Naḷakapānasutta

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Majjhima Nikāya 68

At Naḷakapāna · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati naḷakapāne palāsavane.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near Naḷakapāna in the grove of flame-of-the-forest trees.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā kulaputtā bhagavantaṁ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā honti—
āyasmā ca anuruddho, āyasmā ca bhaddiyo, āyasmā ca kimilo, āyasmā ca bhagu, āyasmā ca koṇḍañño, āyasmā ca revato, āyasmā ca ānando, aññe ca abhiññātā abhiññātā kulaputtā.

Now at that time several very well-known gentlemen had gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness in the Buddha’s name— The venerables Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, Kimbila, Bhagu, Kuṇḍadhāna, Revata, Ānanda, and other very well-known gentlemen.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā bhikkhusaṅghaparivuto abbhokāse nisinno hoti.
Atha kho bhagavā te kulaputte ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:
“ye te, bhikkhave, kulaputtā mamaṁ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā, kacci te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū abhiratā brahmacariye”ti?
Evaṁ vutte, te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
Dutiyampi kho bhagavā te kulaputte ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:
“ye te, bhikkhave, kulaputtā mamaṁ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā, kacci te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū abhiratā brahmacariye”ti?
Dutiyampi kho te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
Tatiyampi kho bhagavā te kulaputte ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:
“ye te, bhikkhave, kulaputtā mamaṁ uddissa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā, kacci te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū abhiratā brahmacariye”ti?
Tatiyampi kho te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

Now at that time the Buddha was sitting in the open, surrounded by the mendicant Saṅgha. Then the Buddha spoke to the mendicants about those gentlemen: “Mendicants, those gentlemen who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness in my name—I trust they’re satisfied with the spiritual life?” When this was said, the mendicants kept silent. For a second and a third time the Buddha asked the same question. For a third time, the mendicants kept silent.

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:
“yannūnāhaṁ te kulaputte puccheyyan”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ āmantesi:
“kacci tumhe, anuruddhā, abhiratā brahmacariye”ti?
“Taggha mayaṁ, bhante, abhiratā brahmacariye”ti.

Then it occurred to the Buddha, “Why don’t I question just those gentlemen?” Then the Buddha said to Venerable Anuruddha, “Anuruddha and friends, I hope you’re satisfied with the spiritual life?” “Indeed, sir, we are satisfied with the spiritual life.”

“Good, good, Anuruddha and friends! It’s appropriate for gentlemen like yourselves, who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, to be satisfied with the spiritual life. Since you’re blessed with youth, in the prime of life, with pristine black hair, you could have enjoyed sensual pleasures; yet you have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. But you didn’t go forth to escape a summons by a king or a summons for a bandit, or because you were in debt or in fear, or in order to make a living. Rather, didn’t you go forth thinking: ‘I’m swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering’?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ pabbajitena ca pana, anuruddhā, kulaputtena kimassa karaṇīyaṁ?
Vivekaṁ, anuruddhā, kāmehi vivekaṁ akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṁ nādhigacchati aññaṁ vā tato santataraṁ, tassa abhijjhāpi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, byāpādopi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, thinamiddhampi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati uddhaccakukkuccampi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, vicikicchāpi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, aratīpi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, tandīpi cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
Vivekaṁ, anuruddhā, kāmehi vivekaṁ akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṁ nādhigacchati aññaṁ vā tato santataraṁ.

“But, Anuruddha and friends, when a gentleman has gone forth like this, what should he do? Take someone who doesn’t achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that. Their mind is still occupied by desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, doubt, discontent, and sloth. That’s someone who doesn’t achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that.

Vivekaṁ, anuruddhā, kāmehi vivekaṁ akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṁ adhigacchati aññaṁ vā tato santataraṁ, tassa abhijjhāpi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, byāpādopi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, thinamiddhampi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, uddhaccakukkuccampi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, vicikicchāpi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, aratīpi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati, tandīpi cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.
Vivekaṁ, anuruddhā, kāmehi vivekaṁ akusalehi dhammehi pītisukhaṁ adhigacchati aññaṁ vā tato santataraṁ.

Take someone who does achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that. Their mind is not occupied by desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, doubt, discontent, and sloth. That’s someone who does achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that.

Kinti vo, anuruddhā, mayi hoti:
‘ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā, appahīnā te tathāgatassa;
tasmā tathāgato saṅkhāyekaṁ paṭisevati, saṅkhāyekaṁ adhivāseti, saṅkhāyekaṁ parivajjeti, saṅkhāyekaṁ vinodetī’”ti?
“Na kho no, bhante, bhagavati evaṁ hoti:
‘ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā, appahīnā te tathāgatassa;
tasmā tathāgato saṅkhāyekaṁ paṭisevati, saṅkhāyekaṁ adhivāseti, saṅkhāyekaṁ parivajjeti, saṅkhāyekaṁ vinodetī’ti.
Evaṁ kho no, bhante, bhagavati hoti:
‘ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā, pahīnā te tathāgatassa;
tasmā tathāgato saṅkhāyekaṁ paṭisevati, saṅkhāyekaṁ adhivāseti, saṅkhāyekaṁ parivajjeti, saṅkhāyekaṁ vinodetī’”ti.
“Sādhu sādhu, anuruddhā.

Is this what you think of me? ‘The Realized One has not given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That’s why, after appraisal, he uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and dispels some things.’” “No sir, we don’t think of you that way. We think of you this way: ‘The Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That’s why, after appraisal, he uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and dispels some things.’” “Good, good, Anuruddha and friends!

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