SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 9 Connected Discourses in the Woods – Vanasaṁyutta > SN 9.5 With Ānanda

Linked Discourses 9.5 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.5

1. In the Woods – 1. Vanavagga

SN 9.5 With Ānanda – Ānandasutta

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

Now at that time Ānanda was spending too much time informing the lay people.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando ativelaṁ gihisaññattibahulo viharati.

Then the deity haunting that forest had compassion for Ānanda, wanting what’s best for him. So they approached him wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmato ānandassa anukampikā atthakāmā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“You’ve left for the jungle, the root of a tree,

“Rukkhamūlagahanaṁ pasakkiya,

with quenching in your heart.

Nibbānaṁ hadayasmiṁ opiya;

Practice absorption, Gotama, don’t be negligent!

Jhāya gotama mā pamādo,

What is this hullabaloo to you?”

Kiṁ te biḷibiḷikā karissatī”ti.

Impelled by that deity, Venerable Ānanda was struck with a sense of urgency.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.