AN 6 The Book of the Sixes – Chakkanipāta > AN 6.17 Sleep

Numbered Discourses 6.17 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.17

2. Warm-hearted – 2. Sāraṇīyavagga

AN 6.17 Sleep – Soppasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.2

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, and sat down on the seat spread out.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

1.3

Venerable Sāriputta also came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.

Āyasmāpi kho sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

1.4

Venerables Mahāmoggallāna,

Āyasmāpi kho mahāmoggallāno …

1.5

Mahākassapa,

āyasmāpi kho mahākassapo …

1.6

Mahākaccāna,

āyasmāpi kho mahākaccāno …

1.7

Mahākoṭṭhita,

āyasmāpi kho mahākoṭṭhiko …

1.8

Mahācunda,

āyasmāpi kho mahācundo …

1.9

Mahākappina,

āyasmāpi kho mahākappino …

1.10

Anuruddha,

āyasmāpi kho anuruddho …

1.11

Revata,

āyasmāpi kho revato …

1.12

and Ānanda did the same.

āyasmāpi kho ānando sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

1.13

The Buddha spent most of the night sitting in meditation, then got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Atha kho bhagavā bahudeva rattiṁ nisajjāya vītināmetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

1.14

And soon after the Buddha left those venerables each went to their own dwelling.

Tepi kho āyasmanto acirapakkantassa bhagavato uṭṭhāyāsanā yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsu.

1.15

But those bhikkhū who were junior, recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training slept until the sun came up, snoring.

Ye pana tattha bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ te yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamānā supiṁsu.

1.16

The Buddha saw them doing this, with his clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman.

Addasā kho bhagavā dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena te bhikkhū yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamāne supante.

1.17

He went to the assembly hall, sat down on the seat spread out,

Disvā yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

1.18

and addressed the bhikkhū:

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

2.1

“Bhikkhū, where is Sāriputta?

“Kahaṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sāriputto?

2.2

Where are Mahāmoggallāna,

Kahaṁ mahāmoggallāno?

2.3

Mahākassapa,

Kahaṁ mahākassapo?

2.4

Mahākaccāna,

Kahaṁ mahākaccāno?

2.5

Mahākoṭṭhita,

Kahaṁ mahākoṭṭhiko?

2.6

Mahācunda,

Kahaṁ mahācundo?

2.7

Mahākappina,

Kahaṁ mahākappino?

2.8

Anuruddha,

Kahaṁ anuruddho?

2.9

Revata,

Kahaṁ revato?

2.10

and Ānanda?

Kahaṁ ānando?

2.11

Where have these senior disciples gone?”

Kahaṁ nu kho te, bhikkhave, therā sāvakā gatā”ti?

2.12

“Soon after the Buddha left those venerables each went to their own dwelling.”

“Tepi kho, bhante, āyasmanto acirapakkantassa bhagavato uṭṭhāyāsanā yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsū”ti.

2.13

“So, bhikkhū, when the senior bhikkhū left, why did you sleep until the sun came up, snoring?

“Tena no tumhe, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū nāgatāti yāva sūriyuggamanā kākacchamānā supatha?

2.14

What do you think, bhikkhū?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

2.15

Have you ever seen or heard

api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:

2.16

of an anointed aristocratic king who rules his whole life, dear and beloved to the country, while indulging in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing as much as he likes?”

‘rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ rajjaṁ kārento janapadassa vā piyo manāpo’”ti?

2.17

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

2.18

“Good, bhikkhū!

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.

2.19

I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.

Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:

2.20

‘rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ rajjaṁ kārento janapadassa vā piyo manāpo’ti.

3.1

What do you think, bhikkhū?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

3.2

Have you ever seen or heard

api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:

3.3

of an appointed official …

‘raṭṭhiko …pe…

3.4

a hereditary official …

pettaṇiko …

3.5

a general …

senāpatiko …

3.6

a village chief …

gāmagāmaṇiko …

3.7

or a guild head who runs the guild his whole life, dear and beloved to the guild, while indulging in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing as much as he likes?”

pūgagāmaṇiko yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ pūgagāmaṇikattaṁ kārento pūgassa vā piyo manāpo’”ti?

3.8

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

3.9

“Good, bhikkhū!

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.

3.10

I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.

Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:

3.11

‘pūgagāmaṇiko yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharanto yāvajīvaṁ pūgagāmaṇikattaṁ vā kārento pūgassa vā piyo manāpo’ti.

4.1

What do you think, bhikkhū?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

4.2

Have you ever seen or heard

api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:

4.3

of an ascetic or brahmin who indulges in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing as much as they like? Their sense doors are unguarded, they eat too much, they’re not dedicated to wakefulness, they’re unable to discern skillful qualities, and they don’t pursue the development of the qualities that lead to awakening in the evening and toward dawn. Yet 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.”

‘samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yāvadatthaṁ seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto indriyesu aguttadvāro bhojane amattaññū jāgariyaṁ ananuyutto avipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyutto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanto’”ti?

4.4

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

4.5

“Good, bhikkhū!

“Sādhu, bhikkhave.

4.6

I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.

Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:

4.7

5.1

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

5.2

‘We will guard our sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and pursue the development of the qualities that lead to awakening in the evening and toward dawn.’

‘indriyesu guttadvārā bhavissāma, bhojane mattaññuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttā, vipassakā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ, bhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharissāmā’ti.

5.3

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

5.4

Sattamaṁ.