MN 134 · Lomasakaṅgiya and One Fine Night

MN 134 · Lomasakaṅgiya and One Fine Night

MN 134 · Lomasakaṅgiyabhaddekarattasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Now at that time Venerable Lomasakaṅgiya was staying in the Sakyan country at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Candana, lighting up the entire Banyan Tree Monastery, went up to the Venerable Lomasakaṅgiya, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, he said to Lomasakaṅgiya:

Atha kho candano devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ nigrodhārāmaṁ obhāsetvā yenāyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho candano devaputto āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṅgiyaṁ etadavoca:

“Mendicant, do you remember the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”

“dhāresi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā”ti?

“No, reverend, I do not. Do you?”

“Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā”ti?

“I also do not. But do you remember just the verses on the one who has one fine night?”

“Ahampi kho, bhikkhu, na dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Dhāresi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?

“I do not. Do you?”

“Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?

“I do.”

“Dhāremi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti.

“How do you remember the verses on the one who has one fine night?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, āvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?

“This one time, the Buddha was staying among the gods of the thirty-three at the root of the Orchid Tree on the stone spread with a cream rug. There he taught the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night to the gods of the thirty-three:

“Ekamidaṁ, bhikkhu, samayaṁ bhagavā devesu tāvatiṁsesu viharati pāricchattakamūle paṇḍukambalasilāyaṁ. Tatra bhagavā devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:

‘Don’t run back to the past,don’t anticipate the future.What’s past is left behind,the future has not arrived;

‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,appattañca anāgataṁ.

and any present phenomenonyou clearly discern in every case.The unfaltering, the unshakable:having known that, foster it.

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,tattha tattha vipassati;Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

Today’s the day to keenly work—who knows, tomorrow may bring death!For there is no bargain to be struckwith Death and his mighty horde.

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,mahāsenena maccunā.

One who keenly meditates like this,tireless all night and day:that’s who has one fine night—so declares the peaceful sage.’

Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,ahorattamatanditaṁ;Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

That’s how I remember the verses of the one who has one fine night. Learn the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night, mendicant, memorize it, and remember it. It is beneficial and relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Uggaṇhāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; pariyāpuṇāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; dhārehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Atthasaṁhito, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddeso ca vibhaṅgo ca ādibrahmacariyako”ti.

That is what the godling Candana said before vanishing right there.

Idamavoca candano devaputto. Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Then Lomasakaṅgiya set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sāvatthī. Eventually he came to Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Grove. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then he added:

Atha kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo tassā rattiyā accayena senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sāvatthi tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sāvatthi jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, please teach me the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.”

Idamavoca, bhante, so devaputto. Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca desetū”ti.

“But mendicant, do you know that god?”

“Jānāsi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ devaputtan”ti?

“I do not, sir.”

“Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi taṁ devaputtan”ti.

“That godling was named Candana. Candana pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens to the teaching. Well then, mendicant, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Candano nāma so, bhikkhu, devaputto. Candano, bhikkhu, devaputto aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasikatvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti. Tena hi, bhikkhu, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” Lomasakaṅgiya replied. The Buddha said this:

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Don’t run back to the past,don’t anticipate the future.What’s past is left behind,the future has not arrived;

“Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,appattañca anāgataṁ.

and any present phenomenonyou clearly discern in every case.The unfaltering, the unshakable:having known that, foster it.

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,tattha tattha vipassati;Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

Today’s the day to keenly work—who knows, tomorrow may bring death!For there is no bargain to be struckwith Death and his mighty horde.

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,mahāsenena maccunā.

One who keenly meditates like this,tireless all night and day:that’s who has one fine night—so declares the peaceful sage.

Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,ahorattamatanditaṁ;Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,santo ācikkhate muni.

And how do you run back to the past? …”

Kathañca, bhikkhu, atītaṁ anvāgameti …pe…

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Lomasakaṅgiya approved what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.