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Majjhima Nikāya 146

Nandakovādasutta

Advice from Nandaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho mahāpajāpatigotamī pañcamattehi bhikkhunisatehi saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho mahāpajāpatigotamī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“ovadatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhuniyo;
anusāsatu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhuniyo;
karotu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhunīnaṁ dhammiṁ kathan”ti.

Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī together with around five hundred nuns approached the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Sir, may the Buddha please advise and instruct the nuns. Please give the nuns a Dhamma talk.”

Tena kho pana samayena therā bhikkhū bhikkhuniyo ovadanti pariyāyena.
Āyasmā nandako na icchati bhikkhuniyo ovadituṁ pariyāyena.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
“kassa nu kho, ānanda, ajja pariyāyo bhikkhuniyo ovadituṁ pariyāyenā”ti?
“Sabbeheva, bhante, kato pariyāyo bhikkhuniyo ovadituṁ pariyāyena.
Ayaṁ, bhante, āyasmā nandako na icchati bhikkhuniyo ovadituṁ pariyāyenā”ti.

Now at that time the senior monks were taking turns to advise the nuns. But Venerable Nandaka didn’t want to take his turn. Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, whose turn is it to advise the nuns today?” “It’s Nandaka’s turn, sir, but he doesn’t want to do it.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ āmantesi:
“ovada, nandaka, bhikkhuniyo;
anusāsa, nandaka, bhikkhuniyo;
karohi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhunīnaṁ dhammiṁ kathan”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā nandako bhagavato paṭissutvā 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:

Then the Buddha said to Nandaka, “Nandaka, please advise and instruct the nuns. Please, brahmin, give the nuns a Dhamma talk.” “Yes, sir,” replied Nandaka. Then, in the morning, he robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Royal Monastery with a companion. Those nuns saw him coming off in the distance, so they spread out a seat and placed water for washing the feet. Nandaka sat down on the seat spread out, and washed his feet. Those nuns bowed, and sat down to one side. Nandaka said to them,

“paṭipucchakathā kho, bhaginiyo, bhavissati.
Tattha ājānantīhi: ‘ājānāmā’ tissa vacanīyaṁ, na ājānantīhi: ‘na ājānāmā’ tissa vacanīyaṁ.
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.

“Sisters, this talk shall be in the form of questions. When you understand, say so. When you don’t understand, say so. If anyone has a doubt or uncertainty, ask me about it: ‘Why, sir, does it say this? What does that mean?’” “We’re already delighted and satisfied with Master Nandaka, since he invites us like this.”

“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 niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“kāyo nicco vā anicco vā”ti?
“Anicco, bhante” …
“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:

“What do you think, sisters? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “What do you think, sisters? Is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

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

‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir. Why is that? Because we have already truly seen this with right wisdom: ‘So these six interior sense fields are impermanent.’” “Good, good, sisters! That’s how it is for a noble disciple who truly sees with right wisdom.

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 sights permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if they’re impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “But if they’re impermanent, suffering, and perishable, are they fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “What do you think, sisters? Are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if they’re impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “But if they’re impermanent, suffering, and perishable, are they fit to be regarded thus:

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