{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn22.1/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn22.1","id":"suttacentral_sn22.1","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn22.1/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Bhaggas at Crocodile\u2019s Bellow, in the deer park at Bhesaka\u1e37\u0101\u2019s Wood. Then the householder Nakula\u2019s father went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: \u201cSir, I\u2019m an old man, elderly and senior. I\u2019m advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life. My body is ailing and I\u2019m constantly unwell. I hardly ever get to see the esteemed mendicants. May the Buddha please advise me and instruct me. It will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s so true, householder! That\u2019s so true, householder! For this body is ailing, swaddled in its shell. If anyone dragging around this body claimed to be healthy even for an hour, what is that but foolishness? So you should train like this: \u2018Though my body is ailing, my mind will be healthy.\u2019 That\u2019s how you should train.\u201d And then the householder Nakula\u2019s father 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 went up to Venerable S\u0101riputta, bowed, and sat down to one side. S\u0101riputta said to him: \u201cHouseholder, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. Did you get to hear a Dhamma talk in the Buddha\u2019s presence today?\u201d \u201cWhat else, sir, could it be? Just now the Buddha anointed me with the deathless ambrosia of a Dhamma talk.\u201d \u201cBut with what kind of ambrosial Dhamma talk did the Buddha anoint you?\u201d So Nakula\u2019s father told S\u0101riputta all that had happened, and said, \u201cThat\u2019s the ambrosial Dhamma talk with which I was anointed by the Buddha.\u201d \u201cBut didn\u2019t you feel the need to ask the Buddha the further question: \u2018Sir, how do you define someone ailing in body and ailing in mind, and someone ailing in body and healthy in mind\u2019?\u201d \u201cSir, we would travel a long way to learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of Venerable S\u0101riputta. May Venerable S\u0101riputta himself please clarify the meaning of this.\u201d \u201cWell then, householder, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d replied Nakula\u2019s father. S\u0101riputta said this: \u201cAnd how is one ailing in body and ailing in mind? It\u2019s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the qualities of a noble one. They\u2019ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the qualities of a true person. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. They\u2019re obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am form, form is mine!\u2019 But that form of theirs decays and perishes, which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They regard feeling as self, self as having feeling, feeling in self, or self in feeling. They\u2019re obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am feeling, feeling is mine!\u2019 But that feeling of theirs decays and perishes, which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They regard perception as self, self as having perception, perception in self, or self in perception. They\u2019re obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am perception, perception is mine!\u2019 But that perception of theirs decays and perishes, which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They regard choices as self, self as having choices, choices in self, or self in choices. They\u2019re obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am choices, choices are mine!\u2019 But those choices of theirs decay and perish, which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. They\u2019re obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am consciousness, consciousness is mine!\u2019 But that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes, which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That\u2019s how one is ailing in body and ailing in mind. And how is one ailing in body and healthy in mind? It\u2019s when a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They\u2019ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They don\u2019t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. They\u2019re not obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am form, form is mine!\u2019 So when that form of theirs decays and perishes, it doesn\u2019t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They don\u2019t regard feeling as self, self as having feeling, feeling in self, or self in feeling. They\u2019re not obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am feeling, feeling is mine!\u2019 So when that feeling of theirs decays and perishes, it doesn\u2019t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They don\u2019t regard perception as self, self as having perception, perception in self, or self in perception. They\u2019re not obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am perception, perception is mine!\u2019 So when that perception of theirs decays and perishes, it doesn\u2019t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They don\u2019t regard choices as self, self as having choices, choices in self, or self in choices. They\u2019re not obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am choices, choices are mine!\u2019 So when those choices of theirs decay and perish, it doesn\u2019t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They don\u2019t regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. They\u2019re not obsessed with the thought: \u2018I am consciousness, consciousness is mine!\u2019 So when that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes, it doesn\u2019t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That\u2019s how an individual is ailing in body and healthy in mind.\u201d That is what Venerable S\u0101riputta said. Satisfied, Nakula\u2019s father approved what S\u0101riputta said.","title":"Nakula\u2019s Father","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":987}