sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.10

Sajjhāyasutta

Reciting Recitation

Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket.
At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu yaṁ sudaṁ pubbe ativelaṁ sajjhāyabahulo viharati so aparena samayena appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati.
Now on that occasion that bhikkhu had been excessively engrossed in recitation, but on a later occasion he passed the time living at ease and keeping silent.
Now at that time that mendicant had previously been spending too much time in recitation. But some time later they adhered to passivity and silence.

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno dhammaṁ asuṇantī yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, no longer hearing that bhikkhu recite the Dhamma, approached him and addressed him in verse:
Not hearing the teaching, the deity haunting that forest approached that mendicant, and addressed them in verse:

“Kasmā tuvaṁ dhammapadāni bhikkhu,
Bhikkhu, why don’t you recite Dhamma-stanzas,
“Mendicant, why don’t you recite <j>passages of the teaching,

Nādhīyasi bhikkhuhi saṁvasanto;
Living in communion with other bhikkhus?
living together with other mendicants?

Sutvāna dhammaṁ labhatippasādaṁ,
Hearing the Dhamma, one gains confidence
When you hear the teaching confidence grows;

Diṭṭheva dhamme labhatippasaṁsan”ti.
In this very life [the reciter] gains praise.
and the reciter is praised in the present life.”

“Ahu pure dhammapadesu chando,
[The bhikkhu: ] “In the past I was fond of Dhamma-stanzas
“I used to be enthusiastic about <j>passages of the teaching,

Yāva virāgena samāgamimha;
So long as I had not achieved dispassion.
so long as I’d not realized dispassion.

Yato virāgena samāgamimha,
But from the time I achieved dispassion
But then I realized dispassion, which the good call

Yaṁ kiñci diṭṭhaṁva sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;
‘Of whatever is seen, heard, or sensed,
the laying to rest by completely understanding

Aññāya nikkhepanamāhu santo”ti.
‘The laying down by final knowledge,’ is what the good men call.”
whatever is seen, heard, and thought.”