sutta » an » an9 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.4

Nandakasutta

With Nandaka

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nandako upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhū dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti.
Now at that time Venerable Nandaka was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bahidvārakoṭṭhake aṭṭhāsi kathāpariyosānaṁ āgamayamāno.
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall. He stood outside the door waiting for the talk to end.

Atha kho bhagavā kathāpariyosānaṁ viditvā ukkāsetvā aggaḷaṁ ākoṭesi.
When he knew the talk had ended he cleared his throat and knocked on the door-panel.

Vivariṁsu kho te bhikkhū bhagavato dvāraṁ.
The mendicants opened the door for the Buddha,

Atha kho bhagavā upaṭṭhānasālaṁ pavisitvā paññattāsane nisīdi.
and he entered the assembly hall, where he sat on the seat spread out.

Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ etadavoca:
He said to Nandaka,

“dīgho kho tyāyaṁ, nandaka, dhammapariyāyo bhikkhūnaṁ paṭibhāsi.
“Nandaka, that was a long exposition of the teaching you gave to the mendicants.

Api me piṭṭhi āgilāyati bahidvārakoṭṭhake ṭhitassa kathāpariyosānaṁ āgamayamānassā”ti.
My back was aching while I stood outside the door waiting for the talk to end.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā nandako sārajjamānarūpo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Nandaka felt embarrassed and said to the Buddha,

“na kho pana mayaṁ, bhante, jānāma ‘bhagavā bahidvārakoṭṭhake ṭhito’ti.
“Sir, we didn’t know that the Buddha was standing outside the door.

Sace hi mayaṁ, bhante, jāneyyāma ‘bhagavā bahidvārakoṭṭhake ṭhito’ti, ettakampi (…) no nappaṭibhāseyyā”ti.
If we’d known, I wouldn’t have said so much.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ sārajjamānarūpaṁ viditvā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ etadavoca:
Then the Buddha, knowing that Nandaka was embarrassed, said to him,

“sādhu sādhu, nandaka.
“Good, good, Nandaka!

Etaṁ kho, nandaka, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ saddhāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitānaṁ, yaṁ tumhe dhammiyā kathāya sannisīdeyyātha.
It’s appropriate for gentlemen like you, who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, to sit together for a Dhamma talk.

Sannipatitānaṁ vo, nandaka, dvayaṁ karaṇīyaṁ—
When you’re sitting together you should do one of two things:

dhammī vā kathā ariyo vā tuṇhībhāvo.
discuss the teachings or keep noble silence.

Saddho ca, nandaka, bhikkhu hoti, no ca sīlavā.
Nandaka, a mendicant is faithful but not ethical.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.
So they’re incomplete in that respect,

Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ:
and should fulfill it, thinking,

‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ sīlavā cā’ti.
‘How can I become faithful and ethical?’

Yato ca kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca, evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti.
When a mendicant is faithful and ethical, they’re complete in that respect.

Saddho ca, nandaka, bhikkhu hoti sīlavā ca, no ca lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa.
A mendicant is faithful and ethical, but does not get internal serenity of heart.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.
So they’re incomplete in that respect,

Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ:
and should fulfill it, thinking,

‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissā’ti.
‘How can I become faithful and ethical and get internal serenity of heart?’

Yato ca kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa, evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti.
When a mendicant is faithful and ethical and gets internal serenity of heart, they’re complete in that respect.

Saddho ca, nandaka, bhikkhu hoti sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.
A mendicant is faithful, ethical, and gets internal serenity of heart, but they don’t get the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.
So they’re incomplete in that respect.

Seyyathāpi, nandaka, pāṇako catuppādako assa.
Suppose, Nandaka, there was a four-footed animal

Tassa eko pādo omako lāmako.
that was lame and disabled.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro assa.
It would be incomplete in that respect.

Evamevaṁ kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.
In the same way, a mendicant is faithful, ethical, and gets internal serenity of heart, but they don’t get the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.
So they’re incomplete in that respect,

Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ:
and should fulfill it, thinking,

‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāyā’ti.
‘How can I become faithful and ethical and get internal serenity of heart and get the higher wisdom of discernment of principles?’

Yato ca kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hotī”ti.
When a mendicant is faithful and ethical and gets internal serenity of heart and gets the higher wisdom of discernment of principles, they’re complete in that respect.”

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 nandako acirapakkantassa bhagavato bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then soon after the Buddha left, Venerable Nandaka said to the mendicants,

“idāni, āvuso, bhagavā catūhi padehi kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho:
“Just now, reverends, the Buddha explained a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure in four statements, before getting up from his seat and entering his dwelling:

‘saddho ca, nandaka, bhikkhu hoti, no ca sīlavā.
‘Nandaka, a mendicant is faithful but not ethical.

Evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.
So they’re incomplete in that respect,

Tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ—
and should fulfill it, thinking,

kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ sīlavā cā’ti.
“How can I become faithful and ethical?”

Yato ca kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca, evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hoti.
When a mendicant is faithful and ethical, they’re complete in that respect.

Saddho ca, nandaka, bhikkhu hoti sīlavā ca, no ca lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa …pe…
A mendicant is faithful and ethical, but does not get internal serenity of heart. …

lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya,
They get internal serenity of heart, but they don’t get the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.

evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti.
So they’re incomplete in that respect.

Seyyathāpi, nandaka, pāṇako catuppādako assa, tassa eko pādo omako lāmako,
Suppose, Nandaka, there was a four-footed animal that was lame and disabled.

evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro assa.
It would be incomplete in that respect.

Evamevaṁ kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca, lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāya,
In the same way, a mendicant is faithful, ethical, and gets internal serenity of heart, but they don’t get the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.

evaṁ so tenaṅgena aparipūro hoti,
So they’re incomplete in that respect,

tena taṁ aṅgaṁ paripūretabbaṁ
and should fulfill it, thinking:

‘kintāhaṁ saddho ca assaṁ sīlavā ca, lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa, lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāyā’ti.
“How can I become faithful and ethical and get internal serenity of heart and get the higher wisdom of discernment of principles?”

Yato ca kho, nandaka, bhikkhu saddho ca hoti sīlavā ca lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamādhissa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya,
When a mendicant is faithful and ethical and gets internal serenity of heart and gets the higher wisdom of discernment of principles,

evaṁ so tenaṅgena paripūro hotīti.
they’re complete in that respect.’

Pañcime, āvuso, ānisaṁsā kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāya.
Reverends, there are these five benefits of listening to the teachings at the right time and discussing the teachings at the right time.

Katame pañca?
What five?

Idhāvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
Firstly, a mendicant proclaims a teaching to the mendicants that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And they reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

Yathā yathā, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti tathā tathā so satthu piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.
Whenever they do this, they become liked and approved by the Teacher, respected and admired.

Ayaṁ, āvuso, paṭhamo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāya.
This is the first benefit …

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Yathā yathā, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ …pe…
Furthermore, a mendicant teaches the mendicants the Dhamma …

brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti tathā tathā so tasmiṁ dhamme atthappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti dhammappaṭisaṁvedī ca.
Whenever they do this, they feel inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma.

Ayaṁ, āvuso, dutiyo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāya.
This is the second benefit …

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
Furthermore, a mendicant teaches the mendicants the Dhamma …

Yathā yathā, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ …pe… brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti tathā tathā so tasmiṁ dhamme gambhīraṁ atthapadaṁ paññāya ativijjha passati.
Whenever they do this, they see the meaning of a deep saying in that Dhamma with penetrating wisdom.

Ayaṁ, āvuso, tatiyo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāya.
This is the third benefit …

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ …pe… brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
Furthermore, a mendicant teaches the mendicants the Dhamma …

Yathā yathā, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ …pe… brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti tathā tathā naṁ sabrahmacārī uttari sambhāventi:
Whenever they do this, their spiritual companions esteem them more highly, thinking,

‘addhā ayamāyasmā patto vā pajjati vā’.
‘For sure this venerable has attained or will attain.’

Ayaṁ, āvuso, catuttho ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāya.
This is the fourth benefit …

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
Furthermore, a mendicant teaches the mendicants the Dhamma …

Yathā yathā, āvuso, bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti, tattha ye kho bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, te taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.
Whenever they do this, there may be trainee mendicants present, who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. Hearing that teaching, they rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

Ye pana tattha bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, te taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁyeva anuyuttā viharanti.
There may be perfected mendicants present, who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment. Hearing that teaching, they simply live happily in the present life.

Ayaṁ, āvuso, pañcamo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāya.
This is the fifth benefit …

Ime kho, āvuso, pañca ānisaṁsā kālena dhammassavane kālena dhammasākacchāyā”ti.
These are the five benefits of listening to the teachings at the right time and discussing the teachings at the right time.”

Catutthaṁ.