Nandiyasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 11.13

Numbered Discourses 11.13

2. Anussativagga

2. Recollection

Nandiyasutta

With Nandiya

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagantukāmo hoti.

Now at that time the Buddha wanted to commence the rains residence at Sāvatthī.

Assosi kho nandiyo sakko:

Nandiya the Sakyan heard about this,

“bhagavā kira sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagantukāmo”ti.

Atha kho nandiyassa sakkassa etadahosi:

and thought,

“yannūnāhampi sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagaccheyyaṁ.

“Why don’t I also commence the rains residence at Sāvatthī.

Tattha kammantañceva adhiṭṭhahissāmi, bhagavantañca lacchāmi kālena kālaṁ dassanāyā”ti.

There I can focus on my work and from time to time get to see the Buddha.”

Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagacchi.

So the Buddha commenced the rains residence in Sāvatthī,

Nandiyopi kho sakko sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagacchi.

and so did Nandiya.

Tattha kammantañceva adhiṭṭhāsi, bhagavantañca labhi kālena kālaṁ dassanāya.

There he focused on his work and from time to time got to see the Buddha.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti:

At that time several mendicants were making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that

“niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī”ti.

when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering.

Assosi kho nandiyo sakko:

Nandiya the Sakyan heard about this.

“sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti:

‘niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’”ti.

Atha kho nandiyo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho nandiyo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante:

“Sir, I have heard that

‘sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti—

several mendicants are making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that

niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’ti.

when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering.

Tesaṁ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṁ kenassa vihārena vihātabban”ti?

Now, we spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?”

“Sādhu sādhu, nandiya.

“Good, good, Nandiya!

Etaṁ kho, nandiya, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ, yaṁ tumhe tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyātha:

It’s appropriate that gentlemen such as you come to me and ask:

‘tesaṁ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṁ kenassa vihārena vihātabban’ti?

‘We spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?’

Saddho kho, nandiya, ārādhako hoti, no assaddho;

The faithful succeed, not the faithless.

sīlavā ārādhako hoti, no dussīlo;

The ethical succeed, not the unethical.

āraddhavīriyo ārādhako hoti, no kusīto;

The energetic succeed, not the lazy.

upaṭṭhitassati ārādhako hoti, no muṭṭhassati;

The mindful succeed, not the unmindful.

samāhito ārādhako hoti, no asamāhito;

Those with immersion succeed, not those without immersion.

paññavā ārādhako hoti, no duppañño.

The wise succeed, not the witless.

Imesu kho te, nandiya, chasu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya pañcasu dhammesu ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

When you’re grounded on these six things, go on to establish mindfulness on five further things internally.

Idha tvaṁ, nandiya, tathāgataṁ anussareyyāsi:

Firstly, you should recollect the Realized One:

‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.

‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

Iti kho te, nandiya, tathāgataṁ ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on the Realized One.

Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, dhammaṁ anussareyyāsi:

Furthermore, you should recollect the teaching:

‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.

‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’

Iti kho te, nandiya, dhammaṁ ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on the teaching.

Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, kalyāṇamitte anussareyyāsi:

Furthermore, you should recollect your good friends:

‘lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me,

‘I’m fortunate, so very fortunate,

yassa me kalyāṇamittā anukampakā atthakāmā ovādakā anusāsakā’ti.

to have good friends who advise and instruct me out of kindness and sympathy.’

Iti kho te, nandiya, kalyāṇamitte ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on good friends.

Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, attano cāgaṁ anussareyyāsi:

Furthermore, you should recollect your own generosity:

‘lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me,

‘I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate.

yohaṁ maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitāya pajāya vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasāmi muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato’ti.

Among people full of the stain of stinginess I live at home with heart rid of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.’

Iti kho te, nandiya, cāgaṁ ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on generosity.

Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, devatā anussareyyāsi:

Furthermore, you should recollect the deities:

‘yā devatā atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devatānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapannā, tā karaṇīyaṁ attano na samanupassanti katassa vā paticayaṁ’.

‘There are deities who, surpassing the company of deities that consume edible food, are reborn in a certain host of mind-made deities. They don’t see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement.’

Seyyathāpi, nandiya, bhikkhu asamayavimutto karaṇīyaṁ attano na samanupassati katassa vā paticayaṁ;

An irreversibly freed mendicant doesn’t see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement.

evamevaṁ kho, nandiya, yā tā devatā atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devatānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapannā, tā karaṇīyaṁ attano na samanupassanti katassa vā paticayaṁ.

In the same way, Nandiya, there are deities who, surpassing the company of deities that consume edible food, are reborn in a certain host of mind-made deities. They don’t see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement.

Iti kho te, nandiya, devatā ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on the deities.

Imehi kho, nandiya, ekādasahi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako pajahateva pāpake akusale dhamme, na upādiyati.

A noble disciple who possesses these eleven qualities gives up bad, unskillful qualities and doesn’t cling to them.

Seyyathāpi, nandiya, kumbho nikkujjo vamateva udakaṁ, no vantaṁ paccāvamati;

It’s like when a pot full of water is tipped over, so the water drains out and doesn’t go back in.

seyyathāpi vā pana, nandiya, sukkhe tiṇadāye aggi mutto ḍahaññeva gacchati, no daḍḍhaṁ paccudāvattati;

Suppose there was an uncontrolled fire. It advances burning up dry woodlands and doesn’t turn back over what it has burned.

evamevaṁ kho, nandiya, imehi ekādasahi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako pajahateva pāpake akusale dhamme, na upādiyatī”ti.

In the same way, a noble disciple who possesses these eleven qualities gives up bad, unskillful qualities and doesn’t cling to them.”

Tatiyaṁ.