4. Issatta Sutta

Discourse with Skill in Archery as an Example

Tatiya Vagga, Kosala Samyutta, Sagatha Vagga Samyutta,
Samyutta Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

SOURCE: "FIVE SAMYUTTAS FROM SAGATHAVAGGA SAMYUTTA"
Translated by U Tin U (Myaung), Yangon
Edited by the Editorial Committee, Burma (Myanmar) Tipitaka Association, 1998

      135. The Bhagava was staying at Savatthi...Having seated at a suitable place, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Bhagava thus: "Venerable Sir, to whom should offerings be made?"

      "To whomsoever you have confidence in, Great King."

      "And, Venerable Sir, to what kind of person should offerings be made to produce great results?"

      "Great King, that question, 'To whom should offerings be made?' is quite different from this question, 'To what kind of person should offerings be made to produce great results?'"

      "Great King, great results are produced by (offerings made to) one who is moral; great results are not produced by (offerings made to) one who is immoral. Well then, Great King, regarding this matter I shall ask you in turn a question; answer in whichever way you please. Great King, what do you think of that (which I shall speak of). Let us say you are marshalling your forces in preparation for war, then there might come some young prince who has not learnt archery, who has never practised, who has not been trained in it, who has never exhibited his skill, who is cowardly, who is fainthearted, who is frightened and who is most likely to run away. Now, would you employ that man? Would you want such a man?"

      "No, Venerable Sir, I would not employ that man. I would not want such a man."

      "Then, there might come some young brahmin who has not learnt archery ...p... then there might come some young man of the merchant class who has not learnt archery, ... p... Then there might come some young man of the labourer class who has not learnt archery, ...p...?"

      "No, . .p... I would not want such a man."

      "Great King, what do you think of that (which I shall speak of)? Let us say you are marshalling your forces in preparation for war. And there might come a young prince who has learnt archery, who has practised it, who has been trained in it, who has exhibited his skill, who is not cowardly, who is not fainthearted, who is not frightened and who would never think of running away. Now, would you employ that man? Would you want such a man?"

      "Venerable Sir, I would employ that man. I would want such a man."

      "Then, there might come some young brahmin who has learnt archery, ...p... Then there might come some young man of the merchant class who has learnt archery, ...p... Then there might come some young man of the labourer class who has learnt archery, who has practised it, who has been trained in it, who has exhibited his skill, who is not cowardly, who is not faint-hearted, who is not frightened and who would never think of running away. Now, would you employ that man? Would you want such a man?"

      "Venerable Sir, I would employ that man. I would want such a man."

      "In the same way, Great King, great results are brought about by offerings made to a person from whatever caste who renounces home-life and becomes a homeless recluse, and who abandons five factors and is possessed of five factors. What are the five factors which he abandons? He abandons sense-desire; he abandons ill will; he abandons sloth and torpor; he abandons distraction and worry; he abandons uncertainty. These are the five factors he abandons."

      "What are the five factors that he is possessed of? He is possessed of the arahat's attribute of complete morality; he is possessed of the arahat's attribute of complete concentration; he is possessed of the arahat's attribute of complete insight; he is possessed of the arahat's attribute of complete liberation from all defilements (arahattaphala); he is possessed of the arahat's attribute of reflective knowledge (paccavekkhana nana) of complete liberation from all defilements. These are the five factors that he is possessed of. Offerings made to one who has abandoned those five factors and is endowed with those five factors bear abundant fruit."

      Thus said the Bhagava. ...p... (this further utterance:)

      "If a certain youth is skilled in archery, and is possessed of strength and zeal, a king who wished to fight a war should employ him."

      "A coward should not be employed just because of his birth."

      "So, too, a wise one who is possessed of forbearance and deep delight in the practice of the Teaching (which are the attributes of arahatship) and who leads the life of an ariya should be honoured despite his lowly birth."

      "Delightful hermitages should be built for learned persons. In the parched countryside water tanks and wells should be provided. As well as bridges and roads in rugged terrain."

      "Food and beverages, robes and shelter, should be offered with a joyous mind to those who are clearly upright."

      "Just as from a hundred crested clouds the rain pours on to the earth accompanied by flashes of lightning and roars of thunder, flooding both high ground and low."

      "So also a wise and well-informed person guided by religious conviction, preparing food with great care, satisfies the mendicant with food and beverages. "Throbbing with joy, he distributes offerings, shouting out, 'Give!' And his words resound like the thundering rain. The broad stream of that meritorious deed fills the heart of the generous giver."

End of the Issatta Sutta,

the fourth in this vagga.