Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.166

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 5.166

17. Āghātavagga
17. Resentment

Nirodhasutta

Cessation

Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi …pe…
There Venerable Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—
“Reverends, take a mendicant who is accomplished in ethics, immersion, and wisdom. They might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.
That is possible.

No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—
If they don’t reach enlightenment in this very life, then, surpassing the company of gods that consume solid food, they’re reborn in a certain host of mind-made gods. There they might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.
That is possible.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him,

“aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—
“This is not possible, Reverend Sāriputta, it cannot happen!”

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

Dutiyampi kho …pe… tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:
But for a second … and a third time Sāriputta repeated his statement.

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
And for a third time, Udāyī said to him,

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:
Then Venerable Sāriputta thought,

“yāvatatiyakampi kho me āyasmā udāyī paṭikkosati, na ca me koci bhikkhu anumodati.
“Venerable Udāyī disagrees with me three times, and not one mendicant agrees with me.

Yannūnāhaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyan”ti.
Why don’t I go to see the Buddha?”

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:
and said to the mendicants:

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.
There is such a possibility.

No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—
If they don’t reach enlightenment in this very life, they’re reborn in the company of a certain host of mind-made gods, who surpass the gods that consume solid food. There they might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.
That is possible.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Udāyī said to him,

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

Dutiyampi kho …pe… tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:
But for a second … and a third time Sāriputta repeated his statement.

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
And for a third time, Udāyī said to him,

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:
Then Venerable Sāriputta thought,

“bhagavatopi kho me sammukhā āyasmā udāyī yāvatatiyakaṁ paṭikkosati, na ca me koci bhikkhu anumodati.
“Even in front of the Buddha Venerable Udāyī disagrees with me three times, and not one mendicant agrees with me.

Yannūnāhaṁ tuṇhī assan”ti.
I’d better stay silent.”

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto tuṇhī ahosi.
Then Sāriputta fell silent.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha said to Venerable Udāyī,

“kaṁ pana tvaṁ, udāyi, manomayaṁ kāyaṁ paccesī”ti?
“But Udāyī, do you believe in a mind-made body?”

“Ye te, bhante, devā arūpino saññāmayā”ti.
“For those gods, sir, who are formless, made of perception.”

“Kiṁ nu kho tuyhaṁ, udāyi, bālassa abyattassa bhaṇitena.
“Udāyī, what has an incompetent fool like you got to say?

Tvampi nāma bhaṇitabbaṁ maññasī”ti.
How on earth could you imagine you’ve got something worth saying!”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,

“atthi nāma, ānanda, theraṁ bhikkhuṁ vihesiyamānaṁ ajjhupekkhissatha.
“Ānanda! How can you just watch while a senior mendicant is being harassed?

Na hi nāma, ānanda, kāruññampi bhavissati theramhi bhikkhumhi vihesiyamānamhī”ti.
Don’t you have any compassion for a senior mendicant who is being harassed?”

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—
“Mendicants, take a mendicant who is accomplished in ethics, immersion, and wisdom. They might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.
That is possible.

No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—
If they don’t reach enlightenment in this very life, they’re reborn in the company of a certain host of mind-made gods, who surpass the gods that consume solid food. There they might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.
That is possible.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.
When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando acirapakkantassa bhagavato yenāyasmā upavāṇo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ etadavoca:
Then, not long after the Buddha had left, Venerable Ānanda went to Venerable Upavāna and said to him,

“idhāvuso upavāṇa, aññe there bhikkhū vihesenti.
“Reverend Upavāna, they’ve been harassing other senior mendicants,

Mayaṁ tena na muccāma.
but I didn’t question them.

Anacchariyaṁ kho, panetaṁ āvuso upavāṇa, yaṁ bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito etadeva ārabbha udāhareyya yathā āyasmantaṁyevettha upavāṇaṁ paṭibhāseyya.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Buddha brings this up when he comes out of retreat later this afternoon. He might even call upon Venerable Upavāna himself.

Idāneva amhākaṁ sārajjaṁ okkantan”ti.
And right now I feel timid.”

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena upaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ etadavoca:
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall, where he sat on the seat spread out, and said to Upavāna,

“Katihi nu kho, upavāṇa, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti?
“Upavāna, how many qualities should a senior mendicant have to be dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired?”

“Pañcahi, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.
“Sir, a senior mendicant with five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired.

Katamehi pañcahi?
What five?

Idha, bhante, thero bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu;
It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

bahussuto hoti …pe… diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā;
They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically.

kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā;
They’re a good speaker, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning.

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī;
They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Imehi kho, bhante, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti.
A senior mendicant with these five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired.”

“Sādhu sādhu, upavāṇa.
“Good, good, Upavāna!

Imehi kho, upavāṇa, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.
A senior mendicant with these five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired.

Ime ce, upavāṇa, pañca dhammā therassa bhikkhuno na saṁvijjeyyuṁ, taṁ sabrahmacārī na sakkareyyuṁ na garuṁ kareyyuṁ na māneyyuṁ na pūjeyyuṁ khaṇḍiccena pāliccena valittacatāya.
If these five qualities are not found in a senior mendicant, why would their spiritual companions honor, respect, revere, or venerate them? Because of their broken teeth, gray hair, and wrinkled skin?

Yasmā ca kho, upavāṇa, ime pañca dhammā therassa bhikkhuno saṁvijjanti, tasmā taṁ sabrahmacārī sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjentī”ti.
But since these five qualities are found in a senior mendicant, their spiritual companions honor, respect, revere, or venerate them.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.