Aṇguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
I. Sambodha Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
IX. The Book of the Nines
Chapter I: The Awakening
Sutta 4
Nandaka Suttaṃ
The Venerable Nandaka
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once, when the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park,
the venerable Nandaka[1] gave Dhamma discourse to the monks in the service hall;[2]
taught them,
roused them,
incited them
and gladdened them.
■
Now in the evening
the Exalted One rose from seclusion
and approached the service hall;
and having come,
he stood outside the doorway,
waiting for the discourse to end.
And when he knew that the discourse was ended,
he coughed and tapped on the bolt.[3]
[238] Then those monks opened the door to the Exalted One,
and he entered the hall and sat down on the appointed seat.
When he had seated himself,
the Exalted One spoke thus to the venerable Nandaka:
"Surely, Nandaka, this Dhamma discourse,
which you preached to the monks,
was a long one!
My back ached as I stood outside the doorway, waiting for the discourse to end."
■
When he had thus spoken,
the venerable Nandaka, being embarrassed,
said to him:
"Nay, lord, we knew not that the Exalted One stood outside the door.
Had we known, lord, we would not have said so much."
■
Now the Exalted One knew
that the venerable Nandaka was embarrassed,
so he said to him:
"Well done, well done, Nandaka!
This is right for you clansmen,
who by faith have gone forth from the home to the homeless life,
when you may be seated around for Dhamma discourse!
For you assembled, Nandaka, there are two courses:
either discourse on Dhamma
or maintain the Ariyan silence.[4]
§
The transition here is unusually abrupt. It feels as though there were some introductory remarks left out, as, for example, some reference to what was being taught by Nandaka.
— p.p.
A monk, Nandaka, has faith,
but is not virtuous;
so in that part he is not perfect.[5]
Therefore that part must be perfected.
-◦-
Let him think:
"Would that I might have both faith and virtue."
And when, Nandaka, the monk has both faith and virtue,
then is he in that part perfect.
■
A monk, Nandaka, has faith and virtue,
but cannot obtain calm of mind within;
so in that part he is not perfect.
Therefore that part must be perfected.
-◦-
Let him think:
"Would that I might have faith and virtue
and obtain calm of mind within."
And when, Nandaka, the monk has faith and virtue
and can obtain calm of mind within,
then is he in that part perfect.
■
A monk, Nandaka, has faith and virtue
and can obtain calm of mind within,
but cannot obtain by more-wisdom
insight into things;[6]
so in that part he is not perfect.
-◦-
Just as some four-footed creature[7] may have one foot short
and [239] stunted and so be not perfect in that limb;
even so, Nandaka, a monk has faith and virtue
and can obtain calm of mind within,
but cannot obtain by more-wisdom insight into things;
so in that part he is not perfect.
Therefore that part must be perfected.
-◦-
Let him think:
"Would that I might have faith and virtue,
obtain calm of mind within
and obtain by more-wisdom insight into things."
And when, Nandaka, the monk has faith and virtue,
can obtain calm of mind within
and by more-wisdom insight into things,
then in that part is he perfect.'
■
Thus spake the Exalted One;
and when the Well-farer had finished speaking,
he rose from his seat and entered his abode.
§
Now not long after the Exalted One had gone,
the venerable Nandaka addressed the monks, saying:
'Reverend sirs, the Exalted One has just set forth the godly life,
which is perfect and pure in its entirety,
in four steps;
and he has now got up and gone to his abode.'[ed1]
■
A monk, Nandaka, has faith,
but is not virtuous;
so in that part he is not perfect.
Therefore that part must be perfected.
Let him think:
"Would that I might have both faith and virtue."
-◦-
And when, Nandaka, the monk has both faith and virtue,
then is he in that part perfect.
■
A monk, Nandaka, has faith and virtue,
but cannot obtain calm of mind within;
so in that part he is not perfect.
Therefore that part must be perfected.
Let him think:
"Would that I might have faith and virtue
and obtain calm of mind within."
-◦-
And when, Nandaka, the monk has faith and virtue
and can obtain calm of mind within,
then is he in that part perfect.
■
A monk, Nandaka, has faith and virtue
and can obtain calm of mind within,
but cannot obtain by more-wisdom
insight into things;
so in that part he is not perfect.
Just as some four-footed creature may have one foot short
and stunted and so be not perfect in that limb;
even so, Nandaka, a monk has faith and virtue
and can obtain calm of mind within,
but cannot obtain by more-wisdom insight into things;
so in that part he is not perfect.
-◦-
Therefore that part must be perfected.
Let him think:
"Would that I might have faith and virtue,
obtain calm of mind within
and obtain by more-wisdom insight into things."
And when, Nandaka, the monk has faith and virtue,
can obtain calm of mind within
and by more-wisdom insight into things,
then in that part is he perfect.'
§
Now there are, reverend sirs,
these five advantages
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
What five?
Take the case, reverend sirs, of a monk,
who teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle
and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety.
Reverend sirs, as often as the monk teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety,
just so often is the Teacher dear to him,
loved,
esteemed
and reverenced by him.
This, sirs, is the first advantage
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
■
Again, take the case, reverend sirs, of a monk,
who teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle
and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety.
Reverend sirs, as often as the monk teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety,
just so often is he a partaker[8]
in the word [240] and in the meaning of this Dhamma.
This, reverend sirs, is the second advantage
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
■
Again, take the case, reverend sirs, of a monk,
who teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle
and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety.
Reverend sirs, as often as the monk teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety,
just so often does he see in that Dhamma,
as he penetrates it by wisdom,
its profound import.[9]
This, reverend sirs, is the third advantage
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
■
Again, take the case, reverend sirs, of a monk,
who teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle
and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety.
Reverend sirs, as often as the monk teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety,
just so often do his fellows in the godly life
revere him the more,[10] saying:
"Of a truth, this reverend sir has attained,
or will attain."[11]
This, reverend sirs, is the fourth advantage
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
■
Then, reverend sirs, in the case of a monk,
who teaches the monks Dhamma,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety -
as soon as the monk teaches Dhamma
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle and lovely in the end,
setting forth both in spirit
and in letter
the godly life,
perfect and pure in its entirety,
everywhere those monks,
who are but learners,
who have not attained mastery of the mind,[12]
abide resolved on the unsurpassed peace from effort;
and having heard that Dhamma,
strive with zeal to attain the unattained,
to master the unmastered,
to realize the unrealized.
And the arahant monks there,
who have destroyed the cankers,
lived the godly life,
done what was to be done,
laid down the burden,
attained perfection,
burst the bonds of becoming
and are freed through perfect knowledge -
on hearing Dhamma,
dwell comfortably here and now.
This, reverend sirs, is the fifth advantage
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
■
Reverend sirs, these are the five advantages
from listening to Dhamma at the proper time
and from Dhamma talks at the proper time.
[1] He was chief among those who admonished the monks, see A. i, 25; and A.A. i, 312 for his life. For other discourses of his, see M. iii, 270 ff. (F. Dial, ii, 309); A. i, 193 ff. The verses at Th. i, 279-282 are ascribed to him. Nandaka has a catechizing of nuns in M. iii, No. 146.
[2] Comy. in the refectory.
[3] Cf. M. i, 161, where this recurs; also A. v, 65; D. i, 89 (D.A. i, 252).
[4] Comy. the second Jhāna; cf. K.S. ii, 184; Ud. 11; above, p. 105.
[5] Cf. above, p. 211.
[6] Adhipaññā-dhamma-vipassanā. Comy. Saṇkhāra-pariggaha-vipassanāñāṇ; cf. G.S. ii, 102.
[7] The Comy. observes: a horse, a bullock, an ass and the like. (J.P.T.S. '06, s.v. pāṇaka, correct A. reference to 360.)
[8] Paṭisaṃvedi, one who experiences.
[9] Gambhīraṃ attha-padaṃ. Comy. gambhīraṃ gūḷhaṃ rahassaṃ, cf. A. ii, 189; iii, 356.
[10] Uttariṃ sambhāventi.
[11] Patto vā pajjati vā, v.l. paccati; S.e. pacchati, v.l. pajjati; see P.E.D. Comy. pacchati, observing; arahattaṃ potto vā pāpuṇissati vā.
[12] Appattamānasā. Cf. It. 9, and Windisch's note there; Child. 472, 'one who is yet a sekha (a learner), and has not attained Arahantship.' J. i, 29. Our 'Comy. appatta-arahattā arahattaṃ vā appattaṃ mānasaṃ etesaṃ.
[ed1] The repeated passage has been inserted here accorrding to the manner indicated by the Pali. However the use by Nandaka of the reference to himself is doubtful and there is no lead-in such as '...saying:'
