Sutta 8: Susima and Kotthita

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595a18] Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha (佛 [fu]) was in 祇樹給孤獨園 [qi shu gei gu du yuan] (Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park) in 舍衛國 [she wei guo] (Śrāvastī).

[0595a18] wén rú shì:

yī shí, fú zài shě wèi guó qí shù gěi gū dú yuán.

[0595a18] wen ru shi:

yi shi, fu zai she wei guo qi shu gei gu du yuan.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595a19] At that time, the Brahmin woman named 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma) went to the Venerable 大拘絺羅 [da ju chi luo] (Mahākoṭṭhita). Having arrived, she bowed her head and touched his feet, and sat to one side. At that time, the Brahmin woman 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma) said to 拘絺羅 [ju chi luo] (Koṭṭhita): "優蹋藍弗 [you ta lan fu] (Uddaka Rāmaputta) and 羅勒迦藍 [luo lei jia lan] (Āḷāra Kālāma), these two did not become transformed in this profound Dharma (深法 [shen fa]), and each met their end. The World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) stated that these two: 'One was born in a place of neither perception nor non-perception, and one was born in a place of neither thought nor non-thought.' These two, having exhausted their lifespans, each again met their end. One will become a king in a frontier country, harming countless people; one will become a winged evil fox, flying and preying on animals from whom none can escape; after their death, each will be born in hell. Yet, the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) did not state when these individuals would exhaust the limit of suffering. Why did the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) not state when these individuals would exhaust the limit of suffering?"

[0595a19] ěr shí, fàn zhì nǚ míng xū shēn, wǎng zhì zūn zhě dà jū chī luó suǒ. dào yǐ, tóu miàn lǐ zú, zài yī miàn zuò. ěr shí, bǐ fàn zhì nǚ xū shēn bái jū chī luó yuē: “yōu tà lán fú,, luó lēi jiā lán, cǐ shēn fǎ zhōng, jìng bù shòu huà, gè qǔ mìng zhōng, shì zūn jì cǐ èr rén yuē: ‘yī rén shēng bù yòng chù, yī rén shēng yǒu xiǎng wú xiǎng chù. cǐ èr rén jǐn qí shòu mìng, gè fù mìng zhōng, yī rén dāng wèi biān de guó wáng, shāng hài rén mín, bù kě chēng jì； yī rén dāng wèi zhe chì è lí, fēi xíng zǒu shòu wú dé tuō zhě； mìng zhōng zhī hòu gè shēng de yù zhōng.’ rán fù shì zūn bù jì bǐ rén hé shí dāng jǐn kǔ jì, hé gù shì zūn bù jì bǐ rén dāng jǐn kǔ jì?”

[0595a19] er shi, fan zhi nu ming xu shen, wang zhi zun zhe da ju chi luo suo. dao yi, tou mian li zu, zai yi mian zuo. er shi, bi fan zhi nu xu shen bai ju chi luo yue: "you ta lan fu,, luo lei jia lan, ci shen fa zhong, jing bu shou hua, ge qu ming zhong, shi zun ji ci er ren yue: 'yi ren sheng bu yong chu, yi ren sheng you xiang wu xiang chu. ci er ren jin qi shou ming, ge fu ming zhong, yi ren dang wei bian de guo wang, shang hai ren min, bu ke cheng ji; yi ren dang wei zhe chi e li, fei xing zou shou wu de tuo zhe; ming zhong zhi hou ge sheng de yu zhong.' ran fu shi zun bu ji bi ren he shi dang jin ku ji, he gu shi zun bu ji bi ren dang jin ku ji?"

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595a28] At that time, the Venerable 拘絺羅 [ju chi luo] (Koṭṭhita) said to the woman 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma): "The reason the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) did not speak is because no one asked this meaning. Therefore, the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) did not state when those individuals would exhaust the limit of suffering."

[0595a28] ěr shí, zūn zhě jū chī luó yǔ xū shēn nǚ rén yuē: “suǒ yǐ shì zūn bù shuō zhě, jiē yóu wú rén wèn cǐ yì gù, shì gù, shì zūn bù jì bǐ rén hé shí dāng jǐn kǔ jì.”

[0595a28] er shi, zun zhe ju chi luo yu xu shen nu ren yue: "suo yi shi zun bu shuo zhe, jie you wu ren wen ci yi gu, shi gu, shi zun bu ji bi ren he shi dang jin ku ji."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595b02] The woman 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma) said: "Since the Tathagata (如來 [ru lai]) has already entered Nirvāṇa (涅槃 [nie pan]), I cannot ask him; if he were still alive, I would go and ask him this meaning. Now, Venerable 拘絺羅 [ju chi luo] (Koṭṭhita), please tell me, when will those individuals exhaust the limit of suffering?"

[0595b02] xū shēn nǚ rén yuē: “yú shì rú lái yǐ qǔ niè pán, shì gù bù dé wèn zhī； ruò dāng zài shì zhě, wǎng wèn qí yì. rú jīn zūn zhě jū chī luó yǔ wǒ shuō zhī, bǐ rén hé shí dāng jǐn kǔ jì?”

[0595b02] xu shen nu ren yue: "yu shi ru lai yi qu nie pan, shi gu bu de wen zhi; ruo dang zai shi zhe, wang wen qi yi. ru jin zun zhe ju chi luo yu wo shuo zhi, bi ren he shi dang jin ku ji?"

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595b05] At that time, the Venerable 拘絺羅 [ju chi luo] (Koṭṭhita) spoke this verse:

"Various fruits are different,
The destinies of sentient beings (眾生趣 [zhong sheng qu]) are also thus.
The one who awakens oneself and awakens others,
I do not have this eloquence (辯說 [bian shuo]).
Meditation (禪 [chan]), wisdom (智 [zhi]), liberation (解脫 [jie tuo]), eloquence (辯 [bian]),
Recollection of past lives (憶本 [yi ben]), divine eye (天眼通 [tian yan tong]),
Able to exhaust the root of suffering (苦原本 [ku yuan ben]),
I do not have this eloquence (辯說 [bian shuo])."

[0595b05] ěr shí, zūn zhě jū chī luó biàn shuō cǐ jì:

“zhǒng zhǒng guǒ bù tóng,　　zhòng shēng qù yì rán,
　zì jué jué rén zhě,　　wǒ wú cǐ biàn shuō.
　chán zhì jiě tuō biàn,　　yì běn tiān yǎn tōng,
　néng jǐn kǔ yuán běn,　　wǒ wú cǐ biàn shuō.”

[0595b05] er shi, zun zhe ju chi luo bian shuo ci ji:

"zhong zhong guo bu tong, zhong sheng qu yi ran,
zi jue jue ren zhe, wo wu ci bian shuo.
chan zhi jie tuo bian, yi ben tian yan tong,
neng jin ku yuan ben, wo wu ci bian shuo."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595b11] At that time, the woman 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma) spoke this verse:

"The Well-Gone One (善逝 [shan shi]) has this wisdom (智 [zhi]),
Upright and without blemish,
Courageous and having subdued something,
Seeking the practice of the Great Vehicle (大乘行 [da cheng xing])."

[0595b11] ěr shí, xū shēn nǚ rén biàn shuō cǐ jì:

“shàn shì yǒu cǐ zhì,　　zhì zhí wú xiá huì,
　yǒng měng yǒu suǒ fú,　　qiú yú dà chéng xíng.”

[0595b11] er shi, xu shen nu ren bian shuo ci ji:

"shan shi you ci zhi, zhi zhi wu xia hui,
yong meng you suo fu, qiu yu da cheng xing."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595b14] At that time, the Venerable 拘絺羅 [ju chi luo] (Koṭṭhita) again spoke this verse:

"This intention (意 [yi]) is very difficult to obtain,
Able to acquire other essential dharmas (異法要 [yi fa yao]);
Difficult to accomplish,
Towards extraordinary matters (奇特事 [qi te shi])."

[0595b14] shì shí, zūn zhě jū chī luó fù shuō cǐ jì:

“shì yì shén nán dé,　　néng huò yì fǎ yào；
　nán wèi néng bàn zhī,　　xiàng yú qí tè shì.”

[0595b14] shi shi, zun zhe ju chi luo fu shuo ci ji:

"shi yi shen nan de, neng huo yi fa yao;
nan wei neng ban zhi, xiang yu qi te shi."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595b17] At that time, the Venerable One thoroughly explained the essential Dharma (法要 [fa yao]) to the woman 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma), and she rejoiced. At that time, the woman immediately rose from her seat, bowed her head and touched his feet, then departed.

[0595b17] ěr shí, zūn zhě yǔ bǐ xū shēn nǚ rén jù shuō fǎ yào, biàn fā xǐ xīn. shí, bǐ nǚ rén jí cóng zuò qǐ, tóu miàn lǐ zú, biàn tuì ér qù.

[0595b17] er shi, zun zhe yu bi xu shen nu ren ju shuo fa yao, bian fa xi xin. shi, bi nu ren ji cong zuo qi, tou mian li zu, bian tui er qu.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0595b19] At that time, the woman 須深 [xu shen] (Susīma), having heard what the Venerable 拘絺羅 [ju chi luo] (Koṭṭhita) said, rejoiced and put it into practice.

[0595b19] shí, xū shēn nǚ rén wén zūn zhě jū chī luó suǒ shuō, huān xǐ fèng xíng.

[0595b19] shi, xu shen nu ren wen zun zhe ju chi luo suo shuo, huan xi feng xing.