Udāna (Heartfelt Sayings)

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, so long as the Realized Ones, the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas do not arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But when the Realized Ones do arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are no longer honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they do not receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Now only the Buddha is honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

“That’s so true, Ānanda. So long as the Realized Ones do not arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But when the Realized Ones do arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are no longer honored in this way. Now only the Realized One is honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And so does the mendicant Saṅgha.”

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

“The glow-worm shines so long as the beacon of the sun does not rise. But when the dazzling sun has come up, that light is erased and shines no more.

So too the sophists shine bright so long as the Buddhas don’t arise in the world. The sophists are not purified, nor are their disciples. Having bad views, they are not freed from suffering.”

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 Sāriputta was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring Venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf in many ways with a Dhamma talk.

Then after being taught like this Bhaddiya’s mind was freed from defilements by not grasping.

The Buddha saw what had happened.

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

“Above, below, everywhere free, not contemplating ‘I am this’. Freed like this, he has crossed the flood not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”

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 Sāriputta was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring Venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf in even more ways with a Dhamma talk, thinking that he was still a trainee.

The Buddha saw what was happening.

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

“They’ve cut the cycle, gone to the wishless; the streams are dried, they flow no more. Cut, the cycle no longer spins. Just this is the end of suffering.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time most of the people in Sāvatthī overly clung to sensual pleasures. Lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, they lived completely addicted to sensual pleasures.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.

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

“Clinging to sensual pleasures, <j>to the chains of the senses, blind to the faults of the fetters, clinging to the chain of the fetters, they’ll never cross the flood so vast.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time most of the people in Sāvatthī clung to sensual pleasures. Lustful, greedy, tied, infatuated, attached, and blinded, they lived completely addicted to sensual pleasures.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw how attached the humans were.

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

“Blinded by sensual pleasures, wrapped in a net, they are smothered over by craving; bound by the kinsman of the negligent, like a fish caught in a funnel-net trap. They chase old age and death, like a suckling calf its mother.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf, closely following several mendicants, approached the Buddha.

The Buddha saw Venerable Bhaddiya coming off in the distance—ugly, unsightly, deformed, and despised by most of the mendicants. The Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“Mendicants, do you see this monk coming—ugly, unsightly, deformed, and despised by most of the mendicants?” “Yes, sir.”

“That mendicant is very mighty and powerful. It’s not easy to find an attainment that he has not already attained. And he has realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

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

“With faultless parts and white canopy, the one-spoked chariot rolls on. See it come, untroubled, with stream cut, unbound.”

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 Koṇḍañña Who Understood was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight, reviewing the freedom through the ending of craving.

The Buddha saw him meditating there.

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

“There is no root or ground or leaves for them, so where would creepers sprout from? That attentive one is released from bonds: who is worthy to criticize them? Even the gods praise them, and by the Divinity, too, they’re praised.”

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 sitting reviewing his own giving up of the judgments driven by the proliferation of perceptions.

Then, understanding his own giving up of the judgments driven by the proliferation of perceptions, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“There is no proliferation remaining in those who have passed beyond the halter and cross-bar. The sage who lives without craving is never scorned by the world with its gods.”

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 Mahākaccāna was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight and mindfulness of the body well-established internally on the present.

The Buddha saw him meditating there.

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

“Their mindfulness would always be established in the body, constant: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine, It will not be, and it will not be mine.’ Meditating stage by stage on that, in time they’d cross over clinging.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Mallas together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a brahmin town of the Mallas named Thūṇa. The brahmins and householders of Thūṇa heard: “It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—while wandering in the land of the Mallas has arrived at Thūṇa, together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.” They filled the well with grass and hay right to the top, thinking, “Don’t let these shavelings, these fake ascetics drink the water.”

And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a tree, and sat down on the seat spread out. When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda: “Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water from that well.”

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “Just now, sir, the brahmins and householders of Thūṇa filled the well with grass and hay right to the top, thinking, ‘Don’t let these shavelings, these fake ascetics drink the water.’”

For a second time … For a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda: “Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water from that well.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his bowl he went to the well. As he approached the well, all the grass and hay erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.

Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For when I approached this well, all the grass and hay erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.” Gathering a bowl of drinking water he went back to the Buddha, and said to him, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For when I approached that well, all the grass and hay erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow. Drink the water, Blessed One! Drink the water, Holy One!”

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

“What difference would a well make if water is there all the time? Having cut off craving at the root, who would go out on a quest?”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Now at that time, while King Udena was visiting a park, his royal compound burned down. Five hundred women died, with Queen Sāmāvatī at their head.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Kosambī for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him had happened. They asked the Buddha, “Sir, where have those laywomen been reborn in the next life?”

“Among those laywomen there were stream-enterers, once-returners, and non-returners. None of those laywomen died without some fruit of the practice.”

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

“The world is caught up in delusion, but is looked on as making sense. The fool caught up in attachment is surrounded by darkness. It seems as if eternal, but for one who sees, there is nothing.”

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 educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment. And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.

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

“There is, mendicants, that dimension where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no wind; no dimension of infinite space, no dimension of infinite consciousness, no dimension of nothingness, no dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; no this world, no other world, no moon or sun. There, mendicants, I say there is no coming or going or remaining or passing away or reappearing. It is not established, does not proceed, and has no support. Just this is the end of suffering.”

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 educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment. And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.

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

“It’s hard to see what they call the ‘uninclined’, for the truth is not easy to see. For one who has penetrated craving, who knows and sees, there is nothing.”

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 educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment. And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.

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

“There is, mendicants, freedom from rebirth, freedom from what has been produced, made, and conditioned. If there were no freedom from rebirth, freedom from what has been produced, made, and conditioned, then you would find no escape here from rebirth, from what has been produced, made, and conditioned. But since there is freedom from rebirth, freedom from what has been produced, made, and conditioned, an escape is found from rebirth, from what has been produced, made, and conditioned.”

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 educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment. And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.

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

“For the dependent there is quivering. For the independent there’s no quivering. When there’s no quivering there is tranquility. When there is tranquility there’s no inclination. When there’s no inclination, there’s no coming and going. When there’s no coming and going, there’s no passing away and reappearing. When there’s no passing away and reappearing there’s no this life or the next or between the two. Just this is the end of suffering.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Mallas together with a large Saṅgha when he arrived at Pāvā. There he stayed in Cunda the smith’s mango grove.

Cunda heard that the Buddha had arrived and was staying in his mango grove. Then he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk. Then Cunda said to the Buddha, “Sir, would the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented with silence.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Cunda rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. And when the night had passed Cunda had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home, and plenty of pork on the turn. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, “Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.”

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of Cunda together with the mendicant Saṅgha, where he sat down on the seat spread out and addressed Cunda, “Cunda, please serve me with the pork on the turn that you’ve prepared. And serve the mendicant Saṅgha with the other foods.” “Yes, sir,” replied Cunda, and did as he was asked.

Then the Buddha addressed Cunda, “Cunda, any pork on the turn that’s left over, you should bury it in a pit. I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who could properly digest it except the Realized One.” “Yes, sir,” replied Cunda. He did as he was asked, then came back to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Then the Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk, after which he rose from his seat and left.

After the Buddha had eaten Cunda’s meal, he fell severely ill with bloody dysentery, struck by dreadful pains, close to death. But he endured unbothered, with mindfulness and situational awareness.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “Come, Ānanda, let’s go to Kusinārā.” “Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

I’ve heard that after eating the meal of Cunda the smith, the attentive one fell severely ill, with pains, close to death.

A severe sickness struck the Teacher who had eaten the pork on the turn. While still purging the Buddha said: “I’ll go to the citadel of Kusinārā.”

Then the Buddha left the road and went to the root of a certain tree, where he addressed Ānanda, “Go on then, Ānanda, fold my outer robe in four and spread it out for me. I am tired and will sit down.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda, and did as he was asked. The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out, and said to Venerable Ānanda, “Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water. I am thirsty and will drink.”

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “Sir, just now around five hundred carts have passed by. The shallow water has been churned up by their wheels, and it flows cloudy and murky. The Kakutthā River is not far away, with clear, sweet, cool water, clean, with smooth banks, delightful. There the Buddha can drink and cool his limbs.”

For a second time … For a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda, “Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water. I am thirsty and will drink.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his bowl he went to the river. Now, though the shallow water in that river had been churned up by wheels, and flowed cloudy and murky, when Ānanda approached it flowed transparent, clear, and unclouded.

Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For though the shallow water in that river had been churned up by wheels, and flowed cloudy and murky, when I approached it flowed transparent, clear, and unclouded.” Gathering a bowl of drinking water he went back to the Buddha, and said to him, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For though the shallow water in that river had been churned up by wheels, and flowed cloudy and murky, when I approached it flowed transparent, clear, and unclouded. Drink the water, Blessed One! Drink the water, Holy One!”

So the Buddha drank the water. Then the Buddha together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants went to the Kakutthā River. He plunged into the river and bathed and drank. And when he had emerged, he went to the mango grove, where he addressed Venerable Cundaka, “Go on then, Cundaka, fold my outer robe in four and spread it out for me. I am tired and will lie down.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Cundaka, and did as he was asked. And then the Buddha laid down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. But Cundaka sat down right there in front of the Buddha.

Having gone to Kakutthā Creek, whose water was transparent, sweet, and clear, the Teacher, being tired, plunged in, the Realized One, without compare in the world.

And after bathing and drinking the Teacher emerged. Before the group of mendicants, in the middle, <j>the Buddha, the Teacher who rolled forth <j>the present dispensation, the great seer went to the mango grove. He addressed the mendicant named Cundaka: “Spread out my folded robe so I can lie down.”

The evolved one urged Cunda, who quickly spread the folded robe. The Teacher lay down so tired, while Cunda sat there before him.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “Now it may happen, Ānanda, that others may give rise to some regret for Cunda the smith: ‘It’s your loss, respectable Cunda, it’s your misfortune, in that the Realized One was fully quenched after eating his last almsmeal from you.’ You should dispel remorse in Cunda the smith like this:

‘You’re fortunate, respectable Cunda, you’re so very fortunate, in that the Realized One was fully quenched after eating his last almsmeal from you. I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha. There are two almsmeal offerings that have identical fruit and result, and are more fruitful and beneficial than other almsmeal offerings. What two? The almsmeal after eating which a Realized One awakens to the supreme perfect awakening; and the almsmeal after eating which he becomes fully extinguished in the element of extinguishment with no residue. These two almsmeal offerings have identical fruit and result, and are more fruitful and beneficial than other almsmeal offerings.

You’ve accumulated a deed that leads to long life, beauty, happiness, glory, heaven, and sovereignty.’ You should dispel remorse in Cunda the smith like this.”

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

“A giver’s merit grows; enmity doesn’t build up when you have self-control. A skillful person gives up bad things— with the end of greed, hate, and delusion, <j>they’re quenched.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Magadhans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at the village of Pāṭali. The lay followers of Pāṭali Village heard that he had arrived. So they went to see him, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, please consent to come to our guest house.” The Buddha consented with silence.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the lay followers of Pāṭali Village rose from their seats, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. Then they went to the guest house, where they spread carpets all over, prepared seats, set up a water jar, and placed an oil lamp. Then they went back to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and told him of their preparations, saying: “Please, sir, come at your convenience.”

In the morning, the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the guest house together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Having washed his feet, he entered the guest house and sat against the central column facing east. The Saṅgha of mendicants also washed their feet, entered the guest house, and sat against the west wall facing east, with the Buddha right in front of them. The lay followers of Pāṭali Village also washed their feet, entered the guest house, and sat against the east wall facing west, with the Buddha right in front of them. Then the Buddha addressed them:

“Householders, there are these five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics. What five? Firstly, an unethical person loses great wealth on account of negligence. This is the first drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person gets a bad reputation. This is the second drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person enters any kind of assembly unconfident and embarrassed, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. This is the third drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person feels lost when they die. This is the fourth drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. This is the fifth drawback. These are the five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics.

There are these five benefits for an ethical person because of their accomplishment in ethics. What five? Firstly, an ethical person gains great wealth on account of diligence. This is the first benefit.

Furthermore, an ethical person gets a good reputation. This is the second benefit.

Furthermore, an ethical person enters any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. This is the third benefit.

Furthermore, an ethical person dies not feeling lost. This is the fourth benefit.

Furthermore, when an ethical person’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. This is the fifth benefit. These are the five benefits for an ethical person because of their accomplishment in ethics.”