MN 132 Ānanda and One Fine Night – Ānandabhaddekarattasutta

Medium Discourses Collection 132 – Majjhima Nikāya 132

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

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

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

2.1

Now at that time Venerable Ānanda was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the bhikkhū in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the recitation passage and analysis of One Fine Night.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca bhāsati.

2.2

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

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

2.3

and addressed the bhikkhū,

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

2.4

“Who was inspiring the bhikkhū with a talk on the recitation passage and analysis of One Fine Night?”

“ko nu kho, bhikkhave, upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti?

2.5

“It was Venerable Ānanda, sir.”

“Āyasmā, bhante, ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti.

2.6

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

2.7

“But in what way were you inspiring the bhikkhū with a talk on the recitation passage and analysis of One Fine Night?”

“yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti?

3.1

“I was doing so in this way, sir,” replied Ānanda.

“Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsiṁ—

3.2

“Don’t run back to the past,

Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,

3.3

don’t hope for the future.

nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;

3.4

What’s past is left behind;

Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,

3.5

the future has not arrived;

appattañca anāgataṁ.

3.6

and phenomena in the present

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,

3.7

are clearly seen in every case.

tattha tattha vipassati;

3.8

Knowing this, foster it—

Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,

3.9

unfaltering, unshakable.

taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

3.10

Today’s the day to keenly work—

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,

3.11

who knows, tomorrow may bring death!

ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;

3.12

For there is no bargain to be struck

Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,

3.13

with Death and his mighty hordes.

mahāsenena maccunā.

3.14

The peaceful sage explained it’s those

Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,

3.15

who keenly meditate like this,

ahorattamatanditaṁ;

3.16

tireless all night and day,

Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,

3.17

who truly have that one fine night.”

santo ācikkhate muni.

4.1

(Ānanda went on to repeat the analysis as in the previous discourse, MN 131.)

‘Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti?

4.2

Evaṁrūpo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁvedano ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁsañño ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁsaṅkhāro ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁviññāṇo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti—

4.3

evaṁ kho, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti.

5.1

Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti?

5.2

Evaṁrūpo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁvedano ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁsañño ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁsaṅkhāro ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁviññāṇo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti—

5.3

evaṁ kho, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti.

6.1

Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati?

6.2

Evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁvedano siyaṁ …pe…

6.3

evaṁsañño siyaṁ …

6.4

evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ …

6.5

evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti—

6.6

evaṁ kho, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati.

7.1

Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati?

7.2

Evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁvedano siyaṁ …pe…

7.3

evaṁsañño siyaṁ …

7.4

evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ …

7.5

evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti—

7.6

evaṁ kho, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati.

8.1

Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati?

8.2

Idha, āvuso, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto

8.3

rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ;

8.4

vedanaṁ …

8.5

saññaṁ …

8.6

saṅkhāre …

8.7

viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ—

8.8

evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati.

9.1

Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati?

9.2

Idha, āvuso, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto

9.3

na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ;

9.4

na vedanaṁ …

9.5

na saññaṁ …

9.6

na saṅkhāre …

9.7

na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ—

9.8

evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

10.1

Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,

10.2

nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;

10.3

Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,

10.4

appattañca anāgataṁ.

10.5

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,

10.6

tattha tattha vipassati;

10.7

Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,

10.8

taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

10.9

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,

10.10

ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;

10.11

Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,

10.12

mahāsenena maccunā.

10.13

Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,

10.14

ahorattamatanditaṁ;

10.15

Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,

10.16

santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

11.1

“That’s how I was inspiring the bhikkhū with a talk on the recitation passage and analysis of One Fine Night.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsin”ti.

11.2

“Good, good, Ānanda.

“Sādhu sādhu, ānanda.

11.3

It’s good that you were inspiring the bhikkhū with a talk on the recitation passage and analysis of One Fine Night.”

Sādhu kho tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:

12.1

‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,

12.2

…pe…

12.3

Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,

12.4

santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

13-19.1

(And the Buddha repeated the verses and analysis once more.)

Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti …pe…

13-19.2

evaṁ kho, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti.

13-19.3

Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ nānvāgameti …pe…

13-19.4

evaṁ kho, ānanda, atītaṁ nānvāgameti.

13-19.5

Kathañca, ānanda, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati …pe…

13-19.6

evaṁ kho, ānanda, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati.

13-19.7

Kathañca, ānanda, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati …pe…

13-19.8

evaṁ kho, ānanda, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati.

13-19.9

Kathañca, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati …pe…

13-19.10

evaṁ kho, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati.

13-19.11

Kathañca, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati …pe…

13-19.12

evaṁ kho, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

13-19.13

‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,

13-19.14

…pe…

13-19.15

Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,

13-19.16

santo ācikkhate munī’”ti.

13-19.17

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

13-19.18

Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda was happy with what the Buddha said.

Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

13-19.19

Ānandabhaddekarattasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.