sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.11

Nandanasutta

The Garden of Delight

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
Thus have I heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”
“Bhikkhus!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
The Blessed One said this:

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, aññatarā tāvatiṁsakāyikā devatā nandane vane accharāsaṅghaparivutā dibbehi pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricārayamānā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Once upon a time, mendicants, a certain deity of the company of the thirty-three was amusing themselves in the Garden of Delight, escorted by a band of nymphs, and supplied and provided with the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation. On that occasion they recited this verse:
“Once in the past, bhikkhus, a certain devatā of the Tavatiṁsa host was revelling in Nandana Grove, supplied and endowed with the five cords of celestial sensual pleasure, accompanied by a retinue of celestial nymphs. On that occasion he spoke this verse:

‘Na te sukhaṁ pajānanti,
‘They don’t know pleasure
“‘They do not know bliss

ye na passanti nandanaṁ;
who don’t see the Garden of Delight!
Who have not seen Nandana,

Āvāsaṁ naradevānaṁ,
It’s the abode of lordly gods,
The abode of the glorious male devas

tidasānaṁ yasassinan’ti.
the glorious host of Thirty!’
Belonging to the host of Thirty. ’

Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, aññatarā devatā taṁ devataṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:
When they had spoken, another deity replied with this verse:
“When this was said, bhikkhus, a certain devatā replied to that devatā in verse:

‘Na tvaṁ bāle pajānāsi,
‘Fool, don’t you understand
“‘Don’t you know, you fool,

yathā arahataṁ vaco;
the saying of the perfected ones:
That maxim of the arahants?

Aniccā sabbasaṅkhārā,
All conditions are impermanent,
Impermanent are all formations;

uppādavayadhammino;
their nature is to rise and fall;
Their nature is to arise and vanish.

Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,
having arisen, they cease;
Having arisen, they cease:

tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho’”ti.
their stilling is blissful.’”
Their appeasement is blissful. ’”