Nandakovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 146

Advice from Nandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ āmantesi:
“tena hi tvaṁ, nandaka, svepi tā bhikkhuniyo tenevovādena ovadeyyāsī”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā nandako bhagavato paccassosi.
Atha kho āyasmā nandako tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto attadutiyo yena rājakārāmo tenupasaṅkami.
Addasaṁsu kho tā bhikkhuniyo āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
Disvāna āsanaṁ paññāpesuṁ, udakañca pādānaṁ upaṭṭhapesuṁ.
Nisīdi kho āyasmā nandako paññatte āsane.
Nisajja pāde pakkhālesi.
Tāpi kho bhikkhuniyo āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho tā bhikkhuniyo āyasmā nandako etadavoca:
“paṭipucchakathā kho, bhaginiyo, bhavissati.
Tattha ājānantīhi ‘ājānāmā’ tissa vacanīyaṁ, na ājānantīhi ‘na ājānāmā’ tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Then the Buddha said to Nandaka, “Well then, Nandaka, tomorrow you should give those nuns the same advice again.” “Yes, sir,” Nandaka replied. And the next day he went to those nuns, and all unfolded just like the previous day.

Yassā vā panassa kaṅkhā vā vimati vā, ahameva tattha paṭipucchitabbo:
‘idaṁ, bhante, kathaṁ; imassa kvattho’”ti.
“Ettakenapi mayaṁ, bhante, ayyassa nandakassa attamanā abhiraddhā yaṁ no ayyo nandako pavāretī”ti.

For whom there is doubt or uncertainty, I alone should be asked there: ‘Venerable sir, how is this? What is the meaning of this?’” “Even by this much, venerable sir, we are pleased and delighted with the venerable Nandaka, in that the venerable Nandaka invites us.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhaginiyo, cakkhu niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhaginiyo, sotaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…
ghānaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …
jivhā …
kāyo …
mano nicco vā anicco vā”ti?
“Anicco, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?

“What do you think, sisters: is the eye permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” “Now, that which is impermanent—is it suffering or pleasant?” “Suffering, venerable sir.” “Now, that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “No, indeed, venerable sir.” “What do you think, sisters: is the ear permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir… the nose … the tongue … the body … is the mind permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” “Now, that which is impermanent—is it suffering or pleasant?” “Suffering, venerable sir.” “Now, that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: is it fitting to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?” “No, indeed, venerable sir.” “What is the reason for that?”

“Pubbeva no etaṁ, bhante, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṁ:
‘itipime cha ajjhattikā āyatanā aniccā’”ti.
“Sādhu sādhu, bhaginiyo.
Evañhetaṁ, bhaginiyo, hoti ariyasāvakassa yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato.

“Previously indeed, venerable sir, this was well seen by us with right wisdom as it really is: ‘Thus these six internal sense bases are impermanent.’” “Good, good, sisters. Thus indeed, sisters, it is for a noble disciple seeing with right wisdom as it really is.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhaginiyo, rūpā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhaginiyo, saddā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante …pe…
gandhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante …
rasā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante …
phoṭṭhabbā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante …
dhammā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:

“What do you think, sisters: are forms permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” “And is that which is impermanent suffering or pleasure?” “Suffering, venerable sir.” “And is it fitting to regard that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, venerable sir.” “What do you think, sisters: are sounds permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … Are odors permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … Are tastes permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … Are tangibles permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … Are mental objects permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” “And is that which is impermanent suffering or pleasure?” “Suffering, venerable sir.” “And is it fitting to regard that which is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change as …”

‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Pubbeva no etaṁ, bhante, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṁ:
‘itipime cha bāhirā āyatanā aniccā’”ti.
“Sādhu sādhu, bhaginiyo.
Evañhetaṁ, bhaginiyo, hoti ariyasāvakassa yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato.

“This is mine, this am I, this is my self?” “No indeed, venerable sir.” “Why is that?” “Previously, venerable sir, this was well seen by us with right wisdom as it really is: ‘These six external bases are impermanent.’” “Good, good, sisters. Thus indeed, sisters, it is for a noble disciple seeing with right wisdom as it really is.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhaginiyo, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…
sotaviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …
ghānaviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …
jivhāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …
kāyaviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante …
manoviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Pubbeva no etaṁ, bhante, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya sudiṭṭhaṁ:
‘itipime cha viññāṇakāyā aniccā’”ti.
“Sādhu sādhu, bhaginiyo.

What do you think, sisters, is eye-consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … [is] ear-consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … [is] nose-consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … [is] tongue-consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … [is] body-consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir … [is] mind-consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.” “And what is impermanent—is that suffering or pleasure?” “Suffering, venerable sir.” “And what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change—is it fitting to regard that as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, venerable sir.” “Why is that?” “Previously, venerable sir, we saw this well with right wisdom as it truly is: ‘These six consciousness-groups are impermanent.’” “Good, good, sisters.

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