Sutta Pitaka
Samyutta Nikāya
Division I –– Sagātha
Book 1 –– Devatā Saṃyutta
Chapter 2 –– Nandanavaggo
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
1. 2. 1.
(11) Nandana –– Rejoicing
Thus I heard. Once the Blessed One was living in Sāvatthi in Jeta’s grove, in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus from there:
“Bhikkhus, in the past, in the Nandana grove of the thirty two gods, a certain god provided with the five strands of heavenly sensual bliss was enjoying them until the snapping of the fingers and said this stanza:
“They, that have not seen Nandana grove, do not know the enjoyments of the king of gods, and the fame, of the thirty-three gods
Bhikkhus, a certain deity hearing this, replied with this stanza:
All determinations are impermanent,
They are of the nature of rising and falling.
Arisen they fade, their complete surcease is bliss.”
1. 2. 2.
(12) Nandanā –– Enjoyment
A certain deity worshipped the Blessed One, stood on a side and said this stanza:
The herd, enjoyment of the herdsman,
Endearments are the enjoyment of humans
Without endearments, there’s no enjoyment.”
“Sons are the grief of those who have sons
Herd, the grief of the herdsman,
Endearments are the grief of humans
Without endearments, there’s no grief.”
1. 2. 3.
(13) Natthi puttasamam –– Nothing So Loveable As Sons
A certain deity worshipped the Blessed One, stood on a side and said this stanza:
No wealth is comparable to the wealth of the herd,
There’s no illumination comparable to the sun,
And the ocean is the foremost lake.”
“No love is comparable to the love of self
No wealth, comparable to the wealth of grains,
There’s no illumination comparable to wisdom
And rain is the foremost lake.”
1. 2. 4.
(14) Khattiyo –– A Warrior
A certain deity worshipped the Blessed One, stood on a side and said this stanza:
Of wives a maiden is foremost, of sons the first born.”
“Of the two-footed the all Enlightend One, is foremost,
Of the four-footed the thoroughbred,
Of wives, she who listens and of sons the loyal one is foremost.”
1. 2. 5.
(15) Sakamāno or Santikāyo –– Pride
Now great fear occurs to me, on account of that
When young, I enjoyed life, like a bird in a great forest,
Now attachment occurs to me, for that.”
1. 2. 6.
(16) Niddā tandi –– Sleepiness and Laziness
With these, the path of the noble ones’ does not become evident.
Sleepiness, laziness, disliking the training and drowsiness after a meal,
With effort dispelling these, the path of the noble ones’ is purified.
1. 2. 7.
(17) Dukkaram (or Kummo) –– It is difficult
The difficulties are many, in which the fool sinks.
How should I do the recluseship, my mind does not attend
With every step he falters, overcome by thoughts.
Like a tortoise with all his limbs inside the shell
The bhikkhu is preoccupied in his own thoughts
Not relying, nor hurting another,
The extinguished bhikkhu, does not blame anyone
1. 2. 8.
(18) Hiri –– Shame
Like the thoroughbred who does not need the whip.
The offspring restrained by shame always behaves mindfully.
He comes to the end of unpleasantness treading the right path.
1. 2. 9.
(19) Kutikā –– Hut
Haven’t you a brood? Are you free from bonds?”
“I do not have a hut, nor do I have a nest.
Neither do I have a brood. I am free from bonds.”
“To what do I say is a hut? What is the nest?
What is the brood and what is the bond? ”
“Mother, I say is the hut, wife is the nest.
Sons are the brood and craving is the bond.”
“Good! You, do not have a hut and do not have a nest.
Good! You do not have a brood and is free from bonds.”
1. 2. 10.
(20) Samiddhi –– Venerable Samiddhi
1. Thus I heard. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery with a hot water bath in Rajagaha.
2. Venerable Samiddhi getting up in the last watch of the night went to the hot water bath to wash his body. Ascending from the hot water bath, he stood in one robe drying his body.
3. Then a certain deity, when the night was waning illuminated the whole of the hot water bath, approached venerable Samiddhi and standing in space said this stanza to venerable Samiddhi:
“The bhikkhu begs for alms without partaking, if he had partaken he would not beg,
After partaking do beg! The time is not yet ripe to beg.
I do not know, what you mean by time, you do not see time in the six
Therefore I beg without partaking, may time not hinder me.”.
4. Then that deity ascended to earth and said thus to venerable Samiddhi:
“Bhikkhu, you are a child yet, with black hair, in the prime of youth, you have not enjoyed sensuality. Partake, human sense pleasures. Do not throw away pleasure that is here and now and run for pleasure in unknown time.”
5. “Friend, I have not given up present pleasures and I do not run for timeless pleasures. I have given up the timeless search and enjoy it, here and now. The Blessed One has said that sensuality is impermanent, unpleasant, with trouble and that its dangers are many. The Teaching has results that are here and now. It invites a search leading inwards and should be realized by the wise by themselves.”
6. “Bhikkhu, how has the Blessed One said that sensuality is impermanent, unpleasant, with trouble and that its dangers are many?. How does the Teaching have results here and now, inviting a search, leading inwards and be realized by the wise by themselves?”
7. “Friend, I’m a novice, who has come to this dispensation recently, I cannot explain these. There is the rightfully enlightened Blessed One, abiding in the Tapoda monastery in Rajagaha. Approach the Blessed One and ask this question and as the Blessed One explains, bear it in mind.”
8. “Friend, it is not easy to approach the Blessed One, for most of the time the Blessed One is attended by very powerful deities. If you approach and ask this question, we will also come to listen to the Teaching.”
9. Venerable Samiddhi agreeing to ask the question approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said:
10. Venerable sir, I got up in the last watch of the night, went to the hot water bath to wash my body. Ascending the hot water bath I stood in one robe drying my body.
Then a certain deity, when the night was waning illuminated the whole of the hot water bath and approached me and standing in space said this stanza:
“The bhikkhu begs for alms without partaking, if he had partaken he would not beg,
After partaking do beg! The time is not yet ripe to beg.”
11. Then venerable sir, I replied with this stanza:
I do not know, what you mean by time, you do not see time in the six
Therefore I beg without partaking, may time not hinder me.”.
12. Then, that deity ascended to earth and said to me:
“Bhikkhu, you are a child yet, with black hair, in the prime of youth, you have not enjoyed sensuality. Partake, human sense pleasures. Do not throw away pleasures that are here and now and run for pleasure in unknown time.”
13. Venerable sir, then I said thus to that deity:
“Friend, I have not given up present pleasures and I do not run for timeless pleasures. I have given up the timeless search and enjoy it, here and now. The Blessed One has said that sensuality is impermanent, unpleasant, with trouble and that its dangers are many. The Teaching has results that are here and now. It invites a search leading inwards and should be realized by the wise by themselves.”
14. Venerable sir, when this was said that deity said:
“Bhikkhu, how has the Blessed One said that sensuality is impermanent, unpleasant, with trouble and that its dangers are many? How does the Teaching have results here and now, inviting a search, leading inwards and be realized by the wise by themselves?”
15. Venerable sir, when this was said, I replied thus:
Friend, I’m a novice, who has come to this dispensation recently, I cannot explain these. There is the rightfully enlightened Blessed One, abiding in the Tapoda monastery in Rajagaha. Approach the Blessed One and ask this question and as the Blessed One explains, bear it in mind.
16. Then that deity said thus:
“Friend, it is not easy to approach the Blessed One, for most of the time the Blessed One is attended by very powerful deities. If you approach and ask this question, we will also come to listen to the Teaching. Venerable sir, if that deity speaks the truth, should be close by.
17. Then that deity said, “Bhikkhu, ask the question, we have arrived.”
18. Then the Blessed One said a stanza to the deity:
Not knowing non-decay, go to the domains of Death.
Thoroughly studying non-decay, not imagining in that state,
Not seeing himself there, he has no miscalculations about it.
Non-human, if you understand, say that you do.”
Good! If the Blessed One would explain this short discourse, so that I would understand it, in detail.”
20. “If someone imagines, I’m equal, superior or inferior, to him, there is a dispute.
When he has no doubts about that, the threefold measurement is no more.
Non-human, if you understand, say that you do?”
21. “Venerable sir, I do not understand the detailed meaning of this short discourse too. Good! If the Blessed One would explain this short discourse, so that I would understand it in detail.”
When craving is destroyed for name and matter in this world.
When bonds are cut and is without trembling and desires,
He is not found as a god or as a human
In this, the other world, in heaven or in any settlement,
Non-human, if you understand, say that you do.”
For any reason, in this world,
Give up sensuality and become mindful and aware
And do not pursue unpleasantness. It’s a useless pursuit.”
