“To the imperturbable, the seer of the root,” said Venerable Puṇṇaka, “I have come seeking with a question. On what grounds have seers and men, aristocrats and brahmins here in the world performed so many different sacrifices to the gods? I ask you, Blessed One; please tell me this.”
“Whatever seers and men,” replied the Buddha, “aristocrats and brahmins here in the world have performed so many different sacrifices to the gods: all performed sacrifices bound to old age, longing for this place.”
“As to those seers and men,” said Venerable Puṇṇaka, “and aristocrats and brahmins here in the world who have performed so many different sacrifices to the gods: being diligent in the technique of sacrifice, have they crossed over rebirth and old age, good fellow? I ask you, Blessed One; please tell me this.”
“Hoping, invoking, praying, and worshiping,” replied the Buddha, “they pray for pleasure derived from profit. Devoted to sacrifice, besotted by rebirth, they’ve not crossed over rebirth and old age, I declare.”
“If those devoted to sacrifice,” said Venerable Puṇṇaka, “have not, by sacrificing, crossed over rebirth and old age, who then in the world of gods and humans has crossed over rebirth and old age, good fellow? I ask you, Blessed One; please tell me this.”
“Having appraised the world high and low,” replied the Buddha, “there is nothing in the world that disturbs them. Peaceful, unclouded, untroubled, with no need for hope—they’ve crossed over rebirth and old age, I declare.”
The Questions of Puṇṇaka
Snp 5.4 · Puṇṇakamāṇavapucchā
Connections
Collection & context
- Sutta NipātaThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
Books
- On The Way To The Far Shore: Q&A with The Buddha on the Way to AwakeningLeigh Brasington · Commentary
- Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.
The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.