The Garden of Delight · SN 1.11–1.20

SN 1.11 · The Garden of Delight

SN 1.11 · Nandanasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Once upon a time, mendicants, a certain deity of the company of the thirty-three was amusing themselves in the Garden of Delight, escorted by a band of nymphs, and supplied and provided with the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation. On that occasion she spoke this verse:

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, aññatarā tāvatiṁsakāyikā devatā nandane vane accharāsaṅghaparivutā dibbehi pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricārayamānā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

‘They don’t know pleasurewho don’t see the Garden of Delight!It’s the abode of lordly gods,the glorious host of Thirty!’

‘Na te sukhaṁ pajānanti,ye na passanti nandanaṁ;Āvāsaṁ naradevānaṁ,tidasānaṁ yasassinan’ti.

When they had spoken, another deity replied with this verse:

Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, aññatarā devatā taṁ devataṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:

‘Fool, don’t you understandthe saying of the perfected ones:All conditions are impermanent,their nature is to rise and fall;having arisen, they cease;their settling is such bliss.’”

‘Na tvaṁ bāle pajānāsi,yathā arahataṁ vaco;Aniccā sabbasaṅkhārā,uppādavayadhammino;Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho’”ti.

SN 1.12 · Delight

SN 1.12 · Nandatisutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“Children bring you delight!Cattle also bring you delight!For attachments are a man’s delight;without attachments there’s no delight.”

“Nandati puttehi puttimā,Gomā gohi tatheva nandati;Upadhīhi narassa nandanā,Na hi so nandati yo nirūpadhī”ti.

“Children bring you sorrow.Cattle also bring you sorrow.For attachments are a man’s sorrow;without attachments there are no sorrows.”

“Socati puttehi puttimā,Gomā gohi tatheva socati;Upadhīhi narassa socanā,Na hi so socati yo nirūpadhī”ti.

SN 1.13 · There’s Nothing Like a Child

SN 1.13 · Natthiputtasamasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“There’s no fondness like that for a child,no wealth equal to cattle,no light like that of the sun,and of streams the ocean is paramount.”

“Natthi puttasamaṁ pemaṁ,natthi gosamitaṁ dhanaṁ;Natthi sūriyasamā ābhā,samuddaparamā sarā”ti.

“There’s no fondness like that for oneself,no wealth equal to grain,no light like that of wisdom,and of streams the rain is paramount.”

“Natthi attasamaṁ pemaṁ,natthi dhaññasamaṁ dhanaṁ;Natthi paññāsamā ābhā,vuṭṭhi ve paramā sarā”ti.

SN 1.14 · Aristocrats

SN 1.14 · Khattiyasutta

“An aristocrat is the best of bipeds,an ox is the best of quadrupeds,a maiden is the best of wives,and a first-born the best of sons.”

“Khattiyo dvipadaṁ seṭṭho,balībaddo catuppadaṁ;Komārī seṭṭhā bhariyānaṁ,yo ca puttāna pubbajo”ti.

“A Buddha is the best of bipeds,a thoroughbred, the best of quadrupeds,a good listener is the best of wives,and the best of sons is loyal.”

“Sambuddho dvipadaṁ seṭṭho,ājānīyo catuppadaṁ;Sussūsā seṭṭhā bhariyānaṁ,yo ca puttānamassavo”ti.

SN 1.15 · Resounding

SN 1.15 · Saṇamānasutta

“In the still of high noon,when the birds have settled down,the mighty forest itself resounds—that strikes me as so scary!”

“Ṭhite majjhanhike kāle,sannisīvesu pakkhisu;Saṇateva brahāraññaṁ,taṁ bhayaṁ paṭibhāti man”ti.

“In the still of high noon,when the birds have settled down,the mighty forest itself resounds—that strikes me as so delightful!”

“Ṭhite majjhanhike kāle,sannisīvesu pakkhisu;Saṇateva brahāraññaṁ,sā rati paṭibhāti man”ti.

SN 1.16 · Sleepiness and Sloth

SN 1.16 · Niddātandīsutta

“Sleepiness, sloth, and yawning,discontent, and grogginess after eating:because of this the noble pathdoesn’t shine for creatures here.”

“Niddā tandī vijambhitā,Aratī bhattasammado;Etena nappakāsati,Ariyamaggo idha pāṇinan”ti.

“Sleepiness, sloth, and yawning,discontent, and grogginess after eating:when this is energetically fended off,the noble path is purified.”

“Niddaṁ tandiṁ vijambhitaṁ,Aratiṁ bhattasammadaṁ;Vīriyena naṁ paṇāmetvā,Ariyamaggo visujjhatī”ti.

SN 1.17 · Hard to Do

SN 1.17 · Dukkarasutta

“Hard to do, hard to endure,is the ascetic life for the inept,for it has many narrow passeswhere the fool founders.”

“Dukkaraṁ duttitikkhañca,abyattena ca sāmaññaṁ;Bahūhi tattha sambādhā,yattha bālo visīdatī”ti.

“How many days could an ascetic livewithout controlling the mind?They’d founder with each step,under the sway of thoughts.

“Katihaṁ careyya sāmaññaṁ,cittañce na nivāraye;Pade pade visīdeyya,saṅkappānaṁ vasānugoti.

A mendicant should collect their thoughtsas a tortoise draws its limbs into its shell.Independent, not disturbing others,quenched: they wouldn’t blame anyone.”

Kummova aṅgāni sake kapāle,Samodahaṁ bhikkhu manovitakke;Anissito aññamaheṭhayāno,Parinibbuto nūpavadeyya kañcī”ti.

SN 1.18 · Conscience

SN 1.18 · Hirīsutta

“Can a person constrained by consciencebe found in the world,who is cognizant of blame,like a fine horse of the whip?”

“Hirīnisedho puriso,koci lokasmiṁ vijjati;Yo nindaṁ apabodhati,asso bhadro kasāmivā”ti.

“Few are those constrained by conscience,who live always mindful.Having reached the end of suffering,smoothly they walk in the rough.”

“Hirīnisedhā tanuyā,ye caranti sadā satā;Antaṁ dukkhassa pappuyya,caranti visame saman”ti.

SN 1.19 · Little Hut

SN 1.19 · Kuṭikāsutta

“Don’t you have a little hut?Don’t you have a little nest?Don’t you have any networks?Aren’t you free of shackles?”

“Kacci te kuṭikā natthi,kacci natthi kulāvakā;Kacci santānakā natthi,kacci muttosi bandhanā”ti.

“Indeed I have no little hut.Indeed I have no little nest.Indeed I have no networks.Indeed I’m free from shackles.”

“Taggha me kuṭikā natthi,taggha natthi kulāvakā;Taggha santānakā natthi,taggha muttomhi bandhanā”ti.

“What do you think I call your little hut?What do I call your little nest?What do I call your network?And what do I call your shackle?”

“Kintāhaṁ kuṭikaṁ brūmi,kiṁ te brūmi kulāvakaṁ;Kiṁ te santānakaṁ brūmi,kintāhaṁ brūmi bandhanan”ti.

“You call mother a little hut;and wife a little nest.You call children a network,and you call my craving a shackle.”

“Mātaraṁ kuṭikaṁ brūsi,bhariyaṁ brūsi kulāvakaṁ;Putte santānake brūsi,taṇhaṁ me brūsi bandhanan”ti.

“It’s good you have no little hut!It’s good you have no little nest!It’s good you have no networks!And good that you’re free from shackles.”

“Sāhu te kuṭikā natthi,sāhu natthi kulāvakā;Sāhu santānakā natthi,sāhu muttosi bandhanā”ti.

SN 1.20 · With Samiddhi

SN 1.20 · Samiddhisutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Hot Springs Monastery.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati tapodārāme.

Then Venerable Samiddhi rose at the crack of dawn and went to the hot springs to bathe. When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying his limbs.

Atha kho āyasmā samiddhi rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya yena tapodā tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ. Tapode gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire hot springs, went up to Samiddhi, and, standing in the air, addressed him in verse:

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ tapodaṁ obhāsetvā yena āyasmā samiddhi tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā vehāsaṁ ṭhitā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Mendicant, you seek alms before you eat;you don’t seek alms after eating.But you should eat first, then seek alms:don’t let the time pass you by.”

“Abhutvā bhikkhasi bhikkhu,na hi bhutvāna bhikkhasi;Bhutvāna bhikkhu bhikkhassu,mā taṁ kālo upaccagā”ti.

“I actually don’t know the time;it’s hidden and unseen.That’s why I seek alms before eating,so that the time may not pass me by!”

“Kālaṁ vohaṁ na jānāmi,channo kālo na dissati;Tasmā abhutvā bhikkhāmi,mā maṁ kālo upaccagā”ti.

Then that deity landed on the ground and said to Samiddhi, “You’ve gone forth while young, mendicant. With pristine black hair, you’re blessed with youth, in the prime of life, and you’ve never flirted with sensual pleasures. Enjoy human sensual pleasures! Don’t give up what is apparent in the present to chase after what takes effect over time.”

Atha kho sā devatā pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhahitvā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ etadavoca: “daharo tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pabbajito susu kāḷakeso, bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato, paṭhamena vayasā, anikkīḷitāvī kāmesu. Bhuñja, bhikkhu, mānusake kāme; mā sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvī”ti.

“I’m not, respectable sir. I’m giving up what takes effect over time to chase after what is apparent in the present. For the Buddha has said that sensual pleasures take effect over time, with much suffering and distress, and they’re all the more full of drawbacks. But this teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”

“Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sandiṭṭhikaṁ hitvā kālikaṁ anudhāvāmi. Kālikañca khvāhaṁ, āvuso, hitvā sandiṭṭhikaṁ anudhāvāmi. Kālikā hi, āvuso, kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā; ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo. Sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.

“But in what way, mendicant, has the Buddha said that sensual pleasures take effect over time, with much suffering and distress, and they’re all the more full of drawbacks? And how is this teaching apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves?”

“Kathañca, bhikkhu, kālikā kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo? Kathaṁ sandiṭṭhiko ayaṁ dhammo akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti?

“I’m junior, respectable sir, recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training. I’m not able to explain this in detail. But he, that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, is staying near Rājagaha in the Hot Springs Monastery. You should approach him and ask about this matter. And you should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

“Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, navo acirapabbajito adhunāgato imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ. Na tāhaṁ sakkomi vitthārena ācikkhituṁ. Ayaṁ so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho rājagahe viharati tapodārāme. Taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccha. Yathā te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti.

“It’s not easy for us to approach the Buddha, as he is surrounded by other illustrious deities. If you go to the Buddha and ask him about this matter, we’ll come along and listen to the teaching.”

“Na kho, bhikkhu, sukaro so bhagavā amhehi upasaṅkamituṁ, aññāhi mahesakkhāhi devatāhi parivuto. Sace kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, mayampi āgaccheyyāma dhammassavanāyā”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” Venerable Samiddhi replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then he added:

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā samiddhi tassā devatāya paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā samiddhi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, if that deity spoke the truth, he’ll be close by.”

Evaṁ vutte, bhante, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca: ‘na kho, bhikkhu, sukaro so bhagavā amhehi upasaṅkamituṁ, aññāhi mahesakkhāhi devatāhi parivuto. Sace kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, mayampi āgaccheyyāma dhammassavanāyā’ti. Sace, bhante, tassā devatāya saccaṁ vacanaṁ, idheva sā devatā avidūre”ti.

When he had spoken, that deity said to Samiddhi, “Ask, mendicant, ask! For I have arrived.”

Evaṁ vutte, sā devatā āyasmantaṁ samiddhiṁ etadavoca: “puccha, bhikkhu, puccha, bhikkhu, yamahaṁ anuppattā”ti.

Then the Buddha addressed the deity in verse:

Atha kho bhagavā taṁ devataṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Sentient beings who perceive the communicable,become established in the communicable.Not understanding the communicable,they fall under the yoke of Death.

“Akkheyyasaññino sattā,akkheyyasmiṁ patiṭṭhitā;Akkheyyaṁ apariññāya,yogamāyanti maccuno.

But having fully understood the communicable,they don’t conceive a communicator,for they have nothingby which they might be described.

Akkheyyañca pariññāya,Akkhātāraṁ na maññati;Tañhi tassa na hotīti,Yena naṁ vajjā na tassa atthi;

Tell me if you understand, spirit.”

Sace vijānāsi vadehi yakkhā”ti.

“I don’t understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement. Please teach me this matter so I can understand the detailed meaning.”

“Na khvāhaṁ, bhante, imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā tathā bhāsatu yathāhaṁ imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ jāneyyan”ti.

“If you think that ‘I’m equal,special, or worse’, you’ll dispute about that.Unwavering in the face of the three discriminations,they have no thought, ‘I’m equal or special’.

“Samo visesī uda vā nihīno,Yo maññatī so vivadetha tena;Tīsu vidhāsu avikampamāno,Samo visesīti na tassa hoti;

Tell me if you understand, spirit.”

Sace vijānāsi vadehi yakkhā”ti.

“I don’t understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement. Please teach me this matter so I can understand the detailed meaning.”

“Imassapi khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa na vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā tathā bhāsatu yathāhaṁ imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ jāneyyan”ti.

“They gave up judgment without falling into conceit;craving for name and form was cut off right here.They cut the ties, untroubled, <j>with no need for hope.Though gods and humans search for themin this life or the next, they never find them,not in heaven nor in any abode.

“Pahāsi saṅkhaṁ na vimānamajjhagā,Acchecchi taṇhaṁ idha nāmarūpe;Taṁ chinnaganthaṁ anighaṁ nirāsaṁ,Pariyesamānā nājjhagamuṁ;Devā manussā idha vā huraṁ vā,Saggesu vā sabbanivesanesu.

Tell me if you understand, spirit.”

Sace vijānāsi vadehi yakkhā”ti.

“This is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement:

“Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi—

You should never do anything badby speech or mind or body in all the world.Having given up sensual pleasures, <j>mindful and aware,you shouldn’t keep doing <j>what’s painful and pointless.”

Pāpaṁ na kayirā vacasā manasā,Kāyena vā kiñcana sabbaloke;Kāme pahāya satimā sampajāno,Dukkhaṁ na sevetha anatthasaṁhitan”ti.