Table of Contents

  • Synopsis
    • SN 47.8 sūda-suttaṃ
      • (i.The incompetent cook)
      • (fruit of being unskillful cook)
      • (i.The unskillful monk doing 4sp #1)
      • (repeat pattern for remaining 3 of 4sp)
      • (fruit of being unskillful monk)
      • (i. skillful cook)
      • (fruit of being skillful cook)
      • (i.The skillful monk)
      • (fruit of being skillful monk)

Synopsis

SN 47.8 sūda-suttaṃ

SN 47.8 sūda-suttaṃ
SN 47.8 (The) Cook-discourse
(thanissaro trans. With some modification)

(i.The incompetent cook)

♦ “seyyathāpi, bhikkhave,
"Suppose that there is a
bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo
foolish, inexperienced, unskillful cook
rājānaṃ vā rājamahāmattaṃ vā
who has presented a king or a king's minister
nānaccayehi sūpehi paccupaṭṭhito assa —
with various kinds of curry:
ambilaggehipi,
mainly sour,
tittakaggehipi,
mainly bitter,
kaṭukaggehipi,
mainly peppery,
madhuraggehipi,
mainly sweet,
khārikehipi,
alkaline or
akhārikehipi,
non-alkaline,
loṇikehipi,
salty or
aloṇikehipi.
non-salty.
♦ “sa kho so, bhikkhave,
...
bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo
He
sakassa bhattu nimittaṃ na uggaṇhāti —
does not take note of[1] his master, thinking,
‘idaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati,
'Today my master likes this curry,
imassa vā abhiharati,
or he reaches out for that curry,
imassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti,
or he takes a lot of this curry,
imassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati.
or he praises that curry.
ambilaggaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati,
Today my master likes mainly sour curry...
ambilaggassa vā abhiharati,
Today my master likes mainly bitter curry...
ambilaggassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti,
mainly peppery curry...
ambilaggassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati.
mainly sweet curry...
tittakaggaṃ vā me ajja...
alkaline curry...
kaṭukaggaṃ vā me ajja...
non-alkaline curry...
madhuraggaṃ vā me ajja...
salty curry...
khārikaṃ vā me ajja...
Today my master likes non-salty curry,
akhārikaṃ vā me ajja...
or he reaches out for non-salty curry,
loṇikaṃ vā me ajja...
or he takes a lot of non-salty curry,
aloṇikaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati,
or he praises non-salty curry.'
aloṇikassa vā abhiharati,
aloṇikassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti,
aloṇikassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsatī’”ti.

(fruit of being unskillful cook)

♦ “sa kho so, bhikkhave,
As a result,
bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo
he
na ceva lābhī hoti acchādanassa,
is not rewarded with clothing
na lābhī vetanassa,
or wages
na lābhī abhihārānaṃ.
or gifts.
taṃ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
tathā hi so, bhikkhave,
Because the
bālo abyatto akusalo sūdo
foolish, inexperienced, unskillful cook
sakassa bhattu nimittaṃ na uggaṇhāti.
does not pick up on the theme of his own master.

(i.The unskillful monk doing 4sp #1)

evameva kho, bhikkhave,
"In the same way,
idhekacco
there are cases where a
bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu
foolish, inexperienced, unskillful monk
kāye kāyānupassī viharati
remains focused on the body in & of itself —
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,
ardent, alert, & mindful —
vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato
As he remains thus focused on the body in & of itself,
cittaṃ na samādhiyati,
his mind does not become concentrated,
upakkilesā na pahīyanti.
his defilements[2] are not abandoned.
so taṃ nimittaṃ na uggaṇhāti.
He does not take note of that fact.[3]

(repeat pattern for remaining 3 of 4sp)

vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ...pe ...
He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves...
citte cittānupassī viharati ...pe ...
the mind in & of itself...
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati
mental qualities in & of themselves —
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,
ardent, alert, & mindful —
vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato
As he remains thus focused on mental qualities in & of themselves,
cittaṃ na samādhiyati,
his mind does not become concentrated,
upakkilesā na pahīyanti.
his defilements are not abandoned.
so taṃ nimittaṃ na uggaṇhāti.
He does not take note of that fact.

(fruit of being unskillful monk)

♦ “sa kho so, bhikkhave,
As a result,
bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu
he
na ceva lābhī hoti diṭṭheva dhamme sukhavihārānaṃ,
is not rewarded with a pleasant abiding here & now,
na lābhī satisampajaññassa.
nor with mindfulness & alertness.
taṃ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
tathā hi so, bhikkhave,
Because the
bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu
foolish, inexperienced, unskillful monk
sakassa cittassa nimittaṃ na uggaṇhāti.
does not take note of his own mind.[4]

(i. skillful cook)

♦ “seyyathāpi,
6“Suppose,
bhikkhave,
bhikkhus,
paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo rājānaṃ vā rājamahāmattaṃ vā nānaccayehi sūpehi paccupaṭṭhito assa — ambilaggehipi,
a wise,
tittakaggehipi,
competent,
kaṭukaggehipi,
skilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries:
madhuraggehipi,
sour,
khārikehipi,
bitter,
akhārikehipi,
pungent,
loṇikehipi,
sweet,
aloṇikehipi.
sharp,
mild,
salty,
bland.136 ""
♦ “sa kho so,
7“That wise,
bhikkhave,
competent,
paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti — ‘idaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati,
skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference:
imassa vā abhiharati,
‘Today this curry pleased my master … or he spoke in praise of the bland one.’
imassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti,
imassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati.
ambilaggaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati,
ambilaggassa vā abhiharati,
ambilaggassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti,
ambilaggassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati.
tittakaggaṃ vā me ajja...
kaṭukaggaṃ vā me ajja...
madhuraggaṃ vā me ajja...
khārikaṃ vā me ajja...
akhārikaṃ vā me ajja...
loṇikaṃ vā me ajja...
aloṇikaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati,
aloṇikassa vā abhiharati,
aloṇikassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti,
aloṇikassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsatī’”ti.

(fruit of being skillful cook)

♦ “sa kho so,
8“That wise,
bhikkhave,
competent,
paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo lābhī ceva hoti acchādanassa,
skilful cook gains [gifts of] clothing,
lābhī vetanassa,
wages,
lābhī abhihārānaṃ.
and bonuses.
taṃ kissa hetu?
For what reason?
tathā hi so,
Because that wise,
bhikkhave,
competent,
paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti.
skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference.

(i.The skillful monk)

evameva kho, bhikkhave, idh'-ekacco
so too, monks: here,-some
paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu
wise, competent, skilful monk,
kāye kāy-ānupassī viharati
body (as) body-contemplating (he) dwells,
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,
ardent, clearling-comprehending, mindful,
vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṃ.
having-removed worldly greed-and-distress.
tassa kāye kāy-ānupassino viharato
(while) [doing] body (as) body-contemplating (he) dwells,
cittaṃ samādhiyati,
mind (becomes) concentrated,
upakkilesā pahīyanti.
corruptions abandoned.
so taṃ nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti.
** that sign {he} learns.
vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ... pe ...
(same process for 2nd satipaṭṭhāna ...)
citte cittānupassī viharati ... pe ...
(same process for 3rd satipaṭṭhāna …)
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati
(same process for 4th satipaṭṭhāna ...)
ātāpī sampajāno satimā,
ardent, clearling-comprehending, mindful,
vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
having-removed worldly greed-and-distress.
tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato
(while) [doing] dhamma (as) dhamma-contemplating (he) dwells,
cittaṃ samādhiyati,
mind (becomes) concentrated,
upakkilesā pahīyanti.
corruptions abandoned.
so taṃ nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti.
** that sign {he} learns.

(fruit of being skillful monk)

♦ “sa kho so, bhikkhave,
“That *** ***, *********,
paṇḍito byatto kusalo
wise, competent, skilful
bhikkhu lābhī ceva hoti
bhikkhu gains **** ****
diṭṭheva dhamme sukha-vihārānaṃ,
in-this very-life pleasant-dwelling,
lābhī hoti sati-sampajaññassa.
[and he] gains **** mindfulness-and-clear-comprehension.
taṃ kissa hetu?
For what reason?
tathā hi so, bhikkhave,
Because, bhikkhus, that
paṇḍito byatto kusalo
wise, competent, skilful
bhikkhu sakassa
bhikkhu, his-own
cittassa nimittaṃ uggaṇhātī”ti.
mind's sign (he) learns.”
aṭṭhamaṃ.
[end of] eighth [discourse in this section].