MN 143 · Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika

MN 143 · Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika

MN 143 · Anāthapiṇḍikovādasutta

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 the householder Anāthapiṇḍika was sick, suffering, gravely ill. Then he addressed a man, “Please, my man, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him: ‘Sir, the householder Anāthapiṇḍika is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’ Then go to Venerable Sāriputta, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him: ‘Sir, the householder Anāthapiṇḍika is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’ And then say: ‘Sir, please visit him at his home out of sympathy.’”

Tena kho pana samayena anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi: ‘anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Yena cāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena āyasmato sāriputtassa pāde sirasā vandāhi: ‘anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So āyasmato sāriputtassa pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadehi: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

“Yes, sir,” that man replied. He did as Anāthapiṇḍika asked. Sāriputta consented with silence.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so puriso anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī”ti. Yena cāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: “anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So āyasmato sāriputtassa pāde sirasā vandati; evañca vadeti: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti. Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā sāriputto tuṇhībhāvena.

Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went with Venerable Ānanda as his second monk to Anāthapiṇḍika’s home. He sat down on the seat spread out and said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “I hope you’re keeping well, householder, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya āyasmatā ānandena pacchāsamaṇena yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā sāriputto anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “kacci te, gahapati, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

“I’m not keeping well, Honorable Sāriputta, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading. The winds piercing my head are so severe, it feels like a strong man drilling into my head with a sharp point. The pain in my head is so severe, it feels like a strong man tightening a strong leather strap around my head. The winds slicing my belly are so severe, like a deft butcher or their apprentice were slicing open a cow’s belly with a sharp meat cleaver. The burning in my body is so severe, it feels like two strong men grabbing a weaker man by the arms to burn and scorch him on a pit of glowing coals. That’s how severe the burning is in my body. I’m not keeping well, Honorable Sāriputta, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

“Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā. Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ, samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho. Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.

“That’s why, householder, you should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp the eye, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the eye.’ That’s how you should train.

“Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na cakkhuṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhunissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp the ear, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the ear.’ …

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na sotaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me sotanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

‘I shall not grasp the nose, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the nose.’ …

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na ghānaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me ghānanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

‘I shall not grasp the tongue, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the tongue.’ …

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na jivhaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me jivhānissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

‘I shall not grasp the body, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the body.’ …

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na kāyaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me kāyanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

‘I shall not grasp the mind, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the mind.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na manaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manonissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp sight, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on sight.’ … ‘I shall not grasp sound … smell … taste … touch … idea, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on idea.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na rūpaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me rūpanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na saddaṁ upādiyissāmi …pe… na gandhaṁ upādiyissāmi … na rasaṁ upādiyissāmi … na phoṭṭhabbaṁ upādiyissāmi … na dhammaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me dhammanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp eye consciousness, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on eye consciousness.’ … ‘I shall not grasp ear consciousness … nose consciousness … tongue consciousness … body consciousness … mind consciousness, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on mind consciousness.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na cakkhuviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhuviññāṇanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na sotaviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … na ghānaviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … na jivhāviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … na kāyaviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … na manoviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manoviññāṇanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp eye contact … ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact … mind contact, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on mind contact.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na cakkhusamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhusamphassanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na sotasamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … na ghānasamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … na jivhāsamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … na kāyasamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … na manosamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manosamphassanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp feeling born of eye contact … feeling born of ear contact … feeling born of nose contact … feeling born of tongue contact … feeling born of body contact … feeling born of mind contact, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the feeling born of mind contact.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na cakkhusamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhusamphassajāvedanānissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na sotasamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na ghānasamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na jivhāsamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na kāyasamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na manosamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manosamphassajāvedanānissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp the earth element … water element … fire element … air element … space element … consciousness element, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the consciousness element.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na pathavīdhātuṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me pathavīdhātunissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na āpodhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … na tejodhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … na vāyodhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … na ākāsadhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … na viññāṇadhātuṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me viññāṇadhātunissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on consciousness.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na rūpaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me rūpanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na saññaṁ upādiyissāmi … na saṅkhāre upādiyissāmi … na viññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me viññāṇanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp the dimension of infinite space … the dimension of infinite consciousness … the dimension of nothingness … the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me ākāsānañcāyatananissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi … na nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me nevasaññānāsaññāyatananissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp this world, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on this world.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na idhalokaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me idhalokanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp the other world, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the other world.’ That’s how you should train. You should train like this: ‘I shall not grasp whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by my mind, and my consciousness will not have that as support.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘na paralokaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me paralokanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘yampi me diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anupariyesitaṁ anucaritaṁ manasā tampi na upādiyissāmi, na ca me tannissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabban”ti.

When he said this, Anāthapiṇḍika cried and burst out in tears. Venerable Ānanda said to him, “Are you failing, householder? Are you fading, householder?”

Evaṁ vutte, anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati parodi, assūni pavattesi. Atha kho āyasmā ānando anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “olīyasi kho tvaṁ, gahapati, saṁsīdasi kho tvaṁ, gahapatī”ti?

“No, Honorable Ānanda. But for a long time I have paid homage to the Buddha and the esteemed mendicants. Yet I have never before heard such a Dhamma talk.”

“Nāhaṁ, bhante ānanda, olīyāmi, napi saṁsīdāmi; api ca me dīgharattaṁ satthā payirupāsito manobhāvanīyā ca bhikkhū; na ca me evarūpī dhammī kathā sutapubbā”ti.

“Householder, such Dhamma talk does not strike when teaching white-clothed laypeople. Rather, it strikes when teaching those gone forth.”

“Na kho, gahapati, gihīnaṁ odātavasanānaṁ evarūpī dhammī kathā paṭibhāti; pabbajitānaṁ kho, gahapati, evarūpī dhammī kathā paṭibhātī”ti.

“Well then, Honorable Sāriputta, let such Dhamma talk strike when teaching white-clothed laypeople as well! There are gentlemen with little dust in their eyes. They’re in decline because they haven’t heard the teaching. There will be those who understand the teaching!”

“Tena hi, bhante sāriputta, gihīnampi odātavasanānaṁ evarūpī dhammī kathā paṭibhātu. Santi hi, bhante, kulaputtā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti; bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti.

And when the venerables Sāriputta and Ānanda had given the householder Anāthapiṇḍika this advice they rose from their seats and left. Not long after they had left, Anāthapiṇḍika passed away and was reborn in the host of joyful gods.

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca ānando anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati, acirapakkante āyasmante ca sāriputte āyasmante ca ānande, kālamakāsi tusitaṁ kāyaṁ upapajji.

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Anāthapiṇḍika, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and addressed the Buddha in verse:

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“This is indeed that Jeta’s Grove,frequented by the Saṅgha of seers,where the King of Dhamma stayed:it brings me joy!

“Idañhi taṁ jetavanaṁ,isisaṅghanisevitaṁ;Āvutthaṁ dhammarājena,pītisañjananaṁ mama.

Deeds, knowledge, and principle;ethical conduct, an excellent livelihood;by these are mortals purified,not by clan or wealth.

Kammaṁ vijjā ca dhammo ca,sīlaṁ jīvitamuttamaṁ;Etena maccā sujjhanti,na gottena dhanena vā.

That’s why an astute person,seeing what’s good for themselves,would examine the teaching rationally,that’s how they become purified in that.

Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso,sampassaṁ atthamattano;Yoniso vicine dhammaṁ,evaṁ tattha visujjhati.

Sāriputta is full of wisdom,ethics, and peace.Even a mendicant who has crossed overmight at best equal him.”

Sāriputtova paññāya,sīlena upasamena ca;Yopi pāraṅgato bhikkhu,etāvaparamo siyā”ti.

That is what the godling Anāthapiṇḍika said, and the Teacher concurred. Then the godling Anāthapiṇḍika, knowing that the Teacher concurred, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

Idamavoca anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto: “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi: “imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññataro devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho so devaputto maṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

When he had spoken, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, that godling must surely have been Anāthapiṇḍika. For the householder Anāthapiṇḍika was devoted to Venerable Sāriputta.”

“so hi nūna so, bhante, anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto bhavissati. Anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati āyasmante sāriputte abhippasanno ahosī”ti.

“Good, good, Ānanda. You’ve reached the logical conclusion, as far as logic goes. For that was indeed the godling Anāthapiṇḍika.”

“Sādhu sādhu, ānanda. Yāvatakaṁ kho, ānanda, takkāya pattabbaṁ, anuppattaṁ taṁ tayā. Anāthapiṇḍiko so, ānanda, devaputto”ti.

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

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.