AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.166 Cessation

Numbered Discourses 5.166 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.166

17. Resentment – 17. Āghātavagga

AN 5.166 Cessation – Nirodhasutta

1.1

There Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi …pe…

1.2

“Reverends, take a bhikkhu who is accomplished in ethics, samādhi, and wisdom. They might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

1.3

That is possible.

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

1.4

If they don’t reach enlightenment in this very life, then, surpassing the company of gods that consume solid food, they’re reborn in a certain host of mind-made gods. There they might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

1.5

That is possible.”

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

2.1

When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him,

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

2.2

“This is not possible, Reverend Sāriputta, it cannot happen!”

“aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

2.3

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

3.1

But for a second … and a third time Sāriputta repeated his statement.

Dutiyampi kho …pe… tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:

3.2

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

3.3

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

3.4

3.5

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

4.1

And for a third time, Udāyī said to him,

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

4.2

“This is not possible, Reverend Sāriputta, it cannot happen!”

4.3

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

5.1

Then Venerable Sāriputta thought,

Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:

5.2

“Venerable Udāyī disagrees with me three times, and not one bhikkhu agrees with me.

“yāvatatiyakampi kho me āyasmā udāyī paṭikkosati, na ca me koci bhikkhu anumodati.

5.3

Why don’t I go to see the Buddha?”

Yannūnāhaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyan”ti.

5.4

Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

5.5

and said to the bhikkhū:

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:

5.6

“Reverends, take a bhikkhu who is accomplished in ethics, samādhi, and wisdom. They might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

5.7

There is such a possibility.

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

5.8

If they don’t reach enlightenment in this very life, they’re reborn in the company of a certain host of mind-made gods, who surpass the gods that consume solid food. There they might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

5.9

That is possible.”

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

6.1

When he said this, Udāyī said to him,

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

6.2

“This is not possible, Reverend Sāriputta, it cannot happen!”

6.3

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

7.1

But for a second … and a third time Sāriputta repeated his statement.

Dutiyampi kho …pe… tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:

7.2

“idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

7.3

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

7.4

7.5

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

8.1

And for a third time, Udāyī said to him,

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

8.2

“This is not possible, Reverend Sāriputta, it cannot happen!”

8.3

natthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

9.1

Then Venerable Sāriputta thought,

Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:

9.2

“Even in front of the Buddha Venerable Udāyī disagrees with me three times, and not one bhikkhu agrees with me.

“bhagavatopi kho me sammukhā āyasmā udāyī yāvatatiyakaṁ paṭikkosati, na ca me koci bhikkhu anumodati.

9.3

I’d better stay silent.”

Yannūnāhaṁ tuṇhī assan”ti.

9.4

Then Sāriputta fell silent.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto tuṇhī ahosi.

10.1

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Udāyī,

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ āmantesi:

10.2

“But Udāyī, do you believe in a mind-made body?”

“kaṁ pana tvaṁ, udāyi, manomayaṁ kāyaṁ paccesī”ti?

10.3

“For those gods, sir, who are formless, made of perception.”

“Ye te, bhante, devā arūpino saññāmayā”ti.

10.4

“Udāyī, what has an incompetent fool like you got to say?

“Kiṁ nu kho tuyhaṁ, udāyi, bālassa abyattassa bhaṇitena.

10.5

How on earth could you imagine you’ve got something worth saying!”

Tvampi nāma bhaṇitabbaṁ maññasī”ti.

11.1

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

11.2

“Ānanda! There’s a senior bhikkhu being harassed, and you just watch it happening.

“atthi nāma, ānanda, theraṁ bhikkhuṁ vihesiyamānaṁ ajjhupekkhissatha.

11.3

Don’t you have any compassion for a senior bhikkhu who is being harassed?”

Na hi nāma, ānanda, kāruññampi bhavissati theramhi bhikkhumhi vihesiyamānamhī”ti.

12.1

Then the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

12.2

“Bhikkhū, take a bhikkhu who is accomplished in ethics, samādhi, and wisdom. They might enter into and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.

“idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi—

12.3

That is possible.

atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ.

12.4

12.5

That is possible.”

atthetaṁ ṭhānan”ti.

12.6

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

12.7

When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

13.1

Then, not long after the Buddha had left, Venerable Ānanda went to Venerable Upavāṇa and said to him,

Atha kho āyasmā ānando acirapakkantassa bhagavato yenāyasmā upavāṇo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ etadavoca:

13.2

“Reverend Upavāṇa, they’ve been harassing other senior bhikkhū,

“idhāvuso upavāṇa, aññe there bhikkhū vihesenti.

13.3

but I didn’t question them.

Mayaṁ tena na muccāma.

13.4

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Buddha makes a statement about this when he comes out of retreat later this afternoon. He might even call upon Venerable Upavāṇa himself.

Anacchariyaṁ kho, panetaṁ āvuso upavāṇa, yaṁ bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito etadeva ārabbha udāhareyya yathā āyasmantaṁyevettha upavāṇaṁ paṭibhāseyya.

13.5

And right now I feel timid.”

Idāneva amhākaṁ sārajjaṁ okkantan”ti.

13.6

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall, where he sat on the seat spread out, and said to Upavāṇa,

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena upaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ etadavoca:

14.1

“Upavāṇa, how many qualities should a senior bhikkhu have to be dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired?”

“Katihi nu kho, upavāṇa, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti?

14.2

“Sir, a senior bhikkhu with five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired.

“Pañcahi, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.

14.3

What five?

Katamehi pañcahi?

14.4

It’s when a bhikkhu is ethical, restrained in the code of conduct, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

Idha, bhante, thero bhikkhu sīlavā hoti …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu;

14.5

They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically.

bahussuto hoti …pe… diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā;

14.6

They’re a good speaker, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning.

kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā;

14.7

They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī;

14.8

They realize 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.

āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

14.9

A senior bhikkhu with these five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired.”

Imehi kho, bhante, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā”ti.

15.1

“Good, good, Upavāṇa!

“Sādhu sādhu, upavāṇa.

15.2

A senior bhikkhu with these five qualities is dear and beloved to their spiritual companions, respected and admired.

Imehi kho, upavāṇa, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.

15.3

If these five qualities are not found in a senior bhikkhu, why would their spiritual companions honor, respect, revere, or venerate them? Because of their broken teeth, gray hair, and wrinkled skin?

Ime ce, upavāṇa, pañca dhammā therassa bhikkhuno na saṁvijjeyyuṁ, taṁ sabrahmacārī na sakkareyyuṁ na garuṁ kareyyuṁ na māneyyuṁ na pūjeyyuṁ khaṇḍiccena pāliccena valittacatāya.

15.4

But since these five qualities are found in a senior bhikkhu, their spiritual companions honor, respect, revere, or venerate them.”

Yasmā ca kho, upavāṇa, ime pañca dhammā therassa bhikkhuno saṁvijjanti, tasmā taṁ sabrahmacārī sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjentī”ti.

15.5

Chaṭṭhaṁ.