‘As the directed-thought and evaluation are stilled, a monk enters and remains in the second jhāna, which has the rapture and pleasure born of undistractible-lucidity, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without directing-thought and evaluation.
And so, as the directed-thought and evaluation were stilled, I was entering and remaining in the second jhāna, which has the rapture and pleasure born of undistractible-lucidity, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without directing-thought and evaluation.
‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna! Don’t neglect noble silence, brahmin! Settle your mind in noble silence; unify your mind and bring it to undistractible-lucidity in noble silence.’
“Even if the Teacher were to decay and perish? Wouldn’t that give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress in you?”
“Satthupi kho me, āvuso, vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjeyyuṃ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā, api ca me evamassa:
“Even if the Teacher were to decay and perish, that wouldn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress in me. Still, I would think:
If the Buddha was to remain for a long time, that would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.’”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṃ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā.
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated ego, possessiveness, and the underlying tendency to conceit.
‘Moggallāna, it’s when a monk lives with energy roused up:
kāmaṃ taco ca nhāru ca aṭṭhi ca avasissatu, sarīre upassussatu maṃsalohitaṃ, yaṃ taṃ purisathāmena purisavīriyena purisaparakkamena pattabbaṃ na taṃ apāpuṇitvā vīriyassa saṇṭhānaṃ bhavissatīti.
“Gladly, let only skin, sinews, and bones remain! Let the flesh and blood waste away in my body! I will not stop trying until I have achieved what is possible by manly strength, energy, and vigor.”
Āyasmā hi sāriputto bhagavatā anekapariyāyena thomito vaṇṇito pasattho:
Venerable Sāriputta has been commended, complimented, and praised by the Buddha:
‘Sāriputtova paññāya,
‘In wisdom,
sīlena upasamena ca;
ethics, and peace,
Yopi pāraṅgato bhikkhu,
any monk who has gone beyond
etāvaparamo siyā’”ti.
can at best equal Sāriputta.’”
Itiha te ubho mahānāgā aññamaññassa subhāsitaṃ sulapitaṃ samanumodiṃsūti.
And so these two spiritual giants agreed with each others’ fine words.
❧
SN 21.4 Nava: A Junior monk
4. Navasutta
4. A Junior monk
Sāvatthiyaṃ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
Tena kho pana samayena aññataro navo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṃ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṃ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyati, na bhikkhūnaṃ veyyāvaccaṃ karoti cīvarakārasamaye.
Now at that time a certain junior monk, after his meal, on his return from alms-round, entered his dwelling, where he adhered to passivity and silence. And he didn’t help the monks out when it was time to sew robes.
“Yes, reverend,” that monk replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“saccaṃ kira tvaṃ, bhikkhu, pacchābhattaṃ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṃ pavisitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto saṅkasāyasi, na bhikkhūnaṃ veyyāvaccaṃ karosi cīvarakārasamaye”ti?
“Is it really true, monk, that after your meal, on your return from alms-round, you entered your dwelling, where you adhered to passivity and silence, and you didn’t help the monks out when it was time to sew robes?”
This monk gets the four jhānas—pleasureful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when he wants, without trouble or difficulty. He has realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
He’s attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
Idamavoca bhagavā … pe …
That is what the Buddha said.
satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Sobhati vatāyaṃ bhikkhu,
“This monk is truly beautiful.
ujubhūtena cetasā;
His heart is upright,
Vippayutto visaṃyutto,
he’s unfettered, detached,
anupādāya nibbuto;
nirvāṇa'd by not grasping.
Dhāreti antimaṃ dehaṃ,
He carries his final body,
jetvā māraṃ savāhinin”ti.
having defeated Māra and his mount.”
SN 21.6 Lakuṇḍakabhaddiya: With Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya
And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
Now at that time Venerable Visākha, Pañcāli’s son, was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the monks in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk. His words were polished, clear, articulate, expressing the meaning, comprehensive, and independent.
It’s good that you educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire the monks in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk, with words that are polished, clear, articulate, expressing the meaning, comprehensive, and independent.”
Then Venerable Nanda—the Buddha’s cousin on his mother’s side—dressed in nicely pressed and ironed robes, applied eyeshadow, and took a polished black bowl. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“Nanda, as a son of a good family who has gone forth in faith from the lay life to homelessness, it’s not appropriate for you to dress in nicely pressed and ironed robes, apply eyeshadow, and carry a polished black bowl.
Etaṃ kho te, nanda, patirūpaṃ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitassa, yaṃ tvaṃ āraññiko ca assasi, piṇḍapātiko ca paṃsukūliko ca kāmesu ca anapekkho vihareyyāsī”ti.
It’s appropriate for you to stay in the wilderness, eat only alms-food, wear rag robes, and live without concern for sensual pleasures.”
Idamavoca bhagavā … pe …
That is what the Buddha said.
satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Kadāhaṃ nandaṃ passeyyaṃ,
“When will I see Nanda
āraññaṃ paṃsukūlikaṃ;
in the wilderness, wearing rag robes,
Aññātuñchena yāpentaṃ,
feeding on scraps offered by strangers,
kāmesu anapekkhinan”ti.
unconcerned for sensual pleasures?”
Atha kho āyasmā nando aparena samayena āraññiko ca piṇḍapātiko ca paṃsukūliko ca kāmesu ca anapekkho vihāsīti.
Then some time later Venerable Nanda stayed in the wilderness, ate only alms-food, wore rag robes, and lived without concern for sensual pleasures.
Then Venerable Tissa—the Buddha’s cousin on his father’s side—went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. He was miserable and sad, with tears flowing. Then the Buddha said to him:
“Tissa, why are you sitting there so miserable and sad, with tears flowing?”
“Tathā hi pana maṃ, bhante, bhikkhū samantā vācāyasannitodakena sañjambharimakaṃsū”ti.
“Sir, it’s because the monks on all sides provoke me with barbed words.”
“Tathāhi pana tvaṃ, tissa, vattā no ca vacanakkhamo;
“That’s because you admonish others, but don’t accept admonition yourself.
na kho te taṃ, tissa, patirūpaṃ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitassa, yaṃ tvaṃ vattā no ca vacanakkhamo.
As a son of a good family who has gone forth in faith from the lay life to homelessness, it’s not appropriate for you to admonish others without accepting admonition yourself.
And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
And they’ve realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. They live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.
Idaṃ vatvāna sugato athāparaṃ etadavoca satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Sahāyāvatime bhikkhū,
“These companion monks
cirarattaṃ sametikā;
have been together for a long time.
Sameti nesaṃ saddhammo,
The true Dharma has brought them together,
dhamme buddhappavedite.
The Dharma proclaimed by the Buddha.
Suvinītā kappinena,
They’ve been well trained by Kappina
dhamme ariyappavedite;
in The Dharma proclaimed by the noble one.
Dhārenti antimaṃ dehaṃ,
They bear their final body,
jetvā māraṃ savāhinin”ti.
having defeated Māra and his mount.”
Bhikkhusaṃyuttaṃ samattaṃ.
The Linked Discourses on monks are complete.
Nidānavaggasaṃyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.
The Book of Causality is finished.
end of section [21..1.. - SN 21 vagga 1 Bhikkhu: Monks]❧
§ – Khandha-vaggo: aggregates chapter (3 of 5)
SN-q 22 - SN 22 Khandha Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses on the Aggregates SN-q 23 - SN 23 Rādhā Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Rādhā SN-q 24 - SN 24 Diṭṭhi Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses on Views SN-q 25 - SN 25 Okkantika Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses on Entering SN-q 26 - SN 26 Uppāda Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses on Arising SN-q 27 - SN 27 Kilesa Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses on Defilements SN-q 28 - SN 28 Sāriputta Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Sāriputta SN-q 29 - SN 29 Nāga Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Nāgas SN-q 30 - SN 30 Supaṇṇa Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Supaṇṇas SN-q 31 - SN 31 Gandhabba Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Gandhabbas SN-q 32 - SN 32 Valāhaka Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Cloud Devas SN-q 33 - SN 33 Vacchagotta Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses with Vacchagotta SN-q 34 - SN 34 Jhāna Saṃyutta: Connected Discourses on the Jhānas