Anuruddhasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.6

Linked Discourses 9.6

1. Vanavagga

1. In the Woods

Anuruddhasutta

With Anuruddha

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

At one time Venerable Anuruddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Atha kho aññatarā tāvatiṁsakāyikā devatā jālinī nāma āyasmato anuruddhassa purāṇadutiyikā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then a certain deity of the company of the thirty-three named Penelope had been Anuruddha’s partner in a former life. She went up to Anuruddha, and recited these verses:

“Tattha cittaṁ paṇidhehi,

“Set your heart there,

yattha te vusitaṁ pure;

where you used to live:

Tāvatiṁsesu devesu,

among the gods of the thirty-three,

sabbakāmasamiddhisu;

whose every desire is granted!

Purakkhato parivuto,

At the fore of a retinue

devakaññāhi sobhasī”ti.

of divine maidens, you’ll shine!”

“Duggatā devakaññāyo,

“Divine maidens are in a sorry state,

sakkāyasmiṁ patiṭṭhitā;

stuck in substantial reality.

Te cāpi duggatā sattā,

And those beings too are in a sorry state,

devakaññāhi patthitā”ti.

who are attached to divine maidens.”

“Na te sukhaṁ pajānanti,

“They don’t know pleasure

ye na passanti nandanaṁ;

who don’t see the Garden of Delight!

Āvāsaṁ naradevānaṁ,

It’s the abode of lordly gods,

tidasānaṁ yasassinan”ti.

the glorious host of Thirty!”

“Na tvaṁ bāle vijānāsi,

“Fool, don’t you understand

yathā arahataṁ vaco;

the saying of the perfected ones:

Aniccā sabbasaṅkhārā,

All conditions are impermanent,

uppādavayadhammino;

their nature is to rise and fall;

Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,

having arisen, they cease;

tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho.

their settling is such bliss.

Natthi dāni punāvāso,

O Penelope, weaver of the web—

devakāyasmi jālini;

there are no more abodes for me in the heavenly host.

Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro,

Transmigration through births is finished,

natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.

now there’ll be no more future lives.”