Saṁyutta Nikāya 54.9

The Related Suttas Collection 54.9

1. Ekadhammavagga

1. One Thing

Vesālīsutta

At Vesālī

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ anekapariyāyena asubhakathaṁ katheti, asubhāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, asubhabhāvanāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Now at that time the Buddha spoke in many ways to the bhikkhus about the meditation on ugliness. He praised the meditation on ugliness and its development.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “icchāmahaṁ, bhikkhave, aḍḍhamāsaṁ paṭisallīyituṁ. Nāmhi kenaci upasaṅkamitabbo, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakenā”ti.

Then the Buddha said to the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus, I wish to go on retreat for a fortnight. No-one should approach me, except for the one who brings my almsfood.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā nāssudha koci bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamati, aññatra ekena piṇḍapātanīhārakena.

“Yes, sir,” replied those bhikkhus. And no-one approached him, except for the one who brought the almsfood.

Atha kho te bhikkhū: “bhagavā anekapariyāyena asubhakathaṁ katheti, asubhāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, asubhabhāvanāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsatī”ti anekākāravokāraṁ asubhabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti. Te iminā kāyena aṭṭīyamānā¹ harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti. Dasapi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti, vīsampi …pe… tiṁsampi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti.

Then those bhikkhus thought, “The Buddha spoke in many ways about the meditation on ugliness. He praised the meditation on ugliness and its development.” They committed themselves to developing the many different facets of the meditation on ugliness. Becoming horrified, repelled, and disgusted with this body, they looked for someone to slit their wrists. Each day ten, twenty, or thirty bhikkhus slit their wrists.

Atha kho bhagavā tassa aḍḍhamāsassa accayena paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “kiṁ nu kho, ānanda, tanubhūto viya bhikkhusaṅgho”ti?

Then after a fortnight had passed, the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda, “Ānanda, why does the bhikkhu Saṅgha seem so diminished?”

“Tathā hi pana, bhante, ‘bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ anekapariyāyena asubhakathaṁ katheti, asubhāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, asubhabhāvanāya vaṇṇaṁ bhāsatī’ti anekākāravokāraṁ asubhabhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā viharanti. Te iminā kāyena aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā satthahārakaṁ pariyesanti. Dasapi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti, vīsampi bhikkhū … tiṁsampi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti. Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā aññaṁ pariyāyaṁ ācikkhatu yathāyaṁ bhikkhusaṅgho aññāya saṇṭhaheyyā”ti.

Ānanda told the Buddha all that had happened, and said, “Sir, please explain another way for the bhikkhu Saṅgha to get enlightened.”

“Tenahānanda, yāvatikā bhikkhū vesāliṁ upanissāya viharanti te sabbe upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannipātehī”ti.

“Well then, Ānanda, gather all the bhikkhus staying in the vicinity of Vesālī together in the assembly hall.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā yāvatikā bhikkhū vesāliṁ upanissāya viharanti te sabbe upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ sannipātetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “sannipatito, bhante, bhikkhusaṅgho. Yassadāni, bhante, bhagavā kālaṁ maññatī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. He did what the Buddha asked, went up to him, and said, “Sir, the bhikkhu Saṅgha has assembled. Please, sir, come at your convenience.”

Atha kho bhagavā yena upaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then the Buddha went to the assembly hall, sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the bhikkhus:

“ayampi kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti.

“Bhikkhus, when this immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse ūhataṁ rajojallaṁ, tamenaṁ mahāakālamegho ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti;

In the last month of summer, when the dust and dirt is stirred up, a large sudden storm disperses and settles it on the spot.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi bhāvito bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti. Kathaṁ bhāvito ca, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi kathaṁ bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasameti?

In the same way, when this immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise. And how is it so developed and cultivated?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

It’s when a bhikkhu—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of them.

So satova assasati, satova passasati …pe…

Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. …

‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ‘paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati.

They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’

Evaṁ bhāvito kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhi evaṁ bahulīkato santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro uppannuppanne ca pāpake akusale dhamme ṭhānaso antaradhāpeti vūpasametī”ti.

That’s how this immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated so that it’s peaceful and sublime, a deliciously pleasant meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.”

Navamaṁ.