Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these suttas were translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
For the monk who has left(*tadi)
all kamma
behind,
shaking off the dust of the past,
steady, without longing,
Such*:
there's no point in telling
anyone else.
Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he told the Blessed One: "Lord, Ven. Nanda -- the Blessed One's brother, son of his maternal aunt -- has told a large number of monks, 'I don't enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life.'"
Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, "Come, monk. In my name, call Nanda, saying, 'The Teacher calls you, my friend.'"
"As you say, lord," the monk answered and, having gone to Ven. Nanda, on arrival he said, "The Teacher calls you, my friend."
"As you say, my friend," Ven. Nanda replied. Then he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, "Is it true, Nanda, that you have told a large number of monks, 'I don't enjoy leading the holy life, my friends. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life.'?"
"Yes, lord."
"But why, Nanda, don't you enjoy leading the holy life?"
"Lord, as I was leaving home, a Sakyan girl -- the envy of the countryside -- glanced up at me, with her hair half-combed, and said, 'Hurry back, master.' Recollecting that, I don't enjoy leading the holy life. I can't endure the holy life. Giving up the training, I will return to the common life."
Then, taking Ven. Nanda by the arm -- as a strong man might flex his extended arm or extend his flexed arm -- the Blessed One disappeared from Jeta's Grove and reappeared among the devas of the Tavatimsa Heaven. Now at that time about 500 dove-footed nymphs had come to wait upon Sakka, the ruler of the devas. And the Blessed One said to Ven. Nanda, "Nanda, do you see those 500 dove-footed nymphs?"
"Yes, lord."
"What do you think, Nanda: Which is lovelier, better looking, more charming -- the Sakyan girl, the envy of the countryside, or these 500 dove-footed nymphs?"
"Lord, compared to these 500 dove-footed nymphs, the Sakyan girl, the envy of the countryside, is like a cauterized monkey with its ears and nose cut off. She doesn't count. She's not even a small fraction. There's no comparison. The 500 dove-footed nymphs are lovelier, better looking, more charming."
"Then take joy, Nanda. Take joy! I am your guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs."
"If the Blessed One is my guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs, I will enjoy leading the holy life under the Blessed One."
Then, taking Ven. Nanda by the arm -- as a strong man might flex his extended arm or extend his flexed arm -- the Blessed One disappeared from among the devas of the Tavatimsa Heaven and reappeared in Jeta's Grove. The monks heard, "They say that Ven. Nanda -- the Blessed One's brother, son of his maternal aunt -- is leading the holy life for the sake of nymphs. They say that the Blessed One is his guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs."
Then the monks who were friends of Ven. Nanda went around addressing him as they would a hired hand and a dealer: "Our friend Nanda, they say, is a hired hand. Our friend Nanda, they say, is a dealer. He's leading the holy life for the sake of nymphs. The Blessed One is his guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs."
Then Ven. Nanda -- humiliated, ashamed, and disgusted that the monks who were his friends were addressing him as they would a hired hand and a dealer -- went to dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute. He in no long time entered and remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now. He knew: "Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world." And thus Ven. Nanda became another one of the arahants.
Then a certain devata, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said to the Blessed One: "Lord, Ven. Nanda -- the Blessed One's brother, son of his maternal aunt -- through the ending of the effluents, has entered and remains in the effluent-free release of awareness and release of discernment, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now." And within the Blessed One, the knowledge arose: "Nanda, through the ending of the effluents, has entered and remains in the effluent-free release of awareness and release of discernment, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now."
Then, when the night had passed, Ven. Nanda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: "Lord, about the Blessed One's being my guarantee for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs, I hereby release the Blessed One from that promise."
"Nanda, having comprehended your awareness with my own awareness, I realized that 'Nanda, through the ending of the effluents, has entered and remains in the effluent-free release of awareness and release of discernment, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now.' And a devata informed me that 'Ven. Nanda, through the ending of the effluents, has entered and remains in the effluent-free release of awareness and release of discernment, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now.' When your mind, through lack of clinging, was released from the effluents, I was thereby released from that promise."
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
One who has
crossed over the mire,
crushed the thorn of sensuality,
reached the ending of delusion,
is a monk undisturbed
by bliss & pain.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time approximately 500 monks, headed by Ven. Yasoja, had arrived in Savatthi to see the Blessed One. As these visiting monks were exchanging greetings with the resident monks, setting their lodgings in order, and putting away their robes & bowls, they made a loud racket, a great racket. Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, what is that loud racket, that great racket, like fishermen with a catch of fish?"
"Lord, those are approximately 500 monks, headed by Ven. Yasoja, who have arrived in Savatthi to see the Blessed One. As these visiting monks are exchanging greetings with the resident monks, setting their lodgings in order, and putting away their robes & bowls, they are making a loud racket, a great racket."
"In that case, Ananda, tell those monks in my name, 'The Teacher calls you, friends.'"
Responding, "As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda went to the monks and said, "The Teacher calls you, friends."
"As you say, friend," the monks responded to Ven. Ananda and then went to the Blessed One. On arrival they bowed down to him and sat to one side. As they were sitting there, the Blessed One said to them, "Monks, why were you making that loud racket, that great racket, like fishermen with a catch of fish?"
When this was said, Ven. Yasoja said to the Blessed One, "Lord, these 500 monks have arrived in Savatthi to see the Blessed One. As they were exchanging greetings with the resident monks, setting their lodgings in order, and putting away their robes & bowls, they made a loud racket, a great racket."
"Go away, monks. I dismiss you. You are not to stay in my vicinity."
Responding, "As you say, lord," the monks got up from their seats, bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him -- keeping him to their right -- and left. Putting their lodgings in order and taking their robes & bowls, they went wandering among the Vajjians. After wandering by stages among the Vajjians, they came to the River Vaggamuda. There on the banks of the River Vaggamuda they made leaf-huts and entered the Rains Retreat.
Then Ven. Yasoja addressed the monks as they entered the Rains Retreat: "Friends, the Blessed One dismissed us, wishing for our benefit, seeking our well-being, being sympathetic, and acting out of sympathy. Let's live in such a way that the Blessed One will be gratified by our way of living."
"As you say, friend," the monks responded to Ven. Yasoja. And so, living secluded, ardent, & resolute, every one of them realized the Three Knowledges [remembrance of past lives, knowledge of the arising & passing away of living beings, and knowledge of the ending of mental fermentations] in the course of that very Rains Retreat.
Then the Blessed One, having stayed as long as he liked in Savatthi, went wandering in the direction of Vesali. After wandering by stages, he arrived in Vesali and stayed there in the Peaked Roof Pavilion in the Great Wood. Then, encompassing with his awareness the awareness of the monks staying on the banks of the River Vaggamuda, he said to Ven. Ananda, "This direction seems bright to me, Ananda. This direction seems dazzling to me. It's not at all repugnant for me to go & pay attention to where the monks on the banks of the River Vaggamuda are staying. Send a messenger into their presence to say, 'The Teacher calls you, friends. The Teacher wants to see you.'"
Responding, "As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda went to a certain monk and said, "Come now, friend. Go to the monks on the banks of the River Vaggamuda and say to them, 'The Teacher calls you, friends. The Teacher wants to see you.'"
"As you say, friend," the monk responded to Ven. Ananda. Then -- just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm -- he disappeared from the Peaked Roof Pavilion in the Great Wood and appeared in front of the monks on the bank of the River Vaggamuda. Then he said to them, "The Teacher calls you, friends. The Teacher wants to see you."
"As you say, friend," the monks responded to him. Putting their lodgings in order and taking their robes & bowls, they disappeared from the bank of the River Vaggamuda -- just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm -- and appeared in the presence of the Blessed One in the Peaked Roof Pavilion in the Great Wood.
Now, at that time the Blessed One was sitting in imperturbable concentration [either in the fourth jhana, the sphere of the infinitude of space or the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness]. The thought occurred to the monks, "Now, in what mental dwelling is the Blessed One now residing?" Then they realized, "He is residing in the imperturbable dwelling." So they all sat in imperturbable concentration.
Then Ven. Ananda -- when the night was far advanced, at the end of the first watch -- arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The visiting monks have been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then a second time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the second watch, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The second watch has ended. The visiting monks have been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then a third time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the third watch, as dawn was approaching and the face of the night was beaming, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The third watch has ended. Dawn is approaching and the face of the night is beaming. The visiting monks have been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them."
Then the Blessed One, emerging from his imperturbable concentration, said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, if you had known, you would not have spoken like that. I, along with all 500 of these monks, have been sitting in imperturbable concentration."
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
In whom they're defeated --[Related reading: Thag III.8]
the thorn of sensuality,
insult,
assault,
& imprisonment:
like a mountain, he stands unperturbed,
undisturbed by pleasures or pains
: a monk.
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
Just as a mountain of rock,
is unwavering, well-settled,
so the monk whose delusion is ended,
like a mountain, is undisturbed.
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
With mindfulness immersed in the body(*nibbana)
well established, restrained
with regard to the six media of contact --
always centered, the monk
can know Unbinding* for himself.
This world is burning.Whatever priests or contemplatives say that liberation from becoming is by means of becoming, all of them are not released from becoming, I say.
Afflicted by contact,
it calls disease a "self."
By whatever it construes [things],
that is always otherwise.
Becoming otherwise,
the world is
held by becoming
afflicted by becoming
and yet delights
in that very becoming.
Where there's delight,
there is fear.
What one fears
is stressful.
This holy life is lived
for the abandoning of becoming.
And whatever priests or contemplatives say that escape from becoming is by means of non-becoming, all of them have not escaped from becoming, I say.
This stress comes into play
in dependence on all acquisitions.
With the ending of all clinging/sustenance,
there's no stress coming into play.
Look at this world:
Beings, afflicted with thick ignorance,
are unreleased
from delight in what has come to be.
All levels of becoming,
anywhere,
in any way,
are inconstant, stressful, subject to change.
Seeing this -- as it's actually present --
with right discernment,
one abandons craving for becoming,
without delighting in non-becoming.
From the total ending of craving
comes fading & cessation without remainder:
Unbinding.
For the monk unbound,
from lack of clinging/sustenance,
there's no further becoming.
He has vanquished Mara,
won the battle.
Having gone beyond all levels of being,
he's Such.