[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 saptadharmavarge prathame udakopamasūtraṃ caturtham.
evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavāñchrāvastyāṃ viharati sma jetavane'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme.
tasminsamaye bhagavānbhikṣūnāmantrayata—ahaṃ vo bhikṣavaḥ saptodakopamānpudgalāndeśayiṣyāmi tacchṛṇuta sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasikuruta bhāṣiṣye. evaṃ bhagavanta iti te bhikṣavo bhagavataḥ pratyaśrauṣuḥ.
bhagavānidamavocat—katame sapta. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgalaḥ sadā nimagnaḥ śete udake. aparaḥ pudgala udakādunmajjya punarnimajjati. aparaḥ pudgala udakādunmajjya tiṣṭhati. aparaḥ pudgala udakādunmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate. aparaḥ pudgala udakādunmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati. aparaḥ pudgala udakādunmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati. aparaḥ pudgala udakādunmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati pāraṅgatastīrasthaḥ puruṣa ityucyate. evamahaṃ vo bhikṣavaḥ punarapi saptodakopamānpudgalāndeśayiṣyāmi tacchṛṇuta sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasikuruta bhāṣiṣye. evaṃ bhagavanta iti te bhikṣavo bhagavataḥ pratyaśrauṣuḥ.
bhagavānidamavocat—katame sapta. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgalaḥ sadā nimagnaḥ śete. aparaḥ pudgala unmajjya punarnimajjati. aparaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati. aparaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate. aparaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati. aparaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati. aparaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati pāraṅgatastīrastho brāhmaṇa ityucyate. ime bhikṣavaḥ saptodakopamāḥ pudgalā mayā saṃkṣepeṇa bhāṣitāḥ. yadetaduktaṃ purastādyatprajñaptaṃ purastāttatra yuṣmākaṃ ko'rtho'vagataḥ ko vibhaṅgaḥ kiṃ nidānamiti.
tasminsamaye te bhikṣavo bhagavantametadavocan—bhagavanmūlakā no bhagavanto dharmā bhagavannetṛkā bhagavatpratiśaraṇāḥ. sādhu vata bhagavānevāsya bhāṣitasyārthaṃ vibhajatu. bhagavataḥ śrutvā vayamarthaṃ vistareṇa jñāsyāmaḥ.
bhagavānidamavocat—tena hi bhikṣavaḥ śṛṇuta sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasikurutāhaṃ vo'rthaṃ vibhajiṣyāmi. evaṃ bhagavanta iti te bhikṣavo bhagavataḥ pratyaśrauṣuḥ.
bhagavānidamavocat—kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgalaḥ sadā nimagnaḥ śete. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgalaḥ paryavanaddho bhavati pāpakairakuśalairdharmaiḥ saṅkleśasaṅkliṣṭaḥ pāpadharmavipākaṃ pratisaṃvedayate saṃsāramūlamupacinoti. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgalaḥ sadā nimagnaḥ śete. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagnaḥ śete evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ prathama udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya punarnimajjati. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgala unmajjya kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu śraddhāṃ śīlaṃ tyāgaṃ śrutaṃ prajñāṃ ca pratilabhate kuśalāndharmānbhāvayati. sa paścātkāle śraddhāyāḥ parihīyate na tasyāṃ dṛḍhībhavati śīlāttyāgācchrutātprajñāyāśca parihīyate na teṣu dṛḍhībhavati. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya punarnimajjati. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagna unmajjya punarnimajjati evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ dvitīya udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgala unmajjya kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu śraddhāṃ śīlaṃ tyāgaṃ śrutaṃ prajñāṃ ca pratilabhate kuśalāndharmānbhāvayati. sa paścātkāle śraddhāyā na parihīyate tasyāṃ dṛḍhībhavati śīlāttyāgācchrutātprajñāyāśca na parihīyate teṣu dṛḍhībhavati. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagna unmajjya tiṣṭhati evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ tṛtīya udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgala unmajjya kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu śraddhāṃ śīlaṃ tyāgaṃ śrutaṃ prajñāṃ ca pratilabhate kuśalāndharmānbhāvayati. sa paścātkāle śraddhāyā na parihīyate tasyāṃ dṛḍhībhavati śīlāttyāgācchrutātprajñāyāśca na parihīyate teṣu dṛḍhībhavati kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu tiṣṭhati. idaṃ duḥkhamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānātyayaṃ duḥkhasamudayo'yaṃ duḥkhanirodha iyaṃ duḥkhanirodhagāminī pratipaditi yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti. tasyaivaṃ jānata evaṃ paśyatastrīṇi saṃyojanāni prahīyante yaduta satkāyadṛṣṭiḥ śīlavrataparāmarśo vicikitsā ca. trayāṇāṃ saṃyojanānāṃ prahāṇātsrota āpanno bhavatyavinipātadharmo niyatasaṃbodhiparāyaṇaḥ saptakṛtvaḥparamo deveṣu ca manuṣyeṣu ca sandhāvya saṃsṛtya duḥkhasyāntaṃ karoti. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagna unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ caturtha udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgala unmajjya kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu śraddhāṃ śīlaṃ tyāgaṃ śrutaṃ prajñāṃ ca pratilabhate kuśalāndharmānbhāvayati. sa paścātkāle śraddhāyā na parihīyate tasyāṃ dṛḍhībhavati śīlāttyāgācchrutātprajñāyāśca na parihīyate teṣu dṛḍhībhavati kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu tiṣṭhati. idaṃ duḥkhamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānātyayaṃ duḥkhasamudayo'yaṃ duḥkhanirodha iyaṃ duḥkhanirodhagāminī pratipaditi yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti. tasyaivaṃ jānata evaṃ paśyatastrīṇi saṃyojanāni prahīyante yaduta satkāyadṛṣṭiḥ śīlavrataparāmarśo vicikitsā ca. trayāṇāṃ saṃyojanānāṃ prahāṇātkāmarāgadveṣamohānāṃ tanutvātsakṛdāgāmī bhavati sakṛdeva deveṣu ca manuṣyeṣu ca sandhāvya saṃsṛtya duḥkhasyāntaṃ karoti. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagna unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ pañcama udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgala unmajjya kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu śraddhāṃ śīlaṃ tyāgaṃ śrutaṃ prajñāṃ ca pratilabhate kuśalāndharmānbhāvayati. sa paścātkāle śraddhāyā na parihīyate tasyāṃ dṛḍhībhavati śīlāttyāgācchrutātprajñāyāśca na parihīyate teṣu dṛḍhībhavati kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu tiṣṭhati. idaṃ duḥkhamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānātyayaṃ duḥkhasamudayo'yaṃ duḥkhanirodha iyaṃ duḥkhanirodhagāminī pratipaditi yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti. tasyaivaṃ jānata evaṃ paśyataḥ pañcāvarabhāgīyāni saṃyojanāni prahīyante yaduta kāmarāgo vyāpādaḥ satkāyadṛṣṭiḥ śīlavrataparāmarśo vicikitsā ca. pañcānāmavarabhāgīyānāṃ saṃyojanānāṃ prahāṇāttatropapātiko bhavati tatraparinirvāyyanāvṛttidharmā bhūtvā imaṃ lokaṃ punaranāgantā bhavati. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagna unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ ṣaṣṭha udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
kathaṃ ca bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati pāraṅgatastīrastho brāhmaṇa ityucyate. iha bhikṣavaḥ kaścit pudgala unmajjya kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu śraddhāṃ śīlaṃ tyāgaṃ śrutaṃ prajñāṃ ca pratilabhate kuśalāndharmānbhāvayati. sa paścātkāle śraddhāyā na parihīyate tasyāṃ dṛḍhībhavati śīlāttyāgācchrutātprajñāyāśca na parihīyate teṣu dṛḍhībhavati kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu tiṣṭhati. idaṃ duḥkhamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānātyayaṃ duḥkhasamudayo'yaṃ duḥkhanirodha iyaṃ duḥkhanirodhagāminī pratipaditi yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti. tasyaivaṃ jānata evaṃ paśyataḥ kāmāsravāccittaṃ vimucyate bhavāsravādavidyāsravāccittaṃ vimucyate. vimuktasya vimuktamiti jñānaṃ bhavati kṣīṇā jātiruṣitaṃ brahmacaryaṃ kṛtaṃ karaṇīyaṃ nāparamasmādbhavaparyāyamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti. evaṃ hi bhikṣavaḥ pudgala unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati pāraṅgatastīrastho brāhmaṇa ityucyate. tadyathāpi nāma puruṣa udake nimagna unmajjya tiṣṭhati sthitvā ca pratyavekṣate pratyavekṣya ca pratarati pratīrya ca pāraṅgato bhavati pāraṅgatastīrasthaḥ puruṣa ityucyate evamevāhamimaṃ pudgalaṃ vadāmi. ayaṃ saptama udakopamaḥ pudgalo loke satyato bhūtataḥ saṃvidyate.
yanmayā pūrvaṃ bhāṣitam—ahaṃ vo bhikṣavaḥ saptodakopamānpudgalāndeśayiṣyāmīti — tadetannidānaṃ bhāṣitam.
idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasaste bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandan.
udakopamasūtraṃ caturthaṃ samāptam.