SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 55 Linked Discourses on Stream-Entry – Sotāpattisaṁyutta > SN 55.8 In the Brick Hall (1st)

Linked Discourses 55.8 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.8

1. At Bamboo Gate – 1. Veḷudvāravagga

SN 55.8 In the Brick Hall (1st) – Paṭhamagiñjakāvasathasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying at Nādika in the brick house.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ñātike viharati giñjakāvasathe.

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, the monk named Sāḷha has passed away.

“Sāḷho nāma, bhante, bhikkhu kālaṅkato;

Where has he been reborn in his next life?

tassa kā gati ko abhisamparāyo?

The nun named Nandā,

Nandā nāma, bhante, bhikkhunī kālaṅkatā;

tassā kā gati ko abhisamparāyo?

the layman named Sudatta,

Sudatto nāma, bhante, upāsako kālaṅkato;

tassa kā gati ko abhisamparāyo?

and the laywoman named Sujātā have passed away.

Sujātā nāma, bhante, upāsikā kālaṅkatā;

Where have they been reborn in the next life?”

tassā kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

“Ānanda, the monk Sāḷha passed away having realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements.

“Sāḷho, ānanda, bhikkhu kālaṅkato āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

The nun Nandā passed away having ended the five lower fetters. She’s been reborn spontaneously, and will be extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.

Nandā, ānanda, bhikkhunī kālaṅkatā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyinī anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā.

The layman Sudatta passed away having ended three fetters, and weakened greed, hate, and delusion. He’s a once-returner; he will come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.

Sudatto, ānanda, upāsako kālaṅkato tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī; sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karissati.

The laywoman Sujātā passed away having ended three fetters. She’s a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.

Sujātā, ānanda, upāsikā kālaṅkatā tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā.

It’s hardly surprising that a human being should pass away.

Anacchariyaṁ kho panetaṁ, ānanda, yaṁ manussabhūto kālaṁ kareyya;

But if you should come and ask me about it each and every time someone dies that would be a bother for me.

tasmiṁ tasmiñce maṁ kālaṅkate upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipucchissatha. Vihesā pesā, ānanda, assa tathāgatassa.

So Ānanda, I will teach you the explanation of the Dhamma called ‘the mirror of the teaching’. A noble disciple who has this may declare of themselves:

Tasmātihānanda, dhammādāsaṁ nāma dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi; yena samannāgato ariyasāvako ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am bound for awakening.’

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’.

And what is that mirror of the teaching?

Katamo ca so, ānanda, dhammādāso dhammapariyāyo; yena samannāgato ariyasāvako ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’?

It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …

Idha, ānanda, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

the teaching …

Dhamme …pe…

the Saṅgha …

saṅghe …pe…

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

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.

This is that mirror of the teaching.

Ayaṁ kho so, ānanda, dhammādāso dhammapariyāyo;

A noble disciple who has this may declare of themselves:

yena samannāgato ariyasāvako ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:

‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

(The following two discourses have the same setting.)

(Tīṇipi suttantāni ekanidānāni.)