms.

 I go for refuge to the Blessed One, and to the Dhamma, and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.

May I receive the going forth under the Blessed One, venerable sir,
may I receive the higher ordination?

Then Talapuṭa the troupe headman received the going forth under the Blessed One, he received the higher ordination.

And soon, not long after his higher ordination …
the Venerable Talapuṭa became one of the Arahants.

3 Yodhājīva

Then the headman Yodhājīva the Mercenary approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Venerable sir, I have heard it said by mercenaries of old in the lineage of teachers:

‘When a mercenary is one who strives and exerts himself in battle,

if others slay him and finish him off while he is striving and exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the battle-slain devas.’

- What does the Blessed One say about that?

Enough, headman, let it be! Don’t ask me that!

A second time and a third time Yodhājīva the headman said:

Venerable sir, I have heard it said by mercenaries of old in the lineage of teachers: … What does the Blessed One say about that?

Surely, headman, I am not getting through to you when I say, ‘Enough, headman, let it be! Don’t ask me that!’ But still, I will answer you:

When, headman, a mercenary is one who strives and exerts himself in battle,

his mind is already low, depraved, misdirected by the thought: ‘Let these beings be slain, slaughtered, annihilated, destroyed, or exterminated.’

If others then slay him and finish him off while he is striving and exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the ‘Battle-Slain Hell.’

But should he hold such a view as this:

‘When a mercenary strives and exerts himself in battle,

if others slay him and finish him off while he is striving and exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the battle-slain devas’

—that is a wrong view on his part. For a person with wrong view, I say, there is one of two destinations: either hell or the animal realm.

When this was said, Yodhājīva the headman cried out and burst into tears.

[The Blessed One said:]

So I did not get through to you when I said,
‘Enough, headman, let it be! Don’t ask me that!’

I am not crying, venerable sir, because of what the Blessed One said to me,

but because I have been tricked, cheated, and deceived for a long time by those mercenaries of old in the lineage of teachers who said:

‘When a mercenary is one who strives and exerts himself in battle,

if others slay him and finish him off while he is striving and exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of the battle-slain devas.’

Magnificent, venerable sir!…

From today let the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.

4 Hatthāroha

Then the headman Hatthāroha the Elephant Warrior approached the Blessed One …

(text is elided, ending:)

… who has gone for refuge for life.

5 Assāroha

Then the headman Assāroha the Cavalry Warrior approached the Blessed One … and said to him:

(All as in §3 except phrased in terms of the cavalry warrior (assāroha) who strives and exerts himself in battle.)