Retelling: Vova Pyatsky and Smadar Pyatsky (based on the translations of the suttas published on Theravada.ru and SuttaCentral.net)

Russian Version: 24. Патика Сутта | Три Ваджры

Translation to English: Roni Sherman and Marina Sherman

Introduction

The Buddha, departing at the early hour to collect alms, came to see his friend hermit Bhagava. This hermit wore clothes (i.e. observed moderate austerity). Bhagava asked the Buddha about his friend Sunakkhata, who had been a former disciple of the Buddha but left the Sangha of the Blessed One. 

Sunnakhata was appointed to the position of the personal attendant of the Buddha by the Sangha (this event occurred before the Buddha turned 55 years old, when Ananda became the permanent attendant of the Blessed One). Sunnakkhata is described in other suttas of the canon as a superficial person, more interested in other people’s assessment than in purifying his own mind: Sunakkhata joined the Sangha after he had asked the Buddha about whether all who proclaimed themselves Awakened were so. From Mahala Sutta (Digha Nikaya 6), we learn that Sunnakkhata, after spending around three years with the Blessed One, began to see heavenly images, but did not hear heavenly sounds, which caused his distress.

Sunakkhata’s accusations

The Buddha told Bhagava that recently Sunakhata came to him and announced that he no longer obeys the Blessed One. To which the Buddha asked Sunakkhata: was it stated by Him that Sunakkhata must obey the Buddha? Or had Sunakkhata previously stated that he obeys the Buddha? And since there was neither the former nor the latter, what was the matter? 

Sunnakhata continues to blame the Buddha: “The Venerable One has not performed a single miracle”. The Buddha replies: Were miracles for Sunakkhata promised by Him? Is not the only purpose of the Dhamma the cessation of suffering? 

Sunakkhata again blamed the Blessed One: “The Venerable One has not explained the beginning of all things”. The Buddha replied: Did I say that I would explain the beginning of all things? Did I not say that whether the beginning of all things is known or is not known — does not determine the cessation of suffering? 

The Buddha reproaches Sunakkhata

The Buddha continued “Have you not, Sunakkhata, repeatedly praised the Dhamma of the Blessed One and the Sangha, skillfully trained and worthy of all praise and gifts? What will they say about you now? They will say that Sunakkhata was incapable of leading a pure life and chose a low-lying path. 

The Buddha tells Bhagava about the past misconduct of Sunakkhata 

Once, the Buddha was collecting alms together with Sunakkhata, and in the village they visited, there was an ascetic-cynic nicknamed Man-Dog. He walked on all fours, ate food without using his hands, and rolled around on the ground. Upon seeing this ascetic, Sunakhata thought: “Here is a real Perfected One, a Holy hermit!” Perceiving such thoughts in Sunakkhata’s heart, the Buddha reproached him, in response to which Sunakkhata said that, perhaps, the Blessed One was jealous of another Arhat. 

The Buddha then explained to Sunakkhatta that this ascetic’s lifestyle was harmful, it only led to more suffering. 

On another occasion, Sunakkhata began to question a hermit who posed as a wrathful deity: he lived within the tombs, went around naked, ate meat and drank wine, while refusing rice with milk. The hermit was unable to answer Sunakhata’s questions and became angry, which frightened Sunakkhata. The Buddha reproached Sunakkhata again: what does a follower of the Dhamma have in common with such a hermit? The Buddha also predicted that this hermit, having become rich, will dress up, get married and completely abandon his “wrathful” practices. 

Another story of Sunnakhata’s doubt is connected with the fact that he tried to encourage the Buddha to compete in magical powers with the ascetic Patikaputto (after whom this sutta is named). Patikaputa boasted that whatever powers the Buddha possessed, his, Patikaputa’s, were greater. He was popular among the people, and many householders and hermits wanted to watch a duel of miracle-workers. However the Buddha was indifferent to the idea of a duel. Instead, He went to a park where householders and hermits had gathered in order to preach to them. As to Patikaputta, the Blessed One said that unless he renounced his harmful thoughts, he would not be able to meet the Buddha face to face. That is what happened: the ascetic Patikaputa experienced extraordinary restlessness, his tongue and limbs refused to obey, and he remained away from the assembly.  

Instruction to Bhagava

The Buddha, continuing his friendly conversation with Bhagava, explains that He knows both the beginning of all things and how supernatural powers arise, but He also knows what is above this: The path of the cessation of suffering. Therefore the Buddha is not fascinated by big ideas or miraculous experiences. He then explains these ideas and experiences: 

The creation of the world by Brahma

At the end of a long cosmic epoch, all material existence folds and dissolves. Then some beings are reborn in the realm of Radiance. They feed on rapture, move in space, beautiful, radiating light. Then the Empty Palace of Brahma appears, and one of the radiating beings is reborn in it. After spending some time alone, this being begins to worry and wishes to associate with other beings. And in this palace, in the course of time, other beings appear, and they remember that this first being was here before them. Therefore they revere this being as Brahma, the Creator. This first being is more lasting, wiser, more beautiful and more powerful than the others. And in his mind a thought is also born: “I am — Brahma, the Creator! I wished to see other beings and to associate with them, and here they are!”. 

Some beings from Brahma’s retinue, having spent their good accumulations, are reborn in the realm of human beings. In the mundane world, having purified their minds with diligence, restraint, and knowledge, they remember their former state in the palace of Brahma and the experience they had there. However, while remembering only this experience, without realizing the knowledge surpassing this recollection, they remain in delusion with respect to the extinction of suffering, nibbana. The Buddha, however, knows both this experience and what surpasses it in value — the extinction of suffering. Therefore He does not fall into the net of delusions (beliefs and convictions) 

The idea of the creation of the world due to corruption with pleasure

There are heavens in which gods abide in joy and their wishes are fulfilled. And there are those among them who submerge into pleasures of the senses, into voluptuousness and amusement, losing their steadfastness, and they become absent-minded and restless, their mind weakens. They are then reborn in the mundane world. If, with the help of restraint, diligence and knowledge, they purify their mind, they remember the wish-fulfilling heavens but do not remember other heavens and do not recognize other reasons for rebirth in the mundane world other than the reason of corruption with pleasure. Then they come to the conclusion that these heavens are eternal, unchanging, perfect, while the mundane world — is impermanent, subject to suffering. The Buddha knows what is beyond this experience — the attainment of nibbana transcends the wish-fulfilling heavens. 

The idea of the creation of the world due to corruption with judgement

There are gods who abide in deep contemplation. However, those of them who form judgements (about each other), instead of purifying their minds, begin to weaken, and their minds become mixed with conceptions and judgements, falling into delusion. Then those gods are reborn in the mundane world, and only after being purified do they remember their past existence. And because of this relative partial recollection, they conclude that all beings are reborn in samsara due to corruption with judgement.  

The idea of the random creation of the world

There are gods who have removed all perception from their mind. They abide in the realm of Nothingness. Those of them who have not developed in this state the quality of discernment of the rise and disappearance of perception, together with the rise of perceptions, are engrossed in them and are reborn in the mundane world. Remembering their past state, they claim that the rise of the world happens randomly (without the participation of consciousness, i.e unconsciously) But the Buddha is not under the power of this conclusion, since He knows nibbana, which surpasses the state of the realm of Nothingness. (for a broader description of the ideas and conceptions popular among yogis, see Brahmajala Sutta, Digha Nikaya 1) 

Addressing doubt about realization

Some ascetics accused the Buddha of teaching to see all things as unattractive. Therefore the Buddha, instructing Bhagava about the relativity of experiences and ideas, explains that one who has attained the knowledge of the rise and disappearance of all phenomena (not limited by theories and individual experiences) realizes that liberation is wonderful. 

Bhagava’s Request

Bhagava asks the Buddha: “Instruct me in this attainment called Wonderful!” The Buddha replies that it is difficult for Bhagava, who has other teachers, other teachings, and other rules of conduct to realize His Dharma. Then Bhagava says: “Nevertheless, I’ll nourish faith in the Blessed One and will make more effort to realize!” 

Conclusion

Patika sutta shows how Sunakkhata’s imperfect aspirations gradually develop into his conflict with the Buddha. The essence of these imperfect aspirations — is the desire to possess superpowers or an absolute idea which would give Sunakkhata superiority over other beings. In the end, unable to be equal among renunciants of the world, he leaves the Sangha.