The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Read online

  Second, speak Dhamma, not non-Dhamma;

  Third, speak what is pleasant, not unpleasant;

  Fourth, speak the truth, not falsehood.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”509

  The Blessed One said: “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses:727 “One should utter only such speech

  By which one does not afflict oneself

  Nor cause harm to others:

  Such speech is truly well spoken. <408>

  728 “One should utter only pleasant speech,

  Speech that is gladly welcomed.

  When it brings them nothing evil

  What one speaks is pleasant to others.

  729 “Truth, indeed, is deathless speech:

  This is an ancient principle.

  The goal and the Dhamma, the good say,

  Are established upon truth.510

  730 “The secure speech which the Buddha utters

  For the attainment of Nibbāna,

  For making an end to suffering

  Is truly the foremost speech.”511

  6 Sāriputta

  On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk, <409> [spoken] with speech that was polished, clear, articulate, expressing well the meaning. And those bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, directing their whole mind to it.

  Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: [190] ”This Venerable Sāriputta is instructing the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk, [spoken] with speech that is polished, clear, articulate, expressing well the meaning. And those bhikkhus are listening to the Dhamma with eager ears…. Let me extol the Venerable Sāriputta to his face with suitable verses.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Venerable Sāriputta, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, friend Sāriputta! An inspiration has come to me, friend Sāriputta!”

  “Then express your inspiration, friend Vaṅgīsa.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Venerable Sāriputta to his face with suitable verses:731 “Deep in wisdom, intelligent,

  Skilled in the true path and the false,

  Sāriputta, of great wisdom,

  Teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus.

  732 “He teaches briefly, <410>

  He speaks in detail.

  His voice, like that of a myna bird,

  Pours forth inspired discourse.512

  733 “As he teaches them, they listen

  To his sweet utterance.

  Uplifted in mind, made joyful

  By his delightful voice,

  Sonorous and lovely,

  The bhikkhus incline their ears.”

  7 Pavāraṇā

  On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park in the Mansion of Migāra’s Mother together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, all of them arahants. Now on that occasion—the Uposatha day of the fifteenth—the Blessed One was sitting in the open surrounded by the Bhikkhu Saṅgha in order to hold the Pavāraṇā.513 Then, having surveyed the silent Bhikkhu Saṅgha, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Come now, <411> bhikkhus, let me invite you: Is there any deed of mine, either bodily or verbal, which you would censure?”

  When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “Venerable sir, there is no deed of the Blessed One, either bodily or verbal, that we censure. [191] For, venerable sir, the Blessed One is the originator of the path unarisen before, the producer of the path unproduced before, the declarer of the path undeclared before. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the one skilled in the path. And his disciples now dwell following that path and become possessed of it afterwards. 514 And I, venerable sir, invite the Blessed One: Is there any deed of mine, either bodily or verbal, which the Blessed One would censure?”

  “There is no deed of yours, Sāriputta, either bodily or verbal, that I censure. For you, Sāriputta, are wise, one of great wisdom, of wide wisdom, of joyous wisdom, of swift wisdom, <412> of sharp wisdom, of penetrative wisdom. Just as the eldest son of a wheel-turning monarch properly keeps in motion the wheel [of sovereignty] set in motion by his father, so do you, Sāriputta, properly keep in motion the Wheel of Dhamma set in motion by me.”515

  “If, venerable sir, the Blessed One does not censure any deed of mine, bodily or verbal, does he censure any deed, bodily or verbal, of these five hundred bhikkhus?”

  “There is no deed, Sāriputta, bodily or verbal, of these five hundred bhikkhus that I censure. For of these five hundred bhikkhus, Sāriputta, sixty bhikkhus are triple-knowledge bearers, sixty bhikkhus are bearers of the six direct knowledges, sixty bhikkhus are liberated in both ways, while the rest are liberated by wisdom.”516

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”

  The Blessed One said: “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.” <413>

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses:734 “Five hundred bhikkhus have gathered today,

  The fifteenth day, for purification—

  Untroubled seers who have ended renewed existence,

  Who have cut off all fetters and bonds. [192]

  735 “Just as a king, a wheel-turning monarch,

  Accompanied by his ministers,

  Travels all over this mighty earth

  Bounded by the deep dark ocean—

  736 So they attend on the victor in battle,

  The unsurpassed caravan leader—

  The disciples bearing the triple knowledge,

  Who have left Death far behind.517

  737 “All are true sons of the Blessed One,

  Here no worthless chaff is found.

  I worship the Kinsman of the Sun, <414>

  Destroyer of the dart of craving.”

  8 Over a Thousand

  On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with 1,250 bhikkhus. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning Nibbāna. And those bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, directing their whole mind to it.

  Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Blessed One is instructing the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning Nibbāna. And those bhikkhus are listening to the Dhamma with eager ears…. Let me extol the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”

  “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses: <415>738 “Over a thousand bhikkhus here

  Attend upon the Fortunate One

  As he
teaches the dust-free Dhamma,

  Nibbāna inaccessible to fear.518

  739 “They listen to the stainless Dhamma

  Taught by the Perfectly Enlightened One.

  The Enlightened One indeed shines

  Honoured by the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.

  740 “O Blessed One, your name is ‘Nāga,’

  The best seer of the seers.

  Like a great cloud bearing rain

  You pour down on the disciples.519 [193]

  741 “Having emerged from his daytime abode

  From a desire to behold the Teacher,

  Your disciple Vaṅgīsa, O great hero,

  Bows down in worship at your feet.”

  “Had you already thought out these verses, Vaṅgīsa, or did they occur to you spontaneously?”520 <416>

  “I had not already thought out these verses, venerable sir; they occurred to me spontaneously.”

  “In that case, Vaṅgīsa, let some more verses, not already thought out, occur to you.”

  “Yes, venerable sir,” the Venerable Vaṅgīsa replied. Then he extolled the Blessed One with some more verses that had not been previously thought out:742 “Having overcome the deviant course of Māra’s path,

  You fare having demolished barrenness of mind.

  Behold him, the releaser from bondage,

  Unattached, dissecting into parts.521

  743 “For the sake of leading us across the flood

  You declared the path with its many aspects.

  The seers of Dhamma stand immovable

  In that Deathless declared by you.522 <417>

  744 “The light-maker, having pierced right through,

  Saw the transcendence of all stations;

  Having known and realized it himself,

  He taught the chief matter to the five.523

  745 “When the Dhamma has been so well taught,

  What negligence is there for those who understand it?

  Therefore, living diligent in the Blessed One’s Teaching,

  One should always reverently train in it.”

  9 Koṇḍañña

  On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then the Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña, after a very long absence, approached the Blessed One, prostrated himself with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, kissed the Blessed One’s feet, [194] stroked them with his hands, <418> and announced his name thus: “I am Koṇḍañña, Blessed One! I am Koṇḍañña, Fortunate One!”524

  Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña, after a very long absence, has approached the Blessed One … kisses the Blessed One’s feet, strokes them with his hands, and announces his name…. Let me extol the Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”

  “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses:746 “Enlightened in succession to the Buddha,

  The elder Koṇḍañña, of strong endeavour,

  Is one who gains pleasant dwellings,

  One who often gains the seclusions.525

  747 “Whatever may be attained by a disciple

  Who practises the Master’s Teaching,

  All that has been attained by him, <419>

  One who trained diligently.

  748 “Of great might, a triple-knowledge man,

  Skilled in the course of others’ minds—

  Koṇḍañña, a true heir of the Buddha,

  Pays homage at the Teacher’s feet.”526

  10 Moggallāna

  On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope, together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus all of whom were arahants. Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna searched their minds with his own mind [and saw that they were] released, without acquisitions.

  Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “The Blessed One is dwelling at Rājagaha on the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope…. Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna has searched their minds with his own mind [and seen that they are] released, without acquisitions. Let me extol the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses.” [195]

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: <420> “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”

  “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses:749 “While the sage is seated on the mountain slope,

  Gone to the far shore of suffering,

  His disciples sit in attendance on him,

  Triple-knowledge men who have left Death behind.

  750 “Moggallāna, great in spiritual power,

  Encompassed their minds with his own,

  And searching [he came to see] their minds:

  Fully released, without acquisitions!

  751 “Thus those perfect in many qualities

  Attend upon Gotama,

  The sage perfect in all respects,

  Gone to the far shore of suffering.”527

  11 Gaggarā

  On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Campā on the bank of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, seven hundred male lay followers, <421> seven hundred female lay followers, and many thousands of devatās. The Blessed One outshone them in beauty and glory.

  Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Blessed One is dwelling at Campā … and many thousands of devatās. The Blessed One outshines them in beauty and glory. Let me extol the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”

  “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”

  Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with a suitable verse: [196]752 “As the moon shines in a cloudless sky,

  As the sun shines devoid of stain,

  So you, Aṅgīrasa, O great sage,

  Outshine the whole world with your glory.”

  12 Vaṅgīsa

  <422> On one occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa had only recently attained arahantship and, while experiencing the happiness of liberation, on that occasion he recited these verses:528 753 “Drunk on poetry, I used to wander

  From village to village, town to town.

  Then I saw the Enlightened One

  And faith arose within me.529

  754 “He then taught me the Dhamma:

  Aggregates, sense bases, and elements.

  Having heard the Dhamma from him,

  I went forth into homelessness.

  755 “Indeed, for the good of many,

  The sage attained enlightenment,

  For the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs <423>

  Who have reached and seen the fixed course.530

  756 “Welcome indeed has it been for me,

  My coming into the Buddha’s presence.

  The three knowledges have been obtained,

  The Buddha’s Teaching has been
done.

  757 “I know now my past abodes,

  The divine eye is purified.

  A triple knowledge man, attained to spiritual powers,

  I am skilled in the course of others’ minds.”531

  [197] <424>

  Chapter IX

  9 Vanasaṃyutta Connected Discourses in the Woods

  1 Seclusion

  Thus have I heard. On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket. Now on that occasion, while that bhikkhu had gone for his day’s abiding, he kept on thinking evil unwholesome thoughts connected with the household life.

  Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him and addressed him in verses:758 “Desiring seclusion you entered the woods,