{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn68/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn68","id":"suttacentral_mn68","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn68/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near Na\u1e37akap\u0101na in the grove of flame-of-the-forest trees. Now at that time several very well-known gentlemen had gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness in the Buddha\u2019s name\u2014 The venerables Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, Kimbila, Bhagu, Ku\u1e47\u1e0dadh\u0101na, Revata, \u0100nanda, and other very well-known gentlemen. Now at that time the Buddha was sitting in the open, surrounded by the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. Then the Buddha spoke to the mendicants about those gentlemen: \u201cMendicants, those gentlemen who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness in my name\u2014I trust they\u2019re satisfied with the spiritual life?\u201d When this was said, the mendicants kept silent. For a second and a third time the Buddha asked the same question. For a third time, the mendicants kept silent. Then it occurred to the Buddha, \u201cWhy don\u2019t I question just those gentlemen?\u201d Then the Buddha said to Venerable Anuruddha, \u201cAnuruddha and friends, I hope you\u2019re satisfied with the spiritual life?\u201d \u201cIndeed, sir, we are satisfied with the spiritual life.\u201d \u201cGood, good, Anuruddha and friends! It\u2019s appropriate for gentlemen like yourselves, who have gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, to be satisfied with the spiritual life. Since you\u2019re blessed with youth, in the prime of life, with pristine black hair, you could have enjoyed sensual pleasures; yet you have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. But you didn\u2019t go forth to escape a summons by a king or a summons for a bandit, or because you were in debt or in fear, or in order to make a living. Rather, didn\u2019t you go forth thinking: \u2018I\u2019m swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I\u2019m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering\u2019?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cBut, Anuruddha and friends, when a gentleman has gone forth like this, what should he do? Take someone who doesn\u2019t achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that. Their mind is still occupied by desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, doubt, discontent, and sloth. That\u2019s someone who doesn\u2019t achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that. Take someone who does achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that. Their mind is not occupied by desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, doubt, discontent, and sloth. That\u2019s someone who does achieve the rapture and bliss that are secluded from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, or something even more peaceful than that. Is this what you think of me? \u2018The Realized One has not given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That\u2019s why, after appraisal, he uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and dispels some things.\u2019\u201d \u201cNo sir, we don\u2019t think of you that way. We think of you this way: \u2018The Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That\u2019s why, after appraisal, he uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and dispels some things.\u2019\u201d \u201cGood, good, Anuruddha and friends! The Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so they are unable to arise in the future. Just as a palm tree with its crown cut off is incapable of further growth, in the same way, the Realized One has given up the defilements so they are unable to arise in the future. That\u2019s why, after appraisal, he uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and dispels some things. What do you think, Anuruddha and friends? What advantage does the Realized One see in declaring the rebirth of his disciples who have passed away: \u2018This one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there\u2019?\u201d \u201cOur teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.\u201d \u201cThe Realized One does not declare such things for the sake of fawning or flattering people, nor for the benefit of possessions, honor, or popularity, nor thinking, \u2018So let people know about me!\u2019 Rather, there are gentlemen of faith who are full of sublime joy and gladness. When they hear that, they apply their minds to that end. That is for their lasting welfare and happiness. Take a monk who hears this: \u2018The monk named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that he was enlightened.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that monk\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That\u2019s how a monk lives at ease. Take a monk who hears this: \u2018The monk named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of the five lower fetters, he\u2019s been reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that monk\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That too is how a monk lives at ease. Take a monk who hears this: \u2018The monk named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, he\u2019s a once-returner. He\u2019ll come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that monk\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That too is how a monk lives at ease. Take a monk who hears this: \u2018The monk named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters he\u2019s a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that monk\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That too is how a monk lives at ease. Take a nun who hears this: \u2018The nun named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that she was enlightened.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that nun\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That\u2019s how a nun lives at ease. Take a nun who hears this: \u2018The nun named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of the five lower fetters, she\u2019s been reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that nun\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That too is how a nun lives at ease. Take a nun who hears this: \u2018The nun named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, she\u2019s a once-returner. She\u2019ll come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that nun\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That too is how a nun lives at ease. Take a nun who hears this: \u2018The nun named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters she\u2019s a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that nun\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That too is how a nun lives at ease. Take a layman who hears this: \u2018The layman named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of the five lower fetters, he\u2019s been reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that layman\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That\u2019s how a layman lives at ease. Take a layman who hears this: \u2018The layman named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, he\u2019s a once-returner. He\u2019ll come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that layman\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That too is how a layman lives at ease. Take a layman who hears this: \u2018The layman named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters he\u2019s a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.\u2019 And he\u2019s either seen for himself, or heard from someone else, that that venerable had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that layman\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, he applies his mind to that end. That too is how a layman lives at ease. Take a laywoman who hears this: \u2018The laywoman named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of the five lower fetters, she\u2019s been reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that laywoman\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That\u2019s how a laywoman lives at ease. Take a laywoman who hears this: \u2018The laywoman named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, she\u2019s a once-returner. She\u2019ll come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that laywoman\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That too is how a laywoman lives at ease. Take a laywoman who hears this: \u2018The laywoman named so-and-so has passed away. The Buddha has declared that, with the ending of three fetters she\u2019s a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.\u2019 And she\u2019s either seen for herself, or heard from someone else, that that sister had such ethics, such qualities, such wisdom, such meditation, or such freedom. Recollecting that laywoman\u2019s faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she applies her mind to that end. That too is how a laywoman lives at ease. So it\u2019s not for the sake of fawning or flattering people, nor for the benefit of possessions, honor, or popularity, nor thinking, \u2018So let people know about me!\u2019 that the Realized One declares the rebirth of his disciples who have passed away: \u2018This one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.\u2019 Rather, there are gentlemen of faith who are full of joy and gladness. When they hear that, they apply their minds to that end. That is for their lasting welfare and happiness.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Anuruddha approved what the Buddha said.","title":"At Na\u1e37akap\u0101na","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":2198}