Nandakovādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 146

Advice from Nandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Upamā kho me ayaṁ, bhaginiyo, katā atthassa viññāpanāya ayamevettha attho.
‘Antarā maṁsakāyo’ti kho, bhaginiyo, channetaṁ ajjhattikānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘bāhiro cammakāyo’ti kho, bhaginiyo, channetaṁ bāhirānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘antarā vilimaṁsaṁ antarā nhāru antarā bandhanan’ti kho, bhaginiyo, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ;
‘tiṇhaṁ govikantanan’ti kho, bhaginiyo, ariyāyetaṁ paññāya adhivacanaṁ;
yāyaṁ ariyā paññā antarā kilesaṁ antarā saṁyojanaṁ antarā bandhanaṁ sañchindati saṅkantati sampakantati samparikantati.

Sisters, I have made this simile for the purpose of explaining the meaning; this is just the meaning here. 'Inner flesh-body,' sisters, is a designation for the six internal sense-bases. 'Outer hide-body,' sisters, is a designation for the six external sense-bases. 'Inner sinews and flesh, inner sinews, inner ligament,' sisters, is a designation for delight and lust. 'A sharp butcher's knife,' sisters, is a designation for the noble wisdom — the noble wisdom that severs, cuts, cuts apart, and cuts asunder the inner defilement, the inner fetter, the inner bond.

Satta kho panime, bhaginiyo, bojjhaṅgā, yesaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
Katame satta?
Idha, bhaginiyo, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
Dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe…
vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
pītisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
passaddhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
samādhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
Ime kho, bhaginiyo, satta bojjhaṅgā yesaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.
Atha kho āyasmā nandako tā bhikkhuniyo iminā ovādena ovaditvā uyyojesi:
“gacchatha, bhaginiyo; kālo”ti.

These seven factors of awakening, sisters, when developed and frequently practiced, lead a bhikkhu, through the destruction of the taints, to realize for himself with direct knowledge the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and dwell in it here and now. What are the seven? Here, sisters, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness awakening-factor based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He develops the discrimination-of-states awakening-factor … He develops the energy awakening-factor … He develops the rapture awakening-factor … He develops the tranquility awakening-factor … He develops the concentration awakening-factor … He develops the equanimity awakening-factor based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. These, sisters, are the seven factors of awakening which, when developed and frequently practiced, lead a bhikkhu, through the destruction of the taints, to realize for himself with direct knowledge the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and dwell in it here and now.” Then the venerable Nandaka, having exhorted those bhikkhunis with this exhortation, dismissed them, saying: “Go, sisters; it is time.”

Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo āyasmato nandakassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhagavā etadavoca:
“gacchatha, bhikkhuniyo; kālo”ti.
Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu.

Then those nuns, having rejoiced in and approved of the venerable Nandaka’s speech, rose from their seats, saluted the venerable Nandaka, circumambulated him keeping him on their right, and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they saluted the Blessed One and stood to one side. As they were standing to one side, the Blessed One said to them: “Go, nuns; it is time.” Then those nuns, having saluted the Blessed One and circumambulated him keeping him on their right, departed.

Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkantīsu tāsu bhikkhunīsu bhikkhū āmantesi:
“seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tadahuposathe pannarase na hoti bahuno janassa kaṅkhā vā vimati vā:
‘ūno nu kho cando, puṇṇo nu kho cando’ti, atha kho puṇṇo cando tveva hoti;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, tā bhikkhuniyo nandakassa dhammadesanāya attamanā ceva paripuṇṇasaṅkappā ca.
Tāsaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ bhikkhunisatānaṁ yā pacchimikā bhikkhunī sā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyanā”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Nandakovādasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

Soon after those nuns had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Suppose, mendicants, it was the sabbath of the fifteenth day. You wouldn’t get lots of people wondering whether the moon is full or not, since it is obviously full. In the same way, those nuns were uplifted by Nandaka’s Dhamma teaching, and they got all they wished for. Even the last of these five hundred nuns is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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