Nandakovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 146

Advice from Nandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thus + indeed·thisEvañhetaṁ, sistersbhaginiyo, ishoti noble·discipleariyasāvakassa as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ with right wisdomsammappaññāya seeingpassato.

Thus indeed, sisters, it is for a noble disciple who sees rightly with wisdom as it really is.

Just as, sisters, when an oil lamp is burning, the oil too is impermanent, subject to change; the wick too is impermanent, subject to change; the flame too is impermanent, subject to change; the radiance too is impermanent, subject to change. Who then, sisters, would speak thus: ‘When that oil lamp is burning, the oil too is impermanent, subject to change; the wick too is impermanent, subject to change; the flame too is impermanent, subject to change; but its radiance is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change’? Speaking thus, sisters, would he be speaking rightly?” “No, venerable sir.” “For what reason?” “Indeed, venerable sir, when that oil lamp is burning, the oil too is impermanent, subject to change; the wick too is impermanent, subject to change; the flame too is impermanent, subject to change; still more so is its radiance impermanent, subject to change.” “Just so, sisters, whoever would speak thus: ‘These six internal sense bases are impermanent…’

which·andYañca indeedkho sixcha internalajjhattike sense basesāyatane dependent onpaṭicca back·together·feelpaṭisaṁvedeti pleasuresukhaṁ orvā paindukkhaṁ orvā not·pain·pleasureadukkhamasukhaṁ orvā thattaṁ permanentniccaṁ stabledhuvaṁ eternalsassataṁ not·change·natureavipariṇāmadhamman’ti;
rightlysammā indeednu indeedkho heso, sistersbhaginiyo, speakingvadamāno would speakvadeyyā”ti?
no“No not·thishetaṁ, venerable sirbhante”.
that“Taṁ whatkissa reasonhetu”?
such and such“Tajjaṁ such and suchtajjaṁ, venerable sirbhante, conditionpaccayaṁ dependent onpaṭicca correspondingtajjā correspondingtajjā feelingsvedanā ariseuppajjanti.
of thatTajjassa of thattajjassa conditionpaccayassa from cessationnirodhā correspondingtajjā correspondingtajjā feelingsvedanā out·ceasenirujjhantī”ti.
good“Sādhu goodsādhu, sistersbhaginiyo.
thus + thisEvañhetaṁ, sistersbhaginiyo, it ishoti of the noble discipleariyasāvakassa as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right wisdomsammappaññāya seeingpassato.

And whatever pleasure or pain or neither pain nor pleasure one experiences in dependence on the six internal sense bases, is that permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change? Would he, sisters, be speaking rightly if he spoke thus?” “No, venerable sir.” “For what reason?” “Venerable sir, in dependence on such and such conditions, such and such feelings arise. With the cessation of such and such conditions, such and such feelings cease.” “Good, good, sisters. Thus indeed, sisters, it is for a noble disciple who sees as it really is with right wisdom.

Just as, sisters, for a great tree standing with heartwood, even its root is impermanent, subject to change; even its trunk is impermanent, subject to change; even its branches and foliage are impermanent, subject to change; even its shadow is impermanent, subject to change. Who then, sisters, would say: ‘For that great tree standing with heartwood, even its root is impermanent, subject to change; even its trunk is impermanent, subject to change; even its branches and foliage are impermanent, subject to change; but its shadow is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change’—sisters, would he, speaking thus, be speaking rightly?” “No, venerable sir.” “For what reason?” “Because, venerable sir, for that great tree standing with heartwood, even its root is impermanent, subject to change; even its trunk is impermanent, subject to change; even its branches and foliage are impermanent, subject to change; so much more is its shadow impermanent, subject to change.” “In the same way, sisters, who then would say: ‘These six external bases are impermanent.

which·andYañca indeedkho externalbāhire sense-basesāyatane dependent onpaṭicca back·together·feelpaṭisaṁvedeti pleasuresukhaṁ orvā paindukkhaṁ orvā not·pain·not·not·pleasureadukkhamasukhaṁ orvā thattaṁ permanentniccaṁ stabledhuvaṁ eternalsassataṁ not subject to changeavipariṇāmadhamman’ti;
rightlysammā thennu indeedkho heso, sistersbhaginiyo, speakingvadamāno he would speakvadeyyā”ti?
No“No indeed thishetaṁ, venerable sirbhante”.
That“Taṁ of whatkissa causehetu”?
conditioned by such-and-such“Tajjaṁ such-and-suchtajjaṁ, venerable sirbhante, conditionpaccayaṁ dependent onpaṭicca such-and-suchtajjā such-and-suchtajjā feelingsvedanā ariseuppajjanti.
with the ceasing of such-and-suchTajjassa such-and-suchtajjassa conditionpaccayassa from the ceasingnirodhā such-and-suchtajjā such-and-suchtajjā feelingsvedanā ceasenirujjhantī”ti.
Good“Sādhu goodsādhu, sistersbhaginiyo.
thus·thisEvañhetaṁ, sistersbhaginiyo, ishoti noble·discipleariyasāvakassa as·realyathābhūtaṁ with right wisdomsammappaññāya seeingpassato.

And whatever one experiences dependent on external sense-bases—pleasure or pain or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—would one speaking rightly, sisters, say of that: 'It is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change'?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Dependent on such-and-such a condition, venerable sir, such-and-such feelings arise. With the ceasing of such-and-such a condition, such-and-such feelings cease." "Good, good, sisters. Thus indeed, sisters, it is for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it really is.

just asSeyyathāpi, sistersbhaginiyo, skilleddakkho butchergoghātako orvā butcher's apprenticegoghātakantevāsī orvā cowgāviṁ having killedvadhitvā with sharptiṇhena cow-cutting knifegovikantanena cowgāviṁ would cutsaṅkanteyya without damaginganupahacca innerantaraṁ flesh-bodymaṁsakāyaṁ without damaginganupahacca outerbāhiraṁ hide-body.cammakāyaṁ.
whateverYaṁ just whateveryadeva theretattha withinantarā inner fleshvilimaṁsaṁ withinantarā sinewnhāru withinantarā ligamentbandhanaṁ thattaṁ just thattadeva with sharptiṇhena cow-cutting knifegovikantanena would cut apartsañchindeyya would cutsaṅkanteyya would cut thoroughlysampakanteyya would cut all around.samparikanteyya.
having cut apartSañchinditvā having cutsaṅkantitvā having cut thoroughlysampakantitvā having cut all aroundsamparikantitvā having shaken offvidhunitvā outerbāhiraṁ hide-bodycammakāyaṁ that·justteneva with hidecammena thattaṁ cowgāviṁ having coveredpaṭicchādetvā thusevaṁ would say:vadeyya:
just so this‘tathevāyaṁ cowgāvī connectedsaṁyuttā just with thisimināva with hide.'cammenā’ti;
rightlysammā nownu indeedkho he,so, sisters,bhaginiyo, speakingvadamāno would speak?"vadeyyā”ti?
"No“No indeed this,hetaṁ, venerable sir."bhante”.
"That“Taṁ of whatkissa reason?"hetu”?
"Because“Amu indeed,hi, venerable sir,bhante, skilleddakkho butchergoghātako orvā butcher's apprenticegoghātakantevāsī orvā cowgāviṁ having killedvadhitvā with sharptiṇhena cow-cutting knifegovikantanena cowgāviṁ would cutsaṅkanteyya without damaginganupahacca innerantaraṁ flesh-bodymaṁsakāyaṁ without damaginganupahacca outerbāhiraṁ hide-body.cammakāyaṁ.

Just as, sisters, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having killed a cow, would cut the cow with a sharp cow-cutting knife without damaging the inner flesh-body and without damaging the outer hide-body. Whatever there is within — inner flesh, within sinew, within ligament — just that he would cut apart, cut, cut thoroughly, and cut all around with a sharp cow-cutting knife. Having cut apart, cut, cut thoroughly, and cut all around, having shaken off the outer hide-body, and having covered that cow with just that hide, he would say thus: 'Just so is this cow connected with just this hide.' Would he, sisters, be speaking rightly if he spoke thus?" "No, indeed, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Indeed, venerable sir, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having killed a cow, would cut the cow with a sharp cow-cutting knife without damaging the inner flesh-body and without damaging the outer hide-body.

whateverYaṁ which·justyadeva theretattha insideantarā fleshvilimaṁsaṁ insideantarā sinewsnhāru insideantarā ligamentsbandhanaṁ thattaṁ that·justtadeva with sharptiṇhena cow·cuttinggovikantanena thoroughly·cutsañchindeyya apart·cutsaṅkanteyya completely·cutsampakanteyya completely·around·cutsamparikanteyya.
thoroughly·cutSañchinditvā apart·cutsaṅkantitvā completely·cutsampakantitvā completely·around·cutsamparikantitvā having shaken offvidhunitvā outerbāhiraṁ hide·bodycammakāyaṁ that·justteneva with hidecammena thattaṁ cowgāviṁ having coveredpaṭicchādetvā even thoughkiñcāpi heso thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
just so is this‘tathevāyaṁ cowgāvī together·joinsaṁyuttā this + justimināva with hidecammenā’ti;
butatha indeedkho thatsā cowgāvī apart·together·joinvisaṁyuttā that·justteneva with hidecammenā”ti.

Whatever inner flesh, inner sinews, and inner ligaments there are, just that he would cut through, cut apart, cut up, and cut all around with a sharp cow-slaughtering knife. Having cut through, cut apart, cut up, and cut all around, having shaken off the outer body of hide, and having covered that cow with that very hide, even though he might say: ‘Just so is this cow joined with this very hide,’ that cow would in fact be disjoined from that very hide.

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