MĀ 12 vāṣpasūtram
[Translated originally from the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama to Classical Chinese by a team led by Sarvāstivāda scholar Gautama Saṃghadeva of Kāśmīra in 398CE.
Translated from the Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka back to Sanskrit by Ramakrishnan Suryanarayanan in 2024-26.]
madhyamāgame karmasaṃyuktavarge dvitīye vāṣpasūtraṃ dvitīyam.
evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavāñchākyeṣu viharati sma kapilavastau nyagrodhārāme.
tasminsamaye āyuṣmān mahāmaudgalyāyano bhikṣusaṅghena sārdhaṃ paścādbhaktaṃ kenacitkāryeṇopasthānaśālāyāṃ sanniṣaṇṇo'bhūt. tasminsamaye vāṣpaḥ śākyo nirgranthaśrāvakaḥ paścādbhaktaṃ jaṅghāvihāramanucaṅkramamāṇo'nuvicaran yenāyuṣmān mahāmaudgalyāyanastenopajagāma. upetyāyuṣmatā mahāmaudgalyāyanena sārdhaṃ sammodanīṃ saṃrañjanīṃ kathāṃ vyatisāryaikānte nyaṣīdat. ekāntaniṣaṇṇaṃ vāṣpaṃ śākyamāyuṣmān mahāmaudgalyāyana etadavocat—tatkiṃ manyase vāṣpa, yo bhikṣuḥ kāyagupto vāggupto manogupto viharati, api nu tvaṃ taṃ hetuṃ paśyasi yena tasya tatonidānaṃ pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyāmiti.
vāṣpa āha—yo bhikṣuḥ kāyagupto vāggupto manogupto viharati, paśyāmyahaṃ, bho mahāmaudgalyāyana, taṃ hetuṃ yena tasya tatonidānaṃ pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyām. asti, bho mahāmaudgalyāyana, pūrvakeṇādhvanā pāpakaṃ karma kṛtam, tatonidānamasya pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyāmiti.
aśrauṣīdbhagavān divyena śrotradhātunā viśuddhenātikrāntamānuṣyakeṇa rahogataḥ pratisaṃlīna āyuṣmato mahāmaudgalyāyanasya śākyena vāṣpeṇa nirgranthaśrāvakena sārdhamimamevarūpaṃ kathāsallāpaṃ viprakṛtam. śrutvā ca sāyāhnasamaye pratisaṃlayanādvyutthāya yenopasthānaśālā tenopajagāma. upetya prajñapta evāsane bhikṣusaṅghasyāgrato nyaṣīdat. niṣadya bhagavānāyuṣmantaṃ mahāmaudgalyāyanamāmantrayata—kā nu khalu, maudgalyāyana, etarhi nirgranthaśrāvakena vāṣpeṇa śākyena sārdhaṃ kathā viprakṛtā? kena cārthenetarhyupasthānaśālāyāṃ sanniṣaṇṇā stheti?
āyuṣmān mahāmaudgalyāyano bhagavantametadavocat—ihāhaṃ, bhagavan, adya bhikṣusaṅghena sārdhaṃ paścādbhaktaṃ kenacitkāryeṇopasthānaśālāyāṃ sanniṣaṇṇo'bhūvam. atha vāṣpaḥ śākyo nirgranthaśrāvakaḥ paścādbhaktaṃ jaṅghāvihāramanucaṅkramamāṇo'nuvicaran yenāhaṃ tenopajagāma. upetya mayā sārdhaṃ sammodanīṃ saṃrañjanīṃ kathāṃ vyatisāryaikānte nyaṣīdat. ekāntaniṣaṇṇaṃ vāṣpaṃ śākyamahametadavocam—tatkiṃ manyase vāṣpa, yo bhikṣuḥ kāyagupto vāggupto manogupto viharati, api nu tvaṃ taṃ hetuṃ paśyasi yena tasya tatonidānaṃ pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyāmiti. evamukte, bhagavan, vāṣpaḥ śākyo nirgranthaśrāvako māmidamavocat—yo bhikṣuḥ kāyagupto vāggupto manogupto viharati, paśyāmyahaṃ taṃ hetuṃ yena tasya tatonidānaṃ pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyām. asti, bho mahāmaudgalyāyana, pūrvake'dhvani pāpakaṃ karma kṛtam, tatonidānamasya pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyāmiti. ayamasmākaṃ, bhagavan, vāṣpeṇa śākyena nirgranthaśrāvakena sārdhamantarākathāsallāpo viprakṛto'bhūt, anena cārthenetarhyupasthānaśālāyāṃ sanniṣaṇṇā sma iti.
atha khalu bhagavān vāṣpaṃ śākyaṃ nirgranthaśrāvakamāmantrayata—yadi tvaṃ, vāṣpa, yadbhūtaṃ tadbhūtato vyākuryāḥ, yadasatyaṃ tadasatyato vyākuryāḥ; yatra ca te syātkāṅkṣā vā vimatirvā, māmevaṃ tatra pratipṛccheḥ—kathaṃ khalvidaṃ, śramaṇa gautama, asya ko'rtha iti. yadi vā me bhāṣitamājānīyāḥ, evamāvayoḥ sārdhamasyāḥ kathāyāḥ syādavakāśa iti.
vāṣpa āha—yadbhūtaṃ, śramaṇa gautama, tadbhūtato vyākariṣyāmi, yadasatyaṃ tadasatyato vyākariṣyāmi. yatra ca me syātkāṅkṣā vā vimatirvā, bhavantamevāhaṃ gautamaṃ tatra pratiprakṣyāmi—kathaṃ khalvidaṃ, gautama, asya ko'rtha iti. bhāṣitaṃ ca śramaṇasya gautamasyājñāsyāmi. pravartayatu bhavān gautama etāṃ kathāmiti.
bhagavān uvāca—tatkiṃ manyase vāṣpa, ye'kuśalakāyakarmapratyayā āsravā paridāghā upāyāsāścotpadyante, tasya paścāttadakuśalaṃ kāyakarma niruddhaṃ bhavati, sa navaṃ karma na karoti, purāṇaṃ ca karma prajahāti. sa dṛṣṭa eva dharme niṣṭhāgato bhavati nirvighāto nirjvaro'pariṇāmadharmā, tadāryayā prajñayā dṛṣṭamāryayā prajñayā viditaṃ bhavati. yathā akuśalakāyakarmapratyayāḥ, evamakuśalavākkarmākuśalamanokarmāvidyāpratyayā ye āsravā paridāghā upāyāsāścotpadyante, tasya paścāttadakuśalamavidyākarma niruddhaṃ bhavati, sa navaṃ karma na karoti, purāṇaṃ ca karma prajahāti. sa dṛṣṭa eva dharme niṣṭhāgato bhavati nirvighāto nirjvaro'pariṇāmadharmā, tadāryayā prajñayā dṛṣṭamāryayā prajñayā viditaṃ bhavati. tatkiṃ manyase vāṣpa, yo bhikṣurevaṃ kāyagupto vāggupto manogupto viharati, api nu tvaṃ taṃ hetuṃ paśyasi, yena tasya tatonidānaṃ pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyāmiti.
vāṣpa āha—yo'yaṃ, gautama, bhikṣurevaṃ kāyagupto vāggupto manogupto viharati, nāhaṃ taṃ hetuṃ paśyāmi yena tasya tatonidānaṃ pāpakā akuśalā āsravā utpadyerannāyatyāmiti.
bhagavān uvāca—sādhu sādhu, vāṣpa! tatkiṃ manyase vāṣpa, yasya bhikṣoravidyā prahīṇā vidyotpannā, so'vidyāyāḥ prahāṇādvidyāyā utpādātkāyaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayamānaḥ kāyaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayāmīti prajānāti, jīvitaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayamāno jīvitaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayāmīti prajānāti. kāyasya bhedātprāṇānāmuparāmādāyuṣaḥ kṣayāddṛṣṭa eva dharme sarvāṇi vedayitāni śītībhaviṣyantīti prajānāti. tadyathā, vāṣpa, vṛkṣaṃ pratītya chāyā prādurbhavati. atha kaścitpuruṣa āgacchettīkṣṇaṃ kuṭhāramādāya sa taṃ vṛkṣaṃ mūle chindyāt, mūle chittvā khaṇḍaśaḥ parikhaṇḍayet, daśadhā vā śatadhā vā kuryāt. khaṇḍaśaḥ parikhaṇḍyāgninā dahet, agninā dagdhvā bhasmīkuryāt, bhasmīkṛtya mahāvāte vā vikiret, srotasi vā nadyāḥ praveśayet. tatkiṃ manyase vāṣpa, yā sā vṛkṣaṃ pratītya chāyā prādurbhūtā, api nu sā samucchinnamūlā tatonidānaṃ kṣīṇā anutpādadharmikā bhavediti?
vāṣpa āha—evaṃ, gautama.
bhagavān uvāca—evameva, vāṣpa, yasya bhikṣoravidyā prahīṇā vidyotpannā, so'vidyāyāḥ prahāṇādvidyāyā utpādātkāyaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayamānaḥ kāyaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayāmīti prajānāti, jīvitaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayamāno jīvitaparyantikaṃ vedayitaṃ vedayāmīti prajānāti. kāyasya bhedātprāṇānāmuparāmādāyuṣaḥ kṣayāddṛṣṭa eva dharme sarvāṇi vedayitāni śītībhaviṣyantīti prajānāti. vāṣpa, evaṃ samyakcittavimukto bhikṣuḥ ṣaṭ satatavihārānadhigacchati. katamānṣaṭ? iha, vāṣpa, bhikṣuścakṣuṣā rūpaṃ dṛṣṭvā naiva sumano bhavati na durmanā upekṣako viharati smṛtaḥ samprajānan. vāṣpa, evaṃ samyakcittavimukto bhikṣuḥ prathamaṃ satatavihāramadhigacchati. evaṃ śrotreṇa śabdaṃ, ghrāṇena gandhaṃ, jihvayā rasaṃ, kāyena spraṣṭavyaṃ, manasā dharmaṃ vijñāya, naiva sumano bhavati na durmanā upekṣako viharati smṛtaḥ samprajānan. vāṣpa, evaṃ samyakcittavimukto bhikṣuḥ ṣaṣṭhaṃ satatavihāramadhigacchati. vāṣpa, evaṃ samyakcittavimukto bhikṣurimān ṣaṭ satatavihārānadhigacchatīti.
vāṣpa āha—evam, gautama. śrutavānāryaśrāvaka evaṃ samyakcittavimuktaḥ ṣaṭ satatavihārānadhigacchati. katamānṣaṭ? iha, gautama, śrutavānāryaśrāvakaścakṣuṣā rūpaṃ dṛṣṭvā naiva sumano bhavati na durmanā upekṣako viharati smṛtaḥ samprajānan. gautama, śrutavānāryaśrāvaka evaṃ samyakcittavimuktaḥ prathamaṃ satatavihāramadhigacchati. evaṃ śrotreṇa śabdaṃ, ghrāṇena gandhaṃ, jihvayā rasaṃ, kāyena spraṣṭavyaṃ, manasā dharmaṃ vijñāya, naiva sumano bhavati na durmanā upekṣako viharati smṛtaḥ samprajānan. evaṃ, gautama, śrutavānāryaśrāvaka evaṃ samyakcittavimuktaḥ ṣaṣṭhaṃ satatavihāramadhigacchati. evaṃ, gautama, śrutavānāryaśrāvaka evaṃ samyakcittavimukta imān ṣaṭ satatavihārānadhigacchatīti.
atha khalu vāṣpaḥ śākyaḥ bhagavantametadavocat—ājñātaṃ, gautama, ājñātaṃ, sugata! tadyathāpi nāma, gautama, nikubjitaṃ vonnamayet, praticchannaṃ vā vivṛṇuyāt, mūḍhāya vā mārgamācakṣīta, andhakāre vā tailapradyotaṃ dhārayeccakṣuṣmanto rūpāṇi drakṣyantīti, evameva śramaṇena gautamenānekaparyāyeṇa dharmo deśitaḥ samprakāśitaḥ. so'haṃ bhagavantaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi, dharmaṃ ca bhikṣusaṅghaṃ ca. upāsakaṃ māṃ bhagavāndhārayatvadyāgreṇa yāvajjīvaṃ prāṇopetaṃ śaraṇagataṃ prasannamiti.
bhagavan, tadyathāpi nāma kaścitpuruṣo duṣṭāśvampoṣayellābhaṃ prākāṅkṣamāṇaḥ, sa tatra vṛthā klāmyati parikhidyate na cārthamadhigacchati. evamevāhaṃ, bhagavan, tasmin bālajātīye nirgranthe'kuśale'jānatyakṣetrajñe svayamapratyavekṣamāṇe dīrgharātraṃ satkāraṃ gurukāraṃ mānanaṃ pūjanaṃ ca kṛtavān lābhaṃ prākāṅkṣamāṇaḥ. tatra kevalaṃ klānto'smi parikhinno'smi na cārthamadhigatavān. so'haṃ, bhagavan, dvitīyamapi bhagavantaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi, dharmaṃ ca bhikṣusaṅghaṃ ca. upāsakaṃ māṃ bhagavāndhārayatvadyāgreṇa yāvajjīvaṃ prāṇopetaṃ śaraṇagataṃ prasannamiti.
yat pūrvaṃ me, bhagavann, ajñānāttasmin bālajātīye nirgranthe śraddhābhūt prema ca gauravaṃ ca, tadadyāgreṇa samucchinadmi. tatkasya hetoḥ? vipralabdho'haṃ teneti. so'haṃ, bhagavan, tṛtīyamapi bhagavantaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi, dharmaṃ ca bhikṣusaṅghaṃ ca. upāsakaṃ māṃ bhagavāndhārayatvadyāgreṇa yāvajjīvaṃ prāṇopetaṃ śaraṇagatamiti.
idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanā vāṣpaḥ śākyaste ca bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandiṣuḥ.
vāṣpasūtraṃ dvitīyaṃ samāptam.
