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Linked Discourses 22.87 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.87
9. Senior Bhikkhū – 9. Theravagga
SN 22.87 With Vakkali – Vakkalisutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Now at that time Venerable Vakkali was staying in a potter’s shed, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā vakkali kumbhakāranivesane viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
Then he addressed his carers,
Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
“Please, reverends, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:
“etha tumhe, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha:
‘Sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is sick, suffering, and gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’
‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.
And then say:
Evañca vadetha:
‘Sir, please go to the bhikkhu Vakkali out of compassion.’”
‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.
“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied. They did as he asked.
“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno, so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati;
evañca pana vadeti:
‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.
The Buddha consented in silence.
Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
Then the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robes, went to Venerable Vakkali.
Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkami.
Venerable Vakkali saw the Buddha coming off in the distance and tried to rise on his cot.
Addasā kho āyasmā vakkali bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi.
But the Buddha said to him,
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavoca:
“It’s all right, Vakkali, don’t get up.
“alaṁ, vakkali, mā tvaṁ mañcake samadhosi.
There are some seats spread out, I will sit there.”
Santimāni āsanāni paññattāni; tatthāhaṁ nisīdissāmī”ti.
He sat on the seat spread out and said to Vakkali,
Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavoca:
“I hope you’re keeping well, Vakkali; I hope you’re alright. And I hope the pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”
“kacci te, vakkali, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?
“Sir, I’m not all right, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is apparent, not its fading.”
“Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ; bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.
“I hope you don’t have any remorse or regret?”
“Kacci te, vakkali, na kiñci kukkuccaṁ, na koci vippaṭisāro”ti?
“Indeed, sir, I have no little remorse and regret.”
“Taggha me, bhante, anappakaṁ kukkuccaṁ, anappako vippaṭisāro”ti.
“I hope you have no reason to blame yourself when it comes to ethical conduct?”
“Kacci pana taṁ, vakkali, attā sīlato na upavadatī”ti?
“No sir, I have no reason to blame myself when it comes to ethical conduct.”
“Na kho maṁ, bhante, attā sīlato upavadatī”ti.
“In that case, Vakkali, why do you have remorse and regret?”
“No ce kira taṁ, vakkali, attā sīlato upavadati; atha kiñca te kukkuccaṁ ko ca vippaṭisāro”ti?
“For a long time I’ve wanted to go and see the Buddha, but I was physically too weak.”
“Cirapaṭikāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamitukāmo, natthi ca me kāyasmiṁ tāvatikā balamattā, yāvatāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkameyyan”ti.
“Enough, Vakkali! Why would you want to see this rotten body?
“Alaṁ, vakkali, kiṁ te iminā pūtikāyena diṭṭhena?
One who sees the teaching sees me.
Yo kho, vakkali, dhammaṁ passati so maṁ passati;
One who sees me sees the teaching.
yo maṁ passati so dhammaṁ passati.
Seeing the teaching, you see me.
Dhammañhi, vakkali, passanto maṁ passati;
Seeing me, you see the teaching.
maṁ passanto dhammaṁ passati.
What do you think, Vakkali?
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, vakkali,
Is form permanent or anicca?”
rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Anicca, sir.”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“But if it’s anicca, is it suffering or happiness?”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“Suffering, sir.”
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“But if it’s anicca, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
“No, sir.”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Is feeling …
“Vedanā …
perception …
saññā …
saṅkhāra …
saṅkhārā …
consciousness permanent or anicca?”
viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Anicca, sir.” …
“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…
eso me attāti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“So you should truly see …
“Tasmātiha …pe…
Seeing this …
evaṁ passaṁ …pe…
They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’”
nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.
And then, after giving Venerable Vakkali this advice, the Buddha got up from his seat and went to the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena gijjhakūṭo pabbato tena pakkāmi.
Then Venerable Vakkali addressed his carers,
Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantassa bhagavato upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
“Come on, reverends, lift my cot and take me to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili.
“etha maṁ, āvuso, mañcakaṁ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamatha.
It’s unthinkable for one like me to die in an inhabited area!”
Kathañhi nāma mādiso antaraghare kālaṁ kattabbaṁ maññeyyā”ti?
“Yes, reverend,” replied those bhikkhū, and did as he asked.
“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.
Meanwhile, the Buddha spent the rest of that night and day on Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
Atha kho bhagavā tañca rattiṁ tañca divāvasesaṁ gijjhakūṭe pabbate vihāsi.
Then, late at night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.
Atha kho dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
One deity said to him,
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is intent on liberation!”
“vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī”ti.
And another deity said to him,
Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“He’ll definitely be well-freed!”
“so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī”ti.
This is what those deities said.
Idamavocuṁ tā devatāyo.
Then they bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right side, before vanishing right there.
Idaṁ vatvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:
Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Come, bhikkhū, go to the bhikkhu Vakkali and tell him:
“etha tumhe, bhikkhave, yena vakkali bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā vakkaliṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadetha:
‘Vakkali, hear the word of the Buddha and two deities.
‘Suṇāvuso tvaṁ, vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṁ dvinnañca devatānaṁ.
Late last night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.
Imaṁ, āvuso, rattiṁ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
One deity said to him,
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—
“Sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is intent on liberation!”
vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetīti.
And another deity said to him,
Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—
“He’ll definitely be well-freed!”
so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatīti.
And the Buddha said,
Bhagavā ca taṁ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha—
“Do not fear, Vakkali,
mā bhāyi, vakkali;
do not fear!
mā bhāyi, vakkali.
Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one.”’”
Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’”ti.
“Yes, sir,” those monks replied. They went to Vakkali and said to him:
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā vakkali tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ etadavocuṁ:
“Vakkali, hear the word of the Buddha and two deities.”
“suṇāvuso vakkali, bhagavato vacanaṁ dvinnañca devatānan”ti.
Then Vakkali addressed his carers,
Atha kho āyasmā vakkali upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:
“Please, reverends, help me off my cot.
“etha maṁ, āvuso, mañcakā oropetha.
It’s unthinkable for one like me to listen to the Buddha’s instructions sitting on a high seat.”
Kathañhi nāma mādiso ucce āsane nisīditvā tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ sotabbaṁ maññeyyā”ti.
“Yes, reverend,” replied those bhikkhū, and helped him off his cot.
“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ mañcakā oropesuṁ.
They repeated what the Buddha had said.
“Imaṁ, āvuso, rattiṁ dve devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā …pe… ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, āvuso, ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu vimokkhāya cetetī’ti.
Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
‘so hi nūna, bhante, suvimutto vimuccissatī’ti.
Bhagavā ca taṁ, āvuso vakkali, evamāha:
‘mā bhāyi, vakkali;
mā bhāyi, vakkali.
Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālakiriyā’”ti.
Vakkali said, “Well then, reverends, in my name bow with your head at the Buddha’s feet. Say to him:
“Tena hāvuso, mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha:
‘Sir, the bhikkhu Vakkali is sick, suffering, gravely ill.
‘vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
He bows with his head to your feet.’
So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.
And then say:
Evañca vadetha:
‘Form is anicca.
‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ.
I have no doubt of that.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
I’m certain that what is anicca is suffering.
Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
And I’m certain that I have no desire or greed or fondness for what is anicca, suffering, and perishable.
Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.
Feeling is anicca …
Vedanā aniccā.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.
Perception is anicca …
Saññā …
Saṅkhāra are anicca …
saṅkhārā aniccā.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.
Consciousness is anicca.
Viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ.
I have no doubt of that.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
I’m certain that what is anicca is suffering.
Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
And I’m certain that I have no desire or greed or fondness for what is anicca, suffering, and perishable.’”
Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmī’”ti.
“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied, and left.
“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato vakkalissa paṭissutvā pakkamiṁsu.
And then, not long after those bhikkhū had left, Venerable Vakkali slit his wrists.
Atha kho āyasmā vakkali acirapakkantesu tesu bhikkhūsu satthaṁ āharesi.
Then those senior bhikkhū went up to the Buddha and told him Vakkali’s message.
Atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“vakkali, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno;
so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati;
evañca vadeti:
‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmi.
Vedanā …
saññā …
saṅkhārā …
viññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, na kaṅkhāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhanti na vicikicchāmi.
Yadaniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, natthi me tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vāti na vicikicchāmī’”ti.
Then the Buddha said to the bhikkhū,
Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Come, bhikkhū, let’s go to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili,
“āyāma, bhikkhave, yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkamissāma;
where Vakkali, the gentleman, slit his wrists.”
yattha vakkalinā kulaputtena satthamāharitan”ti.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
Then the Buddha together with several bhikkhū went to the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili.
Atha kho bhagavā sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ yena isigilipassaṁ kāḷasilā tenupasaṅkami.
The Buddha saw Vakkali off in the distance lying on his cot, having cast off the aggregates.
Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ vakkaliṁ dūratova mañcake vivattakkhandhaṁ semānaṁ.
Now at that time a cloud of black smoke was moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between.
Tena kho pana samayena dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati pacchimaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uttaraṁ disaṁ, gacchati dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ, gacchati uddhaṁ disaṁ, gacchati adho disaṁ, gacchati anudisaṁ.
The Buddha said to the bhikkhū,
Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Bhikkhū, do you see that cloud of black smoke moving east, west, north, south, above, below, and in-between?”
“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ dhūmāyitattaṁ timirāyitattaṁ gacchateva purimaṁ disaṁ …pe… gacchati anudisan”ti.
“Yes, sir.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“That’s Māra the Wicked searching for Vakkali’s consciousness, wondering:
“Eso kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ samanvesati:
‘Where is Vakkali’s consciousness established?’
‘kattha vakkalissa kulaputtassa viññāṇaṁ patiṭṭhitan’ti?
But since his consciousness is not established, Vakkali is extinguished.”
Appatiṭṭhitena ca, bhikkhave, viññāṇena vakkali kulaputto parinibbuto”ti.