Dwelling Near Sāvatthī
MAIN CONTENT
CHAPTER NINE
Dwelling near Sāvatthī
At that time, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder was the brother-in-law of the Rājagaha moneylender. Then he traveled to Rājagaha on some business. And at that time, the moneylender had invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, for the next day’s meal. The moneylender was ordering his slaves & workers: “In that case, I say, getting up in time, cook rice-gruel & main dishes; fix some sauces & condiments.”
The thought occurred to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder. “Before, when I would come, this householder would drop all of his business and exchange greetings with just me. Now, he’s seemingly scatterbrained, ordering his slaves & workers: ‘In that case, I say, getting up in time, cook rice-gruel & main dishes; fix some sauces & condiments.’ Is he holding a wedding for a son, holding a wedding for a daughter, holding a great sacrifice, or has he invited the King of Magadha, Seniya Bimbisāra, along with the army, for tomorrow’s meal?”
Then the moneylender, having ordered his slaves & workers, went to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder and, on arrival, having exchanged greetings, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder said to him, “Before, when I would come, you would drop all of your business and exchange greetings with just me. Now, you’re seemingly scatterbrained, ordering your servants & workers: ‘In that case, I say, getting up in time, cook rice-gruel & main dishes; fix some sauces & condiments.’ Are you holding a wedding for a son, holding a wedding for a daughter, holding a great sacrifice, or have you invited the King of Magadha, Seniya Bimbisāra, along with the army, for tomorrow’s meal?”
“Householder, I’m not holding a wedding for a son, or holding a wedding for a daughter, and I haven’t invited the King of Magadha, Seniya Bimbisāra, along with the army, for tomorrow’s meal. But I am holding a great sacrifice—I’ve invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, for tomorrow’s meal.”
“You say, ‘Buddha’?”
“I say, ‘Buddha’.”
“You say, ‘Buddha’?”
“I say, ‘Buddha’.”
“You say, ‘Buddha’?”
“I say, ‘Buddha’.”
“Even this sound—‘Buddha’—is hard to come by in the world. Could I go at this time to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened?”
“This is not the proper time to go to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened. Tomorrow, at the proper time, go to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened.”
Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, (thinking,) “Tomorrow, at the proper time, I’ll go to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened,” with his mindfulness immersed in the Awakened One, lay down to sleep. Three times he got up during the night, thinking it was light.
Then he went to the Sītavana [Cool Forest] Gate. Non-human beings opened the gate. When Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had left the city, the light vanished and darkness appeared. Fear, terror, & horripilation arose, and because of that he wanted to turn back. Then Sivaka the yakkha, invisible, proclaimed:
The darkness then vanished for Anāthapiṇḍika and the light appeared. The fear, terror, & horripilation that had arisen subsided.
For a second time… a third time, the light vanished and darkness appeared. Fear, terror, & horripilation arose, and because of that Anāthapiṇḍika wanted to turn back. Then for a third time, Sivaka the yakkha, invisible, proclaimed:
The darkness then vanished for Anāthapiṇḍika and the light appeared. The fear, terror, & horripilation that had arisen subsided.
So Anāthapiṇḍika went to the Cool Forest. Now at that time, the Blessed One—having gotten up as the night was ending—was pacing back & forth in the open air. He saw Anāthapiṇḍika the householder coming from afar. On seeing him, he got down from his meditation path and sat on a seat laid out. Seated, he said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “Come, Sudatta.”
Then Anāthapiṇḍika, (thinking,) “The Blessed One is calling me by name!”—thrilled and exultant—put his head down right there at the Blessed One’s feet and said to him, “Lord, I hope the Blessed One has slept in ease.”
Then the Blessed One gave Anāthapiṇḍika the householder a graduated talk: a talk on giving, a talk on virtue, a talk on heaven; he proclaimed the drawbacks of, degradation in, & defilement in sensuality, and the rewards of renunciation. Then—when he knew that Anāthapiṇḍika the householder was of ready mind, malleable mind, unhindered mind, exultant mind, confident mind—he proclaimed to him the distinctive teaching of the Buddhas: stress, origination, cessation, path. Just as a clean piece of cloth, free from grime, would properly take dye, in the same way, the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye arose for Anāthapiṇḍika the householder as he was sitting right there: “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”
Then, having seen the Dhamma… said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! … May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life. Lord, may the Blessed One acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”
The Blessed One acquiesced with silence. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and left.
The Rājagaha moneylender heard that “Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, they say, has invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, for tomorrow’s meal.” So he said to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, “Householder, they say that you have invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, for tomorrow’s meal. But you’re a guest. I’ll give you the funds for you to arrange the meal for the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha.”
“Enough, householder. I have the funds to arrange the meal for the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha.”
The Rājagaha urban council heard… the King of Magadha, Seniya Bimbisāra, heard that “Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, they say, has invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, for tomorrow’s meal.” So he said to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, “Householder, they say that you have invited the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha, for tomorrow’s meal. But you’re a guest. I’ll give you the funds for you to arrange the meal for the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha.”
“Enough, your majesty. I have the funds to arrange the meal for the Saṅgha, headed by the Buddha.”
Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, at the end of the night—having had exquisite staple & non-staple food prepared in the moneylender’s residence—announced the time to the Blessed One: “It’s time, lord. The meal is ready.”
Then, early in the morning, the Blessed One—having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe—went together with the Saṅgha of monks to the moneylender’s residence. On arrival, he sat down on the seat laid out, along with the Saṅgha of monks. Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, with his own hands, served & satisfied the Saṅgha of monks, headed by the Buddha, with exquisite staple & non-staple food.
Then, when the Blessed One had finished his meal and had rinsed his bowl & hands, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, may the Blessed One, along with the Saṅgha of monks, acquiesce to my (invitation) to spend the Rains residence in Sāvatthī.”
“Householder, the Tathāgata delights in an empty dwelling.”
“I know, O Blessed One. I know, O One Well-Gone.”
Then the Blessed One, having instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Anāthapiṇḍika the householder with Dhamma talk, got up from his seat and left.
At that time, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had many friends & companions, and was pleasing in his speech. Having finished his business in Rājagaha, he left for Sāvatthī and, while going along the road, directed the people: “Masters, build monasteries. Erect dwellings. Arrange gifts. A Buddha has now arisen in the world. The Blessed One, invited by me, will be coming by this road.” So the people, directed by Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, built monasteries, erected dwellings, and arranged gifts.
Returning to Sāvatthī, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder looked all around Sāvatthī, (thinking,) “Where should the Blessed One stay that would be neither too far from the village nor too close, accessible, where interested people could come out, not crowded by day, with few noises or sounds of voices at night, with an air of isolation, private from human beings, and appropriate for seclusion?”
He saw Prince Jeta’s park—neither too far from the village nor too close… and appropriate for seclusion. On seeing it, he went to Prince Jeta and, on arrival, said to him, “Young master, give me the park to build a monastery.”
“The monastery won’t be given without carpeting it corner to corner (in gold), householder.”
“The monastery is taken, young master!”
“It’s not taken, householder!”
“Taken!”
“Not taken!”
They asked the chief justices about it. They said, “Because you set the price, young master, the monastery is taken.”
Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, having had gold brought by carts, carpeted it corner to corner. But the gold brought in one trip wasn’t enough to carpet the area around the (space for the) gatehouse. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder ordered his people, “I say, go and fetch some gold. I’ll carpet this space, too.”
The thought occurred to Prince Jeta, “This must be no small matter that this householder is spending so much gold.” So he said to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, “Enough, householder. Don’t cover that space. Let me have that space as my gift.”
Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, (thinking,) “This Prince Jeta is well known—known to the people. It’ll be of great power, the confidence in the Dhamma & Vinaya of a person such as this, known to the people,” gave the space to Prince Jeta. Then Prince Jeta built a gatehouse in that space.
Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had the monastery built in Jeta’s forest. He had (monks’) dwellings, gatehouses, assembly halls, fire halls, food-storage sheds, restrooms, walking paths, walking meditation paths, wells, well enclosures, steam-rooms, sauna halls, water tanks, & pavilions built. — Cv 6:4
Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Rājagaha as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Vesālī, and traveling by stages, arrived at Vesālī. There at Vesālī, he stayed in the Gabled Pavilion in the Great Forest.
At that time, people were intent on doing building work and on supplying the monks who were supervising building work with robes, almsfood, lodgings, & medicines for curing the sick.
Then the thought occurred to a certain poor tailor, “This must be no small matter that these people are intent on doing building work. Why don’t I do some building work?”
So the poor tailor, having trampled on the clay himself, stacked up bricks and erected a wall. The crooked wall, unskillfully stacked by him, fell over.
A second time… A third time, the poor tailor, having trampled on the clay himself, stacked up bricks and erected a wall. The crooked wall, unskillfully stacked by him, fell over.
Then the poor tailor criticized & complained & spread it about, “These Sakyan-son contemplatives teach and exhort whoever gives them robes, almsfood, lodgings, & medicines for curing the sick. And they supervise building work for them. But I’m poor, so they don’t teach or exhort me, or supervise building work for me.”
The monks heard the poor tailor criticizing & complaining & spreading it about. So they reported the matter to the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk for that reason, on that occasion, addressed the monks: “I allow that building (responsibility) be given. The builder monk will make an effort, (thinking,) ‘How can the dwelling be finished quickly?’ and will repair things that are broken down & dilapidated.…
… Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Vesālī as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Sāvatthī.
At that time, students of the Group-of-Six monks,111 going along ahead of the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha, preempted lodgings & sleeping spaces, (saying,) “This will be for our preceptors. This will be for our teachers. This will be for us.”
Then Ven. Sāriputta, following along behind the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha—unable to find a sleeping space, as the lodgings and sleeping places had been preempted—sat down at the root of a certain tree. Then the Blessed One, having gotten up as the night was ending, cleared his throat. Ven. Sāriputta cleared his throat. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Blessed One: Sāriputta.”
“Why are you sitting here, Sāriputta?”
Then Ven. Sāriputta explained the matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One had the monks assembled for that reason, on that occasion, and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that students of the Group-of-Six monks, going along ahead of the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha, preempted lodgings & sleeping spaces, (saying,) ‘This will be for our preceptors. This will be for our teachers. These will be for us?’”
“It’s true, Blessed One.”
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them, “Monks, how could these worthless men, going along ahead of the Saṅgha headed by the Buddha, preempt lodgings & sleeping spaces, (saying,) ‘These will be for our preceptors. These will be for our teachers. These will be for us’? Monks, this neither inspires faith in the faithless nor increases the faithful. Rather, it inspires lack of faith in the faithless and wavering in some of the faithful.” Having rebuked them and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: “Who, monks, is worthy of the best seat, the best water, the best food?”
Some of the monks said, “Whoever went forth from a noble-warrior family is worthy of the best seat, the best water, the best food.” Some of them said, “Whoever went forth from a brahman family… from a householder family… whoever is an expert on the discourses… whoever is an expert on the Vinaya… whoever is a Dhamma teacher… whoever has gained the first jhāna… the second jhāna… the third jhāna… the fourth jhāna… whoever is a stream-winner… a once-returner… a non-returner… an arahant… a master of the three knowledges… a master of the six cognitive skills is worthy of the best seat, the best water, the best food.”
Then the Blessed One said to the monks: “Once, monks, there was a great banyan tree on the slopes of the Himalayas. Three friends lived dependent on it: a partridge, a monkey, & an elephant. They were disrespectful, discourteous, & impolite toward one another. Then the thought occurred to the three friends: ‘Let’s find out which among us is the most senior by birth. We would then pay homage and respect to him, revere him, and honor him. We would then abide by his advice.’
“Then the partridge & the monkey asked the elephant: ‘What ancient thing do you remember?’
“‘When I was young, friends, I used to walk over this banyan tree with it between my thighs, and the topmost buds brushed against my belly. This, friends, is an ancient thing that I remember.’
“Then the partridge & the elephant asked the monkey: ‘What ancient thing do you remember?’
“‘When I was young, friends, I used to sit on the ground and chew off the topmost buds from this banyan tree. This, friends, is an ancient thing that I remember.’
“Then the monkey & the elephant asked the partridge, ‘What ancient thing do you remember?’
“‘Over there in that spot, friends, was once a great banyan tree. Having eaten one of its fruits, I relieved myself in this spot. From that, this banyan tree was born. Thus, friends, I am the most senior among us by birth.’
“So the monkey and elephant said to the partridge, ‘You, friend, are the most senior among us by birth. We will pay homage and respect to you, revere you, honor you, and abide by your advice.’
“Then the partridge had the monkey and elephant undertake the five precepts and he himself practiced, having undertaken the five precepts. They—having lived respectful, courteous, and polite toward one another—on the breakup of the body, after death, reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world. This came to be known as the Partridge’s Holy Life.
“Now, if common animals can live respectful, courteous, and polite toward one another, shouldn’t it shine forth that you, having gone forth in such a well taught Dhamma & Vinaya, live respectful, courteous, and polite toward one another? Monks, this neither inspires faith in the faithless nor increases the faithful. Rather, it inspires lack of faith in the faithless and wavering in some of the faithful.”
Having rebuked them and given a Dhamma talk, the Blessed One addressed the monks: “I allow, in accordance with seniority, bowing down, rising up to greet, greeting with hands raised palm-to-palm over the heart, performing forms of respect due to superiors, the best seat, the best water, the best food. But what belongs to the Saṅgha should not be preempted in accordance with seniority. Whoever should do so: an offense of wrongdoing.” —Cv 6:5–6
Then the Blessed One, traveling by stages, arrived at Sāvatthī. There he stayed in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, may the Blessed One acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”
The Blessed One acquiesced with silence. Then Anāthapiṇḍika, understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and left.
Then Anāthapiṇḍika, at the end of the night… announced the time to the Blessed One: “It’s time, lord. The meal is ready.”
Then the Blessed One… went together with the Saṅgha of monks to Anāthapiṇḍika’s residence. On arrival, he sat down on the seat laid out, along with the Saṅgha of monks. Anāthapiṇḍika, with his own hands, served & satisfied the Saṅgha of monks, headed by the Buddha, with exquisite staple & non-staple food.
Then, when the Blessed One had finished his meal and had rinsed his bowl & hands, Anāthapiṇḍika sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he asked the Blessed One, “How should I proceed with regard to Jeta’s Forest?”
“In that case, householder, you should have it established for the Saṅgha of the four directions, both those who have come and those yet to come.”
Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, Anāthapiṇḍika had Jeta’s Forest established for the Saṅgha of the four directions, both those who have come and those yet to come. Then the Blessed One congratulated Anāthapiṇḍika with these verses:
Then the Blessed One, having congratulated Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, got up from his seat and left. — Cv 6:9
Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “When, for a disciple of the noble ones, five forms of fear & animosity are stilled; when he is endowed with the four factors of stream-entry; and when, through discernment, he has rightly seen & rightly ferreted out the noble method, then if he wants he may state about himself: ‘Hell is ended for me; animal wombs are ended; the state of the hungry ghosts is ended; planes of deprivation, the bad destinations, the lower realms are ended! I am a stream-winner, never again destined for the lower realms, certain, headed for self-awakening!’
“Now, which five forms of danger & animosity are stilled?
“When a person takes life, then with the taking of life as a requisite condition, he produces fear & animosity in the here-&-now, produces fear & animosity in future lives, experiences mental concomitants of pain & despair; but when he refrains from taking life, he neither produces fear & animosity in the here-&-now nor does he produce fear & animosity in future lives, nor does he experience mental concomitants of pain & despair: For one who refrains from taking life, that fear & animosity is thus stilled.
“When a person steals… engages in illicit sex… tells lies…
“When a person drinks distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness, then with the drinking of distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness as a requisite condition, he produces fear & animosity in the here-&-now, produces fear & animosity in future lives, experiences mental concomitants of pain & despair; but when he refrains from drinking distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness, he neither produces fear & animosity in the here-&-now nor does he produce fear & animosity in future lives, nor does he experience mental concomitants of pain & despair: For one who refrains from drinking distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness, that fear & animosity is thus stilled.
“These are the five forms of fear & animosity that are stilled.
“And which are the four factors of stream-entry with which he is endowed?
“There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence in the Awakened One: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed.’
“He is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: ‘The Dhamma is well taught by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be experienced by the observant for themselves.’
“He is endowed with verified confidence in the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples who have practiced well… who have practiced straightforwardly… who have practiced methodically… who have practiced masterfully—in other words, the four pairs, the eight individuals—they are the Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples: deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.’
“He is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the observant, ungrasped at, leading to concentration.
“These are the four factors of stream-entry with which he is endowed.
“And which is the noble method that he has rightly seen & rightly ferreted out through discernment?
“There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones notices:
“When this is, that is.
“From the arising of this comes the arising of that.
“When this isn’t, that isn’t.
“From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.
“In other words:
“From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications.…
“From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering.
“Now from the remainderless fading & cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications.… From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering.
“This is the noble method that he has rightly seen & rightly ferreted out through discernment.
“When, for a disciple of the noble ones, these five forms of fear & animosity are stilled; when he is endowed with these four factors of stream-entry; and when, through discernment, he has rightly seen & rightly ferreted out this noble method, then if he wants he may state about himself: ‘Hell is ended for me; animal wombs are ended; the state of the hungry ghosts is ended; planes of deprivation, the bad destinations, the lower realms are ended! I am a stream-winner, never again destined for the lower realms, certain, headed for self-awakening!’” — AN 10:92
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder left Sāvatthī in the middle of the day to see the Blessed One, but the thought then occurred to him, “Now is not the right time to see the Blessed One, for he is in seclusion. And it is not the right time to see the mind-developing monks, for they are in seclusion. What if I were to visit the park of the wanderers of other persuasions?” So he headed to the park of the wanderers of other persuasions.
Now on that occasion the wanderers of other persuasions had come together in a gathering and were sitting, discussing many kinds of bestial topics,112 making a great noise and racket. They saw Anāthapiṇḍika coming from afar and, on seeing him, hushed one another: “Be quiet, good sirs. Don’t make any noise. Here comes Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, a disciple of the contemplative Gotama. He is one of those disciples of the contemplative Gotama, clad in white, who lives in Sāvatthī. These people are fond of quietude, trained in quietude, and speak in praise of quietude. Maybe, if he perceives our group as quiet, he will consider it worth his while to come our way.” So the wanderers fell silent.
Then Anāthapiṇḍika went to where the wanderers of other persuasions were staying. On arrival, he greeted them courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the wanderers said to him, “Tell us, householder, what views the contemplative Gotama has.”
“Venerable sirs, I don’t know entirely what views the Blessed One has.”
“Well, well. So you don’t know entirely what views the contemplative Gotama has. Then tell us what views the monks have.”
“I don’t even know entirely what views the monks have.”
“So you don’t know entirely what views the contemplative Gotama has or even that the monks have. Then tell us what views you have.”
“It wouldn’t be difficult for me to expound to you what views I have. But please let the venerable ones expound each in line with his position, and then it won’t be difficult for me to expound to you what views I have.”
When this had been said, one of the wanderers said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “The cosmos is eternal. Only this is true; anything otherwise is worthless. This is the sort of view I have.”
Another wanderer said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “The cosmos is not eternal. Only this is true; anything otherwise is worthless. This is the sort of view I have.”
Another wanderer said, “The cosmos is finite…”…“The cosmos is infinite…”…“The soul & the body are the same…”…“The soul is one thing and the body another…”…“After death a Tathāgata exists…”…“After death a Tathāgata does not exist…”…“After death a Tathāgata both does & does not exist…”…“After death a Tathāgata neither does nor does not exist. Only this is true; anything otherwise is worthless. This is the sort of view I have.”
When this had been said, Anāthapiṇḍika said to the wanderers, “As for the venerable one who says, ‘The cosmos is eternal. Only this is true; anything otherwise is worthless. This is the sort of view I have,’ his view arises from his own inappropriate attention or in dependence on the words of another. Now this view has been brought into being, is fabricated, willed, dependently co-arisen. Whatever has been brought into being, is fabricated, willed, dependently co-arisen: That is inconstant. Whatever is inconstant is stress. This venerable one thus adheres to that very stress, submits himself to that very stress.” [Similarly for the other positions.]
When this had been said, the wanderers said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “We have each & every one expounded to you in line with our own positions. Now tell us what views you have.”
“Whatever has been brought into being, is fabricated, willed, dependently co-arisen: That is inconstant. Whatever is inconstant is stress. Whatever is stress is not me, is not what I am, is not my self. This is the sort of view I have.”
“So, householder, whatever has been brought into being, is fabricated, willed, dependently co-arisen: That is inconstant. Whatever is inconstant is stress. You thus adhere to that very stress, submit yourself to that very stress.”
“Venerable sirs, whatever has been brought into being, is fabricated, willed, dependently co-arisen: That is inconstant. Whatever is inconstant is stress. Whatever is stress is not me, is not what I am, is not my self. Having seen this well with right discernment as it has come to be, I also discern the higher escape from it as it has come to be.”
When this was said, the wanderers fell silent, abashed, sitting with their shoulders drooping, their heads down, brooding, at a loss for words. Anāthapiṇḍika, perceiving that the wanderers were silent, abashed… at a loss for words, got up & went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he told the Blessed One the entirety of his conversation with the wanderers.
(The Blessed One said:) “Well done, householder. Well done. That is how you should periodically and righteously refute those foolish men.” Then he instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Anāthapiṇḍika with a Dhamma talk. When Anāthapiṇḍika had been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, he got up from his seat and, having bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and left. Not long afterward, the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks, even a monk who has long penetrated the Dhamma in this Dhamma & Vinaya would do well, periodically and righteously, to refute the wanderers of other persuasions in just the way Anāthapiṇḍika the householder has done.” — AN 10:93
KING PASENADI KOSALA & QUEEN MALLIKĀ
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain householder’s dear & beloved little son, his only child, had died. Because of his death, the father had no desire to work or to eat. He kept going to the cemetery and crying out, “Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone, my only little child?”
Then he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to him, “Householder, your faculties are not those of one who is steady in his own mind. There is an aberration in your faculties.”
“Lord, how could there not be an aberration in my faculties? My dear & beloved little son, my only child, has died. Because of his death, I have no desire to work or to eat. I keep going to the cemetery and crying out, ‘Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone, my only little child?’”
“That’s the way it is, householder. That’s the way it is—for sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.”
“But lord, who would ever think that sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear? Happiness & joy are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.” So the householder, not delighting in the Blessed One’s words, rejecting the Blessed One’s words, got up from his seat and left.
Now at that time a large number of gamblers were playing dice not far from the Blessed One. So the householder went to them and, on arrival, said to them, “Just now, venerable sirs, I went to Gotama the contemplative and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As I was sitting there, Gotama the contemplative said to me, ‘Householder, your faculties are not those of one who is steady in his own mind. There is an aberration in your faculties.’
“When this was said, I said to him, ‘Lord, how could there not be an aberration in my faculties? My dear & beloved little son, my only child, has died. Because of his death, I have no desire to work or to eat. I keep going to the cemetery and crying out, ”Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone, my only little child?”’
“‘That’s the way it is, householder. That’s the way it is—for sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.’
“‘But, lord, who would ever think that sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear? Happiness & joy are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.’ So, not delighting in the words of Gotama the contemplative, rejecting them, I got up from my seat and left.”
“That’s the way it is, householder [said the gamblers]. That’s the way it is. Happiness & joy are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.”
So the householder left, thinking, “I agree with the gamblers.”
Eventually, word of this conversation made its way into the king’s inner chambers. Then King Pasenadi Kosala addressed Queen Mallikā, “Mallikā, your contemplative, Gotama, has said this: ‘Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.’”
“If that was said by the Blessed One, great king, then that’s the way it is.”
“No matter what Gotama the contemplative says, Mallikā endorses it: ‘If that was said by the Blessed One, great king, then that’s the way it is.’ Just as, no matter what his teacher says, a pupil endorses it: ‘That’s the way it is, teacher. That’s the way it is.’ In the same way, no matter what Gotama the contemplative says, Mallikā endorses it: ‘If that was said by the Blessed One, great king, then that’s the way it is.’ Go away, Mallikā! Out of my sight!”
Then Queen Mallikā called for the brahman Nāḷijaṅgha: “Come, brahman. Go to the Blessed One and, on arrival, showing reverence with your head to his feet in my name, ask whether he is free from illness & affliction, is carefree, strong, & living in comfort, saying: ‘Queen Mallikā, lord, shows reverence with her head to your feet and asks whether you are free from illness & affliction, are carefree, strong, & living in comfort.’ And then say: ‘Lord, did the Blessed One say that sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear?’ Whatever the Blessed One says, remember it well and tell it to me. For Tathāgatas do not speak untruthfully.”
“Yes, madam,” the brahman Nāḷijaṅgha responded to Queen Mallikā and went to the Blessed One. On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with the Blessed One. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “Master Gotama, Queen Mallikā shows reverence with her head to your feet and asks whether you are free from illness & affliction, are carefree, strong, & living in comfort. And she says further: ‘Lord, did the Blessed One say that sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear?’”
“That’s the way it is, brahman. That’s the way it is. Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear. And it’s through this sequence of events that it may be understood how sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.
“Once in this same Sāvatthī there was a woman whose mother died. Owing to her mother’s death she went mad, out of her mind, and wandering from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, would say, ‘Have you seen my mother? Have you seen my mother?’ It’s through this sequence of events that it may be understood how sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.
“Once in this same Sāvatthī there was a woman whose father died… whose brother died… whose sister died… whose son died… whose daughter died… whose husband died. Owing to his death she went mad, out of her mind, and wandering from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, would say, ‘Have you seen my husband? Have you seen my husband?’ It’s through this sequence of events that it may be understood how sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.
“Once in this same Sāvatthī there was a man whose mother died… whose father died… whose brother died… whose sister died… whose son died… whose daughter died… whose wife died. Owing to her death he went mad, out of his mind, and wandering from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, would say, ‘Have you seen my wife? Have you seen my wife?’ It’s through this sequence of events that it may be understood how sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.
“Once in this same Sāvatthī there was a wife who went to her relatives’ home. Her relatives, having separated her from her husband, wanted to give her to another against her will. So she said to her husband, ‘These relatives of mine, having separated us, want to give me to another against my will,’ whereupon he cut her in two and slashed himself open, thinking, ‘Dead we will be together.’ It’s through this sequence of events that it may be understood how sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.”
Then the brahman Nāḷijaṅgha, delighting in & approving of the Blessed One’s words, got up from his seat and went to Queen Mallikā. On arrival, he told her all that had been said in his conversation with the Blessed One.
Then Queen Mallikā went to King Pasenadi Kosala and, on arrival, said to him, “What do you think, great king: Is Princess Vajirī dear to you?”
“Yes, Mallikā, Princess Vajirī is dear to me.”
“And what do you think: would sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair arise in you from any change & aberration in Princess Vajirī?”
“Mallikā, any change & aberration in Princess Vajirī would mean an aberration of my very life. How could sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair not arise in me?”
“Great king, it was in connection with this that the Blessed One—the One who knows, the One who sees, worthy, & rightly self-awakened—said, ‘Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.’
“Now what do you think, great king: Is the noble Queen Vāsabhā dear to you?… Is [your son] General Viḍūḍabha dear to you?… Am I dear to you?”
“Yes, Mallikā, you are dear to me.”
“And what do you think: would sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair arise in you from any change & aberration in me?”
“Mallikā, any change & aberration in you would mean an aberration of my very life. How could sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair not arise in me?”
“Great king, it was in connection with this that the Blessed One—the One who knows, the One who sees, worthy, & rightly self-awakened—said, ‘Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.’
“Now what do you think, great king: Are [your subjects] the Kāsis & Kosalans dear to you?”
“Yes, Mallikā, the Kāsis & Kosalans are dear to me. It is through the might of the Kāsis & Kosalans that we use Kāsi sandalwood and wear garlands, scents, & ointments.”
“And what do you think: would sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair arise in you from any change & aberration in the Kāsis & Kosalans?”
“Mallikā, any change & aberration in the Kāsis & Kosalans would mean an aberration of my very life. How could sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair not arise in me?”
“Great king, it was in connection with this that the Blessed One—the One who knows, the One who sees, worthy, & rightly self-awakened—said, ‘Sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.’”
“It’s amazing, Mallikā. It’s astounding: how deeply the Blessed One sees, having pierced through, as it were, with discernment. Come Mallikā: Give me the ablution water.” Then King Pasenadi Kosala, rising from his seat and arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, paid homage in the direction of the Blessed One with his hands palm-to-palm in front of his heart, and exclaimed three times:
“Homage to the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened!
“Homage to the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened!
“Homage to the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened!” — MN 87
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “Now then, does Master Gotama claim, ‘I have awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening’?”
“If, great king, one speaking rightly could say of anyone, ‘He has awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening,’ one could rightly say that of me. For I, great king, have awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening.”
“But Master Gotama, those contemplatives & brahmans each with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his group, an honored leader, well regarded by people at large—i.e., Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Velaṭṭhaputta, and the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: even they, when I asked them whether they claimed to have awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening, didn’t make that claim. So who is Master Gotama to do so when he is still young & newly gone-forth?”
“There are these four things, great king, that shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young. Which four? A noble warrior, great king, shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young. A snake… A fire… And a monk shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young. These are the four things that shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well Gone, the Teacher, said further:
When this was said, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! … May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge from this day forward, for life.” — SN 3:1
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion King Pasenadi Kosala had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper palace. Then he said to her, “Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”
“No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”
“No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.”
Then the king, descending from the palace, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he [reported his conversation with Queen Mallikā.]
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Just now, lord, as I was sitting in judgment, I saw that even affluent nobles, affluent brahmans, & affluent householders—rich, with great wealth & property, with vast amounts of gold & silver, vast amounts of valuables & commodities, vast amounts of wealth & grain—tell deliberate lies with sensuality as the cause, sensuality as the reason, simply for the sake of sensuality. Then the thought occurred to me: ‘I’ve had enough of this judging! Let some other fine fellow be known for his judgments!’”
“That’s the way it is, great king! That’s the way it is! Even affluent nobles, affluent brahmans, & affluent householders… tell deliberate lies with sensuality as the cause, sensuality as the reason, simply for the sake of sensuality. That will lead to their long-term harm & pain.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well Gone, the Teacher, said further:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother.114 And on that occasion the Blessed One, having emerged from his seclusion in the late afternoon, was sitting outside the doorway of the porch. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.
Now on that occasion seven dreadlocked ascetics, seven Nigaṇṭhas, seven cloth-less ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, & seven wanderers—their nails, armpit-hair, & body-hair grown long, carrying containers on poles [over their shoulders]—walked past, not far from the Blessed One. King Pasenadi Kosala… on seeing them, got up from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt down with his right knee on the ground, paid homage to the seven dreadlocked ascetics, seven Nigaṇṭhas, seven cloth-less ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, & seven wanderers with his hands palm-to-palm in front his heart, and announced his name three times: “I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi Kosala. I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi Kosala. I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi Kosala.”
Then not long after the seven dreadlocked ascetics, seven Nigaṇṭhas, seven cloth-less ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, & seven wanderers had passed, King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Of those in the world who are arahants or on the path to arahantship, are these among them?”115
“Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures; living confined with children; using Kāsi fabrics & sandalwood; wearing garlands, scents, & creams; handling gold & silver, it’s hard for you to know whether these are arahants or on the path to arahantship.
“It’s through living together that a person’s virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.
“It’s through trading with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.
“It’s through adversity that a person’s endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.
“It’s through discussion that a person’s discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.”
“Amazing, lord! Astounding!—how well that was put by the Blessed One! … These men, lord, are my spies, my scouts, returning after going out through the countryside. They go out first, and then I go. Now, when they have scrubbed off the dirt & mud, are well bathed & well perfumed, have trimmed their hair and beards, and have put on white clothes, they will go about endowed and provided with the five strings of sensuality.”
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him: “Well now, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”
“Just now, lord, I was engaged in the sort of royal affairs typical of head-anointed noble-warrior kings intoxicated with the intoxication of sovereignty, obsessed by greed for sensuality, who have attained stable control in their country, and who rule having conquered a great sphere of territory on earth.”
“What do you think, great king? Suppose a man, trustworthy & reliable, were to come to you from the east and on arrival would say: ‘If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the east. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings (in its path). Do whatever you think should be done.’ Then a second man were to come to you from the west.… Then a third man were to come to you from the north.… Then a fourth man were to come to you from the south and on arrival would say: ‘If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the south. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings. Do whatever you think should be done.’ If, your majesty, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life—the human state being so hard to obtain—what should be done?”
“If, lord, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life—the human state being so hard to obtain—what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?”
“I inform you, great king, I announce to you, great king: aging & death are rolling in on you. When aging & death are rolling in on you, what should be done?”
“As aging & death are rolling in on me, lord, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?
“There are, lord, elephant battles (fought by) head-anointed noble-warrior kings intoxicated with the intoxication of sovereignty, obsessed by greed for sensuality, who have attained stable control in their country, and who rule having conquered a great sphere of territory on earth; but there is no use for those elephant battles, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. There are cavalry battles… chariot battles… infantry battles… but there is no use for those infantry battles, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. In this royal court there are counselors who, when the enemies arrive, are capable of dividing them by their wits; but there is no use for those battles of wits, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. In this royal court there is abundant bullion & gold stored in vaults & depositories, and with such wealth we are capable of buying off enemies when they come; but there is no use for those battles of wealth, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. As aging & death are rolling in on me, lord, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?”
“So it is, great king! So it is, great king! As aging & death are rolling in on you, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?”
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, further said this:
LADY VISĀKHĀ
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother. And on that occasion, Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, had some dealings with King Pasenadi Kosala that he did not settle as she had wished. So in the middle of the day she went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As she was sitting there the Blessed One said to her, “Well now, Visākhā, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”
“Just now, lord, I had some dealings with King Pasenadi Kosala that he did not settle as I had wished.”
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother. And on that occasion a dear and beloved grandson of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, had died. So Visākhā, Migāra’s mother—her clothes wet, her hair wet—went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As she was sitting there the Blessed One said to her: “Why have you come here, Visākhā—your clothes wet, your hair wet—in the middle of the day?”
When this was said, she said to the Blessed One, “My dear and beloved grandson has died. This is why I have come here—my clothes wet, my hair wet—in the middle of the day.”
“Visākhā, would you like to have as many children & grandchildren as there are people in Sāvatthī?”
“Yes, lord, I would like to have as many children & grandchildren as there are people in Sāvatthī.”
“But how many people in Sāvatthī die in the course of a day?”
“Sometimes ten people die in Sāvatthī in the course of a day, sometimes nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… Sometimes one person dies in Sāvatthī in the course of a day. Sāvatthī is never free from people dying.”
“So what do you think, Visākhā? Would you ever be free of wet clothes & wet hair?”
“No, lord. Enough of my having so many children & grandchildren.”
“Visākhā, those who have a hundred dear ones have a hundred sufferings. Those who have ninety dear ones have ninety sufferings. Those who have eighty… seventy… sixty… fifty… forty… thirty… twenty… ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… Those who have one dear one have one suffering. Those who have no dear ones have no sufferings. They are free from sorrow, free from stain, free from lamentation, I tell you.”
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
DEVAS
I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then a certain deva, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Forest, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she addressed him with a verse.
Then a certain devatā, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Forest, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said to him, “Tell me, dear sir, how you crossed over the flood.”
“I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place.”
“But how, dear sir, did you cross over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place?”
“When I pushed forward, I was whirled about. When I stayed in place, I sank. And so I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place.”
That is what the devatā said. The Teacher approved. Realizing that “The Teacher has approved of me,” she bowed down to him, circumambulated him—keeping him to her right—and then vanished right there. — SN 1:1
TRAINING THE SAṄGHA
Now at that time a certain monk was sick with dysentery. He lay fouled in his own urine & excrement. Then the Blessed One, on an inspection tour of the lodgings with Ven. Ānanda as his attendant, went to that monk’s dwelling and, on arrival, saw the monk lying fouled in his own urine & excrement. On seeing him, he went to the monk and said, “What is your illness, monk?”
“I have dysentery, O Blessed One.”
“But do you have an attendant?”
“No, O Blessed One.”
“Then why don’t the monks tend to you?”
“I don’t do anything for the monks, lord, which is why they don’t tend to me.”
Then the Blessed One addressed Ven. Ānanda: “Go fetch some water, Ānanda. We will wash this monk.”
Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, Ven. Ānanda fetched some water. The Blessed One poured water on the monk; Ven. Ānanda washed him off. Then the Blessed One took the monk by the head and Ven. Ānanda took him by the feet. Lifting him up, they placed him on a bed.
Then the Blessed One, with regard to this cause, to this incident, had the monks assembled and asked them: “Is there a sick monk in that dwelling over there?”
“Yes, O Blessed One, there is.”
“And what is his illness?”
“He has dysentery, O Blessed One.”
“But does he have an attendant?”
“No, O Blessed One.”
“Then why don’t the monks tend to him?”
“He doesn’t do anything for the monks, lord, which is why they don’t tend to him.”
“Monks, you have no mother, you have no father, who might tend to you. If you don’t tend to one another, who then will tend to you? Whoever would tend to me, should tend to the sick.” — Mv 8:26
Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, in such and such a dwelling a certain monk—newly ordained, not well known—is diseased, in pain, severely ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit the monk, out of sympathy for him.”
Then the Blessed One, on hearing the word “newly ordained,” on hearing the word “diseased,” and realizing that the monk was not well known, went to him. The monk saw the Blessed One coming from afar and, on seeing him, stirred in his bed. Then the Blessed One said to him, “Enough, monk. Don’t stir in your bed. There are these seats made ready. I will sit down there.”
The Blessed One sat down on a seat laid out. Seated, he said to the monk, “I hope you are getting better, monk. I hope you are comfortable. I hope that your pains are lessening and not increasing. I hope that there are signs of their lessening and not of their increasing.”
“I am not getting better, lord. I am not comfortable. My extreme pains are increasing, not lessening. There are signs of their increasing and not of their lessening.”
“Then I hope you have no anxiety, monk. I hope you have no anguish.”
“Yes, lord, I do have not a small amount of anxiety, not a small amount of anguish.”
“I hope you can’t fault yourself with regard to your virtue.”
“No, lord, I can’t fault myself with regard to my virtue.”
“Then what are you anxious about? What is your anguish?”
“I understand that the Blessed One has not taught the Dhamma with purity of virtue as its goal.”
“If you understand that I have not taught the Dhamma with purity of virtue as its goal, then for what goal do you understand that I have taught the Dhamma?”
“I understand that the Blessed One has taught the Dhamma with total unbinding through lack of clinging as its goal.”
“Good, good, monk. It’s good that you understand that I have taught the Dhamma with total unbinding through lack of clinging as its goal, for I have taught the Dhamma with total unbinding through lack of clinging as its goal.
“What do you think, monk? Is the eye constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
[Similarly with the ear, nose, tongue, body, & intellect.]
“Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with the ear, disenchanted with the nose, disenchanted with the tongue, disenchanted with the body, disenchanted with the intellect. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monk delighted in the Blessed One’s words. And while this explanation was being given, the mind of that monk, through lack of clinging/sustenance, was released from effluents. — SN 35:75
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And at that time Ven. Sāriputta & Ven. Mahā Moggallāna were staying near Rājagaha in a single dwelling in the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then Ven. Sāriputta, arising from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna. On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, “Bright are your faculties, friend Moggallāna; pure your complexion, and clear. Could it be that Ven. Mahā Moggallāna has spent today in a peaceful abiding?”
“It was in a gross abiding, my friend, that I spent today. But I had some Dhamma talk.”
“With whom did Ven. Moggallāna have some Dhamma talk?”
“With the Blessed One, my friend.”
“But far away is the Blessed One now, in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Did Ven. Mahā Moggallāna go to the Blessed One through supranormal power, or did the Blessed One come to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna through supranormal power?”
“I didn’t go to the Blessed One through supranormal power, my friend, nor did the Blessed One come to me through supranormal power. Simply that the Blessed One purified his divine eye & divine ear as far as me, and I purified my divine eye & divine ear as far as the Blessed One.”
“And what kind of Dhamma talk did Ven. Mahā Moggallāna have with the Blessed One?”
“Just now, my friend, I said to the Blessed One, ‘One of aroused persistence, one of aroused persistence,’ it is said, lord. To what extent is a person one of aroused persistence?’ When this was said, the Blessed One said, ‘There is the case, Moggallāna, where a monk, (thinking,) “Gladly would I let the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence”: That is how one is a person of aroused persistence.’ That is the Dhamma talk I had with the Blessed One, my friend.”
“Friend, like a few small pieces of gravel placed next to the Himalayas, the king of mountains, are we when placed next to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, for Ven. Mahā Moggallāna is of such great power, great might, that if he wished he could live for an eon.”118
“Friend, like a few small grains of salt placed next to a large salt barrel are we when placed next to Ven. Sāriputta, for in many ways has Ven. Sāriputta been lauded, praised, & extolled by the Blessed One:
In this way did each of these two great beings [nāga] approve of what was well stated and well expressed by the other. — SN 21:3
At that time the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then he addressed the monks, “Monks, I wish to go into seclusion for three months. I am not to be approached by anyone at all except for the one who brings almsfood.”
“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to him. And no one approached the Blessed One except for the one who brought almsfood. And at that time, the Saṅgha in Sāvatthī made a pact: “Friends, the Blessed One wishes to go into seclusion for three months. He is not to be approached by anyone at all except for the one who brings almsfood. Whoever approaches him should be made to confess a pācittiya offense.”
Then Ven. Upasena Vaṅgantaputta, together with his following, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. Now, it is the custom of Awakened Ones, Blessed Ones, to greet incoming monks. So the Blessed One said to Ven. Upasena, “I hope that you are all getting along, Upasena. I hope that you are all comfortable. I hope that you have come on this journey with little fatigue.”
“We are getting along, O Blessed One. We are comfortable. We have come on this journey with little fatigue.”
Now at that time one of Ven. Upasena’s students was sitting not far from the Blessed One. So the Blessed One asked him, “Are your robes of cast-off cloth pleasing to you, monk?”
“No, lord, my robes of cast-off cloth are not pleasing to me.”
“Then how is it that you are one who wears cast-off cloth?”
“My preceptor is one who wears cast-off cloth, lord, so I am one who wears cast-off cloth, too.”
So the Blessed One said to Ven. Upasena, “Your following is inspiring, Upasena. How do you discipline them?”
“Lord, if someone asks me for Acceptance, I tell him: ‘I, friend, am one who lives in the wilderness, goes for alms, & wears cast-off cloth. If you, too, will be one who lives in the wilderness, goes for alms, & wears cast-off cloth, I will give you Acceptance.’ If he promises me, I give him Acceptance. If he doesn’t promise me, I don’t give him Acceptance.
“If someone asks me for dependence, I tell him: ‘I, friend, am one who lives in the wilderness, goes for alms, & wears cast-off cloth. If you, too, will be one who lives in the wilderness, goes for alms, & wears cast-off cloth, I will give you dependence.’ If he promises me, I give him dependence. If he doesn’t promise me, I don’t give him dependence. That, lord, is how I discipline my following.”
“Excellent, Upasena! Excellent! It’s excellent how you train your following. But do you know of the pact of the Saṅgha in Sāvatthī?”
“No, lord, I don’t.”
“The Saṅgha in Sāvatthī has made a pact: ‘Friends, the Blessed One wishes to go into seclusion for three months. He is not to be approached by anyone at all except for the one who brings almsfood. Whoever approaches him should be made to confess a pācittiya offense.’”
“Lord, let the Saṅgha in Sāvatthī be known for its own pact. We will not legislate what has not been legislated, nor will we rescind what has been legislated, but we will proceed having undertaken the training rules as they have been legislated.”
“Excellent, Upasena! Excellent! What has not been legislated [as a rule] should not be legislated, and what has been legislated should not be rescinded, but one should proceed having undertaken the training rules as they have been legislated.119
“I allow, Upasena, that monks who live in the wilderness, who go for alms, and who wear cast-off cloth to approach me as they like.”
Now at that time, a large number of monks were standing at the gate, (thinking,) “We will make Ven. Upasena Vaṅgantaputta confess a pācittiya offense.”
Then Ven. Upasena and his following got up from their seats, bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and left. Then the monks said to Ven. Upasena, “Do you know, friend Upasena, of the pact of the Saṅgha in Sāvatthī?”
[Then Ven. Upasena told them of his conversation with the Blessed One.]
So the monks said, “It’s true what Ven. Upasena has said: ‘What has not been legislated should not be legislated, and what has been legislated should not be rescinded, but one should proceed having undertaken the training rules as they have been legislated.’” — NP 15
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother. And on that occasion, the Blessed One—it being the observance day—was sitting surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks. Then Ven. Ānanda—when the night was far advanced, at the end of the first watch—got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, “Lord, the night is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The Saṅgha of monks has been sitting here long. May the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to them.” When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then a second time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the middle watch, Ven. Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, “Lord, the night is far advanced. The second watch has ended. The Saṅgha of monks has been sitting here long. May the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to them.” When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then a third time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the last watch, as dawn was approaching and the face of the night was beaming, Ven. Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, “Lord, the night is far advanced. The last watch has ended. Dawn is approaching and the face of the night is beaming. The Saṅgha of monks has been sitting here long. May the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to the Saṅgha of monks.”
“Ānanda, the gathering isn’t pure.”
Then the thought occurred to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna: “In reference to which individual did the Blessed One just now say, ‘Ānanda, the gathering isn’t pure’?” So he directed his mind, encompassing with his awareness the awareness of the entire Saṅgha of monks. He saw that individual—unprincipled, evil, unclean & suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions, not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature—sitting in the midst of the Saṅgha of monks. On seeing him, he got up, went over to that individual and, on reaching him said, “Get up, friend. You have been seen by the Blessed One. You have no affiliation with the Saṅgha of monks.” Then the individual remained silent. A second time… A third time, Ven. Mahā Moggallāna said, “Get up, friend. You have been seen by the Blessed One. You have no affiliation with the Saṅgha of monks.” And for a third time the individual remained silent.
Then Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, grabbing that individual by the arm, having expelled him through the outside door of the porch and locking the bolt, went to the Blessed One and on arrival said, “I have expelled that individual, lord. The gathering is now pure. Let the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to the Saṅgha of monks.”
“Isn’t it amazing, Moggallāna. Isn’t it astounding, how that worthless man waited until he was grabbed by the arm.” Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “From now on I will no longer perform the observance or recite the Pāṭimokkha. From now on, you alone, monks, will perform the observance and recite the Pāṭimokkha. It is impossible, it cannot happen, that a Tathāgata would perform the observance or recite the Pāṭimokkha with an impure gathering.
“Monks, there are eight amazing & astounding qualities of the ocean because of which, as they see them again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.… In the same way, monks, there are eight amazing & astounding qualities of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see them again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya. Which eight?
“[1] Just as the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch120 ; in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual practice, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch. The fact that this Dhamma & Vinaya has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual practice, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch: This is the first amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[2] And furthermore, just as the ocean is stable and does not overstep its tideline; in the same way, my disciples do not—even for the sake of their lives—overstep the training rules I have legislated for them.… This is the second amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[3] And furthermore, just as the ocean does not tolerate a dead body, any dead body in the ocean getting quickly washed to the shore and thrown up on dry land… in the same way, if an individual is unprincipled, evil, unclean & suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions—not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature—the Saṅgha has no affiliation with him. Having quickly gathered together, they suspend him from the Saṅgha. Even though he may be sitting in the midst of the Saṅgha of monks, he is far from the Saṅgha, and the Saṅgha far from him.… This is the third amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[4] And furthermore, just as whatever great rivers there are—such as the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī—on reaching the ocean, give up their former names and are classed simply as ‘ocean’; in the same way, when members of the four castes—noble warriors, brahmans, merchants, & workers—go forth from home to the homeless life in this Dhamma & Vinaya declared by the Tathāgata, they give up their former names and clans and are classed simply as ‘contemplatives, sons of the Sakyan.’… This is the fourth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[5] And furthermore, just as the rivers of the world pour into the ocean, and rains fall from the sky, but no swelling or diminishing in the ocean for that reason can be discerned; in the same way, although many monks are totally unbound into the property of unbinding with no fuel remaining, no swelling or diminishing in the property of unbinding for that reason can be discerned.… This is the fifth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[6] And furthermore, just as the ocean has a single taste—that of salt—in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya has a single taste: that of release.… This is the sixth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[7] And furthermore, just as the ocean has these many treasures of various kinds—pearls, sapphires, lapis lazuli, shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, & cat’s eyes—in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya has these many treasures of various kinds: the four establishings of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for awakening, the noble eightfold path.… This is the seventh amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“[8] And furthermore, just as the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as these: whales, whale-eaters, & whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nāgas, & gandhabbas, and there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred… three hundred… four hundred… five hundred leagues long; in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya is the abode of such mighty beings as these: stream-winners & those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners & those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners & those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants & those practicing for arahantship.… This is the eighth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.
“These are the eight amazing & astounding qualities of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see them again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.”
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
WANDERING
I have heard that on one occasion, as the Blessed One was wandering among the Magadhans, he entered Rājagaha, went to the potter Bhaggava and, on arrival, said to him, “If it’s no inconvenience for you, Bhaggava, I will stay for one night in your shed.”
“It’s no inconvenience for me, lord, but there is a wanderer who has already taken up residence there. If he gives his permission, you may stay there as you like.”
Now at that time a clansman named Pukkusāti had, through conviction, gone forth from home into homelessness in dedication to the Blessed One. He was the one who had already taken up residence in the potter’s shed. So the Blessed One went to Ven. Pukkusāti and, on arrival, said to him, “If it’s no inconvenience for you, monk, I will stay one night in the shed.”
“The shed is roomy, my friend. Stay as you like.”
So the Blessed One, entering the potter’s shed and setting out a spread of grass to one side, sat down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and establishing mindfulness to the fore. He spent most of the night sitting (in meditation). Ven. Pukkusāti also spent most of the night sitting (in meditation). The thought occurred to the Blessed One, “How inspiring is the way this clansman behaves! What if I were to question him?” So he said to Ven. Pukkusāti, “In dedication to whom, monk, have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Of whose Dhamma do you approve?”
“There is, my friend, Gotama the contemplative, a son of the Sakyans, gone forth from a Sakyan clan. Now, this excellent report about Master Gotama has been spread about: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed.’ I have gone forth in dedication to that Blessed One. That Blessed One is my teacher. It is of that Blessed One’s Dhamma that I approve.”
“But where, monk, is that Blessed One—worthy & rightly self-awakened—staying now?”
“There is, my friend, a city in the northern lands named Sāvatthī. That is where the Blessed One—worthy & rightly self-awakened—is staying now.”
“Have you ever seen that Blessed One before? On seeing him, would you recognize him?”
“No, my friend, I have never seen the Blessed One before, nor on seeing him would I recognize him.”
Then the thought occurred to the Blessed One: “It’s in dedication to me that this clansman has gone forth. What if I were to teach him the Dhamma?” So he said to Ven. Pukkusāti, “I will teach you the Dhamma, monk. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“As you say, friend,” Ven. Pukkusāti responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said: “A person has six properties, six media of sensory contact, eighteen considerations, & four determinations. He has been stilled where the currents of supposition do not flow. And when the currents of supposition do not flow, he is said to be a sage at peace. One should not be negligent of discernment, should guard the truth, be devoted to relinquishment, and train only for calm. This is the summary of the analysis of the six properties.”
“‘He has been stilled where the currents of supposition do not flow. And when the currents of supposition do not flow, he is said to be a sage at peace.’ Thus it was said. With reference to what was it said? ‘I am’ is a supposition. ‘I am this’ is a supposition. ‘I shall be’ is a supposition. ‘I shall not be’… ‘I shall be possessed of form’… ‘I shall not be possessed of form’… ‘I shall be percipient’… ‘I shall not be percipient’… ‘I shall be neither percipient nor non-percipient’ is a supposition. Supposition is a disease, supposition is a cancer, supposition is an arrow. By going beyond all supposition, he is called a sage at peace.
“And further, a sage at peace is not born, does not age, does not die, is unagitated, and is free from longing. He has nothing whereby he would be born. Not being born, will he age? Not aging, will he die? Not dying, will he be agitated? Not being agitated, for what will he long? It was in reference to this that it was said, ‘He has been stilled where the currents of supposition do not flow. And when the currents of supposition do not flow, he is said to be a sage at peace.’ Now, monk, you should remember this, my brief analysis of the six properties.”
Then the thought occurred to Ven. Pukkusāti: “Surely, the Teacher has come to me! Surely, the One Well-Gone has come to me! Surely, the Rightly Self-awakened one has come to me!” Getting up from his seat, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, and bowing down with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, he said, “A transgression has overcome me, lord, in that I was so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to assume that it was proper to address the Blessed One as ‘friend.’ May the Blessed One please accept this confession of my transgression as such, so that I may restrain myself in the future.”
“Yes, monk, a transgression overcame you in that you were so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to assume that it was proper to address me as ‘friend.’ But because you see your transgression as such and make amends in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept your confession. For it is a cause of growth in the discipline of the noble ones when, seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.”
“Lord, may I receive Acceptance from the Blessed One?”
“And are your robes & bowl complete?”
“No, lord, my robes & bowl are not complete.”
“Tathāgatas do not give Acceptance to one whose robes & bowl are incomplete.”
Then Ven. Pukkusāti, delighting and rejoicing in the Blessed One’s words, got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One and, keeping him on his right, left in search of robes & a bowl. And while he was searching for robes & a bowl, a runaway cow killed him.
Then a large number of monks approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Lord, the clansman Pukkusāti, whom the Blessed One instructed with a brief instruction, has died. What is his destination? What is his future state?”
“Monks, the clansman Pukkusāti was wise. He practiced the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma and did not pester me with issues related to the Dhamma. With the destruction of the five lower fetters, he has arisen spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes), there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words. — MN 140
FAMILY MATTERS
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Ven. Nanda, the son of the Blessed One’s maternal aunt, putting on beaten, pressed robes, applying mascara to his eyes, and taking a glossy bowl, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Nanda, it’s not proper for you—as a son of a good family who, through conviction, has gone forth from home into homelessness—to put on beaten, pressed robes, to apply mascara to your eyes, and to carry a glossy bowl. This is proper for you as a son of a good family who, through conviction, has gone forth from home into homelessness: that you be a wilderness-dweller, an almsfood eater, a cast-off cloth wearer, and live indifferent toward sensuality.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion Ven. Nanda—the Blessed One’s brother, son of his maternal aunt—announced to a large number of monks: “I don’t enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can’t keep up the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life.”
Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he told the Blessed One: “Lord, Ven. Nanda—the Blessed One’s brother, son of his maternal aunt—has announced to a large number of monks: ‘I don’t enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can’t keep up the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the lowly life.’”
Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, “Come, monk. In my name, call Nanda, saying, ‘The Teacher calls you, friend Nanda.’”
Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, the monk went to Ven. Nanda. On arrival, he said, “The Teacher calls you, friend Nanda.”
Responding, “As you say, my friend,” to the monk, Ven. Nanda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Is it true, Nanda, that you have announced to a large number of monks: ‘I don’t enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can’t keep up the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the lowly life’?”
“Yes, lord.”
“But why, Nanda, don’t you enjoy leading the holy life? Why can’t you keep up the holy life? Why, giving up the training, will you return to the common life?”
“Lord, as I was leaving home, a Sakyan girl—the envy of the countryside—glanced up at me, with her hair half-combed, and said, ‘Hurry back, master.’ Recollecting that, I don’t enjoy leading the holy life. I can’t keep up the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life.”
Then, taking Ven. Nanda by the arm—as a strong man might flex his extended arm or extend his flexed arm—the Blessed One disappeared from Jeta’s Forest and reappeared among the devas of the heaven of the Thirty-three [Tāvatiṃsa]. Now on that occasion about five hundred dove-footed nymphs had come to wait upon Sakka the deva-king. The Blessed One said to Ven. Nanda, “Nanda, do you see these five hundred dove-footed nymphs?”
“Yes, lord.”
“What do you think, Nanda? Which is lovelier, better looking, more charming: the Sakyan girl, the envy of the countryside, or these five hundred dove-footed nymphs?”
“Lord, compared to these five hundred dove-footed nymphs, the Sakyan girl, the envy of the countryside, is like a cauterized monkey with its ears & nose cut off. She doesn’t count. She’s not even a small fraction. There’s no comparison. The five hundred dove-footed nymphs are lovelier, better looking, more charming.”
“Then take joy, Nanda. Take joy! I am your guarantor for getting five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
“If the Blessed One is my guarantor for getting five hundred dove-footed nymphs, I will enjoy leading the holy life under the Blessed One.”
Then, taking Ven. Nanda by the arm—as a strong man might flex his extended arm or extend his flexed arm—the Blessed One disappeared from among the devas of the heaven of the Thirty-three and reappeared in Jeta’s Forest. The monks heard, “They say that Ven. Nanda—the Blessed One’s brother, son of his maternal aunt—is leading the holy life for the sake of nymphs. They say that the Blessed One is his guarantor for getting five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
Then the monks who were companions of Ven. Nanda went around addressing him as they would a hired hand & a person who had been bought: “Ven. Nanda, they say, has been hired. Ven. Nanda, they say, has been bought.121 He’s leading the holy life for the sake of nymphs. The Blessed One is his guarantor for getting five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
Then Ven. Nanda—humiliated, ashamed, & disgusted that the monks who were his companions were addressing him as they would a hired hand & a person who had been bought—went to dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute.” — Ud 3:2
Then, at a later time, Ven. Nanda became a wilderness-dweller, an almsfood eater, & a cast-off cloth wearer; and lived indifferent toward sensuality. — SN 21:8
[The Buddha addressed the monks:] “Monks, speaking rightly of Nanda, one could say, ‘He is a son of a good family.’ Speaking rightly of Nanda, one could say, ‘He is strong.’ Speaking rightly of Nanda, one could say, ‘He is handsome.’ Speaking rightly of Nanda, one could say, ‘He is fiercely passionate.’ If Nanda did not guard the doors of his senses, did not know moderation in eating, was not devoted to wakefulness, and was not endowed with mindfulness & alertness, how would he be able to follow the holy life completely & purely?
“This is Nanda’s guarding of the doors of his senses: If he should look to the east, he looks focusing his entire awareness, (thinking,) ‘As I am looking thus to the east, greed & distress, evil, unskillful qualities, will not flow out.’ That’s how he is alert there. If he should look to the west… the north… the south… above… below… to the intermediate directions, he looks focusing his entire awareness, (thinking,) ‘As I am looking thus to the intermediate directions, greed & distress, evil, unskillful qualities, will not flow out.’ That’s how he is alert there. This is Nanda’s guarding of the doors of his senses.
“This is Nanda’s knowledge of moderation in eating: Nanda takes his food reflecting appropriately, not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification, but simply for the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, (thinking,) ‘I will destroy old feelings (of hunger) & not create new feelings (from overeating). Thus I will maintain myself, be blameless, & live in comfort.’ This is Nanda’s knowledge of moderation in eating.
“This is Nanda’s devotion to wakefulness: There is the case where Nanda during the day, sitting & pacing back & forth, cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the first watch of the night [dusk to 10 p.m.], sitting & pacing back & forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the second watch of the night [10 p.m. to 2 a.m.], reclining on his right side, he takes up the lion’s posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with his mind set on getting up [either as soon as he awakens or at a particular time]. During the last watch of the night [2 a.m. to dawn], sitting & pacing back & forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. This is Nanda’s devotion to wakefulness.
“This is Nanda’s being endowed with mindfulness & alertness: There is the case where feelings are known to Nanda as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Perceptions are known as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Thoughts are known as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. This is Nanda’s being endowed with mindfulness & alertness.
“Monks, if Nanda did not guard the doors of his senses, did not know moderation in eating, was not devoted to wakefulness, and was not endowed with mindfulness & alertness, how would he be able to follow the holy life completely & purely?” — AN 8:9
Then Ven. Nanda, in no long time, entered and remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself right in the here-&-now. He knew, “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And thus Ven. Nanda became another one of the arahants.
Then a certain devatā, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Forest, approached the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said to the Blessed One, “Lord, Ven. Nanda—the Blessed One’s brother, son of his maternal aunt—through the ending of effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, directly knowing & realizing them for himself right in the here-&-now.” And within the Blessed One, the knowledge arose: “Nanda, through the ending of effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, directly knowing & realizing them for himself right in the here-&-now.”
Then, when the night had passed, Ven. Nanda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, about the Blessed One’s being my guarantor for getting five hundred dove-footed nymphs: I hereby release the Blessed One from that promise.”
“Nanda, having comprehended your awareness with my own awareness, I realized that ‘Nanda, through the ending of effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, directly knowing & realizing them for himself right in the here-&-now.’ And a devatā informed me that ‘Ven. Nanda, through the ending of effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, directly knowing & realizing them for himself right in the here-&-now.’ When your mind, through lack of clinging, was released from effluents, I was thereby released from that promise.”
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, early in the morning, the Blessed One… went into Sāvatthī for alms. And Ven. Rāhula, early in the morning… went into Sāvatthī for alms following right behind the Blessed One.123 Then the Blessed One, looking back at Rāhula, addressed him: “Rāhula, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’”
“Just form, O Blessed One? Just form, O One Well-Gone?”
“Form, Rāhula, & feeling & perception & fabrications & consciousness.”
Then the thought occurred to Ven. Rāhula, “Who, having been exhorted face-to-face by the Blessed One, would go into the town for alms today?” So he turned back and sat down at the foot of a tree, folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, & establishing mindfulness to the fore.
Ven. Sāriputta saw Ven. Rāhula sitting at the foot of a tree, his legs folded crosswise, his body held erect, & with mindfulness set to the fore. On seeing him, he said to him, “Rāhula, develop the meditation [bhāvanā] of mindfulness of in-&-out breathing. The meditation of mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit.”
Then Ven. Rāhula, emerging from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to the Blessed One and, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to him, “How, lord, is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing to be developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, or great benefit?”
“Rāhula, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’ There are these five properties, Rāhula. Which five? The earth property, the water property, the fire property, the wind property, & the space property.
“And what is the earth property? The earth property can be either internal or external. What is the internal earth property? Anything internal, within oneself, that’s hard, solid, & sustained (by craving): head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach, feces, or anything else internal, within oneself, that’s hard, solid, and sustained: This is called the internal earth property. Now both the internal earth property & the external earth property are simply earth property. And that should be seen as it has come to be with right discernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it has come to be with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the earth property and makes the earth property fade from the mind.
“And what is the water property? The water property may be either internal or external. What is the internal water property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that’s water, watery, & sustained: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, oil, saliva, mucus, oil-of-the-joints, urine, or anything else internal, within oneself, that’s water, watery, & sustained: This is called the internal water property. Now both the internal water property & the external water property are simply water property. And that should be seen as it has come to be with right discernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it has come to be with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the water property and makes the water property fade from the mind.
“And what is the fire property? The fire property may be either internal or external. What is the internal fire property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that’s fire, fiery, & sustained: that by which (the body) is warmed, aged, & consumed with fever; and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, & savored gets properly digested; or anything else internal, within oneself, that’s fire, fiery, & sustained: This is called the internal fire property. Now both the internal fire property & the external fire property are simply fire property. And that should be seen as it has come to be with right discernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it has come to be with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the fire property and makes the fire property fade from the mind.
“And what is the wind property? The wind property may be either internal or external. What is the internal wind property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that’s wind, windy, & sustained: up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the stomach, winds in the intestines, winds that course through the body, in-and-out breathing, or anything else internal, within oneself, that’s wind, windy, & sustained: This is called the internal wind property. Now both the internal wind property & the external wind property are simply wind property. And that should be seen as it has come to be with right discernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it has come to be with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the wind property and makes the wind property fade from the mind.
“And what is the space property? The space property may be either internal or external. What is the internal space property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that’s space, spatial, & sustained: the holes of the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the (passage) whereby what is eaten, drunk, consumed, & tasted gets swallowed, and where it collects, and whereby it is excreted from below, or anything else internal, within oneself, that’s space, spatial, & sustained: This is called the internal space property. Now both the internal space property & the external space property are simply space property. And that should be seen as it has come to be with right discernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.’ When one sees it thus as it has come to be with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the space property and makes the space property fade from the mind.
“Rāhula, develop the meditation in tune with earth. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as when people throw what is clean or unclean on the earth—feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood—the earth is not horrified, humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind.
“Develop the meditation in tune with water. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with water, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as when people wash what is clean or unclean in water—feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood—the water is not horrified, humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with water, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind.
“Develop the meditation in tune with fire. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with fire, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as when fire burns what is clean or unclean—feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood—it is not horrified, humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with fire, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind.
“Develop the meditation in tune with wind. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with wind, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as when wind blows what is clean or unclean—feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood—it is not horrified, humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with wind, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind.
“Develop the meditation in tune with space. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with space, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as space is not established anywhere, in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with space, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind.
“Develop the meditation of goodwill. For when you are developing the meditation of goodwill, ill-will will be abandoned.
“Develop the meditation of compassion. For when you are developing the meditation of compassion, harmfulness will be abandoned.
“Develop the meditation of empathetic joy. For when you are developing the meditation of empathetic joy, resentment will be abandoned.
“Develop the meditation of equanimity. For when you are developing the meditation of equanimity, irritation will be abandoned.
“Develop the meditation of the unattractive. For when you are developing the meditation of the unattractive, passion will be abandoned.
“Develop the meditation of the perception of inconstancy. For when you are developing the meditation of the perception of inconstancy, the conceit ‘I am’ will be abandoned.
“Develop the meditation of mindfulness of in-&-out breathing. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit.
“And how, Rāhula, is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit?
“There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and establishing mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out. [Followed by the standard 16 steps.]”
“This, Rāhula, is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit.
“When mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued in this way, even one’s final in-breaths & out-breaths are known as they cease, not unknown.”124
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Rāhula delighted in the Blessed One’s words. — MN 62
In this way, the Blessed One often instructed Ven. Rāhula with these verses. — Sn 2:11
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, as he was alone in seclusion, this line of thinking arose in the Blessed One’s awareness: “The mental qualities that ripen in release have ripened in Rāhula. What if I were to lead Rāhula further to the ending of the effluents?”
Then, early in the morning, the Blessed One—having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe—went into Sāvatthī for alms. Having gone for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, returning from his almsround, he said to Ven. Rāhula, “Fetch your sitting cloth, Rāhula. We will go to the Forest of the Blind to spend the day.”
Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, Ven. Rāhula, carrying his sitting cloth, followed behind the Blessed One. Now at that time, many thousands of devas were following behind the Blessed One, (thinking,) “Today the Blessed One will lead Ven. Rāhula further to the ending of the effluents.”
Then the Blessed One, having plunged into the Forest of the Blind, sat down on a seat laid out at the foot of a tree. Ven. Rāhula, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “What do you think, Rāhula? Is the eye constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
“What do you think? Are forms constant or inconstant?” …
“What do you think? Is consciousness at the eye constant or inconstant?” …
“What do you think? Is contact at the eye constant or inconstant?” …
“What do you think? Whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye as a mode of feeling, a mode of perception, a mode of fabrication, or a mode of consciousness: Is it constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”
“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”
“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”
[Similarly with the ear, nose, tongue, body, & intellect.]
“Seeing thus, Rāhula, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with consciousness at the eye, disenchanted with contact at the eye. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye as a mode of feeling, a mode of perception, a mode of fabrication, or a mode of consciousness: With that, too, he grows disenchanted.
“He grows disenchanted with the ear… the nose… the tongue… the body.…
“He grows disenchanted with the intellect, disenchanted with ideas, disenchanted with consciousness at the intellect, disenchanted with contact at the intellect. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the intellect as a mode of feeling, a mode of perception, a mode of fabrication, or a mode of consciousness: With that, too, he grows disenchanted. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Rāhula delighted in the Blessed One’s words. And while this explanation was being given, Ven. Rāhula’s mind, through lack of clinging/sustenance, was released from effluents. And to those many thousands of devas there arose the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye: “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.” — MN 147
THE BUDDHA’S DWELLING
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother. Then Ven. Ānanda, emerging from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: “On one occasion, when the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans in a Sakyan town named Nagaraka, there—face-to-face with the Blessed One—I heard this, face-to-face I learned this: ‘I now remain fully in a dwelling of emptiness.’ Did I hear that correctly, learn it correctly, attend to it correctly, remember it correctly?”
“Yes, Ānanda, you heard that correctly, learned it correctly, attended to it correctly, remembered it correctly. Now, as well as before, I remain fully in a dwelling of emptiness.
“Just as this palace of Migāra’s mother is empty of elephants, cattle, & mares, empty of gold & silver, empty of assemblies of women & men, and there is only this non-emptiness—the singleness based on the Saṅgha of monks; even so, Ānanda, a monk—not attending to the perception of village, not attending to the perception of human being—attends to the singleness based on the perception of wilderness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its perception of wilderness.
“He discerns that ‘Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of village are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of human being are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of wilderness.’ He discerns that ‘This mode of perception is empty of the perception of village. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of human being. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of wilderness.’ Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: ‘There is this.’ And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, & pure.
“Further, Ānanda, the monk—not attending to the perception of the dimension of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception—attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness.
“He discerns that ‘This theme-less concentration of awareness is fabricated & mentally fashioned.’ And he discerns that ‘Whatever is fabricated & mentally fashioned is inconstant & subject to cessation.’ Thus knowing, thus seeing, his heart is released from the effluent of sensuality, released from the effluent of becoming, released from the effluent of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’
“He discerns that ‘Whatever disturbances would exist based on the effluent of sensuality… the effluent of becoming… the effluent of ignorance, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.’ He discerns that ‘This mode of perception is empty of the effluent of sensuality… becoming… ignorance. And there is just this non-emptiness: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.’ Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: ‘There is this.’ And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, pure—superior & unsurpassed.
“Ānanda, whatever contemplatives & brahmans who in the past entered and remained in an emptiness that was pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all entered and remained in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed. Whatever contemplatives & brahmans who in the future will enter and remain in an emptiness that will be pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all will enter and remain in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed. Whatever contemplatives & brahmans who at present enter and remain in an emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all enter and remain in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed.
“Therefore, Ānanda, you should train yourselves: ‘We will enter and remain in the emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed.’” — MN 121
“Freed, dissociated, & released from ten things, Vāhuna, the Tathāgata dwells with unrestricted awareness. Which ten? Freed, dissociated, & released from form, the Tathāgata dwells with unrestricted awareness. Freed, dissociated, & released from feeling… Freed, dissociated, & released from perception… Freed, dissociated, & released from fabrications… Freed, dissociated, & released from consciousness… Freed, dissociated, & released from birth… Freed, dissociated, & released from aging… Freed, dissociated, & released from death… Freed, dissociated, & released from stress… Freed, dissociated, & released from defilement, the Tathāgata dwells with unrestricted awareness.
“Just as a red, blue, or white lotus born in the water and growing in the water, rises up above the water and stands with no water adhering to it, in the same way, the Tathāgata—freed, dissociated, & released from these ten things—dwells with unrestricted awareness.” — AN 10:81
