SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 55 Linked Discourses on Stream-Entry – Sotāpattisaṁyutta > SN 55.21 With Mahānāma (1st)

Linked Discourses 55.21 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.21

3. About Sarakāni – 3. Saraṇānivagga

SN 55.21 With Mahānāma (1st) – Paṭhamamahānāmasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

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

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

“Sir, this Kapilavatthu is successful and prosperous and full of people, with cramped cul-de-sacs.

“idaṁ, bhante, kapilavatthu iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ sambādhabyūhaṁ.

In the late afternoon, after paying homage to the Buddha or an esteemed bhikkhu, I enter Kapilavatthu.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ vā payirupāsitvā manobhāvanīye vā bhikkhū sāyanhasamayaṁ kapilavatthuṁ pavisanto;

I encounter a stray elephant,

bhantenapi hatthinā samāgacchāmi;

horse,

bhantenapi assena samāgacchāmi;

chariot,

bhantenapi rathena samāgacchāmi;

cart,

bhantenapi sakaṭena samāgacchāmi;

or person.

bhantenapi purisena samāgacchāmi.

At that time I lose mindfulness regarding the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, tasmiṁ samaye mussateva bhagavantaṁ ārabbha sati, mussati dhammaṁ ārabbha sati, mussati saṅghaṁ ārabbha sati.

I think:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

‘If I were to die at this time, where would I be reborn in my next life?’”

‘imamhi cāhaṁ samaye kālaṁ kareyyaṁ, kā mayhaṁ gati, ko abhisamparāyo’”ti?

“Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear!

“Mā bhāyi, mahānāma, mā bhāyi, mahānāma.

Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one.

Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati apāpikā kālaṅkiriyā.

Take someone whose mind has for a long time been imbued with faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Their body consists of form, made up of the four primary elements, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to anicca, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction.

Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, dīgharattaṁ saddhāparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ sīlaparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ sutaparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ cāgaparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ paññāparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ, tassa yo hi khvāyaṁ kāyo rūpī cātumahābhūtiko mātāpettikasambhavo odanakummāsūpacayo aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammo.

Right here the crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, jackals, and many kinds of little creatures devour it.

Taṁ idheva kākā vā khādanti gijjhā vā khādanti kulalā vā khādanti sunakhā vā khādanti siṅgālā vā khādanti vividhā vā pāṇakajātā khādanti;

But their mind rises up, headed for a higher place.

yañca khvassa cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ saddhāparibhāvitaṁ …pe… paññāparibhāvitaṁ taṁ uddhagāmi hoti visesagāmi.

Suppose a person was to sink a pot of ghee or oil into a deep lake and break it open.

Seyyathāpi, mahānāma, puriso sappikumbhaṁ vā telakumbhaṁ vā gambhīraṁ udakarahadaṁ ogāhitvā bhindeyya.

Its shards and chips would sink down, while the ghee or oil in it would rise up, headed for a higher place.

Tatra yā assa sakkharā vā kaṭhalā vā sā adhogāmī assa, yañca khvassa tatra sappi vā telaṁ vā taṁ uddhagāmi assa visesagāmi.

In the same way, take someone whose mind has for a long time been imbued with faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Their body consists of form, made up of the four elements, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to anicca, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction.

Evameva kho, mahānāma, yassa kassaci dīgharattaṁ saddhāparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ …pe…

Right here the crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, jackals, and many kinds of little creatures devour it.

paññāparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ tassa yo hi khvāyaṁ kāyo rūpī cātumahābhūtiko mātāpettikasambhavo odanakummāsūpacayo aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammo taṁ idheva kākā vā khādanti gijjhā vā khādanti kulalā vā khādanti sunakhā vā khādanti siṅgālā vā khādanti vividhā vā pāṇakajātā khādanti;

But their mind rises up, headed for a higher place.

yañca khvassa cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ saddhāparibhāvitaṁ …pe… paññāparibhāvitaṁ taṁ uddhagāmi hoti visesagāmi.

Your mind, Mahānāma, has for a long time been imbued with faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.

Tuyhaṁ kho pana, mahānāma, dīgharattaṁ saddhāparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ …pe… paññāparibhāvitaṁ cittaṁ.

Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear!

Mā bhāyi, mahānāma, mā bhāyi, mahānāma.

Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one.”

Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati, apāpikā kālaṅkiriyā”ti.