Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.42
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 6.42
4. Devatāvagga
4. Deities
Nāgitasutta
With Nāgita
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena icchānaṅgalaṁ nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Icchānaṅgala.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe.
He stayed in a forest near Icchānaṅgala.
Assosuṁ kho icchānaṅgalakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā:
The brahmins and householders of Icchānaṅgala heard:
“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito icchānaṅgalaṁ anuppatto icchānaṅgale viharati icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍe.
“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Icchānaṅgala. He is staying in a forest near Icchānaṅgala.
Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:
He has this good reputation:
‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno …pe… buddho bhagavā’ti.
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’
So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ …pe… arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.
He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He proclaims a teaching that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased; and he explains a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. It’s good to see such perfected ones.”
Atha kho icchānaṅgalakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā tassā rattiyā accayena pahūtaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ ādāya yena icchānaṅgalavanasaṇḍo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bahidvārakoṭṭhake aṭṭhaṁsu uccāsaddā mahāsaddā.
Then, when the night had passed, they took many fresh and cooked foods and went to the forest near Icchānaṅgala, where they stood outside the gates making a dreadful racket.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgito bhagavato upaṭṭhāko hoti.
Now, at that time Venerable Nāgita was the Buddha’s attendant.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nāgitaṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha said to Nāgita,
“ke pana te, nāgita, uccāsaddā mahāsaddā kevaṭṭā maññe macchavilope”ti?
“Nāgita, who’s making that dreadful racket? You’d think it was fishermen hauling in a catch!”
“Ete, bhante, icchānaṅgalakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā pahūtaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ ādāya bahidvārakoṭṭhake ṭhitā bhagavantaṁyeva uddissa bhikkhusaṅghañcā”ti.
“Sir, it’s these brahmins and householders of Icchānaṅgala. They’ve brought many fresh and cooked foods, and they’re standing outside the gates wanting to offer it specially to the Buddha and the mendicant Saṅgha.”
“Māhaṁ, nāgita, yasena samāgamaṁ, mā ca mayā yaso.
“Nāgita, may I never become famous. May fame not come to me.
Yo kho, nāgita, nayimassa nekkhammasukhassa pavivekasukhassa upasamasukhassa sambodhasukhassa nikāmalābhī assa akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, yassāhaṁ nekkhammasukhassa pavivekasukhassa upasamasukhassa sambodhasukhassa nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,
There are those who can’t get the pleasure of renunciation, the pleasure of seclusion, the pleasure of peace, the pleasure of awakening when they want, without trouble or difficulty like I can.
so taṁ mīḷhasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ lābhasakkārasilokasukhaṁ sādiyeyyā”ti.
Let them enjoy the filthy, lazy pleasure of possessions, honor, and popularity.”
“Adhivāsetu dāni, bhante, bhagavā; adhivāsetu, sugato;
“Sir, may the Blessed One please relent now! May the Holy One relent!
adhivāsanakālo dāni, bhante, bhagavato.
Now is the time for the Buddha to relent.
Yena yeneva dāni, bhante, bhagavā gamissati, tanninnāva bhavissanti brāhmaṇagahapatikā negamā ceva jānapadā ca.
Wherever the Buddha now goes, the brahmins and householders, and people of town and country will incline the same way.
Seyyathāpi, bhante, thullaphusitake deve vassante yathāninnaṁ udakāni pavattanti;
It’s like when the heavens rain heavily and the water flows downhill.
evamevaṁ kho, bhante, yena yeneva dāni bhagavā gamissati, tanninnāva bhavissanti brāhmaṇagahapatikā negamā ceva jānapadā ca.
In the same way, wherever the Buddha now goes, the brahmins and householders, and people of town and country will incline the same way.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Tathā hi, bhante, bhagavato sīlapaññāṇan”ti.
Because of the Buddha’s ethics and wisdom.”
“Māhaṁ, nāgita, yasena samāgamaṁ, mā ca mayā yaso.
“Nāgita, may I never become famous. May fame not come to me.
Yo kho, nāgita, nayimassa nekkhammasukhassa pavivekasukhassa upasamasukhassa sambodhasukhassa nikāmalābhī assa akicchalābhī akasiralābhī, yassāhaṁ nekkhammasukhassa pavivekasukhassa upasamasukhassa sambodhasukhassa nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,
There are those who can’t get the pleasure of renunciation, the pleasure of seclusion, the pleasure of peace, the pleasure of awakening when they want, without trouble or difficulty like I can.
so taṁ mīḷhasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ lābhasakkārasilokasukhaṁ sādiyeyya.
Let them enjoy the filthy, lazy pleasure of possessions, honor, and popularity.
Idhāhaṁ, nāgita, bhikkhuṁ passāmi gāmantavihāriṁ samāhitaṁ nisinnaṁ.
Take a mendicant living within a village who I see sitting immersed in samādhi.
Tassa mayhaṁ, nāgita, evaṁ hoti:
I think to myself:
‘idānimaṁ āyasmantaṁ ārāmiko vā upaṭṭhahissati samaṇuddeso vā taṁ tamhā samādhimhā cāvessatī’ti.
‘Now a monastery worker, a novice, or a fellow practitioner will make this venerable fall from immersion.’
Tenāhaṁ, nāgita, tassa bhikkhuno na attamano homi gāmantavihārena.
So I’m not pleased that that mendicant is living within a village.
Idha panāhaṁ, nāgita, bhikkhuṁ passāmi āraññikaṁ araññe pacalāyamānaṁ nisinnaṁ.
Take a mendicant in the wilderness who I see sitting nodding in meditation.
Tassa mayhaṁ, nāgita, evaṁ hoti:
I think to myself:
‘idāni ayamāyasmā imaṁ niddākilamathaṁ paṭivinodetvā araññasaññaṁyeva manasi karissati ekattan’ti.
‘Now this venerable, having dispelled that sleepiness and weariness, will focus just on the unified perception of wilderness.’
Tenāhaṁ, nāgita, tassa bhikkhuno attamano homi araññavihārena.
So I’m pleased that that mendicant is living in the wilderness.
Idha panāhaṁ, nāgita, bhikkhuṁ passāmi āraññikaṁ araññe asamāhitaṁ nisinnaṁ.
Take a mendicant in the wilderness who I see sitting without being immersed in samādhi.
Tassa mayhaṁ, nāgita, evaṁ hoti:
I think to myself:
‘idāni ayamāyasmā asamāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ samādahissati, samāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ anurakkhissatī’ti.
‘Now if this venerable’s mind is not immersed in samādhi they will immerse it, or if it is immersed in samādhi, they will preserve it.’
Tenāhaṁ, nāgita, tassa bhikkhuno attamano homi araññavihārena.
So I’m pleased that that mendicant is living in the wilderness.
Idha panāhaṁ, nāgita, bhikkhuṁ passāmi āraññikaṁ araññe samāhitaṁ nisinnaṁ.
Take a mendicant in the wilderness who I see sitting immersed in samādhi.
Tassa mayhaṁ, nāgita, evaṁ hoti:
I think to myself:
‘idāni ayamāyasmā avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimocessati, vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ anurakkhissatī’ti.
‘Now this venerable will free the unfreed mind or preserve the freed mind.’
Tenāhaṁ, nāgita, tassa bhikkhuno attamano homi araññavihārena.
So I’m pleased that that mendicant is living in the wilderness.
Idha panāhaṁ, nāgita, bhikkhuṁ passāmi gāmantavihāriṁ lābhiṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.
Take a mendicant who I see living within a village receiving robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
So taṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ nikāmayamāno riñcati paṭisallānaṁ riñcati araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni;
Enjoying possessions, honor, and popularity they neglect retreat, and they neglect remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest.
gāmanigamarājadhāniṁ osaritvā vāsaṁ kappeti.
They come down to villages, towns, and capital cities and make their home there.
Tenāhaṁ, nāgita, tassa bhikkhuno na attamano homi gāmantavihārena.
So I’m not pleased that that mendicant is living within a village.
Idha panāhaṁ, nāgita, bhikkhuṁ passāmi āraññikaṁ lābhiṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.
Take a mendicant who I see in the wilderness receiving robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
So taṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ paṭipaṇāmetvā na riñcati paṭisallānaṁ na riñcati araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni.
Fending off possessions, honor, and popularity they don’t neglect retreat, and they don’t neglect remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest.
Tenāhaṁ, nāgita, tassa bhikkhuno attamano homi araññavihārena.
So I’m pleased that that mendicant is living in the wilderness.
Yasmāhaṁ, nāgita, samaye addhānamaggappaṭipanno na kañci passāmi purato vā pacchato vā, phāsu me, nāgita, tasmiṁ samaye hoti antamaso uccārapassāvakammāyā”ti.
Nāgita, when I’m walking along a road and I don’t see anyone ahead or behind I feel relaxed, even if I need to urinate or defecate.”
Dvādasamaṁ.
Devatāvaggo catuttho.
Tassuddānaṁ
Sekhā dve aparihāni,
Moggallāna vijjābhāgiyā;
Vivādadānattakārī nidānaṁ,
Kimiladārukkhandhena nāgitoti.