sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.10

Sajjhāyasutta

Recitation Reciting

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

Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu yaṁ sudaṁ pubbe ativelaṁ sajjhāyabahulo viharati so aparena samayena appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati.
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.
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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