Udāna (Heartfelt Sayings)

The Buddha spent much of the night educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the lay followers of Pāṭali Village with a Dhamma talk. Then he sent them off, “The night is getting late, householders. Please go at your convenience.” And then the lay followers of Pāṭali Village approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. They got up from their seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving. Soon after they left the Buddha entered a private cubicle.

Now at that time the Magadhan ministers Sunidha and Vassakāra were building a citadel at Pāṭali Village to keep the Vajjis out. At that time thousands of deities were taking possession of building sites in Pāṭali Village. Illustrious rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by illustrious deities. Middling rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by middling deities. Lesser rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by lesser deities.

With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha saw those deities taking possession of building sites in Pāṭali Village, and the people building houses in accord with the station of the deities. The Buddha rose at the crack of dawn and addressed Ānanda,

“Ānanda, who is building a citadel at Pāṭali Village?” “Sir, the Magadhan chief ministers Sunidha and Vassakāra are building a citadel to keep the Vajjis out.” “It’s as if they were building the citadel in consultation with the gods of the thirty-three. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw those deities taking possession of building sites. Illustrious rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by illustrious deities. Middling rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by middling deities. Lesser rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by lesser deities. As far as the civilized region extends, as far as the trading zone extends, this will be the chief city: the Pāṭaliputta trade center. But Pāṭaliputta will face three threats: from fire, flood, and dissension.”

Then the Magadhan ministers Sunidha and Vassakāra approached the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they stood to one side and said, “Would Worthy Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept today’s meal from me?”

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, they went to their own guest house, where they had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared. Then they had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, “It’s time, worthy Gotama, the meal is ready.”

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to their guest house together with the mendicant Saṅgha, where he sat down on the seat spread out. Then Sunidha and Vassakāra served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Sunidha and Vassakāra took a low seat and sat to one side. The Buddha expressed his appreciation with these verses:

“In the place he makes his dwelling, having fed the astute and the virtuous here, the restrained spiritual practitioners,

he should dedicate an offering to the deities there. Venerated, they venerate him; honored, they honor him.

After that they have sympathy for him, like a mother for the child at her breast. A man beloved of the deities always sees nice things.”

When the Buddha had expressed his appreciation to Sunidha and Vassakāra with these verses, he rose from his seat and left.

Sunidha and Vassakāra followed behind the Buddha, thinking, “The gate through which the ascetic Gotama exits today shall be named the Gotama Gate. The ford at which he crosses the Ganges River shall be named the Gotama Ford.”

Then the gate through which the Buddha exited was named the Gotama Gate. Then the Buddha came to the Ganges River. Now at that time the Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Wanting to cross from the near to the far shore, some people were seeking a boat, some a dinghy, while some were tying up a raft. But, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, vanished from the near shore and landed on the far shore.

He saw all those humans wanting to cross over.

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

“Those who cross a deluge or stream have built a bridge and left the marshes behind. While some people are still tying a raft, intelligent people have crossed over.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was traveling along a road in the Kosalan lands with Venerable Nāgasamāla as his second monk. Nāgasamāla saw a fork in the road and said to the Buddha, “Sir, this is the road, let us go this way.” But when he said this the Buddha responded, “Nāgasamāla, this is the road, let us go this way.”

For a second time … For a third time Nāgasamāla said to the Buddha, “Sir, this is the road, let us go this way.” And for a third time the Buddha responded, “Nāgasamāla, this is the road, let us go this way.” Then Nāgasamāla put the Buddha’s bowl and robes down on the ground right there and left, saying, “Sir, here are your bowl and robes.”

Then as Nāgasamāla was going down that road, he was set upon by bandits who struck him with fists and feet, broke his bowl, and tore up his outer robe. Then Nāgasamāla—with his bowl broken and his outer robe torn—went to the Buddha and told him what had happened.

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

“Walking together, dwelling as one, the knowledge master mixes with foolish folk. Knowing this, they give up wickedness, like a milk-drinking heron the water.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery. Now at that time the dear and beloved granddaughter of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, had just passed away. Then, in the middle of the day, Visākhā with wet clothes and hair went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down. The Buddha said to her,

“So, Visākhā, where are you coming from in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair?” “Sir, my beloved granddaughter has just passed away. That’s why I came here in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair.” “Visākhā, would you like as many children and grandchildren as there are people in the whole of Sāvatthī?” “I would, sir.”

“But Visākhā, how many people pass away each day in Sāvatthī?” “Every day, sir, there are ten people passing away in Sāvatthī. Or else there are nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, or at least one person who passes away every day in Sāvatthī. Sāvatthī is never without someone passing away.”

“What do you think, Visākhā? Would there ever be a time when your clothes and hair were not wet?” “No, sir. Enough, sir, with so many children and grandchildren.”

“Those who have a hundred loved ones, Visākhā, have a hundred sufferings. Those who have ninety loved ones, or eighty, seventy, sixty, fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, or one loved one have one suffering. Those who have no loved ones have no suffering. They are free of sorrow, stains, and anguish I say.”

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

“All the sorrows and lamentations and the countless forms of suffering in the world occur because of those that we love; without loved ones they do not occur.

That’s why those who have no loved ones <j>at all in the world are happy and free of grief. So aspiring to the sorrowless and stainless, have no loved ones in the world at all.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then Venerable Dabba the Mallian went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Holy One, it is the time for my full extinguishment.” “Please, Dabba, do as you see fit.”

Then Dabba rose from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in midair, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully extinguished.

Then when he was fully quenched while sitting cross-legged in midair, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found. It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found.

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

“The body is broken up, perception has ceased, all feelings have become cool; choices are stilled, and consciousness come to an end.”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, when Dabba the Mallian rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in midair, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully quenched, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found. It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found. In the same way, when Dabba the Mallian rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in midair, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully quenched, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found.”

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

“Just as the glow of iron struck by a hammer in the fire of Jātaveda gradually dissipates, its destiny unknown;

in the same way, for the rightly released, who have crossed the flood of sensual bonds, there is no destination to describe— they have found unshakable happiness.”

The Heartfelt Sayings are finished.