MĀ61 gomayopamasūtram

[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 rājasaṃyuktavarge gomayopamasūtraṃ caturtham.

evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavāñchrāvastyāṃ viharati sma jetavane'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme.

tena khalu samayenānyatamo bhikṣūrahogataḥ pratisaṃlīna evaṃ cetasā cittavitarkamudapādayat—kiṃ nu khalvasti kiñcidrūpaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhet? kiṃ nu khalvasti vedanā saṃjñā saṃskārā vijñānaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhediti?

atha sa bhikṣuḥ sāyāhnasamaye pratisaṃlayanādvyutthāya yena bhagavāṃstenopajagāma. upetya bhagavataḥ pādau śirasā vanditvaikānte nyaṣīdat. ekāntaniṣaṇṇaḥ sa bhikṣurbhagavantametadavocat—iha me, bhadanta, rahogatasya pratisaṃlīnasyaivaṃ cetasā cittavitarka udapādi—kiṃ nu khalvasti kiñcidrūpaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhet? kiṃ nu khalvasti vedanā saṃjñā saṃskārā vijñānaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhediti?

bhagavānbhikṣumāmantrayata—nāsti khalu, bhikṣo, kiñcidrūpaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhet. nāsti vedanā saṃjñā saṃskārā vijñānaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhet.

atha khalu bhagavānalpaṃ gomayapiṇḍaṃ nakhāgreṇa gṛhītvā bhikṣumāmantrayata—paśyasi tvaṃ, bhikṣo, mayālpaṃ gomayapiṇḍaṃ nakhāgreṇa gṛhītamiti?

bhikṣuravocat—paśyāmi, bhadanteti.

bhagavānavocat—evameva, bhikṣo, nāstyalpamapi rūpaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhet. nāstyalpāpi vedanā saṃjñā saṃskārā vijñānaṃ yannityaṃ dhruvaṃ śāśvatamavipariṇāmadharmamekāntasukhaṃ śāśvatasamaṃ tiṣṭhet. tatkasya hetoḥ? anusmarāmyahaṃ, bhikṣo, dīrgharātraṃ kṛtapuṇyo dīrgharātraṃ kṛtapuṇyatvāddīrgharātraṃ sukhavipākamanubhūtavān. atīte'dhvani mayā saptavarṣāṇi maitrīcittaṃ bhāvitam. saptasaṃvartavivartakalpānimaṃ lokaṃ na punarāgaccham. kalpe saṃvartamāna ābhāsvaradevopago'bhavam. kalpe vivartamāne śūnye brāhme vimāna upapanno'bhavam. tatra cāhaṃ brahmābhavaṃ mahābrahmā, anyatra sahasrakṛtvaḥ paranirmitavaśavartī devarājo'bhavam. ṣaṭtriṃśatkṛtvaḥ śakro devānāmindro'bhavam. aprameyakṛtvaśca kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣiktaścakravartī.

bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi nāgānāmabhūvannānāratnālaṅkṛtānāṃ muktājālapracchannānāṃ, tadyathoposatho nāgarājaḥ pūrvaṅgamasteṣām. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇyaśvānāmabhūvannānāratnālaṅkṛtānāṃ suvarṇarajatajālapraticchannānāṃ, tadyathā valāhako'śvarājaḥ pūrvaṅgamasteṣām. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi rathānāmabhūvaṃścaturvidharatnālaṅkṛtānāṃ siṃhavyāghradvīpicarmaparivṛtānāṃ citrarūpālaṅkārasampannānāmāśujavānāṃ, tadyathā nandighoṣarathaḥ pūrvaṅgamasteṣām. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi nagarāṇāmabhūvannṛddhānāṃ ca sphītānāṃ ca kṣemāṇāṃ ca subhikṣāṇāṃ cākīrṇabahujanamanuṣyāṇāṃ ca, tadyathā kuśāvatī rājadhānī pūrvaṅgamā teṣām. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi prāsādānāmabhūvaṃścaturṇāṃ ratnānāṃ suvarṇasya rūpyasya vaiḍūryasya sphaṭikasya ca, tadyathā dharmaprāsādaḥ pūrvaṅgamasteṣām.

bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi paryaṅkānāmabhūvaṃścaturṇāṃ ratnānāṃ suvarṇasya rūpyasya vaiḍūryasya sphaṭikasya ca gonatikāstīrṇānāṃ paṭalikāstīrṇānāṃ sottaracchadānāmubhayatolohitopadhānānāṃ kāliṅgapravarapratyāstaraṇānām. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi vastrayugānāmabhūvankṣaumānāṃ kauśeyānāṃ dukūlānāṃ kārpāsikānāṃ kāliṅgapravarāṇāṃ ca. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi strīṇāmabhūvannabhirūpānāṃ darśanīyānāṃ prāsādikānāṃ paramayā varṇapuṣkalatayā samanvāgatānāmatikrāntamānuṣavarṇānāmasamprāptadivyavarṇānāṃ sarvābharaṇavibhūṣitānāṃ, tatra sarvāḥ kṣatriyakanyā anantāścānyagotrāḥ. bhikṣo, yasminsamaye'haṃ kṣatriyo rājā mūrdhābhiṣikto'bhavaṃ tasya mama caturaśītisahasrāṇi bhojanasargāṇāmabhūvanyāni madarthaṃ satatamahorātramupanāmitāni yathāhaṃ paribhuñjīyeti.

bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ bhojanasargāṇāṃ madhya eka eva bhojanasargo'bhūtparamapraṇīto vividharasasamupeto yamahaṃ nityaṃ paribhuktavān. bhikṣo, tāsāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ strīṇāṃ madhya ekaiva kṣatriyakanyābhūtparamābhirūpā darśanīyā yā māṃ nityamupatiṣṭhati sma. bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ vastrayugānāṃ madhya ekameva vastrayugamabhūdyadi vā kṣaumaṃ yadi vā kauśeyaṃ yadi vā dukūlaṃ yadi vā kārpāsikaṃ yadi vā kāliṅgapravaraṃ yamahaṃ nityaṃ prāvṛṇavam. bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ paryaṅkānāṃ madhya eka eva paryaṅko'bhūdyadi vā suvarṇamayo yadi vā rūpyamayo yadi vā vaiḍūryamayo yadi vā sphaṭikamayo gonatikāstīrṇaḥ paṭalikāstīrṇaḥ sottaracchada ubhayatolohitopadhānaḥ kāliṅgapravarapratyāstaraṇo yatrāhaṃ nityaṃ śaye sma. bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ prāsādānāṃ madhya eka eva prāsādo'bhūdyadi vā suvarṇamayo yadi vā rūpyamayo yadi vā vaiḍūryamayo yadi vā sphaṭikamayo dharmaprāsādo nāma yatrāhaṃ nityaṃ viharāmi sma.

bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ nagarāṇāṃ madhya ekameva nagaramabhūdṛddhaṃ ca sphītaṃ ca kṣemaṃ ca subhikṣaṃ cākīrṇabahujanamanuṣyaṃ ca kuśāvatī rājadhānī nāma yatrāhaṃ nityamadhivasāmi sma. bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ rathānāṃ madhya eka eva ratho'bhūtsiṃhavyāghradvīpicarmaparivṛtaścitrarūpālaṅkāra āśujavo nandighoṣaratho nāma yamahaṃ nityamabhiruhyodyānaṃ bhūmibhāgamabhiniryāmi sma prekṣaṇāya. bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāmaśvānāṃ madhya eka evāśvo'bhūnnīlo vāyasaśīrṣo valāhako'śvarājo nāma yamahaṃ nityamabhiruhyodyānaṃ bhūmibhāgamabhiniryāmi sma prekṣaṇāya. bhikṣo, teṣāṃ caturaśītisahasrāṇāṃ nāgānāṃ madhya eka eva nāgo'bhūtsarvaśvetaḥ saptapratiṣṭhita uposatho nāgarājo nāma yamahaṃ nityamabhiruhyodyānaṃ bhūmibhāgamabhiniryāmi sma prekṣaṇāya.

bhikṣo, tasya mamaitadabhūt—kasya nu khalvidaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalaṃ kasya karmaṇo vipāko yenāhametarhyevaṃ maharddhiko'smyevaṃ mahānubhāvo'smyevaṃ mahāpuṇyo'smyevaṃ mahātejaska iti? bhikṣo, tasya mamaitadabhūt—trayāṇāṃ khalvidaṃ karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ trayāṇāṃ karmaṇāṃ vipāko yenāhametarhyevaṃ maharddhiko'smyevaṃ mahānubhāvo'smyevaṃ mahāpuṇyo'smyevaṃ mahātejaskaḥ. katameṣāṃ trayāṇām? yaduta dānasya damasya saṃyamasya ca.

bhikṣo, tvaṃ paśyasi tadidaṃ sarvaṃ parikṣīṇaṃ niruddhamantarhitaṃ sā carddhirvinaṣṭā. tatkiṃ manyase, bhikṣo, rūpaṃ nityaṃ vānityaṃ veti? anityam, bhadanta. yadanityaṃ duḥkhaṃ vā tat? duḥkham, bhadanta, vipariṇāmadharma ca. yadanityaṃ duḥkhaṃ vipariṇāmadharmāpi nu tacchrutavānāryaśrāvaka etanmama eṣo'hamasmy eṣo me ātmeti samanupaśyet? no hīdam, bhadanta.

tatkiṃ manyase, bhikṣo, vedanā saṃjñā saṃskārā vijñānaṃ nityaṃ vānityaṃ veti? anityam, bhadanta. yadanityaṃ duḥkhaṃ vā tat? duḥkham, bhadanta, vipariṇāmadharma ca. yadanityaṃ duḥkhaṃ vipariṇāmadharmāpi nu tacchrutavānāryaśrāvaka etanmama eṣo'hamasmy eṣo me ātmeti samanupaśyet? no hīdam, bhadanta.

tasmāttarhi bhikṣavevaṃ te śikṣitavyam—yatkiñcidrūpamatītānāgatapratyutpannamādhyātmikaṃ vā bāhyaṃ vaudārikaṃ vā sūkṣmaṃ vā hīnaṃ vā praṇītaṃ vā yaddūre vāntike vā, tatsarvaṃ naitanmama naiṣo'hamasmi na me sa ātmeti, evametadyathābhūtaṃ samyakprajñayā draṣṭavyam. yā kācidvedanā yā kācitsaṃjñā ye kecitsaṃskārā yatkiñcidvijñānamatītānāgatapratyutpannamādhyātmikaṃ vā bāhyaṃ vaudārikaṃ vā sūkṣmaṃ vā hīnaṃ vā praṇītaṃ vā yaddūre vāntike vā, tatsarvaṃ naitanmama naiṣo'hamasmi na me sa ātmeti, evametadyathābhūtaṃ samyakprajñayā draṣṭavyam.

evaṃ paśyanbhikṣo śrutavānāryaśrāvako rūpādapi nirvidyate, vedanāyāḥ saṃjñāyāḥ saṃskārebhyo vijñānādapi nirvidyate. nirviṇṇo virajyate, viraktatvādvimucyate. vimuktasya vimukto'smīti jñānaṃ bhavati—kṣīṇā me jātiruṣitaṃ brahmacaryaṃ kṛtaṃ karaṇīyaṃ nāparamasmādbhavaparyāyamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti.

atha sa bhikṣurbhagavato bhāṣitaṃ sūpagṛhya sūpadhāryotthāyāsanādbhagavataḥ pādau śirasā vanditvā bhagavantaṃ triḥpradakṣiṇīkṛtya prakrāntaḥ.

atha sa bhikṣurbhagavato'ntikādavavādaṃ gṛhītvāiko vyavakṛṣṭo'pramatta ātāpī prahitātmā viharanyasyārthe kulaputrāḥ keśaśmaśrvavatārya kāṣāyāṇi vastrāṇyācchādya samyageva śraddhayāgārādanagārikāṃ pravrajanti tadanuttaraṃ brahmacaryaparyavasānaṃ dṛṣṭa eva dharme svayamabhijñāya sākṣātkṛtyopasampadya viharati sma. kṣīṇā me jātiruṣitaṃ brahmacaryaṃ kṛtaṃ karaṇīyaṃ nāparamasmādbhavaparyāyamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajajñau. evaṃ sa bhikṣurdharmaṃ jñātvā yāvadanyatamo'rhatāṃ saṃvṛttaḥ.

idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasaste bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandan.

gomayopamasūtraṃ caturthaṃ samāptam.