DN10 Subha Sutta: About Subha
Morality, Concentration, Wisdom
[204] 1.1. THUS HAVE I HEARD.225 Once the Venerable Ananda was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta’s grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s park, shortly after the Lord’s final passing.226 And at that time the youth Subha, Todeyya’s son,227 was staying at Savatthi on some business.
1.2. And Subha said to a certain young man: ‘Go, my lad, to where the ascetic Ananda is, ask him in my name if he is in good health, free from fatigue, strong, vigorous and dwelling in comfort, and say: “It would be good if the Reverend Ananda would, out of compassion, visit the dwelling of Subha the son of Todeyya.”’
1.3 ‘Very good, sir’, replied the young man. Then he went to the Venerable Ananda, exchanged courtesies with him, and sat down to one side. Then he delivered [205] the message.
1.4. The Venerable Ananda replied: ‘It is not the right time, young man. Today I have taken some medicine. Perhaps it will be possible to come tomorrow when the time and the occasion are suitable.’ And the young man rose, returned to Subha and reported what had passed between him and the Venerable Ananda, adding: ‘My mission has been thus far accomplished, that the Reverend Ananda will probably take the opportunity to come tomorrow.’
1.5. And indeed, as that night was ending, the Venerable Ananda dressed in the early morning, took his robe and bowl and, accompanied by the Venerable Cetaka,228 came to Subha’s dwelling, and sat down on the prepared seat. Then Subha approached the Venerable Ananda, exchanged courtesies with him, and sat down to one side. Then he said: [206] ‘The Reverend Ananda was for a long time the Reverend Gotama’s personal attendant, dwelling in his presence and near him. You, Reverend Ananda, would know what things the Reverend Gotama praised, and with which he aroused, exhorted and established people. Which, Reverend Ananda, were those things?’
1.6. ‘Subha, there were three divisions of things which the Lord praised, and with which he aroused, exhorted and established people. Which three? The division of Ariyan morality,229 the division of Ariyan concentration, and the division of Ariyan wisdom. These were the three divisions of things which the Lord praised...’
‘Well, Reverend Ananda, what is the division of Ariyan morality which the Reverend Gotama praised ... ?’
1.7 — 29. ‘Young sir, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, fully-enlightened Buddha, endowed with wisdom and conduct, Well-Farer, Knower of the worlds, incomparable Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, enlightened and blessed. He, having realised it by his own super-knowledge, proclaims this world with its devas, māras and Brahmās, its princes and people. He preaches the Dhamma which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle, lovely in its ending, in the spirit and in the letter, and displays the fully-perfected and purified holy life. A disciple goes forth and practises the moralities, etc. (Sutta 2, verses 41 — 63). Thus a monk is perfected in morality.
1.30. ‘That is the division of Ariyan morality which the Lord praised... But something more remains to be done.’ ‘It is wonderful, Reverend Ananda, it is marvellous! This division of Ariyan morality is perfectly fulfilled, not left incomplete. And I do not see this division of Ariyan morality [207] fulfilled thus anywhere among the ascetics and Brahmins of other schools. And if any of them were to have found this perfection in themselves, they would have been so delighted that they would have said: “We’ve done enough! The goal of our asceticism has been reached! There’s nothing more to be done!” And yet the Reverend Ananda declares that there is more to be done!’
[End of first recitation-section]
2.1. ‘Reverend Ananda, what is the division of Ariyan concentration which the Reverend Gotama praised... ?’
2.2 — 18. ‘And how is a monk guardian of the sense-doors? He guards the sense-doors and attains the four jhānas (Sutta 2, verses 64 — 82). This comes to him through concentration. [208]
2.19. ‘That is the division of Ariyan concentration which the Lord praised ... But something more remains to be done.’ ‘It is wonderful, Reverend Ananda, it is marvellous! This division of Ariyan concentration is perfectly fulfilled, not left incomplete. And I do not see this division of Ariyan concentration fulfilled thus anywhere among the ascetics and Brahmins of other schools. And if any of them were to have found this perfection in themselves, they would have been so delighted that they would have said: “We’ve done enough! The goal of our asceticism has been reached! There’s nothing more to be done!” And yet the Reverend Ananda declares that there is more to be done!’
2.20. ‘Reverend Ananda, what is the division of Ariyan wisdom which the Reverend Gotama praised?’
2.21 — 22. ‘And so, with mind concentrated he attains various insights (Sutta 2, verses 83 — 84). That is known to him by wisdom.
2.23 — 36. ‘He realises the Four Noble Truths, the path and the cessation of the corruptions (Sutta 2, verses 85 — 97). And he knows: “...There is nothing further here.”
2.37. ‘That is the division of Ariyan wisdom which the Lord praised, with which he aroused, exhorted and established people. Beyond that there is nothing to be done.’ [210]
‘It is wonderful, Reverend Ananda, it is marvellous! This division of Ariyan wisdom is perfectly fulfilled, not left incomplete. And I do not see this division of Ariyan wisdom fulfilled thus anywhere among the ascetics and Brahmins of other schools. And there is nothing further to be done! Excellent, Reverend Ananda, excellent! It is as if someone were to set up what had been knocked down, or to point out the way to one who had got lost, or to bring an oil-lamp into a dark place, so that those with eyes could see what was there. Just so the Reverend Ananda has expounded the Dhamma in various ways.
‘Reverend Ananda, I go for refuge to the Lord Gotama, the Dhamma and the Sangha. May the Reverend Ananda accept me as a lay-follower who has taken refuge from this day forth as long as life shall last!’
225 We may wonder slightly, as RD does, why this is included as a separate Sutta, consisting as it does of little more than the corresponding passages in DN 2. But repetitiveness was never regarded by the early redactors of the Canon as a bar to inclusion, and this was no doubt independently preserved as an account of Subha’s conversion. RD points out that the three heads here are given as sīla, samādhi and paññā, which we render (somewhat differently from RD) as morality, concentration and wisdom. RD also states that the term samādhi is not found in any pre-Buddhist text. To his remarks on the subject should be added that its subsequent use in Hindu texts to denote the state of enlightenment is not in conformity with Buddhist usage, where the basic meaning of concentration is expanded to cover ‘meditation’ in general.
226 Chronology is of little account in this Nikāya. The Buddha’s final passing is narrated in DN 16.
227 A Brahmin, whose name means ‘man of Tudi’.
228 Like Todeyya, he is named after his birthplace in the Cetiya country.
229 Sīlakkhandha. This is also the name of the first of the three divisions of this Nikāya, but the other two do not conform to the same pattern.
DN10 Subha Sutta: About Subha