SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 47 Linked Discourses on Mindfulness Meditation – Satipaṭṭhānasaṁyutta > SN 47.9 Sick

Linked Discourses 47.9 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.9

1. In Ambapālī’s Wood – 1. Ambapālivagga

SN 47.9 Sick – Gilānasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the little village of Beluva.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati veḷuvagāmake.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, please enter the rainy season residence with whatever friends or acquaintances you have around Vesālī.

“etha tumhe, bhikkhave, samantā vesāliyā yathāmittaṁ yathāsandiṭṭhaṁ yathāsambhattaṁ vassaṁ upetha.

I’ll commence the rainy season residence right here in the little village of Beluva.”

Idhevāhaṁ veḷuvagāmake vassaṁ upagacchāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” those bhikkhū replied. They did as the Buddha said,

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā samantā vesāliyā yathāmittaṁ yathāsandiṭṭhaṁ yathāsambhattaṁ vassaṁ upagacchuṁ.

while the Buddha commenced the rainy season residence right there in the little village of Beluva.

Bhagavā pana tattheva veḷuvagāmake vassaṁ upagacchi.

After the Buddha had commenced the rainy season residence, he fell severely ill, struck by dreadful pains, close to death.

Atha kho bhagavato vassūpagatassa kharo ābādho uppajji, bāḷhā vedanā vattanti māraṇantikā.

But he endured unperturbed, with mindfulness and situational awareness.

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā sato sampajāno adhivāsesi avihaññamāno.

Then it occurred to the Buddha:

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:

“It would not be appropriate for me to become fully extinguished before informing my attendants and taking leave of the bhikkhu Saṅgha.

“na kho me taṁ patirūpaṁ, yohaṁ anāmantetvā upaṭṭhāke anapaloketvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ parinibbāyeyyaṁ.

Why don’t I forcefully suppress this illness, stabilize the life force, and live on?”

Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ ābādhaṁ vīriyena paṭipaṇāmetvā jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya vihareyyan”ti.

So that is what he did.

Atha kho bhagavā taṁ ābādhaṁ vīriyena paṭipaṇāmetvā jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya vihāsi.

Then the Buddha’s illness died down.

Atha kho bhagavato so ābādho paṭippassambhi.

Soon after the Buddha had recovered from that sickness, he left his dwelling and sat in the shade of the porch on the seat spread out.

Atha kho bhagavā gilānā vuṭṭhito aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā vihārā nikkhamitvā vihārapacchāyāyaṁ paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, it’s fantastic that the Buddha is comfortable,

“diṭṭho me, bhante, bhagavato phāsu;

that he’s well,

diṭṭhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato khamanīyaṁ;

and that he’s alright.

diṭṭhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato yāpanīyaṁ.

Because when the Buddha was sick, my body felt like it was drugged. I was disorientated, and the teachings didn’t spring to mind.

Api ca me, bhante, madhurakajāto viya kāyo, disāpi me na pakkhāyanti, dhammāpi maṁ nappaṭibhanti bhagavato gelaññena.

Still, at least I was consoled by the thought that

Api ca me, bhante, ahosi kācideva assāsamattā:

the Buddha won’t become fully extinguished without making some statement regarding the Saṅgha of bhikkhū.”

‘na tāva bhagavā parinibbāyissati, na yāva bhagavā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāharatī’”ti.

“But what could the bhikkhu Saṅgha expect from me now, Ānanda?

“Kiṁ pana dāni, ānanda, bhikkhusaṅgho mayi paccāsīsati?

I’ve taught the Dhamma without making any distinction between secret and public teachings.

Desito, ānanda, mayā dhammo anantaraṁ abāhiraṁ karitvā.

The Realized One doesn’t have the closed fist of a teacher when it comes to the teachings.

Natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhi.

If there’s anyone who thinks:

Yassa nūna, ānanda, evamassa:

‘I’ll take charge of the Saṅgha of bhikkhū,’ or ‘the Saṅgha of bhikkhū is meant for me,’ let them make a statement regarding the Saṅgha.

‘ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī’ti vā, ‘mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho’ti vā, so nūna, ānanda, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāhareyya.

But the Realized One doesn’t think like this,

Tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti:

‘ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī’ti vā, ‘mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho’ti vā.

so why should he make some statement regarding the Saṅgha?

Sa kiṁ, ānanda, tathāgato bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāharissati.

Now I am old, elderly and senior. I’m advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life.

Etarahi kho panāhaṁ, ānanda, jiṇṇo vuddho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto.

I’m currently eighty years old.

Āsītiko me vayo vattati.

Just as a decrepit cart keeps going by relying on straps,

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, jajjarasakaṭaṁ veḷamissakena yāpeti;

in the same way, the Realized One’s body keeps going by relying on straps, or so you’d think.

evameva kho, ānanda, veḷamissakena maññe tathāgatassa kāyo yāpeti.

Sometimes the Realized One, not focusing on any signs, and with the cessation of certain feelings, enters and remains in the signless samādhi of the heart. Only then does the Realized One’s body become more comfortable.

Yasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgato sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā ekaccānaṁ vedanānaṁ nirodhā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, phāsutaro, ānanda, tasmiṁ samaye tathāgatassa kāyo hoti.

So Ānanda, live as your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge.

Tasmātihānanda, attadīpā viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā.

And how does a bhikkhu do this?

Kathañcānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo?

It’s when a bhikkhu meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

Idhānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

vedanāsu …pe…

mind …

citte …pe…

principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

That’s how a bhikkhu lives as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge. That’s how the teaching is their island and their refuge, with no other refuge.

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo.

Whether now or after I have passed, any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the teaching as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—those bhikkhū of mine who want to train shall be among the best of the best.”

Ye hi keci, ānanda, etarahi vā mamaccaye vā attadīpā viharissanti attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā; tamatagge mete, ānanda, bhikkhū bhavissanti ye keci sikkhākāmā”ti.