Five KingsPañcarājasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Now at that time five kings headed by Pasenadi were amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, and this discussion came up among them:Tena kho pana samayena pañcannaṁ rājūnaṁ pasenadipamukhānaṁ pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitānaṁ samaṅgībhūtānaṁ paricārayamānānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: “What’s the best of sensual pleasures?”“kiṁ nu kho kāmānaṁ aggan”ti?

Some of them said,Tatrekacce evamāhaṁsu: “Sights are the best of sensual pleasures!”“rūpā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

Others said,Ekacce evamāhaṁsu: “Sounds are best!”“saddā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

Others said,Ekacce evamāhaṁsu: “Smells are best!”“gandhā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

Others said,Ekacce evamāhaṁsu: “Tastes are best!”“rasā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

Others said,Ekacce evamāhaṁsu: “Touches are best!”“phoṭṭhabbā kāmānaṁ aggan”ti.

Since those kings were unable to persuade each other,Yato kho te rājāno nāsakkhiṁsu aññamaññaṁ saññāpetuṁ. King Pasenadi said to them,Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo te rājāno etadavoca: “Come, good fellows, let’s go to the Buddha and ask him about this.“āyāma, mārisā, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipucchissāma. As he answers, so we’ll remember it.”Yathā no bhagavā byākarissati tathā naṁ dhāressāmā”ti.

“Yes, good fellows,” replied those kings.“Evaṁ, mārisā”ti kho te rājāno rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paccassosuṁ.

Then those five kings headed by Pasenadi went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. King Pasenadi reported their conversation to the Buddha, and said,Atha kho te pañca rājāno pasenadipamukhā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, what’s the best of sensual pleasures?”Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, kāmānaṁ aggan”ti?

“Great king, which kind of sensual stimulation is best is defined by which is most agreeable, I say.“Manāpapariyantaṁ khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pañcasu kāmaguṇesu agganti vadāmi. The very same sights that are agreeable to some are disagreeable to others.Teva, mahārāja, rūpā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rūpā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. When you’re happy with certain sights, as you’ve got all you wished for, you don’t want any other sight that’s better or finer.Yehi ca yo rūpehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi rūpehi aññaṁ rūpaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti. For you, those sights are perfectTe tassa rūpā paramā honti. and supreme.Te tassa rūpā anuttarā honti.

The very same sounds …Teva, mahārāja, saddā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva saddā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. smells …Teva, mahārāja, gandhā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva gandhā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. tastes …Teva, mahārāja, rasā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva rasā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. touches that are agreeable to some are disagreeable to others.Teva, mahārāja, phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa manāpā honti, teva phoṭṭhabbā ekaccassa amanāpā honti. When you’re happy with certain touches, as you’ve got all you wished for, you don’t want any other touch that’s better or finer.Yehi ca yo phoṭṭhabbehi attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo, so tehi phoṭṭhabbehi aññaṁ phoṭṭhabbaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti. For you, those touches are perfectTe tassa phoṭṭhabbā paramā honti. and supreme.”Te tassa phoṭṭhabbā anuttarā hontī”ti.

Now at that time the lay follower Candanaṅgalika was sitting in that assembly.Tena kho pana samayena candanaṅgaliko upāsako tassaṁ parisāyaṁ nisinno hoti. Then he rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said,Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.

“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.“Paṭibhātu taṁ, candanaṅgalikā”ti bhagavā avoca.

Then the lay follower Candanaṅgalika extolled the Buddha in his presence with an appropriate verse:Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako bhagavato sammukhā tadanurūpāya gāthāya abhitthavi:

“Like a fragrant pink lotus“Padumaṁ yathā kokanadaṁ sugandhaṁ, that blooms at daybreak, its fragrance unfaded—Pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṁ; see Aṅgīrasa shine,Aṅgīrasaṁ passa virocamānaṁ, bright as the sun in the sky!”Tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.

Then those five kings clothed Candanaṅgalika with five upper robes.Atha kho te pañca rājāno candanaṅgalikaṁ upāsakaṁ pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi acchādesuṁ. And Candanaṅgalika in turn endowed the Buddha with those robes.Atha kho candanaṅgaliko upāsako tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgehi bhagavantaṁ acchādesīti.