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SN 22.1PTS SN 3.15 min read

Nakula’s Father

Nakulapitusutta

The householder Nakulapitā asks the Buddha for help in coping with old age. The Buddha says to reflect: “Even though I am afflicted in body, my mind will be unafflicted.” Later Sāriputta explains this in terms of the five aggregates.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.1Linked Discourses 22.1
  • 0.21. Nakulapituvagga1. Nakula’s Father

0.3NakulapitusuttaNakula’s Father

1.1PTS 3.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.11.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Bhaggas at Crocodile’s Bellow, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood.2

1.3Atha kho nakulapitā gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho nakulapitā gahapati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then the householder Nakula’s father went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:3

2.1“Ahamasmi, bhante, jiṇṇo vuḍḍho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto āturakāyo abhikkhaṇātaṅko.“Sir, I’m an old man, elderly and senior. I’m advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life. My body is ailing and I’m constantly unwell.2.2Aniccadassāvī kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato manobhāvanīyānañca bhikkhūnaṁ.I hardly ever get to see the esteemed mendicants.42.3Ovadatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā;May the Buddha please advise me2.4anusāsatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā;and instruct me.2.5yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.It will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”

3.1“Evametaṁ, gahapati, evametaṁ, gahapati.“That’s so true, householder! That’s so true, householder!3.2Āturo hāyaṁ, gahapati, kāyo aṇḍabhūto pariyonaddho.For this body is ailing, swaddled in its shell.53.3Yo hi, gahapati, imaṁ kāyaṁ pariharanto muhuttampi ārogyaṁ paṭijāneyya, kimaññatra bālyā?If anyone dragging around this body claimed to be healthy even for an hour, what is that but foolishness?

3.4Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:So you should train like this:3.5‘āturakāyassa me sato cittaṁ anāturaṁ bhavissatī’ti.‘Though my body is ailing, my mind will be healthy.’3.6Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabban”ti.That’s how you should train.”6

4.1PTS 3.2Atha kho nakulapitā gahapati bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho nakulapitaraṁ gahapatiṁ āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:And then the householder Nakula’s father approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he went up to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, and sat down to one side. Sāriputta said to him:

4.2“vippasannāni kho te, gahapati, indriyāni;“Householder, your faculties are so very clear,4.3parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto.and your complexion is pure and bright.4.4Alattha no ajja bhagavato sammukhā dhammiṁ kathaṁ savanāyā”ti?Did you get to hear a Dhamma talk in the Buddha’s presence today?”

5.1“Kathañhi no siyā, bhante.“What else, sir, could it be?5.2Idānāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya amatena abhisitto”ti.Just now the Buddha anointed me with the deathless ambrosia of a Dhamma talk.”7

5.3“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, gahapati, bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya amatena abhisitto”ti?“But with what kind of ambrosial Dhamma talk did the Buddha anoint you?”

5.4“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ etadavocaṁ:So Nakula’s father told Sāriputta all that had happened, and said,5.5‘ahamasmi, bhante, jiṇṇo vuḍḍho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto āturakāyo abhikkhaṇātaṅko.5.6Aniccadassāvī kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato manobhāvanīyānañca bhikkhūnaṁ.5.7Ovadatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā;5.8anusāsatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā;5.9yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā’ti.6.1Evaṁ vutte, maṁ, bhante, bhagavā etadavoca:6.2‘evametaṁ, gahapati, evametaṁ, gahapati.6.3Āturo hāyaṁ, gahapati, kāyo aṇḍabhūto pariyonaddho.6.4Yo hi, gahapati, imaṁ kāyaṁ pariharanto muhuttampi ārogyaṁ paṭijāneyya, kimaññatra bālyā?6.5Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ—6.6āturakāyassa me sato cittaṁ anāturaṁ bhavissatīti.6.7Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabban’ti.6.8Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya amatena abhisitto”ti.“That’s the ambrosial Dhamma talk with which I was anointed by the Buddha.”

7.1PTS 3.3“Na hi pana taṁ, gahapati, paṭibhāsi bhagavantaṁ uttariṁ paṭipucchituṁ:“But didn’t you feel the need to ask the Buddha the further question:7.2‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, āturakāyo ceva hoti āturacitto ca, kittāvatā ca pana āturakāyo hi kho hoti no ca āturacitto’”ti?‘Sir, how do you define someone ailing in body and ailing in mind, and someone ailing in body and healthy in mind’?”

7.3“Dūratopi kho mayaṁ, bhante, āgaccheyyāma āyasmato sāriputtassa santike etassa bhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.“Sir, we would travel a long way to learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of Venerable Sāriputta.7.4Sādhu vatāyasmantaṁyeva sāriputtaṁ paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho”ti.May Venerable Sāriputta himself please clarify the meaning of this.”

8.1“Tena hi, gahapati, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, householder, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

8.2“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho nakulapitā gahapati āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi.“Yes, sir,” replied Nakula’s father.8.3Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:Sāriputta said this:

9.1“Kathañca, gahapati, āturakāyo ceva hoti, āturacitto ca?“And how is one ailing in body and ailing in mind?9.2Idha, gahapati, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinītoIt’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the qualities of a noble one. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the qualities of a true person.89.3rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.99.4‘Ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re obsessed with the thought: ‘I am form, form is mine!’109.5Tassa ‘ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.But that form of theirs decays and perishes,9.6Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

10.1Vedanaṁ attato samanupassati, vedanāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā vedanaṁ, vedanāya vā attānaṁ.They regard feeling as self, self as having feeling, feeling in self, or self in feeling.10.2‘Ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re obsessed with the thought: ‘I am feeling, feeling is mine!’10.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā vedanā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.But that feeling of theirs decays and perishes,10.4Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

11.1Saññaṁ attato samanupassati, saññāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā saññaṁ, saññāya vā attānaṁ.They regard perception as self, self as having perception, perception in self, or self in perception.11.2‘Ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re obsessed with the thought: ‘I am perception, perception is mine!’11.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā saññā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.But that perception of theirs decays and perishes,11.4Tassa saññāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

12.1PTS 3.4Saṅkhāre attato samanupassati, saṅkhāravantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā saṅkhāre, saṅkhāresu vā attānaṁ.They regard choices as self, self as having choices, choices in self, or self in choices.12.2‘Ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re obsessed with the thought: ‘I am choices, choices are mine!’12.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, te saṅkhārā vipariṇamanti aññathā honti.But those choices of theirs decay and perish,12.4Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

13.1Viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.They regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.13.2‘Ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re obsessed with the thought: ‘I am consciousness, consciousness is mine!’13.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.But that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes,13.4Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.which gives rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

13.5Evaṁ kho, gahapati, āturakāyo ceva hoti āturacitto ca.That’s how one is ailing in body and ailing in mind.

14.1Kathañca, gahapati, āturakāyo hi kho hoti no ca āturacitto?And how is one ailing in body and healthy in mind?14.2Idha, gahapati, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinītoIt’s when a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.14.3na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.14.4‘Ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re not obsessed with the thought: ‘I am form, form is mine!’14.5Tassa ‘ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.So when that form of theirs decays and perishes,14.6Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.it doesn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

15.1Na vedanaṁ attato samanupassati, na vedanāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā vedanaṁ, na vedanāya vā attānaṁ.They don’t regard feeling as self, self as having feeling, feeling in self, or self in feeling.15.2‘Ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re not obsessed with the thought: ‘I am feeling, feeling is mine!’15.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā vedanā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.So when that feeling of theirs decays and perishes,15.4Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.it doesn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

16.1Na saññaṁ attato samanupassati, na saññāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā saññaṁ, na saññāya vā attānaṁ.They don’t regard perception as self, self as having perception, perception in self, or self in perception.16.2‘Ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re not obsessed with the thought: ‘I am perception, perception is mine!’16.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā saññā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.So when that perception of theirs decays and perishes,16.4Tassa saññāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.it doesn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

17.1PTS 3.5Na saṅkhāre attato samanupassati, na saṅkhāravantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā saṅkhāre, na saṅkhāresu vā attānaṁ.They don’t regard choices as self, self as having choices, choices in self, or self in choices.17.2‘Ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re not obsessed with the thought: ‘I am choices, choices are mine!’17.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, te saṅkhārā vipariṇamanti aññathā honti.So when those choices of theirs decay and perish,17.4Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.it doesn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

18.1Na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.They don’t regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.18.2‘Ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti.They’re not obsessed with the thought: ‘I am consciousness, consciousness is mine!’18.3Tassa ‘ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti.So when that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes,18.4Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.it doesn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

18.5Evaṁ kho, gahapati, āturakāyo hoti no ca āturacitto”ti.That’s how an individual is ailing in body and healthy in mind.”

19.1Idamavoca āyasmā sāriputto.That is what Venerable Sāriputta said.19.2Attamano nakulapitā gahapati āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.Satisfied, Nakula’s father approved what Sāriputta said.

19.3Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. For a general survey of the topic of the five aggregates, see my Introduction to the Linked Discourses. The main terms are mostly the same as in dependent origination, for which see my notes to SN 12.1 and SN 12.2. The exception is saññā, which I discuss in the next Sutta (SN 22.2:7.8).

    ↩ sn22.1:1.1

  2. The Bhaggas were an isolated republican clan, sandwiched between the Vacchas south of the Yamuna and the Kosalans north of the Ganges. By the time of the Buddha they were evidently subject to the Vacchas.

    “Crocodile’s Bellow” (susumāragira) was their capital. The commentary says it was so-named because a crocodile bellowed in a nearby lake during the founding of the city.

    ↩ sn22.1:1.2

  3. Nakula’s parents were an ideal married couple (AN 1.257, AN 1.266) who wanted to be together in this life and the next (AN 4.55). The father recovered from a previous illness with the help of his wife (AN 6.16). Each features independently in Suttas as well (SN 22.1, SN 35.131, AN 8.48). Nothing is known of their son Nakula himself, nor are their personal names recorded.

    ↩ sn22.1:1.3

  4. Aniccadassavī is literally “not a regular seer” where nicca has the sense, “regular, routine”.

    ↩ sn22.1:2.2

  5. The application of the vivid idiom “swaddled in its shell” is found in AN 8.11:12.1: “in this population lost in ignorance, swaddled in their shells, I alone have broken open the egg of ignorance and realized the supreme perfect awakening.” See too the simile of the chook hatching eggs at SN 22.101:3.1.

    ↩ sn22.1:3.2

  6. This brief teaching exemplifies the Buddha’s method. First he affirms Nakula’s father’s complaint, not dismissing it or trying to make him look at the positive. He is genuinely suffering, he accepts that, and so does the Buddha. Then the Buddha offers encouragement, not false hope, but giving a meaningful reflection. Contrast this with modern gurus who claim physical ailments can be cured by the mind.

    ↩ sn22.1:3.6

  7. Soma, a ritual drink of milky color with psychotropic effects, was described as “immortal” (amṛta) in the Rig Veda (RV 9.84.2), since it was stolen from heaven by a falcon (RV 4.26, 4.27), and since it confers immortality (RV 8.48.3). By the time of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa the drug itself was called “ambrosia”. That the soma is alluded to here as the “deathless ambrosia” (amata; Sanskrit amṛta) is shown by the use of the verb abhisitta (“anointed”, literally “sprinkled”). This is typically used for royal consecration, which is fitting as soma is often styled “king”. ŚB 9.4.4.8 describes how the sacrificer, with divine authority, is “anointed with deathless ambrosia” (amṛtābhiṣikto) by drinking King Soma. It is here used idiomatically.

    ↩ sn22.1:5.2

  8. This section is similar to MN 1:3.1.

    An “unlearned ordinary person”, who has not realized any of the stages of the noble path, is contrasted with one who has entered the path.

    “Noble one” (ariya) loosely conveys the sense “cultured” or “civilized”; it is a term for the inheritors of the Aryan culture that originated among the proto-Indo-European peoples of the Pontic–Caspian steppe.

    “True person” (sappurisa) indicates one who is authentic and genuine in their realization of the truth, and hence is virtuous and good. Both “noble one” and “true person” are technical terms referring to any person who has at least entered the path to stream-entry.

    ↩ sn22.1:9.2

  9. Each of these phrases expresses a particular mode of conceiving the self; I give a few examples.

    “Form as self” (ablative): form is the same as self, or seen from the viewpoint of self, or in terms of self; this can include all the others. It might also be “self derived from form”, for example a person who identifies with their mind, which they believe is created by the brain.

    “Self as having form” (possessive): the self owns form like a possession, as a soul might possess a body. Or else form is an attribute of self, as a person in the human realm is endowed with a body.

    “Form in self” (locative): form is a part of self, as a body is only part of what makes a person. Or else it could be “form in reference to self”, such as a narcissist who believes their body is the epitome of beauty.

    “Self in form” (locative): self is a part of form, such as the heart or brain. Or else “self in reference to form”, such as a person who defines their self through race.

    ↩ sn22.1:9.3

  10. Compare Kaivalya Upaniṣad 20: “I am the form of Śiva” (ahaṁ śivarūpam asmi).

    Form may be internal or external, so the form that is owned as “mine” may be the body, or else one’s possessions, totems, family, or any other material thing to which one is attached.

    ↩ sn22.1:9.4