Bakkula Sutta

Translated from the Pali by Upalavanna

I heard thus.

At one time venerable Bakkula lived in the squirrels’ sanctuary in the bamboo grove in Rajagaha. Then Acela-Kassapa a friend of venerable Bakkula when he was a householder approached him, exchanged friendly greetings, sat on a side and said.

‘For how long was venerable Bakkula a homeless one?’

‘Friend, I was homeless for eighty years.’

‘Friend Bakkula, during these eighty years, how many times did you indulge in sexual things?’

‘Friend, Kassapa, I should not be questioned in that manner, as during these eighty years, how many times did you indulge in sexual things? Friend Kassapa, you should question me thus, during these eighty years, how many times did sexual perceptions arise to you?

‘Friend Bakkula, during these eighty years, how many times didsexual perceptions arise to you?’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a single sexual perception that has arisen to me’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single sexual percepton during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a single angry, hurting perception that has arisen to me’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single angry, hurtingpercepton during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a single sensual thought that has arisen to me’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single sensual thought during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a single angry, hurting thought that has arisen to me’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single angry, hurting thought during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of accepting a robe from a householder.’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of accepting a robe from a householder during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of cutting the robe with an instrument.’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of cutting the robe with an instrument during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of sewing the robe with a needle.’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of sewing the robe with a needle during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of dyeing the robe with dye.’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of dyeing the robe with dye during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of sewing the katina robe.’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of sewing the katina robe, during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of employing co-associates to sew the robe,...re... accepting an invitation,....re.... even the arising of the thought. O! Someone should invite me!.’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know ofemploying co-associates to sew the robe,...re... accepting an invitation,....re.... even the arising of the thought. O! Someone should invite me!.during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of sitting inisde a house,...re... partaking food inside a house,....re.... observing even the minor sign of a woman,...re...... teaching a woman at least the four lines of a verse,...re...... approaching the attendance hall of the bhikkhunis,...re.... teaching the bhikkhnis,...re....teachingthe trainee novices female or male,...re.....’

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know ofsitting inside a house,...re..... teaching the trainee novices female or male, during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of ordaining someone,...re... confering the higher ordination to someone,....re.... providing requisites to someone or attending to a novice,...re...... taking a steam bath ,...re...... using bathing powder to bathe,...re.... employing a co-associate to massage the body,...re....the arising of an ailment even for a short while,...re.....’partaking of some medicine for a sickness, at least some green porridge,....re.... sleeping turned to the wrong side,...re.....sleeping,...re.....observing rains at the end of the village

‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of ordaining someone,...re..... observing the rains at the end of the village, during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, it was only for seven days that I partook the countryman’s morsels with a debt, on the eighth day I realized extinction

‘It was only for seven days that venerable Bakkula partook the countryman’s morsels with a debt, on the eighth day he realized extinction. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

‘Friend, Bakkula, may I obtain the going forth and the higher ordination in this Dispensation.’ There upon Acela Kassapa obtained the going forth and the higher ordination, in that DispensationNot long after the higher ordination of venerable Kassapa, he withdrew from the crowd, abode zealous for dispelling and attained the noble end of the holy life here and now, for which sons of clansmen rightfully go forth homeless. He knew that birth was destroyed, the holy life was lived, what should be done was done, knew there was nothing more to wish. Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfect.

Not long afterwards venerable Bakkula took a bunch of keys and went from one dwelling to the other saying, ‘Friends, come! Today, will be my final extinction.

That, venerable Bakkula took a bunch of keys and went from one dwelling to the other saying, ‘Friends, come! Today, will be my final extinction. I bear this too, as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’

Venerable Bakkula attained final extinction in the midst of the Community of bhikkhus seated.

That, venerable Bakkula attained final extinction in the midst of the Community of bhikkhus seated.I bear this too, as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’