Upasenasutta

Udāna 4.9

Heartfelt Sayings 4.9

Upasenasutta

With Upasena

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

Then as Venerable Upasena son of Vaṅgantā was in private retreat this thought came to his mind:

“lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me,

“I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate!

satthā ca me bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho;

My Teacher is the Blessed One, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha.

svākkhāte camhi dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito;

Well explained is the teaching and training in which I have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness.

sabrahmacārino ca me sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā;

My spiritual companions are ethical and of good character.

sīlesu camhi paripūrakārī;

I have fulfilled the precepts.

susamāhito camhi ekaggacitto;

My mind is unified and serene.

arahā camhi khīṇāsavo;

I am a perfected one who has ended the defilements.

mahiddhiko camhi mahānubhāvo.

I am of great might and power.

Bhaddakaṁ me jīvitaṁ, bhaddakaṁ maraṇan”ti.

My life has been good, and my death will be good.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, knowing that Venerable Upasena’s train of thought, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Yaṁ jīvitaṁ na tapati,

“One who has no guilt in life,

maraṇante na socati;

nor grief at facing death:

Sa ve diṭṭhapado dhīro,

that attentive one who has seen the truth,

sokamajjhe na socati.

grieves not among the grieving.

Ucchinnabhavataṇhassa,

For the mendicant with peaceful mind,

santacittassa bhikkhuno;

who has cut off craving for continued existence,

Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro,

transmigration through births is finished,

natthi tassa punabbhavo”ti.

there’ll be no more future lives for them.”

Navamaṁ.