Bodhivaggo

1-10: Bāhiyasuttaṁ (10)
The Discourse about Bāhiya

Evaṁ me sutaṁ:
Thus I heard:

ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati,
at one time the Fortunate One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,

Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena Bāhiyo There appears to be another version of Bāhiya’s story at Bāhiyasuttaṁ (SN 35:89). There a certain Bāhiya is given the catechism on the impermanence of the eye and forms, etc. after which he becomes an arahant.

SA doesn't comment on the discourse, and although the sutta doesn't specify that the Bāhiya in that sutta is known as Dārucīriyo, it should be noted that the sutta directly follows one in which Ven. Puṇṇa returns to his home town of Sunāparanta, the capital of which was Suppāraka.
Dārucīriyo

Then at that time Bāhiya of the Bark Robe

Suppārake paṭivasati samuddatīre,
was living near Suppāraka, on the bank of the ocean,

sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito,
being venerated, respected, revered, honoured, esteemed,

lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.
in receipt of robes, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal requisites to help when sick.

Atha kho Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa, This is a genitive absolute expression with durative sense, which occurs quite frequently.
Then when Bāhiya of the Bark Robe had gone into hiding, into seclusion,

evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
this reflection arose in his mind:

“Ye ca kho keci loke Arahanto vā,
“Among those in the world who are Worthy Ones,

Arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā, ahaṁ tesam-aññataro” ti.
or have entered the path to Worthiness, I am one of them.”

Atha kho Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa purāṇasālohitā devatā,
Then a devatā, who was a former blood-relative of Bāhiya of the Bark Robe,

anukampikā atthakāmā,
being compassionate and desiring his welfare,

Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa cetasā cetoparivitakkam-aññāya,
knowing with his mind the reflection in the mind of Bāhiya of the Bark Robe,

yena Bāhiyo Dārucīriye tenupasaṅkami,
went to Bāhiya of the Bark Robe,

upasaṅkamitvā, Bāhiyaṁ Dārucīriyaṁ Note that to avoid using the personal pronoun, the proper name is used altogether three times in this one short sentence. It appears to be characteristic of Indian languages to avoid the personal pronoun when speaking about someone definite. etad-avoca:
and after going, he said this to Bāhiya of the Bark Robe:

“Neva kho tvaṁ Bāhiya Arahā.
“You are certainly not a Worthy One, Bāhiya.

Nāpi Arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno.
Nor have you entered the path to Worthiness.

Sāpi te paṭipadā natthi yāya vā tvaṁ Arahā assa,
This practice of yours is not one whereby you could be a Worthy One,

Arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno” ti.
or one who has entered the path to Worthiness.”

“Atha ko carahi sadevake loke Arahanto vā,
“Then who now in this world with its devas are Worthy Ones,

Arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno?” ti.
or have entered the path to Worthiness?”

“Atthi Bāhiya uttaresu janapadesu Sāvatthī nāma nagaraṁ.
“There is, Bāhiya, in the northern countries a city by the name of Sāvatthī.

Tattha so Bhagavā etarahi viharati Arahaṁ Sammāsambuddho.
There the Fortunate One dwells at the present time who is a Worthy One, a Perfect Sambuddha.

So hi Bāhiya Bhagavā Arahā ceva, Arahattāya ca Dhammaṁ desetī” ti.
He, Bāhiya, the Fortunate One, is certainly a Worthy One, and teaches the Dhamma for (attaining) Worthiness.”

Atha kho Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo tāya devatāya saṁvejito,
Then Bāhiya of the Bark Robe being greatly moved by that devatā,

tāvad-eva Suppārakā pakkāmi sabbattha ekarattiparivāsena, The Commentary notes that the distance from Suppāraka to Sāvatthī is 120 leagues (vīsayojanasate, about 600 miles), but insists he made the journey in one night! However, this seems to go against the natural meaning of the text.
immediately went away from Suppāraka, and staying (for only) one night in every place,

yena Sāvatthiṁ Jetavanaṁ Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo tenupasaṅkami. PTS reads: yena Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikass’ ārāme ten' upasaṅkami, but BJT is to be preferred here, as the Bhagavā was not there when he arrived.
went to Sāvatthī, Jeta’s Wood, and to Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū abbhokāse caṅkamanti.
Then at that time many monks were walking (in meditation) in the open air.

Atha kho Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami,
Then Bāhiya of the Bark Robe went to those monks,

upasaṅkamitvā, te bhikkhū etad-avoca:
and after going, he said this to those monks:

“Kahannu kho bhante etarahi so Bhagavā viharati,
“Where, reverend Sirs, is the Fortunate One living at present,

Arahaṁ Sammāsambuddho? Dassanakāmamhā mayaṁ Notice the use of the royal plural here.
the Worthy One, the Perfect Sambuddha? We have a desire to see

taṁ Bhagavantaṁ Arahantaṁ Sammāsambuddhan”-ti.
the Fortunate One, the Worthy One, the Perfect Sambuddha.”

“Antaragharaṁ Among the houses, i.e. into the city. paviṭṭho kho Bāhiya Bhagavā piṇḍāyā” ti.
“The Fortunate One, Bāhiya, has entered among the houses for alms.”

Atha kho Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo taramānarūpo
Then Bāhiya of the Bark Robe having hurriedly

Jetavanā nikkhamitvā Sāvatthiṁ pavisitvā,
left Jeta’s Grove and having entered Sāvatthī,

addasa Bhagavantaṁ Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya carantaṁ,
saw the Fortunate One walking for alms in Sāvatthī,

pāsādikaṁ pasādanīyaṁ santindriyaṁ santamānasaṁ,
confident, inspiring confidence, with (sense) faculties at peace, mind at peace,

uttamadamathasamatham-anuppattaṁ,
having attained supreme self-control and calm,

dantaṁ guttaṁ yatindriyaṁ nāgaṁ.
controlled, guarded, with restrained faculties, a (true) nāga.

Disvāna, yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkami,
After seeing (him), he went to the Fortunate One,

upasaṁkamitvā Bhagavato pāde sirasā nipatitvā,
and after going and prostrating himself with his head at the Fortunate One’s feet,

Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca:
he said this to the Fortunate One:

“Desetu me bhante Bhagavā Dhammaṁ, desetu Sugato Dhammaṁ,
“Let the Fortunate One preach the Dhamma to me, reverend Sir, let the Happy One preach the Dhamma,

yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā” ti. In this common idiom the datives of purpose hitāya & sukhāya are combined with the accusative of extension in time dīgharattaṁ, which gives durative sense.
that will be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”

Evaṁ vutte, Bhagavā Bāhiyaṁ Dārucīriyaṁ etad-avoca:
After that was said, the Fortunate One said this to Bāhiya of the Bark Robe:

“Akālo kho tāva, Bāhiya, antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhā piṇḍāyā” ti.
“It is the wrong time for you, Bāhiya, we have entered among the houses for alms.”

Dutiyam-pi kho Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca:
For a second time Bāhiya of the Bark Robe said this to the Fortunate One:

“Dujjānaṁ kho panetaṁ bhante Bhagavato vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ,
“But it is hard to know, reverend Sir, the dangers to the Fortunate One’s life,

mayhaṁ vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ!
or the dangers to my life!

Desetu me bhante Bhagavā Dhammaṁ, desetu Sugato Dhammaṁ,
Let the Fortunate One preach the Dhamma to me, reverend Sir, let the Happy One preach the Dhamma,

yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā” ti.
that will be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”

Dutiyam-pi kho Bhagavā Bāhiyaṁ Dārucīriyaṁ etad-avoca:
For a second time the Fortunate One said this to Bāhiya of the Bark Robe:

“Akālo kho tāva Bāhiya, antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhā piṇḍāyā” ti.
“It is the wrong time for you, Bāhiya, we have entered among the houses for alms.”

Tatiyam-pi kho Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca:
For a third time Bāhiya of the Bark Robe said this to the Fortunate One:

“Dujjānaṁ kho panetaṁ bhante Bhagavato vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ,
“But it is hard to know, reverend Sir, the dangers to the Fortunate One’s life,

mayhaṁ vā jīvitantarāyānaṁ!
or the dangers to my life!

Desetu me bhante Bhagavā Dhammaṁ, desetu Sugato Dhammaṁ,
Let the Fortunate One preach the Dhamma to me, reverend Sir, let the Happy One preach the Dhamma,

yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā” ti.
that will be for my benefit and happiness for a long time.”

“Tasmātiha te Bāhiya, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus:

Diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, As this is an instruction, the future tense is being used as an imperative (for this usage see Perniola, PG, § 274 b); in the repetition though, we must take it with its normal future meaning.

This teaching is also found in Māluṅkyaputtasuttaṁ (SN 35. 95), a translation of which is found elsewhere on this website. There this cryptic teaching is expanded on in verses by Ven. Māluṅkyaputta, which is then approved of by the Buddha, who repeats the verses, thus making them his own.

In what is seen there must be only what is seen,

sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati,
in what is heard there must be only what is heard,

mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati,
in what is sensed there must be only what is sensed,

viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissatī ti.
in what is cognized there must be only what is cognized.

Evaṁ hi te Bāhiya sikkhitabbaṁ.
This is the way, Bāhiya, you should train yourself.

Yato kho te Bāhiya diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati,
And since for you, Bāhiya, in what is seen there will be only what is seen,

sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati,
in what is heard there will be only what is heard,

mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati,
in what is sensed there will be only what is sensed,

viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati,
in what is cognized there will be only what is cognized,

tato tvaṁ Bāhiya na tena;
therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be with that;

yato tvaṁ Bāhiya na tena, tato tvaṁ Bāhiya na tattha;
and since, Bāhiya, you will not be with that, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be in that;

yato tvaṁ Bāhiya na tattha, tato tvaṁ Bāhiya
and since, Bāhiya, you will not be in that, therefore, Bāhiya, you

nevidha, na huraṁ, na ubhayam-antare The Commentary goes to some lengths to point out that there is no in-between state in the orthodox interpretation of this phrase, and states the interpretation must mean either: you will not be here or hereafter or in both; or, you will not be here or hereafter, nor is there anywhere in between the two; cf. 8-4 below where part of the phrase recurrs.

See Harvey, The Selfless Mind, pp. 98 - 108; and also Bhikkhu Bodhi’s note to Bojjhaṅgasaṁyutta 3 (Sīlasutta), found on pp. 1902-3 of CDB.

will not be here or hereafter or in between the two

- esevanto dukkhassā” ti.
- just this is the end of suffering.”

Atha kho Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa Bhagavato
o Then through the Fortunate One’s brief teaching of this Dhamma

imāya saṅkhittāya Dhammadesanāya tāvad-eva
o Bāhiya of the Bark Robe’s mind was immediately

anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.
freed from the pollutants, without attachment.

Atha kho Bhagavā Bāhiyaṁ Dārucīriyaṁ
o Then the Fortunate One, having advised

iminā saṅkhittena ovādena ovaditvā pakkāmi.
Bāhiya of the Bark Robe with this brief advice, went away.

Atha kho acirapakkantassa According to Wijesekera this compound is the only example in Pāḷi of a genitive absolute which uses a past participle in the construction - pakkanta, see the discussion of this stock phrase in Syntax § 158c. Normally the genitive absolute is constructed with present participles. Bhagavato
Then not long after the Fortunate One had gone

Bāhiyaṁ Dārucīriyaṁ gāvī taruṇavacchā adhipātetvā jīvitā voropesi.
a cow with a young calf, having attacked Bāhiya of the Bark Robe, deprived him of life.

Atha kho Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā,
Then the Fortunate One after walking for alms in Sāvatthī,

pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,
while returning from the alms-round after the meal,

sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ saddhiṁ in these constructions is periphrasis, as the instrumental can carry the sense by itself, see Syntax § 63. nagaramhā nikkhamitvā,
after going out from the city with many monks,

addasa Bāhiyaṁ Dārucīriyaṁ kālakataṁ. Kālakataṁ : died ; literally: had made (his) time, which is unidiomatic in English.
saw that Bāhiya of the Bark Robe had died.

Disvāna, bhikkhū āmantesi:
After seeing (him), he addressed the monks, (saying):

“Gaṇhatha bhikkhave Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa sarīrakaṁ,
“Monks, take up Bāhiya of the Bark Robe’s body,

mañcakaṁ āropetvā nīharitvā jhāpetha, thūpañ-cassa karotha, The absolutive with the finite verb is a common construction in Pāḷi (and in all Indian languages as far as I know), and makes perfectly good sense in English also.
and after putting it on a bier, carrying it away, and burning it, make a memorial mound for him,

sabrahmacārī vo bhikkhave kālakato” ti.
your fellow in the spiritual life, monks, has died.”

“Evaṁ bhante,” ti kho te bhikkhū, Bhagavato paṭissutvā, This idiom seems to be generally misunderstood in translations. Paṭissutvā is an absolutive, not a finite verb, which only comes later: upasaṅkamiṁsu.
“Yes, reverend Sir,” said those monks, and after replying to the Fortunate One,

Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa sarīrakaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā,
putting Bāhiya of the Bark Robe’s body on a bier,

nīharitvā jhāpetvā, thūpañ-cassa karitvā,
carrying it away, burning it, and making a memorial mound for him,

yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu,
they went to the Fortunate One,

upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā, ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.
and after going and worshipping the Fortunate One, they sat down on one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhu Bhagavantaṁ etad-avocuṁ:
While sat on one side those monks said this to the Fortunate One:

“Daḍḍhaṁ bhante Bāhiyassa Dārucīriyassa sarīraṁ, thūpo cassa kato.
“Burnt, reverend Sir, is Bāhiya of the Bark Robe’s body, and the memorial mound for him has been made.

Tassa kā gati? Ko abhisamparāyo?” ti.
What is his destination? What is his future state?”

“Paṇḍito bhikkhave Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo,
“A wise man, monks, was Bāhiya of the Bark Robe,

paccapādi Dhammassānudhammaṁ,
who practiced Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma,

na ca maṁ Dhammādhikaraṇaṁ vihesesi.
and did not trouble me on account of the Dhamma.

Parinibbuto bhikkhave Bāhiyo Dārucīriyo” ti.
Completely emancipated, monks, is Bāhiya of the Bark Robe.”

Atha kho Bhagavā, etam-atthaṁ viditvā,
Then the Fortunate One, having understood the significance of it,

tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“Yattha āpo ca paṭhavī, ~ tejo vāyo na gādhati,
“In the place where the water, earth, ~ fire, and wind find no footing,

Na tattha sukkā jotanti, ~ ādicco nappakāsati,
There the stars do not shine, ~ nor does the sun give light,

Na tattha candimā bhāti, ~ tamo tattha na vijjati.
There the moon does not glow, ~ there darkness is not found.

Yadā ca attanā vedī, ~ muni monena brāhmaṇo,
And when the sage, the brāhmaṇa, has experienced (nibbāna) through his own sagacity,

Atha rūpā arūpā ca, ~ sukhadukkhā pamuccatī” ti.
Then from both form and formless, ~ happiness and suffering, he is free.”

Ayam-pi udāno vutto Bhagavatā iti me sutan-ti.
This exalted utterance was also said by the Fortunate One, so I have heard.