Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.2
Translators: sujato and bodhi
Linked Discourses 1.2
1. Naḷavagga
1. A Reed
Nimokkhasutta
Liberation Emancipation
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Savatthi.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him,
Then, when the night had advanced, a certain devatā of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Jānāsi no tvaṁ, mārisa, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti?
“Good sir, do you understand liberation, emancipation, and seclusion for sentient beings?”
“Do you know, dear sir, emancipation, release, seclusion for beings?”
“Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti.
“I do, sir.”
“I know, friend, emancipation, release, seclusion for beings. ”
“Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, jānāsi sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti?
“But how is it that you understand liberation, emancipation, and seclusion for sentient beings?”
“But in what way, dear sir, do you know emancipation, release, seclusion for beings?”
“Nandībhavaparikkhayā,
“With the ending of relish for rebirth,
“By the utter destruction of delight in existence,
Saññāviññāṇasaṅkhayā;
the finishing of perception and consciousness,
By the extinction of perception and consciousness,
Vedanānaṁ nirodhā upasamā,
and the cessation and stilling of feelings:
By the cessation and appeasement of feelings:
Evaṁ khvāhaṁ āvuso jānāmi;
that, sir, is how I understand liberation,
It is thus, friend, that I know for beings—
Sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti.
emancipation, and seclusion for sentient beings.”
Emancipation, release, seclusion.