Udāna (Heartfelt Sayings)

So I have heard. At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the tree of awakening on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. There the Buddha sat cross-legged for seven days without moving, experiencing the bliss of freedom. When seven days had passed, the Buddha emerged from that state of immersion. In the first part of the night, he carefully applied the mind to dependent origination, going with the grain:

“So, when this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. That is: Ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“When things become clear to the keen, meditating brahmin, his doubts are dispelled, since he understands each thing and its cause.”

So I have heard. At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the tree of awakening on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. There the Buddha sat cross-legged for seven days without moving, experiencing the bliss of freedom. When seven days had passed, the Buddha emerged from that state of immersion. In the second part of the night, he carefully applied the mind to dependent origination, going against the grain:

“So, when this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: When ignorance ceases, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“When things become clear to the keen, meditating brahmin, his doubts are dispelled, since he’s known the end of conditions.”

So I have heard. At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the tree of awakening on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. There the Buddha sat cross-legged for seven days without moving, experiencing the bliss of freedom. When seven days had passed, the Buddha emerged from that state of immersion. In the last watch, he carefully applied the mind to dependent origination, going both with and against the grain:

“So, when this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: Ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“When things become clear to the keen, meditating brahmin, he remains, scattering Māra’s army, as the sun lights up the sky.”

So I have heard. At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. There the Buddha sat cross-legged for seven days without moving, experiencing the bliss of freedom. When seven days had passed, the Buddha emerged from that state of immersion.

Then a certain brahmin, one of those who murmured the mystic syllable <i lang='pi' translate='no'>huṁ</i>, <i lang='pi' translate='no'>huṁ</i>, went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he stood to one side and said, “Worthy Gotama, how do you define a brahmin? And what are the things that make one a brahmin?”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Any brahmin who has banished bad qualities— not murmuring the mystic syllable <i lang='pi' translate='no'>huṁ</i>, <j>unstained, self-controlled, a complete knowledge master <j>who has completed the spiritual journey— they may legitimately proclaim the divine doctrine; who have no pretensions about anything in the world.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a number of senior monks approached the Buddha—the venerables Sāriputta, Mahāmoggallāna, Mahākassapa, Mahākaccāna, Mahākoṭṭhita, Mahākappina, Mahācunda, Anuruddha, Revata, and Nanda.

The Buddha saw them coming off in the distance, and addressed the mendicants: “These, mendicants, are brahmins coming! These are brahmins coming!” When he said this, a certain mendicant who was brahmin by birth asked the Buddha, “Sir, how do you define a brahmin? And what are the things that make one a brahmin?”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Having banished bad qualities, those who live always mindful, with fetters ended, awakened, they are the world’s true brahmins.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time Venerable Mahākassapa was staying in the Pipphali cave, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill. Then after some time he recovered from that illness. It occurred to him, “Why not enter Rājagaha for almsfood?”

Now at that time five hundred deities were ready and eager for the chance to offer alms to Mahākassapa. But Mahākasspa turned down those deities. In the morning, he robed up, took his bowl and robe, and entered Rājagaha for alms. He went to the street markets of the poor, the destitute, and the embroiderers. The Buddha saw him wandering for alms in the street markets of the poor, the destitute, and the embroiderers.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“The stranger, providing for no other, tamed, consolidated in the core, with defilements ended and flaws purged: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Pāvā at the Ajakalāpaka Shrine, the haunt of the native spirit Ajakalāpaka. Now at that time the Buddha was meditating in the open during the dark of night, while a gentle rain drizzled down. Then Ajakalāpaka, wanting to make the Buddha feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, approached him, and while not far away yelled three times, “Havoc and heck!” Then he added, “Now that’s a goblin for you, ascetic!”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“When a brahmin gets over their own issues, they transcend this goblin and his havoc.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Saṅgāmaji had arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha. His former wife heard that he had arrived, and went to the Jetavana, taking their boy.

Now at that time Venerable Saṅgāmaji was sitting at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation. Then his former wife went up to him and said, “Ascetic, please raise this little boy.” When she said this, Saṅgāmaji kept silent.

For a second time she said, “Ascetic, please raise this little boy.” For a second time, Saṅgāmaji kept silent.

For a third time she said, “Ascetic, please raise this little boy.” For a third time, Saṅgāmaji kept silent.

Then she put down the boy in front of Saṅgāmaji, saying, “This is your child, ascetic. Please raise him.”

But Saṅgāmaji neither looked at the boy nor spoke to him. Then his former wife went a little distance away. Looking back, she saw Saṅgāmaji ignoring the boy, and thought, “This ascetic doesn’t even want his child.” She returned to pick up the boy, then left. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha saw how Saṅgāmaji’s former wife went back for the child.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“When she came he was not glad, when she left he did not grieve. Victorious in battle, freed from chains, that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on Gayā Head. Now at that time—during the cold spell when the snow falls in the January winter—many matted hair ascetics plunged in and out of the Gayā river. Plunging and showering, they served the sacred flame, thinking: “Through this there is purity.”

The Buddha saw them plunging in and out.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Purity doesn’t come from water, no matter how many people bathe there. One who has truth and principle, they are pure, they are brahmins.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth was residing by Suppāraka on the ocean shore, where he was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “I am one of those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection.”

Then a deity who was a former relative of Bāhiya, having sympathy and wanting what’s best for him, approached him and said: “Bāhiya, you’re not a perfected one, nor on the path to perfection. You don’t have the practice by which you might become a perfected one or one on the path to perfection.”

“So who then are those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection?” “In the northern lands there is a city named Sāvatthī. There that Blessed One is now staying, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. He is a perfected one and teaches the Dhamma for the sake of perfection.”

Impelled by that deity, Bāhiya left Suppāraka right away. Sojourning no more than a single night in any place, he made his way to Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery in the Jeta Grove at Sāvatthī. At that time several mendicants were walking mindfully in the open air. Bāhiya approached them and said, “Sirs, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha? For I want to see him.” “He has entered an inhabited area for almsfood, Bāhiya.”

Then Bāhiya rushed out of the Jeta Grove and entered Sāvatthī, where he saw the Buddha walking for alms. He was impressive and inspiring, with peaceful faculties and heart, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties. Bāhiya went up to the Buddha, bowed down with his head to the Buddha’s feet, and said, “Sir, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” The Buddha said this: “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”

For a second time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” For a second time, the Buddha said, “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”

For a third time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”

“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train like this: ‘In the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.’ That’s how you should train. When you have trained in this way, you won’t be ‘by that’. When you’re not ‘by that’, you won’t be ‘in that’. When you’re not ‘in that’, you won’t be in this life or the next or between the two. Just this is the end of suffering.”

Then, due to this brief Dhamma teaching of the Buddha, Bāhiya’s mind was right away freed from defilements by not grasping.

And when the Buddha had given Bāhiya this brief advice he left. But soon after the Buddha had left, a cow with a baby calf charged at Bāhiya and took his life.

Then the Buddha wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he exited the city together with several mendicants and saw that Bāhiya had passed away. He said to the monks, “Mendicants, pick up Bāhiya’s corpse. Having lifted it onto a cot and carried it, cremate it and build a monument. Mendicants, one of your spiritual companions has passed away.”

“Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. They did as the Buddha asked, then returned to the Buddha and said, “Sir, Bāhiya’s corpse has been cremated and a monument built for him. Where has he been reborn in his next life?” “Mendicants, Bāhiya was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth has become fully quenched.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Where water and earth, fire and air have no footing— there no star does shine, nor does the sun shed its light; there the moon glows not, yet no darkness is found.

And when a sage, a brahmin, finds understanding through their own sagacity, then, from forms and formless, from pleasure and pain they are released.”

This too is a heartfelt saying that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

So I have heard. At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the Mucalinda tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. There the Buddha sat cross-legged for seven days without moving, experiencing the bliss of freedom.

Just then a large storm blew up out of season, bringing seven days of precipitation, with cold winds and overcast skies. Mucalinda, the dragon king, came out from his abode, encircled the Buddha’s body with seven coils and spread his large hood over his head, thinking, “May the Buddha not be hot or cold, nor be bothered by flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, or reptiles.”

When seven days had passed, the Buddha emerged from that state of immersion. When he knew the heavens were clear and cloudless, Mucalinda unwrapped his coils from the Buddha’s body. Hiding his own form, he manifested in the form of a brahmin youth. He stood in front of the Buddha, venerating him with cupped palms.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Seclusion is happiness for the contented who see the teaching they have learned. Kindness for the world is happiness for one who’d not harm a living creature.

Dispassion for the world is happiness for one who has gone beyond sensual pleasures. But dispelling the conceit ‘I am’ is truly the ultimate happiness.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, after the meal, on return from almsround, several mendicants sat together in the assembly hall and this discussion came up among them: “Which of these two kings has greater wealth, riches, treasury, dominion, vehicles, forces, might, and power: King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or King Pasenadi of Kosala?” At that point the conversation among those mendicants was left unfinished.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”

So the mendicants told him what they had been talking about when the Buddha arrived. The Buddha said,

“Mendicants, it is not appropriate for you gentlemen who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness to talk about such things. When you’re sitting together you should do one of two things: discuss the teachings or keep noble silence.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Neither the pleasures of the senses, nor even divine happiness, is worth even a sixteenth part of the happiness of craving’s end.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, between Sāvatthī and the Jeta Grove, several boys were hitting a snake with a stick. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw the boys hitting the snake.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Creatures love happiness, so if you harm them with a stick in search of your own happiness, after death you’ll find no happiness.

Creatures love happiness, so if you don’t harm them with a stick in search of your own happiness, after death you will find happiness.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the Buddha was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And the mendicant Saṅgha was also honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But the wanderers who followed other religions were not honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they didn’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Then those wanderers who followed other religions, unable to bear the esteem of the mendicant Saṅgha, abused, attacked, harassed, and troubled the mendicants in the village and the wilderness.

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“When struck by pleasure and pain <j>in the village or wilderness, regard it not as self or alien. Contacts strike because of attachment; how would contacts strike one free of attachment?”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain lay follower from Icchānaṅgalaka arrived at Sāvatthī on some business. Having concluded his business in Sāvatthī he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said this to him: “It’s been a long time, lay follower, since you took the opportunity to come here.”

“For a long time I’ve wanted to come and see the Buddha, but I wasn’t able, being prevented by my many duties and responsibilities.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“One who has nothing is happy indeed, a learned person who has appraised the teaching. See how troubled are those with attachments, a person bound tight to people.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain wanderer had a young brahmin wife who was pregnant and about to give birth. She said to him, “Go, brahmin, bring oil for my delivery.”

The wanderer said, “But where, my dear, can I get oil?” For a second time, she said, “Go, brahmin, bring oil for my delivery.” For a second time, the wanderer said, “But where, my dear, can I get oil?” For a third time, she said, “Go, brahmin, bring oil for my delivery.”

Now at that time ghee and oil were being given away to any ascetic or brahmin at the storehouse of King Pasenadi of Kosala. But it was only to drink there, not to take away.

Knowing this, the wanderer thought, “Why don’t I go to the king’s storehouse, drink as much oil as I can, then come home and throw it up so it can be used for the delivery?”

Then he did just that. But when he got home he was unable to either bring it up or pass it out. He rolled to and fro, suffering painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw the wanderer in agony.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Oh! How happy are those with nothing! Hence knowledge masters are people with nothing. See how troubled are those with attachments, a person bound tight to people.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain lay follower’s dear and beloved only child passed away.

Then in the middle of the day several lay followers with wet clothes and hair went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them: “Why, lay followers, have you come here in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair?”

The lay follower replied, “Sir, my dear and beloved only child has passed away. That’s why we came here in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Hosts of gods and most human beings are bound to what seems dear and pleasant. Gloomy and exhausted, they fall under the sway of the King of Death.

The diligent, who day and night give up what seems pleasant, dig out the root of gloom— Death’s bait so hard to escape.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kuṇḍiyā in the Kuṇḍadhāna Grove. Now at that time Suppavāsā the Koliyan had been pregnant for seven years, and in obstructed labor for seven days. While suffering painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings, three thoughts helped her endure: “Oh! The Blessed One is indeed a fully awakened Buddha, who teaches the Dhamma for giving up suffering such as this. Oh! The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is indeed practicing well, who practice for giving up suffering such as this. Oh! Extinguishment is so very blissful, where such suffering as this is not found.”

Then Suppavāsā addressed her husband, “Please, master, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. And then say: ‘Suppavāsā the Koliyan has been pregnant for seven years, and in obstructed labor for seven days. While suffering painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings, three thoughts help her endure: “Oh! The Blessed One is indeed a fully awakened Buddha, who teaches the Dhamma for giving up suffering such as this. Oh! The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is indeed practicing well, who practice for giving up suffering such as this. Oh! Extinguishment is so very blissful, where such suffering as this is not found.”’”

“Excellent idea,” he replied. He went to the Buddha and told him of his wife’s struggles. The Buddha said:

“May Suppavāsā the Koliyan be happy and healthy! May she give birth to a healthy child!” As soon as he spoke, Suppavāsā, happy and healthy, gave birth to a healthy child.

Saying “Yes, sir,” the Koliyan gentleman approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he returned to his own house. He saw that his wife, happy and healthy, had given birth to a healthy child, and thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For as soon as he spoke, Suppavāsā, happy and healthy, gave birth to a healthy child.” He became uplifted and overjoyed, full of rapture and happiness.

Then Suppavāsā addressed her husband, “Please, master, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. And then say, ‘Suppavāsā the Koliyan, who was pregnant for seven years, and in obstructed labor for seven days, is now happy and healthy and has given birth to a healthy child. She invites the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha to a meal for seven days. Sir, would the Buddha please accept seven meals from Suppavāsā?’”