With MigasālāMigasālāsutta

Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the laywoman Migasālā, where he sat down on the seat spread out.Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena migasālāya upāsikāya nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then the laywoman Migasālā went up to Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,Atha kho migasālā upāsikā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho migasālā upāsikā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “Honorable Ānanda, how on earth are we supposed to understand the teaching taught by the Buddha, when the chaste and the unchaste are both reborn in exactly the same place in the next life?“Kathaṁ kathaṁ nāmāyaṁ, bhante ānanda, bhagavatā dhammo desito aññeyyo, yatra hi nāma brahmacārī ca abrahmacārī ca ubho samasamagatikā bhavissanti abhisamparāyaṁ?

My father Purāṇa was chaste, set apart, refraining from the vulgar act of sex.Pitā me, bhante, purāṇo brahmacārī ahosi ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā. When he passed away the Buddha declared that, since he was a once-returner, he was reborn in the host of joyful gods.So kālaṅkato bhagavatā byākato sakadāgāmī satto tusitaṁ kāyaṁ upapannoti.

But my uncle Isidatta was not chaste; he lived content with his wife.Petteyyopi me, bhante, isidatto abrahmacārī ahosi sadārasantuṭṭho. When he passed away the Buddha declared that, since he too was a once-returner, he was reborn in the host of joyful gods.Sopi kālaṅkato bhagavatā byākato sakadāgāmipatto tusitaṁ kāyaṁ upapannoti.

How on earth are we supposed to understand the teaching taught by the Buddha, when the chaste and the unchaste are both reborn in exactly the same place in the next life?”Kathaṁ kathaṁ nāmāyaṁ, bhante ānanda, bhagavatā dhammo desito aññeyyo, yatra hi nāma brahmacārī ca abrahmacārī ca ubho samasamagatikā bhavissanti abhisamparāyan”ti?

“You’re right, sister, but that’s how the Buddha declared it.”“Evaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhagini, bhagavatā byākatan”ti.

Then Ānanda, after receiving almsfood at Migasālā’s home, rose from his seat and left.Atha kho āyasmā ānando migasālāya upāsikāya nivesane piṇḍapātaṁ gahetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, Ānanda went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.Atha kho āyasmā ānando pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Ānanda, who is this laywoman Migasālā, a foolish incompetent aunty, with an aunty’s wit? And who is it that knows how to assess individual persons?“Kā cānanda, migasālā upāsikā bālā abyattā ammakā ammakapaññā, ke ca purisapuggalaparopariyañāṇe? These six individuals are found in the world.Chayime, ānanda, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What six?Katame cha?

Take a certain individual who is gentle and pleasant to be with. And spiritual companions enjoy living together with them.Idhānanda, ekacco puggalo sorato hoti sukhasaṁvāso, abhinandanti sabrahmacārī ekattavāsena. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom.Tassa savanenapi akataṁ hoti, bāhusaccenapi akataṁ hoti, diṭṭhiyāpi appaṭividdhaṁ hoti, sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ na labhati. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher.So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā hānāya pareti no visesāya, hānagāmīyeva hoti no visesagāmī.

Take another individual who is gentle and pleasant to be with. And spiritual companions enjoy living together with them.Idha panānanda, ekacco puggalo sorato hoti sukhasaṁvāso, abhinandanti sabrahmacārī ekattavāsena. And they’ve listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found temporary freedom.Tassa savanenapi kataṁ hoti, bāhusaccenapi kataṁ hoti, diṭṭhiyāpi paṭividdhaṁ hoti, sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ labhati. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower.So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā visesāya pareti no hānāya, visesagāmīyeva hoti no hānagāmī.

Judgmental people compare them, saying:Tatrānanda, pamāṇikā pamiṇanti: ‘This one has just the same qualities as the other, so why is one worse and one better?’‘imassapi teva dhammā aparassapi teva dhammā, kasmā tesaṁ eko hīno eko paṇīto’ti. This will be for their lasting harm and suffering.Tañhi tesaṁ, ānanda, hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya.

In this case, the individual who is gentle … and has listened, learned, penetrated theoretically, and found temporary freedomTatrānanda, yvāyaṁ puggalo sorato hoti sukhasaṁvāso, abhinandanti sabrahmacārī ekattavāsena, tassa savanenapi kataṁ hoti, bāhusaccenapi kataṁ hoti, diṭṭhiyāpi paṭividdhaṁ hoti, sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ labhati. is better and finer than the other individual.Ayaṁ, ānanda, puggalo amunā purimena puggalena abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? Because the stream of the teaching carries them along.Imaṁ hānanda, puggalaṁ dhammasoto nibbahati, But who knows the difference between them except a Realized One?tadantaraṁ ko jāneyya aññatra tathāgatena.

So, Ānanda, don’t be judgmental about individuals.Tasmātihānanda, mā puggalesu pamāṇikā ahuvattha; Don’t pass judgment on individuals.mā puggalesu pamāṇaṁ gaṇhittha. Those who pass judgment on individuals harm themselves.Khaññati hānanda, puggalesu pamāṇaṁ gaṇhanto. I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on individuals.Ahaṁ vā, ānanda, puggalesu pamāṇaṁ gaṇheyyaṁ, yo vā panassa mādiso.

Take another individual who is angry and conceited, and from time to time has greedy thoughts.Idha panānanda, ekaccassa puggalassa kodhamāno adhigato hoti, samayena samayañcassa lobhadhammā uppajjanti. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom.Tassa savanenapi akataṁ hoti, bāhusaccenapi akataṁ hoti, diṭṭhiyāpi appaṭividdhaṁ hoti, sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ na labhati. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher.So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā hānāya pareti no visesāya, hānagāmīyeva hoti no visesagāmī.

Take another individual who is angry and conceited, and from time to time has greedy thoughts. …Idha panānanda, ekaccassa puggalassa kodhamāno adhigato hoti, samayena samayañcassa lobhadhammā uppajjanti. Because the stream of the teaching carries them along. …Tassa savanenapi kataṁ hoti …pe… When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower.no hānagāmī.

Judgmental people compare them …Tatrānanda, pamāṇikā pamiṇanti …pe…

I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on people.yo vā panassa mādiso.

Take another individual who is angry and conceited, and from time to time has the impulse to speak inappropriately.Idha panānanda, ekaccassa puggalassa kodhamāno adhigato hoti, samayena samayañcassa vacīsaṅkhārā uppajjanti. And they’ve not listened or learned or penetrated theoretically or found even temporary freedom.Tassa savanenapi akataṁ hoti …pe… sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ na labhati. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a lower place, not a higher. They’re going to a lower place, not a higher.So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā hānāya pareti no visesāya, hānagāmīyeva hoti no visesagāmī.

Take another individual who is angry and conceited, and from time to time has the impulse to speak inappropriately.Idha panānanda, ekaccassa puggalassa kodhamāno adhigato hoti, samayena samayañcassa vacīsaṅkhārā uppajjanti. But they’ve listened and learned and penetrated theoretically and found temporary freedom.Tassa savanenapi kataṁ hoti, bāhusaccenapi kataṁ hoti, diṭṭhiyāpi paṭividdhaṁ hoti, sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ labhati. When their body breaks up, after death, they depart for a higher place, not a lower. They’re going to a higher place, not a lower.So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā visesāya pareti no hānāya, visesagāmīyeva hoti no hānagāmī.

Judgmental people compare them, saying:Tatrānanda, pamāṇikā pamiṇanti: ‘This one has just the same qualities as the other, so why is one worse and one better?’‘imassapi teva dhammā, aparassapi teva dhammā. Kasmā tesaṁ eko hīno, eko paṇīto’ti? This will be for their lasting harm and suffering.Tañhi tesaṁ, ānanda, hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya.

In this case, the individual who is angry and conceited, but has listened, learned, penetrated theoretically, and found temporary freedomTatrānanda, yassa puggalassa kodhamāno adhigato hoti, samayena samayañcassa vacīsaṅkhārā uppajjanti, tassa savanenapi kataṁ hoti, bāhusaccenapi kataṁ hoti, diṭṭhiyāpi paṭividdhaṁ hoti, sāmāyikampi vimuttiṁ labhati. is better and finer than the other individual.Ayaṁ, ānanda, puggalo amunā purimena puggalena abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? Because the stream of the teaching carries them along.Imaṁ hānanda, puggalaṁ dhammasoto nibbahati. But who knows the difference between them except a Realized One?Tadantaraṁ ko jāneyya aññatra tathāgatena.

So, Ānanda, don’t be judgmental about individuals.Tasmātihānanda, mā puggalesu pamāṇikā ahuvattha; Don’t pass judgment on individuals.mā puggalesu pamāṇaṁ gaṇhittha. Those who pass judgment on individuals harm themselves.Khaññati hānanda, puggalesu pamāṇaṁ gaṇhanto. I, or someone like me, may pass judgment on individuals.Ahaṁ vā, ānanda, puggalesu pamāṇaṁ gaṇheyyaṁ, yo vā panassa mādiso.

Who is this laywoman Migasālā, a foolish incompetent aunty, with an aunty’s wit? And who is it that knows how to assess individual persons?Kā cānanda, migasālā upāsikā bālā abyattā ammakā ammakapaññā, ke ca purisapuggalaparopariyañāṇe. These six individuals are found in the world.Ime kho, ānanda, cha puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

If Isidatta had achieved Purāṇa’s level of ethical conduct, Purāṇa could not have even known Isidatta’s destination.Yathārūpena, ānanda, sīlena purāṇo samannāgato ahosi, tathārūpena sīlena isidatto samannāgato abhavissa. Nayidha purāṇo isidattassa gatimpi aññassa. And if Purāṇa had achieved Isidatta’s level of wisdom, Isidatta could not have even known Purāṇa’s destination.Yathārūpāya ca, ānanda, paññāya isidatto samannāgato ahosi, tathārūpāya paññāya purāṇo samannāgato abhavissa. Nayidha isidatto purāṇassa gatimpi aññassa. So both individuals were lacking in one respect.”Iti kho, ānanda, ime puggalā ubho ekaṅgahīnā”ti.