Āmagandha Sutta | Sn II-2

2. Āmagandha Sutta

Discourse on the Foul-smelling corruptions

240. The religious recluses living on strictly vegetarian diet, rightly acquired (from nature), such as seeds of cockspur grass and similar grasses), green gram, green leaves, bulbous roots, fruit or climbers,

- do not utter falsehood, merely for the sake of sensuous pleasure (such as palatable food). (1)

243. O Kassapa Buddha, you eat the well-prepared nicely cooked meat curries with a meal of rice that is offered you.

This, I presume, amounts to eating rank food. (2)

244. O Kassapa Buddha, the (illustrious) kinsman of the Brahma, You said that rank food, does not become a Bhikkhu, yet you eat well-prepared fowl curry with a meal of rice.

May I ask you, Kassapa, how many kinds of rank things are there according to you? (3)

245. (O Recluse Tissa), killing, torturing, imputing, holding another in bondage, stealing, lying, practicing deceit and hypocrisy, learning vain texts, adultery,

- these (I call) a rank things. A dish of meat is not. (4)

246. In this world, there are some people who know no restraint in sensual desires, who are gourmands, who lead dubious lives, who hold nihilist views, who misconduct themselves and who are wayward.

- Such mods of conduct are rank. A. dish of meat is not. (5)

247. Some practise religious austerity (for austerity's sake), or are harsh and inconsiderate, double-faced, treacherous, ruthless, arrogant, stingy, never giving a thing to anyone.

- Such behaviour is called rank. A dish of meat is not. (6)

248. Being angry, being haughty, being hard-hearted, being antagonistic, being a wolf in sheep's clothing, being jealous, being vainglorious, being puffed up with conceit, keeping bad company,

- these are rank. A dish of meat is not.

249. Some people are inveterate rogues; some never honour their debts; some are destructive; some hold public trusts simply to exploit their position and power and feather own nests. These scoundrels do not stop at anything and would not even spare their own parents.

- Such ignominy I call rank. dish of meat is not. (8)

250. In this world, some do not refrain from killing, some rob others and plot against them; some have no morality; some are plain ruffians; some have a sharp tongue; some are disrespectful.

- Such behaviour is rank. A dish of meat is not. (9)

251. Some people have a keen appetite for the flesh of animals; some are easily annoyed by animals and have an itching to kill.

Some always busy themselves in evil deeds with the result that they fall headlong to hellish retribution (in the Niraya world) on their death.

- Such attitudes are rank. A dish of meat is not. (10)

252. Abstinence from meat-eating, going naked, shaving one's head, knotting, one's hair, smearing ashes or dirt on one's body,

a recluse's requisites such as the black-cat's hide, sacrificial fires, (offerings of lights), cannot help one from shedding sceptical doubts (about the Truth),

with the hope of achieving immorality, (as one's objective), some people resort to diverse rituals, often self-tormenting, while others recite the Vedas, make sacrifices of all sorts.

Thus some think serving the seasons is beneficial, such as exposing oneself to the scorching sun in the hot season, etc.

- Such practices, (however), cannot help to overcome sceptical doubts. (11)

253. He, who keeps himself aware of his faculties (senses) all the time, can safeguard himself (against moral defilements entering, through contact with the 6 corresponding sense objects).

He is firmly established in the Four Noble Truths. He delights in being morally upright and mild. He is free from attachment to human passions and therefore is able to overcome all forms of suffering.

For the one who is stable in the insightful wisdom, all the 6 senses become untamed with moral depravity. (12)

254. Thus spoke Kassapa Buddha, explaining the message in different ways.

And Tissa the recluse, who was accomplished in the Vedas, learned from it.

Kassapa Buddha, devoid of any rank matter (kleśa), not leaning on craving and wrong view, the One incapable of following another creed, gave the discourse in variegated verse. (13)

255. Tissa, on hearing Kassapa Buddha's well-spoken words of wisdom, devoid of any rank matter (kleśa), and conducive to saving from all ills, became humble.

He made obeisance to the Buddha and asked for permission to enter the Order of bhikkhus there and then. (14)

End of the Second Āmagandha Sutta