Upāsaka & Upāsikā - Buddhist Layman

VIII.26 Jivaka Sutta - To Jivaka
Being a Lay Follower
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Rajagaha, at Jivaka's Mango Grove. Then Jivaka Komarabhacca went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, to what extent is one a lay follower?"

"Jivaka, when one has gone to the Buddha for refuge, has gone to the Dhamma for refuge, and has gone to the Sangha for refuge, then to that extent is one a lay follower."

"And to what extent, venerable sir, is one a virtuous lay follower?"

"Jivaka, when one abstains from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from lying, and from fermented & distilled drinks that lead to heedlessness, then to that extent is one a virtuous lay follower."

"And to what extent, venerable sir, is one a lay follower who practices for his own benefit but not that of others?"

"Jivaka, when a lay follower himself is consummate in conviction but does not encourage others in the consummation of conviction; when he himself is consummate in virtue but does not encourage others in the consummation of virtue; when he himself is consummate in generosity but does not encourage others in the consummation of generosity; when he himself desires to see the monks but does not encourage others to see the monks; when he himself wants to hear the true Dhamma but does not encourage others to hear the true Dhamma; when he himself habitually remembers the Dhamma he has heard but does not encourage others to remember the Dhamma they have heard; when he himself explores the meaning of the Dhamma he has heard but does not encourage others to explore the meaning of the Dhamma they have heard; when he himself, knowing both the Dhamma & its meaning, practices the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma, but does not encourage others to practice the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma: then to that extent he is a lay follower who practices for his own benefit but not for the benefit of others."

"And to what extent, venerable sir, is one a lay follower who practices both for his own benefit & the benefit of others?"

"Jivaka, when a lay follower himself is consummate in conviction and encourages others in the consummation of conviction; when he himself is consummate in virtue and encourages others in the consummation of virtue; when he himself is consummate in generosity and encourages others in the consummation of generosity; when he himself desires to see the monks and encourages others to see the monks; when he himself wants to hear the true Dhamma and encourages others to hear the true Dhamma; when he himself habitually remembers the Dhamma he has heard and encourages others to remember the Dhamma they have heard; when he himself explores the meaning of the Dhamma he has heard and encourages others to explore the meaning of the Dhamma they have heard; when he himself, knowing both the Dhamma & its meaning, practices the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma and encourages others to practice the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma: then to that extent he is a lay follower who practices both for his own benefit and for the benefit of others."

Translation Source:
Intratext

Sutta source:
तिपिटक (मूल) - सुत्तपिटक - अङ्गुत्तरनिकाय - अट्ठकादिनिपात - गहपतिवग्गो - ६. जीवकसुत्तं
Tipiṭaka - Suttapiṭaka - Aṅguttaranikāya - Aṭṭhakādinipāta - 6. Jīvakasuttaṃ

Pali Script:

६. जीवकसुत्तं
6. Jīvakasuttaṃ


२६. एकं समयं भगवा राजगहे विहरति जीवकम्बवने। अथ खो जीवको कोमारभच्‍चो येन भगवा तेनुपसङ्कमि; उपसङ्कमित्वा भगवन्तं अभिवादेत्वा एकमन्तं निसीदि। एकमन्तं निसिन्‍नो खो जीवको कोमारभच्‍चो भगवन्तं एतदवोच – ‘‘कित्तावता नु खो, भन्ते, उपासको होती’’ति? ‘‘यतो खो, जीवक, बुद्धं सरणं गतो होति, धम्मं सरणं गतो होति, सङ्घं सरणं गतो होति; एत्तावता खो जीवक, उपासको होती’’ति।
26. Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati jīvakambavane. Atha kho jīvako komārabhacco yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho jīvako komārabhacco bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, upāsako hotī’’ti? ‘‘Yato kho, jīvaka, buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti; ettāvatā kho jīvaka, upāsako hotī’’ti.


‘‘कित्तावता पन, भन्ते, उपासको सीलवा होती’’ति? ‘‘यतो खो, जीवक, उपासको पाणातिपाता पटिविरतो होति…पे॰… सुरामेरयमज्‍जपमादट्ठाना पटिविरतो होति; एत्तावता खो, जीवक, उपासको सीलवा होती’’ति।
‘‘Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako sīlavā hotī’’ti? ‘‘Yato kho, jīvaka, upāsako pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti…pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti; ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako sīlavā hotī’’ti.


‘‘कित्तावता पन, भन्ते, उपासको अत्तहिताय पटिपन्‍नो होति, नो परहिताया’’ति? ‘‘यतो खो, जीवक, उपासको अत्तनाव सद्धासम्पन्‍नो होति, नो परं सद्धासम्पदाय समादपेति…पे॰… अत्तनाव अत्थमञ्‍ञाय धम्ममञ्‍ञाय धम्मानुधम्मप्पटिपन्‍नो होति, नो परं धम्मानुधम्मप्पटिपत्तिया समादपेति। एत्तावता खो, जीवक, उपासको अत्तहिताय पटिपन्‍नो होति, नो परहिताया’’ति।
‘‘Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā’’ti? ‘‘Yato kho, jīvaka, upāsako attanāva saddhāsampanno hoti, no paraṃ saddhāsampadāya samādapeti…pe… attanāva atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, no paraṃ dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti. Ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā’’ti.


‘‘कित्तावता पन, भन्ते, उपासको अत्तहिताय च पटिपन्‍नो होति परहिताय चा’’ति? ‘‘यतो खो, जीवक, उपासको अत्तना च सद्धासम्पन्‍नो होति, परञ्‍च सद्धासम्पदाय समादपेति; अत्तना च सीलसम्पन्‍नो होति, परञ्‍च सीलसम्पदाय समादपेति; अत्तना च चागसम्पन्‍नो होति, परञ्‍च चागसम्पदाय समादपेति; अत्तना च भिक्खूनं दस्सनकामो होति, परञ्‍च भिक्खूनं दस्सने समादपेति; अत्तना च सद्धम्मं सोतुकामो होति, परञ्‍च सद्धम्मस्सवने समादपेति; अत्तना च सुतानं धम्मानं धारणजातिको होति, परञ्‍च धम्मधारणाय समादपेति; अत्तना च सुतानं धम्मानं अत्थूपपरिक्खिता होति, परञ्‍च अत्थूपपरिक्खाय समादपेति; अत्तना च अत्थमञ्‍ञाय धम्ममञ्‍ञाय धम्मानुधम्मप्पटिपन्‍नो होति, परञ्‍च धम्मानुधम्मप्पटिपत्तिया समादपेति। एत्तावता खो, जीवक, उपासको अत्तहिताय च पटिपन्‍नो होति परहिताय चा’’ति। छट्ठं।
‘‘Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā’’ti? ‘‘Yato kho, jīvaka, upāsako attanā ca saddhāsampanno hoti, parañca saddhāsampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca sīlasampanno hoti, parañca sīlasampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca cāgasampanno hoti, parañca cāgasampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca bhikkhūnaṃ dassanakāmo hoti, parañca bhikkhūnaṃ dassane samādapeti; attanā ca saddhammaṃ sotukāmo hoti, parañca saddhammassavane samādapeti; attanā ca sutānaṃ dhammānaṃ dhāraṇajātiko hoti, parañca dhammadhāraṇāya samādapeti; attanā ca sutānaṃ dhammānaṃ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti, parañca atthūpaparikkhāya samādapeti; attanā ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, parañca dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti. Ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā’’ti. Chaṭṭhaṃ.