AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.159 Nun

Numbered Discourses 4.159 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.159

16. Faculties – 16. Indriyavagga

AN 4.159 Nun – Bhikkhunīsutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

1.3

And then a certain nun addressed a man,

Atha kho aññatarā bhikkhunī aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi:

1.4

“Please, mister, go to Venerable Ānanda, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

“ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yenayyo ānando tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena ayyassa ānandassa pāde sirasā vanda:

1.5

‘Sir, the nun named so-and-so is sick, suffering, and gravely ill.

‘itthannāmā, bhante, bhikkhunī ābādhikinī dukkhitā bāḷhagilānā.

1.6

She bows with her head to your feet.’ And then say:

Sā ayyassa ānandassa pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadehi:

1.7

‘Sir, please go to the nuns’ quarters to visit that nun out of compassion.’”

‘sādhu kira, bhante, ayyo ānando yena bhikkhunupassayo yena sā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

1.8

“Yes, ma’am,” that man replied. He did as the nun asked.

“Evaṁ, ayye”ti kho so puriso tassā bhikkhuniyā paṭissutvā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“Itthannāmā, bhante, bhikkhunī ābādhikinī dukkhitā bāḷhagilānā.

2.2

Sā āyasmato ānandassa pāde sirasā vandati, evañca vadeti:

2.3

‘sādhu kira, bhante, āyasmā ānando yena bhikkhunupassayo yena sā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

2.4

Ānanda consented in silence.

Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā ānando tuṇhībhāvena.

3.1

Then Ānanda robed up and went to the nuns’ quarters to visit that nun, taking his bowl and robe.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena bhikkhunupassayo yena sā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami.

3.2

That nun saw Ānanda coming off in the distance.

Addasā kho sā bhikkhunī āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.

3.3

She wrapped herself up from head to foot and laid down on her cot.

Disvā sasīsaṁ pārupitvā mañcake nipajji.

3.4

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to her, and sat down on the seat spread out. Then Ānanda said to the nun:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena sā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā ānando taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca:

4.1

“Sister, this body is produced by food. Relying on food,

“Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya.

4.2

you should give up food.

Āhāro pahātabbo.

4.3

This body is produced by craving. Relying on craving,

Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya.

4.4

you should give up craving.

Taṇhā pahātabbā.

4.5

This body is produced by conceit. Relying on conceit,

Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo mānaṁ nissāya.

4.6

you should give up conceit.

Māno pahātabbo.

4.7

This body is produced by sex.

Methunasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo.

4.8

The Buddha spoke of breaking off everything to do with sex.

Methune ca setughāto vutto bhagavatā.

5.1

‘This body is produced by food. Relying on food,

‘Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya.

5.2

you should give up food.’ This is what I said,

Āhāro pahātabbo’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

5.3

but why did I say it?

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

5.4

Take a bhikkhu who reflects properly on the food that they eat:

Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti:

5.5

‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will live blamelessly and at ease.’

‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya. Iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi. Yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

5.6

After some time, relying on food, they give up food.

So aparena samayena āhāraṁ nissāya āhāraṁ pajahati.

5.7

‘Āhārasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo āhāraṁ nissāya āhāro pahātabbo’ti,

5.8

That’s why I said what I said.

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

6.1

‘This body is produced by craving. Relying on craving,

‘Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya.

6.2

you should give up craving.’ This is what I said,

Taṇhā pahātabbā’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

6.3

but why did I say it?

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

6.4

Take a bhikkhu who hears this:

Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu suṇāti:

6.5

‘They say that the bhikkhu named so-and-so has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

6.6

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

6.7

‘Oh, when will I too realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. …’

‘kudāssu nāma ahampi āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissāmī’ti.

6.8

After some time, relying on craving, they give up craving.

So aparena samayena taṇhaṁ nissāya taṇhaṁ pajahati.

6.9

‘Taṇhāsambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo taṇhaṁ nissāya taṇhā pahātabbā’ti,

6.10

That's why I said what I said.

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

7.1

‘This body is produced by conceit. Relying on conceit,

‘Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo mānaṁ nissāya.

7.2

you should give up conceit.’ This is what I said,

Māno pahātabbo’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

7.3

but why did I say it?

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

7.4

Take a bhikkhu who hears this:

Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu suṇāti:

7.5

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

7.6

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

7.7

‘Well, that venerable can realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. …

‘so hi nāma āyasmā āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissati;

7.8

Why can’t I?’

kimaṅgaṁ panāhan’ti.

7.9

After some time, relying on conceit, they give up conceit.

So aparena samayena mānaṁ nissāya mānaṁ pajahati.

7.10

‘Mānasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo, mānaṁ nissāya māno pahātabbo’ti,

7.11

That’s why I said what I said.

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

8.1

‘This body is produced by sex.

Methunasambhūto ayaṁ, bhagini, kāyo.

8.2

The Buddha spoke of breaking off everything to do with sex.’”

Methune ca setughāto vutto bhagavatā”ti.

9.1

Then that nun rose from her cot, placed her robe over one shoulder, bowed with her head at Ānanda’s feet, and said,

Atha kho sā bhikkhunī mañcakā vuṭṭhahitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā āyasmato ānandassa pādesu sirasā nipatitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

9.2

“I have made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me to act in that way.

“accayo maṁ, bhante, accagamā, yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yāhaṁ evamakāsiṁ.

9.3

Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I can restrain myself in future.”

Tassā me, bhante, ayyo ānando accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu, āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.

9.4

“Indeed, sister, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you to act in that way.

“Taggha taṁ, bhagini, accayo accagamā, yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yā tvaṁ evamakāsi.

9.5

But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it.

Yato ca kho tvaṁ, bhagini, accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikarosi, taṁ te mayaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma.

9.6

For it is growth in the training of the Noble One to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future.”

Vuddhi hesā, bhagini, ariyassa vinaye yo accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikaroti āyatiṁ saṁvaraṁ āpajjatī”ti.

9.7

Navamaṁ.