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Tidipa

Cundasutta (The Discourse to Cunda)

· 66 min read

17A10/4.2.10, the tenth discourse of the Aṅguttara Nikāya's Jāṇussoṇivagga: Cunda the smith's son approves of the western brahmins' purification rites, and the Bhagavā teaches that purity in the discipline of the liberated lies in the ten wholesome courses of action, not in touching earth, cowdung or grass, tending the fire, worshipping the sun or bathing.

Original text: 17A10/4.2.10 Cundasutta 1253–1298 in the World Tipitaka Edition

Summary

Section titled “Summary”

At Pāvā, Cunda the smith’s son tells the Bhagavā that he approves of the purification rites of the western brahmins: touching the earth at dawn, or cowdung, or grass, tending the fire, worshipping the sun, bathing in the evening. The Bhagavā answers that purity in the discipline of the liberated is otherwise: the ten unwholesome courses of action of body, speech and mind leave a person impure whether he performs the rites or not, and the ten wholesome courses leave him pure; the one leads to bad destinations, the other to good. Cunda goes for refuge.

Diagram

Section titled “Diagram”
flowchart TB
    C["Cunda approves the western brahmins' purification rites"] --> R["earth, cowdung, grass, fire, sun, water"]
    R --> P["purity in the discipline of the liberated is otherwise"]
    P --> U["ten unwholesome courses of action"]
    P --> W["ten wholesome courses of action"]
    U --> U1["body: killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct"]
    U --> U2["speech: false, slanderous, harsh, gossip"]
    U --> U3["mind: covetousness, ill will, wrong view"]
    U --> X["impure with the rites or without them; bad destinations"]
    W --> Y["pure with the rites or without them; good destinations"]
    Y --> Z["Cunda goes for refuge"]

Text

Section titled “Text”

(176.)

1253. Thus heard by me — At one time the Bhagavā was dwelling at Pāvā, in the mango grove of Cunda the smith’s son. Then Cunda the smith’s son approached the Bhagavā; having approached, he bowed to the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. The Bhagavā said this to Cunda the smith’s son, seated to one side: “Whose purification rites do you approve of, Cunda?” “The brahmins of the western land, Bhante, carrying water-pitchers, garlanded with aquatic plants, tending the fire, descending into the water, prescribe purification rites; I approve of their purification rites.”

1254. “But in what way, Cunda, do the brahmins of the western land, carrying water-pitchers, garlanded with aquatic plants, tending the fire, descending into the water, prescribe purification rites?” “Here, Bhante, the brahmins of the western land are carrying water-pitchers, garlanded with aquatic plants, tending the fire, descending into the water. They encourage a disciple thus: ‘Come, you there, man: very early in the morning, just as you get up from your bed, you should touch the earth; if you do not touch the earth, you should touch wet cowdung; if you do not touch wet cowdung, you should touch green grass; if you do not touch green grass, you should tend the fire; if you do not tend the fire, you should worship the sun with clasped hands; if you do not worship the sun with clasped hands, you should descend into the water in the evening for the third time.’ Thus, Bhante, do the brahmins of the western land, carrying water-pitchers, garlanded with aquatic plants, tending the fire, descending into the water, prescribe purification rites; I approve of their purification rites.”

1255. “The brahmins of the western land, Cunda, carrying water-pitchers, garlanded with aquatic plants, tending the fire, descending into the water, prescribe purification rites in one way, but purity in the discipline of the liberated is otherwise.” “But in what way, Bhante, is there purity in the discipline of the liberated? Please, Bhante, let the Bhagavā teach me the Dhamma according to how there is purity in the discipline of the liberated.”

1256. “In that case, Cunda, listen and pay close attention; I will speak.” “Yes, Bhante,” Cunda the smith’s son replied to the Bhagavā. The Bhagavā said this:

1257. “Impurity by body, Cunda, is of three kinds; impurity by speech is of four kinds; impurity by mind is of three kinds.

1258. And how, Cunda, is impurity by body of three kinds? Here, Cunda, a certain person is one who kills living beings: cruel, bloody-handed, entrenched in violence, merciless towards all living beings. (1)

1259. He is one who takes what is not given. Whatever is another’s — another’s wealth and property, whether in the village or in the forest — he is one who takes that, not given, with intent to steal. (2)

1260. He is one who engages in sexual misconduct. Those women who are protected by their mother, protected by their father, protected by their mother and father, protected by a brother, protected by a sister, protected by relatives, protected by their clan, protected by their religion, who have a husband, who are protected by threat of punishment, even those garlanded in betrothal — with such women he is one who engages in [sexual] conduct. (3)

1261. Thus, Cunda, impurity by body is of three kinds.

1262. And how, Cunda, is impurity by speech of four kinds? Here, Cunda, a certain person is one who speaks falsely. Gone to the assembly hall, or gone to a meeting, or among his relatives, or among his guild, or amidst the royal court, brought forward and questioned as a witness, ‘Come now, man, say what you know,’ not knowing he says, ‘I know,’ or knowing he says, ‘I do not know’; not seeing he says, ‘I see,’ or seeing he says, ‘I do not see.’ Thus for his own sake, or for the sake of another, or for the sake of some small worldly benefit, he speaks a deliberate lie. (4)

1263. He is one who speaks slanderously. Having listened here, he tells it there to break up these people; or having listened there, he tells it here to break up those people. Thus he is a divider of the united and a provider for the divided; enjoying division, liking division, delighting in division, he speaks divisive speech. (5)

1264. He is one who speaks harshly. Whatever speech is harsh, rough, hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on anger, not conducive to focus — such speech he speaks. (6)

1265. He is one who gossips: speaking at the improper time, speaking what is untrue, speaking what is not meaningful, speaking against the Dhamma, speaking against the discipline; he speaks speech not worth remembering, untimely, unreasonable, purposeless, unbeneficial. Thus, Cunda, impurity by speech is of four kinds. (7)

1266. And how, Cunda, is impurity by mind of three kinds? Here, Cunda, a certain person is covetous. Whatever is another’s — another’s wealth and property — he is one who covets it, [thinking]: ‘Oh, may what is another’s be mine!’ (8)

1267. He has a mind of ill will, with malevolent intention: ‘May these beings be killed, or be bound, or be annihilated, or perish, or not exist!’ (9)

1268. He has wrong view, with distorted vision: ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; there is no fruit or result of actions well done and badly done; this world does not exist; the other world does not exist; there is no mother; there is no father; there are no spontaneously reborn beings; there are no religious practitioners in the world who, going the right way, practising correctly, make known this world and the other world, having realised them themselves through experiential understanding.’ Thus, Cunda, impurity by mind is of three kinds. (10)

1269. These, Cunda, are the ten unwholesome courses of action. One endowed with these ten unwholesome courses of action, Cunda, even if he touches the earth very early in the morning, just as he gets up from his bed, is impure all the same; even if he does not touch the earth, he is impure all the same.

1270. Even if he touches wet cowdung, he is impure all the same; even if he does not touch wet cowdung, he is impure all the same.

1271. Even if he touches green grass, he is impure all the same; even if he does not touch green grass, he is impure all the same.

1272. Even if he tends the fire, he is impure all the same; even if he does not tend the fire, he is impure all the same.

1273. Even if he worships the sun with clasped hands, he is impure all the same; even if he does not worship the sun with clasped hands, he is impure all the same.

1274. Even if he descends into the water in the evening for the third time, he is impure all the same; even if he does not descend into the water in the evening for the third time, he is impure all the same. For what reason? These ten unwholesome courses of action, Cunda, are impure themselves and cause impurity.

1275. Moreover, Cunda, because of possessing these ten unwholesome courses of action, hell is found, the animal realm is found, the realm of ghosts is found, or whatever other bad destinations there are.

1276. Purity by body, Cunda, is of three kinds; purity by speech is of four kinds; purity by mind is of three kinds.

1277. How, Cunda, is purity by body of three kinds? Here, Cunda, a certain person, giving up the taking of life, abstains from the taking of life; he lives with rod and weapon laid aside, scrupulous, compassionate, sympathetic for the welfare of all living beings. (1)

1278. Giving up the taking of what is not given, he abstains from the taking of what is not given. Whatever is another’s — another’s wealth and property, whether in the village or in the forest — he is not one who takes that, not given, with intent to steal. (2)

1279. Giving up sexual misconduct, he abstains from sexual misconduct; those women who are protected by their mother, protected by their father, protected by their mother and father, protected by a brother, protected by a sister, protected by relatives, protected by their clan, protected by their religion, who have a husband, who are protected by threat of punishment, even those garlanded in betrothal — with such women he is not one who engages in [sexual] conduct. (3)

1280. Thus, Cunda, purity by body is of three kinds.

1281. And how, Cunda, is purity by speech of four kinds? Here, Cunda, a certain person, giving up false speech, abstains from false speech. Gone to the assembly hall, or gone to a meeting, or among his relatives, or among his guild, or amidst the royal court, brought forward and questioned as a witness, ‘Come now, man, say what you know,’ not knowing he says, ‘I do not know,’ or knowing he says, ‘I know,’ not seeing he says, ‘I do not see,’ or seeing he says, ‘I see.’ Thus for his own sake, or for the sake of another, or for the sake of some small worldly benefit, he does not speak a deliberate lie. (4)

1282. Giving up slanderous speech, he abstains from slanderous speech; having listened here, he does not tell it there to break up these people; or having listened there, he does not tell it here to break up those people. Thus he is a conciliator of the broken and a provider of friendly terms; enjoying concord, liking harmony, delighting in unity, he speaks peace-making speech. (5)

1283. Giving up harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech. Whatever speech is gentle, pleasant to hear, friendly, heart-warming, polite, loved by the people, charming to the people — such speech he speaks. (6)

1284. Giving up gossip, he abstains from gossip; he speaks at the proper time, speaks what is true, speaks what is meaningful, speaks about the Dhamma, speaks about the discipline; he speaks speech worth remembering, timely, reasonable, purposeful, beneficial. (7)

1285. Thus, Cunda, purity by speech is of four kinds.

1286. And how, Cunda, is purity by mind of three kinds? Here, Cunda, a certain person is not covetous. Whatever is another’s — another’s wealth and property — he is not one who covets it, [thinking]: ‘Oh, may what is another’s be mine!’ (8)

1287. He has a mind free from ill will, with no malevolent intention: ‘May these beings be without animosity, free from ill will, untroubled; may they look after themselves happily!’ (9)

1288. He has right view, with undistorted vision: ‘There is what is given, there is what is offered, there is what is sacrificed; there is the fruit and result of actions well done and badly done; there is this world; there is the other world; there is mother; there is father; there are spontaneously reborn beings; there are religious practitioners in the world who, going the right way, practising correctly, make known this world and the other world, having realised them themselves through experiential understanding.’ (10)

1289. Thus, Cunda, purity by mind is of three kinds.

1290. These, Cunda, are the ten wholesome courses of action. One endowed with these ten wholesome courses of action, Cunda, even if he touches the earth very early in the morning, just as he gets up from his bed, is pure all the same; even if he does not touch the earth, he is pure all the same.

1291. Even if he touches wet cowdung, he is pure all the same; even if he does not touch wet cowdung, he is pure all the same.

1292. Even if he touches green grass, he is pure all the same; even if he does not touch green grass, he is pure all the same.

1293. Even if he tends the fire, he is pure all the same; even if he does not tend the fire, he is pure all the same.

1294. Even if he worships the sun with clasped hands, he is pure all the same; even if he does not worship the sun with clasped hands, he is pure all the same.

1295. Even if he descends into the water in the evening for the third time, he is pure all the same; even if he does not descend into the water in the evening for the third time, he is pure all the same. For what reason? These ten wholesome courses of action, Cunda, are pure themselves and cause purity.

1296. Moreover, Cunda, because of possessing these ten wholesome courses of action, gods are found, humans are found, or whatever other good destinations there are.”

1297. When this was said, Cunda the smith’s son said this to the Bhagavā: “Excellent, Bhante! … and so on … May the Bhagavā, Bhante, remember me as an upāsaka (lay disciple) who has gone for refuge for life, from today onwards.”

1298. The tenth [discourse of the chapter].

Commentary

Section titled “Commentary”
  • Soceyya (purity) is moved from the western brahmins’ rites — earth, cowdung, grass, fire, sun and water — to the ten courses of action: the rites neither purify nor defile; action does.
  • Renderings: soceyyāni “purification rites” (the brahmins’ prescriptions) and soceyyaṃ “purity” (in the discipline of the liberated), both DPD senses; asuci “impure”; aggiṃ paricarati “tends the fire”; ariyassa vinaye “in the discipline of the liberated” by the glossary’s ariya.
  • The courses of action are worded as in the gradual training at https://buddhavacana.github.io/sutta/gradual/ and the Saṅgītisutta’s Tens; the view formula as in its Nines.
  • On action and its results, https://buddhavacana.github.io/articles/kamma/; the destinations of 1275 and 1296 are for the author’s rational reading.
  • The Bhagavā’s one speech runs from 1257 to 1296, so the paragraphs between carry no closing quotation marks.

Parallels

Section titled “Parallels”

The Chinese parallel is the 1039th sūtra of the Saṃyukta Āgama (雜阿含經 fascicle 37, CBETA T02, no. 99, pp. 271b–272a), read here in CBETA’s text. The two versions share the frame and the sequence: the Buddha asks Cunda whose purification he approves of; Cunda describes brahmins who prescribe touching the earth at dawn and holding cowdung and grass, and says he reveres them; the Buddha answers that one who has the unwholesome qualities is impure whether he touches or not, lists the ten unwholesome courses of action in detail, then states that one who has the wholesome qualities is pure whether he touches or not and lists the ten wholesome courses; Cunda is pleased. The differences, checked in CBETA’s text:

  • Setting and person. The Chinese places the Buddha at Rājagaha in the dwelling of a smith (王舍城金師精舍) and makes Cunda a householder (淳陀長者, p. 271b); the Pāḷi has Pāvā and the mango grove of Cunda the smith’s son.
  • The brahmins and their rite. The Chinese brahmins “serve water, serve the god 毘濕波, carry a staff and water-pot and always keep their hands clean” (奉事於水，事毘濕波天，執杖澡罐，常淨其手, p. 271b), and their rite is a fortnightly observance: on the fifteenth day washing the hair with sesame and āmalaka powder, keeping the fast, wearing white cloth and lying on ground smeared with cowdung, then at dawn touching the earth and holding a ball of cowdung and fresh grass with the words “this is pure, I am thus pure” (此地清淨，我如是淨 … 此是清淨，我如是淨, p. 271b). The Pāḷi’s brahmins are of the western land, garlanded with aquatic plants, fire-tenders and bathers, and their rite is the chain of six alternatives from the earth to the evening bath (1254); the Chinese has no fire, sun or bathing.
  • The Buddha’s framing. The Chinese speaks of “black qualities with black results, impure with impure fruit, carrying a heavy load downward” and “white qualities with white results, pure with pure fruit, light and rising upward” (黑法、黑報，不淨、不淨果，負重向下 / 白、白報，淨有、淨果，輕仙上昇, pp. 271b–c), and states the conclusion — impure whether touching or not — before the list; the Pāḷi lists the courses first (1257–1268) and applies them after (1269–1274), with no black-and-white imagery.
  • The courses of action. The Chinese adds to killing “without shame, stingy and greedy … down to insects” (無慚無愧，慳貪悋惜 … 乃至昆蟲, p. 271b); its false speech has three pairs, seen, heard and known (不見言見 … 不聞言聞 … 知言不知, p. 271b), where the Pāḷi has two (1262.3–4); its harsh speech is defined by the gentle speech the speaker abandons, “pleasing to the ear, agreeable, in accordance with focus (三昧)” (悅耳心喜 … 隨順三昧, p. 271c), where the Pāḷi gives the harsh qualities directly (1264.2); its frivolous speech ends with “unconsidered words” (不思言) where the Pāḷi has “against the discipline” (1265.1); and its wrong view closes with the liberated ones’ (阿羅漢) declaration “my birth is ended, the optimal life established …” (我生已盡，梵行已立 …, p. 271c), which the Pāḷi lacks.
  • The wholesome courses are given in the Chinese in a shortened form (pp. 271c–272a), with right view stated positively as in the Pāḷi (1288); the Pāḷi repeats the full negations of each item.
  • Destinations and ending. The Chinese has no counterpart to the destinations of 1275 and 1296 (hell, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts; gods and humans) beyond its “downward” and “upward”; and its Cunda “rejoiced, paid homage and left” (歡喜隨喜，作禮而去, p. 272a) where the Pāḷi’s goes for refuge as an upāsaka (1297).

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