{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an7.53/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an7.53","id":"suttacentral_an7.53","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an7.53/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the venerables S\u0101riputta and Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na were wandering in the Southern Hills together with a large Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants. Now at that time the laywoman Ve\u1e37uka\u1e47\u1e6dak\u012b, Nanda\u2019s mother, rose at the crack of dawn and recited the verses of \u201cThe Way to the Far Shore\u201d. And at that time the great king Vessava\u1e47a was on his way from the north to the south on some business. He heard Nanda\u2019s Mother reciting, and stood waiting for her to finish. Then when her recital was over she fell silent. Then, knowing she had finished, Vessava\u1e47a applauded, saying, \u201cGood, sister! Good, sister!\u201d \u201cBut who might you be, dearest?\u201d \u201cSister, I am your brother Vessava\u1e47a, the great king.\u201d \u201cGood, dearest! Then may my recital of the teaching be my offering to you as my guest.\u201d \u201cGood, sister! And let this also be your offering to me as your guest. Tomorrow, the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha headed by S\u0101riputta and Moggall\u0101na will arrive at Ve\u1e37uka\u1e47\u1e6da before breakfast. When you\u2019ve served the Sa\u1e45gha, please dedicate the religious donation to me. Then that will also be your offering to me as your guest.\u201d And when the night had passed the lay woman Nanda\u2019s Mother had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in her own home. Then the Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants headed by S\u0101riputta and Moggall\u0101na arrived at Ve\u1e37uka\u1e47\u1e6da. Then Nanda\u2019s Mother addressed a man, \u201cPlease, my man, go to the monastery and announce the time to the Sa\u1e45gha, saying: \u2018Sirs, it\u2019s time. The meal is ready in the home of the lady Nanda\u2019s Mother.\u2019\u201d \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d that man replied, and he did as she said. And then the Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants headed by S\u0101riputta and Moggall\u0101na robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, went to the home of Nanda\u2019s Mother, where they sat on the seats spread out. Then Nanda\u2019s Mother served and satisfied them with her own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. When S\u0101riputta had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Nanda\u2019s Mother sat down to one side. S\u0101riputta said to her, \u201cNanda\u2019s Mother, who told you that the Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants was about to arrive?\u201d \u201cSir, last night I rose at the crack of dawn and recited the verses of \u2018The Way to the Far Shore\u2019, and then I fell silent. Then the great king Vessava\u1e47a, knowing I had finished, applauded me, \u2018Good, sister! Good, sister!\u2019 I asked: \u2018But who might you be, dearest?\u2019 \u2018Sister, I am your brother Vessava\u1e47a, the great king.\u2019 \u2018Good, dearest! Then may my recital of the teaching be my offering to you as my guest.\u2019 \u2018Good, sister! And let this also be your offering to me as your guest. Tomorrow, the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha headed by S\u0101riputta and Moggall\u0101na will arrive at Ve\u1e37uka\u1e47\u1e6da before breakfast. When you\u2019ve served the Sa\u1e45gha, please dedicate the religious donation to me. Then that will also be your offering to me as your guest.\u2019 And so, sir, may the merit and the flourishing of merit of this gift be for the happiness of the great king Vessava\u1e47a.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing that you converse face to face with a mighty and illustrious godling like the great king Vessava\u1e47a.\u201d \u201cSir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. I had an only son named Nanda who I loved dearly. The rulers forcibly abducted him on some pretext and had him executed. But I can\u2019t recall getting upset when my boy was under arrest or being arrested, imprisoned or being put in prison, killed or being killed.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing that you purify even the arising of a thought.\u201d \u201cSir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. When my husband passed away he was reborn in one of the realms of spirits. He revealed to me his previous incarnation. But I can\u2019t recall getting upset on that account.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing that you purify even the arising of a thought.\u201d \u201cSir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Ever since we were both young, and I was given in marriage to my husband, I can\u2019t recall betraying him even in thought, still less in deed.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing that you purify even the arising of a thought.\u201d \u201cSir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Ever since I declared myself a lay follower, I can\u2019t recall deliberately breaking any precept.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing!\u201d \u201cSir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Whenever I want, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, I enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, I enter and remain in the third absorption, where I meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, \u2018Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.\u2019 With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, I enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing!\u201d \u201cSir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Of the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha, I don\u2019t see any that I haven\u2019t given up.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Nanda\u2019s Mother, it\u2019s amazing!\u201d Then Venerable S\u0101riputta educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired Nanda\u2019s Mother with a Dhamma talk, after which he rose from his seat and left.","title":"Nanda\u2019s Mother","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":994}