A Delicate Ascetic of AsceticsSamaṇasukhumālasutta

“Mendicants, a mendicant with five qualities is a delicate ascetic of ascetics.“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti.

What five?Katamehi pañcahi?

It’s when a mendicant usually uses only what they’ve been invited to accept—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—rarely using them without invitation.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ senāsanaṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ gilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito.

When living with other spiritual practitioners, they usually find themselves treated agreeably by them by way of body, speech, and mind, and rarely disagreeably.Yehi kho pana sabrahmacārīhi saddhiṁ viharati, tyassa manāpeneva bahulaṁ kāyakammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ vacīkammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ manokammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; And they are usually presented with agreeable things by them, rarely with disagreeable ones.manāpaṁyeva upahāraṁ upaharanti, appaṁ amanāpaṁ.

They’re healthy, so the various unpleasant feelings—stemming from disorders of bile, phlegm, wind, or their conjunction; or caused by change in weather, by not taking care of themselves, by exertion, or as the result of past deeds—usually don’t come up.Yāni kho pana tāni vedayitāni pittasamuṭṭhānāni vā semhasamuṭṭhānāni vā vātasamuṭṭhānāni vā sannipātikāni vā utupariṇāmajāni vā visamaparihārajāni vā opakkamikāni vā kammavipākajāni vā, tānissa na bahudeva uppajjanti.

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.Appābādho hoti, catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,

And they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

A mendicant with these five qualities is a delicate ascetic of ascetics.Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti.

And if anyone should be rightly called a delicate ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’ti, mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’ti. For I usually use only what I’ve been invited to accept.Ahañhi, bhikkhave, yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ senāsanaṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ gilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito. When living with other mendicants, I am usually treated agreeably by them.Yehi kho pana bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ viharāmi, te maṁ manāpeneva bahulaṁ kāyakammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ vacīkammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ manokammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; And I usually present them with agreeable things.manāpaṁyeva upahāraṁ upaharanti, appaṁ amanāpaṁ. I’m healthy.Yāni kho pana tāni vedayitāni—pittasamuṭṭhānāni vā semhasamuṭṭhānāni vā vātasamuṭṭhānāni vā sannipātikāni vā utupariṇāmajāni vā visamaparihārajāni vā opakkamikāni vā kammavipākajāni vā—tāni me na bahudeva uppajjanti. Appābādhohamasmi. I get the four absorptions when I want, without trouble or difficulty.catunnaṁ kho panasmi jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, And I’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom … in this very life …āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmi. So if anyone should be rightly called a delicate ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.”Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’ti, mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’”ti.