SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 55 Linked Discourses on Stream-Entry – Sotāpattisaṁyutta > SN 55.3 With Dīghāvu

Linked Discourses 55.3 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.3

1. At Bamboo Gate – 1. Veḷudvāravagga

SN 55.3 With Dīghāvu – Dīghāvuupāsakasutta

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 the lay follower Dhīgāvu was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Tena kho pana samayena dīghāvu upāsako ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

Then he addressed his father, the householder Jotika,

Atha kho dīghāvu upāsako pitaraṁ jotikaṁ gahapatiṁ āmantesi:

“Please, householder, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

“ehi tvaṁ, gahapati, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vanda:

‘Sir, the lay follower Dhīgāvu is sick, suffering, gravely ill.

‘dīghāvu, bhante, upāsako ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

He bows with his head to your feet.’

So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.

And then say:

Evañca vadehi:

‘Sir, please visit him at his home out of compassion.’”

‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena dīghāvussa upāsakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

“Yes, dear,” replied Jotika. He did as Dīghāvu asked.

“Evaṁ, tātā”ti kho jotiko gahapati dīghāvussa upāsakassa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jotiko gahapati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“dīghāvu, bhante, upāsako ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati.

Evañca vadeti:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena dīghāvussa upāsakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

The Buddha consented in silence.

Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the lay follower Dīghāvu, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to him,

Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena dīghāvussa upāsakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā dīghāvuṁ upāsakaṁ etadavoca:

“I hope you’re keeping well, Dīghāvu; I hope you’re alright. I hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“kacci te, dīghāvu, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

“Sir, I’m not keeping well, I’m not alright. The pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

“Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.

“So, Dīghāvu, you should train like this:

“Tasmātiha te, dīghāvu, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

‘I will have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

‘buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato bhavissāmi—itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

the teaching …

Dhamme …pe…

the Saṅgha …

saṅghe …pe…

And I will have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to samādhi.’

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato bhavissāmi akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi’.

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi te, dīghāvu, sikkhitabban”ti.

“Sir, these four factors of stream-entry that were taught by the Buddha are found in me, and I am seen in them.

“Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā cattāri sotāpattiyaṅgāni desitāni, saṁvijjante dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmi.

For I have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

Ahañhi, bhante, buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

the teaching …

Dhamme …pe…

the Saṅgha …

saṅghe …pe…

And I have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to samādhi.”

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehī”ti.

“In that case, Dīghāvu, grounded on these four factors of stream-entry you should further develop these six things that play a part in realization.

“Tasmātiha tvaṁ, dīghāvu, imesu catūsu sotāpattiyaṅgesu patiṭṭhāya cha vijjābhāgiye dhamme uttari bhāveyyāsi.

You should meditate observing the anicca of all conditions, perceiving suffering in anicca, perceiving not-self in suffering, perceiving giving up, perceiving fading away, and perceiving cessation.

Idha tvaṁ, dīghāvu, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharāhi, anicce dukkhasaññī, dukkhe anattasaññī pahānasaññī virāgasaññī nirodhasaññīti.

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi te, dīghāvu, sikkhitabban”ti.

“These six things that play a part in realization that were taught by the Buddha are found in me, and I embody them.

“Yeme, bhante, bhagavatā cha vijjābhāgiyā dhammā desitā, saṁvijjante dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmi.

For I meditate observing the anicca of all conditions, perceiving suffering in anicca, perceiving not-self in suffering, perceiving giving up, perceiving fading away, and perceiving cessation.

Ahañhi, bhante, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharāmi, anicce dukkhasaññī, dukkhe anattasaññī pahānasaññī virāgasaññī nirodhasaññī.

But still, sir, I think,

Api ca me, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

‘I hope Jotika doesn’t suffer anguish when I’ve gone.’”

‘mā hevāyaṁ jotiko gahapati mamaccayena vighātaṁ āpajjī’”ti.

Jotika said, “Dear Dīghāvu, don’t focus on that.

“Mā tvaṁ, tāta dīghāvu, evaṁ manasākāsi.

Come on, dear Dīghāvu, you should closely focus on what the Buddha is saying.”

Iṅgha tvaṁ, tāta dīghāvu, yadeva te bhagavā āha, tadeva tvaṁ sādhukaṁ manasi karohī”ti.

When the Buddha had given this advice he got up from his seat and left.

Atha kho bhagavā dīghāvuṁ upāsakaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

Not long after the Buddha left, Dīghāvu passed away.

Atha kho dīghāvu upāsako acirapakkantassa bhagavato kālamakāsi.

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

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Sir, the lay follower named Dīghāvu, who was advised in brief by the Buddha, has passed away.

“yo so, bhante, dīghāvu nāma upāsako bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito so kālaṅkato.

Where has he been reborn in his next life?”

Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

“Bhikkhū, the lay follower Dīghāvu was astute. He practiced in line with the teachings, and did not trouble me about the teachings.

“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, dīghāvu upāsako, paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ vihesesi.

With the ending of the five lower fetters, he’s been reborn spontaneously, and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.”

Dīghāvu, bhikkhave, upāsako pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā”ti.