{"collection":"Khuddaka Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_snp2.12/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_snp2.12","id":"suttacentral_snp2.12","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/snp2.12/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Khuddaka Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near \u0100\u1e37av\u012b, at \u0100\u1e37av\u012b\u2019s premier shrine. Now at that time it was not long after Venerable Va\u1e45g\u012bsa\u2019s mentor, the senior monk named Nigrodhakappa, had become fully quenched. Then as Va\u1e45g\u012bsa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: \u201cHas my mentor become quenched or not?\u201d Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Va\u1e45g\u012bsa came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: \u201cJust now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind. \u2018Has my mentor become quenched or not?\u2019\u201d Then Venerable Va\u1e45g\u012bsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and addressed him in verse: \u201cI ask the Teacher unrivaled in wisdom, who has cut off all doubts in this very life: a monk has died at \u0100\u1e37av\u012b\u2019s premier shrine, who was well-known, famous, and quenched. Nigrodhakappa was his name; it was given to that brahmin by you, Blessed One. He wandered in your honor, yearning for freedom, energetic, a resolute Seer of Truth. O Sakyan, All-seer, we all wish to know about that disciple. Our ears are eager to hear, for you are the most excellent teacher. Cut off our doubt, declare this to us; your wisdom is vast, tell us of his quenching! All-seer, speak among us, like the thousand-eyed Sakka <j>in the midst of the gods! Whatever ties there are, or paths to delusion, or things on the side of unknowing, <j>or that are bases of doubt vanish on reaching a Realized One, for his eye is the best of all people\u2019s. If no man were ever to disperse corruptions, like the wind dispersing the stormclouds, darkness would shroud the whole world; not even brilliant men would shine. The attentive are bringers of light; my hero, that is what I think of you. We\u2019ve come for your discernment and knowledge: here in this assembly, declare to us about Kapp\u0101yana. Swiftly send forth your sweet, sweet voice, like a goose stretching its neck, gently honking, lucid-flowing, with lovely tone: alert, we all listen to you. You have entirely abandoned birth and death; curbed and pure, I urge you, speak the Dhamma! For ordinary people <j>have no wish-granter, but Realized Ones <j>have a comprehensibility-granter. Your answer is definitive, and we will adopt it, for you have perfect understanding. We raise our cupped palms one last time, one of unrivaled wisdom, <j>don\u2019t deliberately confuse us. Knowing the teaching of the noble ones <j>from top to bottom, one of unrivaled energy, <j>don\u2019t deliberately confuse us. As a man baking in the summer sun <j>would long for water, I long for your voice, so let the sound rain  forth. Surely Kapp\u0101yana did not <j>lead the spiritual life in vain? Did he realize quenching, or did he still have a residue? Let us hear what kind of liberation he had!\u201d \u201cHe cut off craving for name and form right here,\u201d said the Buddha, \u201cthe river of darkness that had long lain within him. He has entirely crossed over birth and death.\u201d So declared the Blessed One, the leader of the five. \u201cNow that I have heard your words, seventh of seers, I am confident. My question, it seems, was not in vain, the brahmin did not deceive me. As he said, so he did\u2014 he was a disciple of the Buddha. He cut the net of death the deceiver, so extended and strong. Blessed One, Kapp\u0101yana saw the starting point of grasping. He has indeed gone far beyond Death\u2019s dominion so hard to pass.\u201d","title":"Va\u1e45g\u012bsa and His Mentor Nigrodhakappa","tradition":"Khuddaka Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":607}