Saṃyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is such a behemoth, sir! And as a behemoth, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”

Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is truly tamed, sir! And as someone tamed, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”

Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence: “See, his immersion is so well developed, and his mind is so well freed—not leaning forward or pulling back, and not held in place by forceful suppression. If anyone imagines that they can overcome such an elephant of a man, a lion of a man, a thoroughbred of a man, a boss bull of a man, a behemoth of a man, a tamed man—what is that but a failure to see?”

“Learned in the five branches of Vedic lore, brahmins practice fervent mortification <j>for a full century. But their minds are not properly freed, for those of base character don’t cross to the far shore.

Seized by craving, <j>attached to precept and observance, they practice rough and fervent mortification <j>for a hundred years. But their minds are not properly freed, for those of base character don’t go to the far shore.

Someone who’s fond of conceit can’t be tamed, and someone without immersion can’t be a sage. Living negligent alone in the wilderness, they can’t cross beyond Death’s dominion.”

“Having given up conceit, serene within oneself, with a good heart, everywhere free; living diligent alone in the wilderness, they cross beyond Death’s dominion.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then, late at night, the glorious Kokanadā, Pajjunna’s daughter, lighting up the entire Great Wood, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“Staying in the woods of Vesālī is the Buddha, best of creation. Kokanadā am I who worships him, Kokanadā, Pajjuna’s daughter.

Previously I had only heard the teaching realized by the Clear-eyed One. But now I know it as a witness while the sage, the Holy One teaches.

There are simpletons who go about denouncing the teaching of the noble ones. They fall into the terrible Hell of Screams where they suffer long.

There are those who have found <j>acceptance and peace in the teaching of the noble ones. After giving up this human body, they swell the heavenly host.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then, late at night, the glorious Kokanadā the Younger, Pajjunna’s daughter, lighting up the entire Great Wood, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“She came here, beautiful as a flash of lightning, Kokanadā, Pajjunna’s daughter. Revering the Buddha and the teaching, she spoke these verses full of meaning.

The teaching is such that I could analyze it in many different ways. However, I will state the meaning in brief as far as I have learned it by heart.

You should never do anything bad by speech or mind or body in all the world. Having given up sensual pleasures, <j>mindful and aware, you shouldn’t keep doing <j>what’s painful and pointless.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“When your house is on fire, you rescue the pot that’s useful, not the one that’s burnt.

And as the world is on fire with old age and death, you should rescue by giving, for what’s given is rescued.

What’s given has happiness as its fruit, but not what isn’t given. Bandits take it, or rulers, it’s consumed by fire, or lost.

Then in the end this corpse is cast off, along with all your possessions. Knowing this, an intelligent person would enjoy what they have and also give it away. After giving and using according to their means, blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”

“Giving what do you give strength? Giving what do you give beauty? Giving what do you give happiness? Giving what do you give vision? And who is the giver of all? Please answer my question.”

“Giving food you give strength. Giving clothes you give beauty. Giving a vehicle you give happiness. Giving a lamp you give vision.

And the giver of all is the one who gives monastic quarters. But one who teaches the Dhamma gives the gift of freedom from death.”

“Both gods and humans enjoy their food. So what’s the name of the spirit who doesn’t enjoy food?”

“Those who give with faith and a clear and confident heart, partake of food in this world and the next.

So you should dispel stinginess, overcoming that stain, and give a gift. The good deeds of sentient beings support them in the next world.”

“One the root, two the loops, three the stains, five the spreads, and the ocean, the twelfth whirlpool: such is the abyss crossed by the seer.”

“Behold him of peerless name <j>who sees the subtle meaning, giver of wisdom, <j>unattached to the realm of sensuality: the all-knower, so very intelligent, the great seer treading the noble road.”

“It’s resounding with a group of nymphs, but haunted by a gang of goblins! This grove is called ‘Deluding’. How will I keep going?”

“That path is called ‘the direct way’, and it’s headed for the place called ‘fearless’. The chariot is called ‘unswerving’, fitted with wheels of the teaching.

Conscience is its bench-back, mindfulness its upholstery. I say the teaching is the driver, with right view running out in front.

Any woman or man who has such a vehicle, by means of this vehicle has drawn near to extinguishment.”

“Whose merit always grows by day and by night? What people—firm in principle, <j>accomplished in conduct— are going to heaven?”

“Planters of parks or groves, those who build a bridge, a drinking place and well, and those who give monastic quarters.

Their merit always grows by day and by night. Those people—firm in principle, <j>accomplished in conduct— are going to heaven.”

“This is indeed that Jeta’s Grove, frequented by the Saṅgha of seers, where the King of Dhamma stayed: it brings me joy!

Deeds, knowledge, and principle; ethical conduct, an excellent livelihood; by these are mortals purified, not by clan or wealth.

That’s why an astute person, seeing what’s good for themselves, would examine the teaching rationally, that’s how they become purified in that.

Sāriputta is full of wisdom, ethics, and peace. Even a mendicant who has crossed over might at best equal him.”

“Those folk in the world who are stingy, miserly and abusive, setting up obstacles for others who give.

What kind of result do they reap? What kind of future life? We’ve come to ask the worthy sir: how are we to understand this?”

“Those folk in the world who are stingy, miserly and abusive, setting up obstacles for others who give:

they’re reborn in hell, the animal realm, or Yama’s world. If they return to the human state, they’re born in a poor family,

where clothes, food, pleasure, and play are hard to find. They don’t even get what they hope for from others. This is the result in the present life, and in the next, a bad destination.”

“We understand what you’re saying, and ask another question, Gotama. What about those who’ve gained the human state, who are bountiful and rid of stinginess,

confident in the Buddha and the teaching, with keen respect for the Saṅgha? What kind of result do they reap? What kind of future life? We’ve come to ask the worthy sir: how are we to understand this?”

“Those who’ve gained the human state who are bountiful and rid of stinginess, confident in the Buddha and the teaching, with keen respect for the Saṅgha: they illuminate the heavens wherever they’re reborn.

If they return to the human state, they’re reborn in a rich family, where clothes, food, pleasure, and play are easy to find.

They rejoice like those who control the possessions of others. This is the result in the present life, and in the next, a good destination.”

“Seven mendicants reborn in Aviha have been freed. With the complete ending of greed and hate, they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”

“Who are those who’ve crossed the bog, Death’s dominion so hard to pass? Who, after leaving behind the human body, have risen above celestial yokes?”

“Upaka and Palagaṇḍa, and Pukkusāti, these three; Bhaddiya and Bhaddadeva, and Bāhudanti and Piṅgiya. They, after leaving behind the human body, have risen above celestial yokes.”

“You speak well of them, who have let go the snares of Māra. Whose teaching did they understand to cut the bonds of rebirth?”

“None other than the Blessed One! None other than your instruction! It was your teaching that they understood to cut the bonds of rebirth.

Where name and form cease with no residue left behind; understanding this teaching, they cut the bonds of rebirth.”

“The words you say are deep, hard to understand, so very hard to wake up to. Whose teaching did you understand that you can say such things?”

“In the past I was a potter in Vebhaliṅga named Ghaṭīkāra. I took care of my parents as a lay follower of Buddha Kassapa.

I refrained from sexual intercourse, I was chaste, spiritual. We lived in the same village; in the past I was your comrade.

I am the one who understands that these seven mendicants have been freed. With the complete ending of greed and hate, they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”

“That’s exactly how it was, just as you say, Bhaggava. In the past you were a potter in Vebhaliṅga named Ghaṭīkāra. You took care of your parents as a lay follower of Buddha Kassapa.

You refrained from sexual intercourse, you were chaste, spiritual. We lived in the same village; in the past you were my comrade.”

That’s how it was when those friends of old met again. Both of them were evolved, bearing their final body.

“What’s still good in old age? What’s good when grounded? What is people’s treasure? What’s hard for thieves to take?”

“Ethics are still good in old age. Faith is good when grounded. Wisdom is people’s treasure. Merit’s hard for thieves to take.”

“What’s good because it never gets old? What’s good when committed? What is people’s treasure? What can thieves never take?”

“Ethics are good because they never grow old. Faith is good when committed. Wisdom is people’s treasure. Merit’s what thieves can never take.”

“Who’s your friend while journeying? Who’s your friend at home? Who’s your friend in time of need? Who’s your friend in lives to come?”

“A caravan is your friend while journeying. Mother is your friend at home. An ally in time of need is a friend time and again. But the good deeds you’ve done yourself— that’s your friend in lives to come.”

“What is the site for human beings? What is the best comrade here? By what do the creatures who live off the earth sustain their life?”

“Children are the site for human beings. A wife is the best comrade. The creatures who live off the earth sustain their life by rain.”

“What gives birth to a person? What do they have that runs about? What enters transmigration? What’s their greatest fear?”

“Craving gives birth to a person. Their mind is what runs about. A sentient being enters transmigration. Suffering is their greatest fear.”

“What gives birth to a person? What do they have that runs about? What enters transmigration? From what are they not free?”

“Craving gives birth to a person. Their mind is what runs about. A sentient being enters transmigration. From suffering they are not free.”

“What gives birth to a person? What do they have that runs about? What enters transmigration? What is their destiny?”

“Craving gives birth to a person. Their mind is what runs about. A sentient being enters transmigration. Deeds are their final haven.”

“What’s declared to be a deviation? What is ending day and night? What’s the stain of chastity? What’s the waterless bath?”

“Lust is declared to be a deviation. Youth is ending day and night. Women are the stain of chastity, to which this generation clings. Fervor and chastity are the waterless bath.”

“What is a person’s partner? What instructs them? Enjoying what is a mortal released from all suffering?”

“Faith is a person’s partner. Wisdom instructs them. Delighting in extinguishment a mortal is released from all suffering.”

“What’s the source of verses? What constitutes their phrasing? What do verses depend upon? What underlies verses?”

“Metre is the source of verses. Syllables constitute their phrasing. Verses depend on names. A poet underlies verses.”

“What overcomes everything? What is it that nothing excels? What is the one thing that has everything under its sway?”

“Name overcomes everything. Nothing excels name. Name is the one thing that has everything under its sway.”

“What leads the world on? What drags it around? What is the one thing that has everything under its sway?”

“The mind leads the world on. The mind drags it around. Mind is the one thing that has everything under its sway.”

“What leads the world on? What drags it around? What is the one thing that has everything under its sway?”

“Craving leads the world on. Craving drags it around. Craving is the one thing that has everything under its sway.”

“What fetters the world? How does it travel about? With the giving up of what is extinguishment spoken of?”

“Delight fetters the world. It travels about by means of thought. With the giving up of craving extinguishment is spoken of.”

“What binds the world? How does it travel about? With the giving up of what are all bonds severed?”

“Delight binds the world. It travels about by means of thought. With the giving up of craving all bonds are severed.”

“By what is the world beaten down? By what is it surrounded? What dart has laid it low? With what is it always fuming?”

“The world is beaten down by death. It’s surrounded by old age. The dart of craving has laid it low. It’s always fuming with desire.”

“By what is the world ensnared? By what is it surrounded? By what is the world fastened shut? On what is the world grounded?”

“Craving has ensnared the world. It’s surrounded by old age. The world is fastened shut by mortality. The world is grounded on suffering.”

“By what is the world fastened shut? On what is the world grounded? By what is the world ensnared? By what is it surrounded?”

“The world is fastened shut by mortality. The world is grounded on suffering. Craving has ensnared the world. It’s surrounded by old age.”

“What is it that binds the world? By removing what is it freed? With the giving up of what are all bonds severed?”