SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 54 Linked Discourses on Ānāpāna – Ānāpānasaṁyutta > SN 54.9 At Vesālī

Linked Discourses 54.9 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 54.9

1. One Thing – 1. Ekadhammavagga

SN 54.9 At Vesālī – Vesālīsutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

Now at that time the Buddha spoke in many ways to the bhikkhū about the meditation on ugliness. He praised the meditation on ugliness and its development.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ anekapariyāyena asubhakathaṁ katheti, asubhāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, asubhabhāvanāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.

Then the Buddha said to the bhikkhū,

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, I wish to go on retreat for a fortnight.

“icchāmahaṁ, bhikkhave, aḍḍhamāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ.

No-one should approach me, except for the one who brings my almsfood.”

Nāmhi kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakenā”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied those bhikkhū. And no-one approached him, except for the one who brought the almsfood.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā nāssudha koci bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.

Then those bhikkhū thought,

Atha kho te bhikkhū:

“The Buddha spoke in many ways about the meditation on ugliness. He praised the meditation on ugliness and its development.” They committed themselves to developing the many different facets of the meditation on ugliness.

“bhagavā anekapariyāyena asubhakathaṁ katheti, asubhāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, asubhabhāvanāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsatī”ti anekākāravokāraṁ asubhabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti.

Becoming horrified, repelled, and disgusted with this body, they looked for someone to slit their wrists.

Te iminā kāyena aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti.

Each day ten, twenty, or thirty bhikkhū slit their wrists.

Dasapi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti, vīsampi …pe… tiṁsampi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti.

Then after a fortnight had passed, the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda,

Atha kho bhagavā tassa aḍḍhamāsassa accayena paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

“Ānanda, why does the bhikkhu Saṅgha seem so diminished?”

“kiṁ nu kho, ānanda, tanubhūto viya bhikkhusaṅgho”ti?

Ānanda told the Buddha all that had happened, and said,

“Tathā hi pana, bhante, ‘bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ anekapariyāyena asubhakathaṁ katheti, asubhāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, asubhabhāvanāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsatī’ti anekākāravokāraṁ asubhabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti.

Te iminā kāyena aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti.

Dasapi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti, vīsampi bhikkhū … tiṁsampi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti.

“Sir, please explain another way for the bhikkhu Saṅgha to get enlightened.”

Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā aññaṁ pariyāyaṁ ācikkhatu yathāyaṁ bhikkhusaṅgho aññāya saṇṭhaheyyā”ti.

“Well then, Ānanda, gather all the bhikkhū staying in the vicinity of Vesālī together in the assembly hall.”

“Tenahānanda, yāvatikā bhikkhū vesāliṁ upanissāya viharanti te sabbe upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannipātehī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. He did what the Buddha asked, went up to him, and said,

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā yāvatikā bhikkhū vesāliṁ upanissāya viharanti te sabbe upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannipātetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, the bhikkhu Saṅgha has assembled.

“sannipatito, bhante, bhikkhusaṅgho.

Please, sir, come at your convenience.”

Yassadāni, bhante, bhagavā kālaṁ maññatī”ti.

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

Atha kho bhagavā yena upaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

and addressed the bhikkhū:

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, when this samādhi due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.

“ayampi kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti.

In the last month of summer, when the dust and dirt is stirred up, a large sudden storm disperses and settles it on the spot.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ūhataṁ rajojallaṁ, tamenaṁ mahāakālamegho ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti;

In the same way, when this samādhi due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti.

And how is it so developed and cultivated?

Kathaṁ bhāvito ca, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti?

It’s when a bhikkhu—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, with their body straight, and focuses their mindfulness right there.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. …

So satova assasati, satova passasati …pe…

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’

‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati.

That’s how this samādhi due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated so that it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.”

Evaṁ bhāvito kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi evaṁ bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasametī”ti.