DN 24: Patika Sutta; About Patikaputta The Charlatan

Thus i have heard.

Once the Lord was staying among the Mallas, at Anupiya. Buddha went to Anupiya for alms but he thought it was too early for him to go into Anupiya for alms so he decided to visit the hermitage of the wanderer Bhaggava-gotta. Bhaggava-gotta prepared a seat for buddha and he sat down to one side of the blessed one. Then he said: 'Lord Buddha, a few days ago Sunakkhatta the Licchavi came to me and said: "Bhaggava, I have left the Blessed Lord. I am no longer under his rule." Is that really so, Lord? '

Buddha replied: "It is true, Bhaggava. A few days ago, Sunakkhatta came to me, saluted me, sat down to one side, and said: "Lord, I am leaving the Blessed Lord, I am no longer under the Lord's rule." So I said to him: "Well, Sunakkhatta, did I ever say to you: 'Come, Sunakkhatta, be under my rule?' Or did you ever say to me: 'Lord, I will be under your rule'?"" Sunakkhatta replied "No, Lord." to both questions.  Buddha continued: "So, Sunakkhatta, if I did not say that to you and you did not say that to me then who are you and what are you giving up? Consider the fault is yours."

Then Sunakkhatta complained that it's because Buddha did not perform any miracles. Buddha questioned him: "Did I ever say to you: 'Come under my rule, Sunakkhatta, and I will perform miracles for you'? Or did you ever say to me: 'Lord, I will be under your rule if you will perform miracles for me'?" Sunakkhatta replied "No, Lord." to the two questions. Buddha then told Sunnakkhatta that he did not make such promises and the latter made no such conditions.

Sunakkhatta then complained to the Buddha that the Buddha has not performed any miracles or taught the beginning of things. Buddha replied:  "The purpose of my teaching the Dhamma is to lead whoever that practices it to attain the total destruction of suffering? Neither miracles nor teachings concerning the beginning of things are relevant to this goal."  Buddha then reminded Sunnakkhatta that he did not make such promises and the latter made no such conditions.

Buddha: "Sunakkhatta, you have in many ways spoken in praise of me among the Vajjians, saying: 'This Blessed Lord is an Arahant, a fully-enlightened Buddha, endowed with wisdom and conduct, the Well-Farer, Knower of the worlds, incomparable Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed Lord.' You have also spoken in praise of the Dhamma, saying: 'Well-pro-claimed by the Blessed Lord is the Dhamma, visible here and now, timeless, inviting inspection, leading onward, to be realized by the wise, each one for himself.' You have also spoken in praise of the order of monks, saying: 'Well- trained is the order of the Lord's disciples, trained in uprightness, methodically-trained, excellently-trained is the order of the Lord's disciples, that is, the four pairs of men, the eight classes of individuals. This is the order of the Lord's disciples, worthy of respect, worthy of homage, worthy of gifts, worthy of salutation, an unsurpassed field in the world for merit.'In these ways you have spoken in praise of me, of the Dhamma, and of the sangha order among the Vajjians. And I say to you, I declare to you, Sunakkhatta, there will be those who will say: 'Sunakkhatta the Licchavi was unable to maintain the holy life under the ascetic Gotama, he will abandon the training as he couldn't handle the rules and reverted to a base life.' And, Bhaggava, at my words Sunakkhatta left this Dhamma and discipline like one condemned to hell.

Buddha told Bhaggava: 'Once, I was staying among the Khulus at a place called Uttaraka. In the early morning I went into Uttaraka for alms with Sunakkhatta as my attendant. At that time the naked ascetic Korakkhattiya the "dog-man " was going round on all fours, sprawling on the ground, chewing and eating his food with his mouth alone. Seeing the naked ascetic, Sunakkhatta thought: "Now that is a real Arahant ascetic." And I, knowing his thought in my own mind, said to him: "You foolish man, do you claim to be a follower of the Sakyan?" Sunakkhatta replied: "Lord, what do you mean by this ?"  I (Buddha) asked: "Sunakkhatta, did you not see that naked and had that wrong view of that is a real Arahant ascetic?" Sunnakkhata replied :"I did, Lord. Does the Blessed Lord begrudge others
their Arahantship?" I (Buddha) replied : "I do not begrudge others their Arahantship, you foolish man! It is only in you that this evil view has arisen. Cast it aside lest it should be to your harm and sorrow for a long time! This naked ascetic Korakkhattiya, whom you regard as a true Arahant, will die in seven days from indigestion and when he is dead he will reappear among the Kalakanja asuras, who are the very lowest grade of asuras. When he is dead he will be cast aside on a heap of birana-grass in the charnel-ground. If you want to, Sunakkhatta, you can go to him and ask him if he knows his fate. He will tell you: 'Friend Sunakkhatta, I know my fate. I have been reborn among the Kalakanja asuras, the very lowest grade of asuras."'

Then Sunakkhatta went to Korakkhattiya and told him what I had prophesied adding: "Friend Korakkhattiya, be very careful what you eat and drink, so that the ascetic Gotama's words may be proved wrong!" Sunakkhatta was so sure that the Tathagata's words would be proved wrong that he counted up the seven days. But on the 7th day Korakkhattiya died of indigestion and when he was dead he reappeared among the Kalakanja asuras, and his body was cast aside in the char nel-ground. Sunakkhatta heard of this, so he went to the charnel-ground where Korakkhatti was lying, he struck the body three times with his hand and said: "Friend Korakkhattiya, do you know your fate?'And Korakkhattiya sat up and rubbed his back with his hand and said: "Friend Sunakkhatta, I know my fate. I have been reborn among the Kalakanja asuras, the very lowest grade of asuras." After that, he fell back again.

Buddha continued to narrate to Bhaggava:  'Then Sunakkhatta came to me, saluted me, and sat down to one side. I said to him: "Well, Sunakkhatta, what do you think? Has what I told you about Korakkhattiya come true or not?" Sunakkhatta replied: "It has turn out the way you said, Lord, and not otherwise." Then i (Buddha) asked Sunakkhatta :"Well, what do you think, Sunakkhatta? Has a miracle been performed or not?" Sunakkhata :"Certainly, Lord, this a miracle performed." Afterwards, the Buddha reminds Sunakkhatta of his complaint that the Buddha has not performed a miracle. Sunakkhatta admits that he has, and leaves the sangha in disgrace.

Buddha continued to tell a parallel story to Bhaggava: 'Once, Bhaggava, I was staying at Vesali, at the Gabled Hall in the Great Forest. At that time there was a naked ascetic living in Vesdi called Kalaramutthaka who enjoyed great gains and fame in the Vajjian capital. He had under-taken seven rules of practice: "1. As long as I live I will be a naked ascetic, I will not put on any clothes. 2. As long as I live I will remain chaste and abstain from sexual intercourse. 3. As long as I live I will subsist on strong drink and meat, abstain from boiled rice and sour milk.4-7.  As long as I live I will never go beyond the Udena shrine to the east of Vesdi, the Gotarnaka shrine to the south, the Sattamba shrine to the west, nor the Bahuputta shrine to the north." It was through having undertaken these seven rules that he enjoyed the greatest gains and fame of all in the Vajjian capital.

Then Sunakkhatta went to see Kalaramutthaka and asked him a question which he could not answer and because he could not answer it he showed signs of anger, rage and petulance. But Sunakkhatta thought: "I might have offended this real Arahant ascetic. I don't want anything to happen that would cause me harm and misfortune!" Then Sunakkhatta came to me (Buddha), saluted me, and sat down to one side. I said to him: "It is foolish of you to think that Kalaramutthaka is a real Arahant." Sunakkhatta asked if I hold begrudge others of their Arahantship?" I (Buddha) told him: "I do not hold begrudge others of their Arahantship. It is only in you that this evil view has arisen. Cast it aside lest it should be to your harm and sorrow for a long time! This naked ascetic Kalaramutthaka, whom you regard as a true Arahant, will later be living clothed and married, eating boiled rice and sour milk. He will go beyond all the shrines of Vesdi and will die having entirely lost his reputation." And indeed all this came true.

Then i (Buddha) asked Sunakkhatta :"Well, what do you think, Sunakkhatta? Has a miracle been performed or not?" Sunakkhata :"Certainly, Lord, this a miracle performed." Afterwards, the Buddha reminds Sunakkhatta of his complaint that the Buddha has not performed a miracle. Sunakkhatta admits that he has and leaves the sangha in disgrace.

A third time, Buddha narrate another parallel story to Bhaggava:" Once, Bhaggava, I was staying at Vesali in the Gabled Hall in the Great Forest.At that time there was a naked ascetic living in Vesali called Patikaputta, who enjoyed great gains and fame in the Vajjian capital. He declared in the assembly of Vesdi: "The ascetic Gotama claims to be a man of wisdom and I make the same claim. It is right that a man of wisdom should show it by performing miracles. If the ascetic Gotama will come half-way to meet me, I will do likewise. Then we could both work miracles, and if the ascetic Gotarna performs one miracle, I wil perform two. If he performs two, I will perform  four. And if he performs four, I will perform eight. However many miracles the ascetic Gotama performs, I will perform twice as many!"

Buddha: 'Then Sunakkhatta came to me, saluted me, sat down to one side, and told me what Patikaputta had said. I said: "Sunakkhatta, that naked ascetic Patikaputta is not capable of meeting me face to face unless he takes back his words, abandons that thought and gives up that view. And if he thinks otherwise, his head will split in pieces."

Curiously, Sunakkhatta asks the Buddha if the Buddha knows this from his own knowledge or has he been told by a deva. The Buddha answers that he knows it both from his own knowledge and from devas. When Buddha went to Vesali for alms, Sunakkhatta declared to all the prominent Licchavis, Brahmins and householders: "Friends, the Blessed Lord has gone into Vesali for alms, and after that he has gone for his midday rest to Pafikaputta's park. Come along, friends, come along! The two great ascetics (Patikaputta and Buddha) are going to work miracles!" Upon hearing this, hundreds and thousands came to Patikaputta’s park to see the contest of miracles. Patikaputta heard that all these people had come to his park and he was overcome with fear and trembling, and his hair stood on end. Patikaputta was so afraid that he hid in the Tinduka lodging of the wanderers.

When the assembled company heard that he had gone to the Tinduka lodging, they instructed a man to go there to Patikaputta and say to him: "Friend Patikaputta, come along! All these people have come to your park and the ascetic Gotama has gone there for his midday rest. Because you declared to the assembly at Vesali: 'The ascetic Gotama claims to be a man of wisdom and I make the same claim. However many miracles he performs, I will perform twice as many!' So now come and meet ascetic Gotama in Your Reverence's park." Then Patikaputta said: "I'm coming, friend, coming!" but, wriggle as he might, he could not get up from his seat. Then the man said: 'What's the matter with you, friend Patikaputta? Is your bottom stuck to the seat, or is the seat stuck to your bottom? You keep saying: 'I'm coming, friend, I'm coming!', but you only wriggle and can't get up from your seat." And even at these words, Patikaputta still wriggled about, but could not rise. When that man realized that Patikaputta could not help himself, he went back to the assembly and reported the situation. Buddha said to them: "Patikaputta the naked ascetic is not capable of meeting me face to face unless he takes back his words, abandons that thought, and gives up that view. " 

Then one of the ministers of the Licchavis rose from his seat and said: "Well, gentlemen, just wait a little while i try to bring Patikaputta to the assembly." So he went to the Tinduka lodging and said to Patikaputta: "Come along, Patikaputta, go to your park and the ascetic Gotama. If you come, we will make you the winner and let the ascetic Gotama be defeated." Patikaputta replied: "I'm coming, friend, I'm coming" but wriggle as he might, he could not get up from his seat. The minister returned to the assembly and reported on the situation. Then Buddha said: "Patikaputta is not capable of meeting me. Even if the good Licchavis were to think: 'Let us bind him with thongs and try to drag him with yoked oxen!' he would burst the thongs. He is not capable of meeting me face to face ?"

Then Jaliya, a pupil of the wooden-bowl asecetic went to the Tinduka lodging and said to Patikaputta: "Come along, Patikaputta, if you come, we will make you the winner and let the ascetic Gotama be defeated." Patikaputta wriggled as he might, he could not get up from his seat. Then Jaliya realised the situation, he said: "Patikaputta, once the lion, king of beasts, thought: 'Suppose I were to make my lair near a certain jungle. Then I could emerge in the evening, yawn, survey the four quarters, roar my lion's roar three times, and then make for the cattle-pasture. I could then pick out the very best of the herd for my kill and, having had a good feast of tender meat, i return to my lair.' There was an old jackal who had grown fat and live off the lion's leavings of food and he was proud and strong. The jackal thought: 'What difference is there between me and the lion, king of beasts? Instead of the lion's roar three times , he gave out the jackal howl.A jackal's howl has nothing in common with a lion's roar? In the same way, Patikaputta, you live off the achievements of the Well-Farer and feed on the Well-Farer's leavings, imagining you can set yourself up beside the Tathagatas, Arahants and fully-enlightened Buddhas. But what have wretched Patikaputtas in common with them?"

Unable to get Patikaputta to rise from his seat, Jaliya uttered this verse:
"Thinking himself a lion, the jackal says: 'I'm the king of beasts',
He tries to roar A lion's roar, but only howls instead.
Lion is lion and jackal jackal still." 
Following another's tracks, and fed on scraps,
His jackal-nature he forgets, Thinking: 'I'm a tiger', tries to roar
A mighty roar, but only howls instead.
Lion is lion and jackal's jackal still. 
Gorged on frogs and mice from threshing-floors,
And corpses cast aside in charnel-grounds,
In lonely forests wild the jackal thinks: 'I'm the king of beasts and tries to roar
A lion's roar, but only howls instead.
​Lion is lion and jackal's jackal still. "

Jaliya returned to the assembly and reported on the situation. Then Buddha told Bhaggava: I instructed, inspired, fired and delighted that assembly with a talk on Dhamma. Having thereby delivered that company from the great bondage, thus rescuing eighty-four thousand beings from the great path of peril, I entered into the fire-element and rose into the air to the height of seven palm-trees and projecting a beam for the height of another seven so that it blazed and shed fragrance, I then reappeared in the Gabled Hall in the Great Forest.

Then Sunakkhatta came to the Buddha, saluted and sat down to one side. Buddha asked him: "What do you think, Sunakkhatta? Has what I told you about Patikaputta come about, or not? And has a miracle been performed, or not?" Sunakkhatta replied: 'It has, Lord." Once again, the Buddha told Sunakkhatta into admitting that he had performed a miracle, whereupon Sunakkhatta left the sangha in disgrace.

After narrating the stories to Bhaggava, he told Bhaggava : "I know the first beginning of things and I know not only that, but what surpasses it in value.I am not under the sway of what I know, and not being under its sway I have come to know for myself that by the realization of which the Tathagata cannot fall into perilous paths. There are some ascetics and Brahmins who declare according to their doctrines that all things began with the creation by a god or Brahma. I told them: "Reverend sirs, is it true that you declare that all things began with the creation by a god, or Brahma?" "Yes", they replied. Then I asked: "In that case, how do the reverend teachers declare that this came about?" But they could not give an answer, and so they asked me in return for the answer. I replied: "There comes a time, friends, sooner or later after a long period, when this world contracts. Beings are born in the Abhassara Brahma world and stay there a long time. When this world expands, one being falls from there and arises in an empty Brahma palace. He longs for company, then other beings appear resulting him to believe that he created them. That, Reverend Sirs, is how it comes about that you teach that all things began with the creation by a god, or Brahma."

Buddha continued : 'There are some ascetics and Brahmins who declare that the beginning of things was due to corruption by pleasure. I went to them and asked them if this was their view. "Yes", they replied. I asked them how this came about and when they could not explain, I said: "There are, friends, certain devas called Corrupted by Pleasure. They spend an excessive amount of time addicted to merriment, their mindfulness lapses and they fall away. That, Reverend Sirs, is how it comes about that you teach that the beginning of things was due to corruption by pleasure." There are some ascetics and Brahmins who declare that the beginning of things was due to corruption of mind. I went to them and asked them if this as their view. "Yes", they replied. I asked them how this came about, and when they could not explain, I said: "There are, friends, certain devas called Corrupted in Mind. They spend an excessive amount of time regarding each other with envy, their minds become corrupted and they fall away. That, Reverend Sirs, is how it comes about that you teach that the beginning of things was due to corruption of mind." There are, Bhaggava, some ascetics and Brahmins who declare that the beginning of things was due to chance. I went to them and asked them if this was their view. "Yes", they replied. I asked them how this came about, and when they could not explain, I said: "There are, friends, certain devas called Unconscious. As soon as a perception arises in them, those devas fall from that realm, remembering nothing. They think: 'Now from non-being I have been brought to being.' That, Reverend Sirs, is how it comes about that you teach that the beginning of things was due to chance."

Buddha continued: "And I, Bhaggava, who teach this and declare this am wrongly, vainly, lying and falsely accused by some ascetics and Brahmins who say: "The ascetic Gotama is on the wrong and so are his monks. He has declared that whoever has attained to the stage of deliverance called 'the beautiful" finds everything repulsive." But I do not say this. What I say is that whenever anyone has attained to the stage of deliverance called "the Beautiful", he knows that it is beautiful.'

Bhaggava : 'Indeed, Lord, they are on the wrong track themselves, those who accuse the Lord and his monks of error. I am so delighted with the Lord that I think the Lord is able to teach me to attain and remain in the deliverance called "the Beautiful".'

Buddha: 'It is hard for you, Bhaggava, holding different views, being of different inclinations and subject to different influences, following a different discipline and having had a different teacher, to attain and remain in the deliverance called "the Beautiful". You must strive hard, putting your trust in me, Bhaggava.'

Bhaggava: 'Lord, even if it is hard for me to attain and remain in the deliverance called "the Beautiful", still I will place my trust in the Lord.'

After the blessed one spoke, Bhaggava the wanderer was delighted and rejoiced at the Lord's words. 

In summary, this sutta is about Buddha's narration of incidents of Sunakkhata to Bhaggava. Sunakkhata was a previous attendant to Buddha who has wrong views and perspectives on who is true ascetic, he believes some practitioners who practice extreme measures or those who self-claims can perform miracles are real ascetics. Sunakkhata also complained time and again that Buddha did not perform any miracles and thus he disrobed and left the monks order. However Buddha said repeatedly that "The purpose of my teaching the Dhamma is to lead whoever that practices it to attain the total destruction of suffering? Neither miracles nor teachings concerning the beginning of things are relevant to this goal."

By WHH

​References: 
1. www.accesstoinsight.org
2. https://suttacentral.net/
3. The long discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)