sutta » sn » sn47 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.9

Gilānasutta

Sick

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati veḷuvagāmake.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the little village of Beluva.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“etha tumhe, bhikkhave, samantā vesāliyā yathāmittaṁ yathāsandiṭṭhaṁ yathāsambhattaṁ vassaṁ upetha.
“Mendicants, please enter the rainy season residence with whatever friends or acquaintances you have around Vesālī.

Idhevāhaṁ veḷuvagāmake vassaṁ upagacchāmī”ti.
I’ll commence the rainy season residence right here in the little village of Beluva.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā samantā vesāliyā yathāmittaṁ yathāsandiṭṭhaṁ yathāsambhattaṁ vassaṁ upagacchuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” those mendicants replied. They did as the Buddha said,

Bhagavā pana tattheva veḷuvagāmake vassaṁ upagacchi.
while the Buddha commenced the rainy season residence right there in the little village of Beluva.

Atha kho bhagavato vassūpagatassa kharo ābādho uppajji, bāḷhā vedanā vattanti māraṇantikā.
After the Buddha had commenced the rainy season residence, he fell severely ill, struck by dreadful pains, close to death.

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā sato sampajāno adhivāsesi avihaññamāno.
But he endured unbothered, with mindfulness and situational awareness.

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:
Then it occurred to the Buddha:

“na kho me taṁ patirūpaṁ, yohaṁ anāmantetvā upaṭṭhāke anapaloketvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ parinibbāyeyyaṁ.
“It would not be appropriate for me to be fully extinguished before informing my attendants and taking leave of the mendicant Saṅgha.

Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ ābādhaṁ vīriyena paṭipaṇāmetvā jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya vihareyyan”ti.
Why don’t I forcefully suppress this illness, stabilize the life force, and live on?”

Atha kho bhagavā taṁ ābādhaṁ vīriyena paṭipaṇāmetvā jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya vihāsi.
So that is what he did.

Atha kho bhagavato so ābādho paṭippassambhi.
Then the Buddha’s illness died down.

Atha kho bhagavā gilānā vuṭṭhito aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā vihārā nikkhamitvā vihārapacchāyāyaṁ paññatte āsane nisīdi.
Soon after the Buddha had recovered from that sickness, he left his dwelling and sat in the shade of the porch on the seat spread out.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“diṭṭho me, bhante, bhagavato phāsu;
“Sir, it’s fantastic that the Buddha is comfortable,

diṭṭhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato khamanīyaṁ;
that he’s keeping well,

diṭṭhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato yāpanīyaṁ.
and that he’s getting by.

Api ca me, bhante, madhurakajāto viya kāyo, disāpi me na pakkhāyanti, dhammāpi maṁ nappaṭibhanti bhagavato gelaññena.
Because when the Buddha was sick, my body felt like it was drugged. I was disorientated, and the teachings didn’t spring to mind.

Api ca me, bhante, ahosi kācideva assāsamattā:
Still, at least I was consoled by the thought that

‘na tāva bhagavā parinibbāyissati, na yāva bhagavā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāharatī’”ti.
the Buddha won’t be fully extinguished without bringing something up regarding the Saṅgha of mendicants.”

“Kiṁ pana dāni, ānanda, bhikkhusaṅgho mayi paccāsīsati?
“But what could the mendicant Saṅgha expect from me now, Ānanda?

Desito, ānanda, mayā dhammo anantaraṁ abāhiraṁ karitvā.
I’ve taught the Dhamma without making any distinction between secret and public teachings.

Natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhi.
The Realized One doesn’t have the closed fist of a tutor when it comes to the teachings.

Yassa nūna, ānanda, evamassa:
If there’s anyone who thinks:

‘ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī’ti vā, ‘mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho’ti vā, so nūna, ānanda, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāhareyya.
‘I shall lead the mendicant Saṅgha,’ or ‘the Saṅgha of mendicants is meant for me,’ let them bring something up regarding the Saṅgha.

Tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti:
But the Realized One doesn’t think like this,

‘ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī’ti vā, ‘mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho’ti vā.

Sa kiṁ, ānanda, tathāgato bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāharissati.
so why should he bring something up regarding the Saṅgha?

Etarahi kho panāhaṁ, ānanda, jiṇṇo vuddho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto.
Now I am old, elderly and senior. I’m advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life.

Āsītiko me vayo vattati.
I’m currently eighty years old.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, jajjarasakaṭaṁ veḷamissakena yāpeti;
Just as a decrepit old cart keeps going by relying on straps,

evameva kho, ānanda, veḷamissakena maññe tathāgatassa kāyo yāpeti.
in the same way, the Realized One’s body keeps going as if it were relying on straps.

Yasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgato sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā ekaccānaṁ vedanānaṁ nirodhā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, phāsutaro, ānanda, tasmiṁ samaye tathāgatassa kāyo hoti.
Sometimes the Realized One, not focusing on any signs, and with the cessation of certain feelings, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart. Only then does the Realized One’s body become more comfortable.

Tasmātihānanda, attadīpā viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā.
So Ānanda, live as your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge.

Kathañcānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo?
And how does a mendicant do this?

Idhānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;
It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

vedanāsu …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte …pe…
mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo.
That’s how a mendicant lives as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge. That’s how the teaching is their island and their refuge, with no other refuge.

Ye hi keci, ānanda, etarahi vā mamaccaye vā attadīpā viharissanti attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā; tamatagge mete, ānanda, bhikkhū bhavissanti ye keci sikkhākāmā”ti.
Whether now or after I have passed, any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the teaching as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—those mendicants of mine who want to train shall be among the best of the best.”

Navamaṁ.