1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Tena kho pana samayena yasojappamukhāni pañcamattāni bhikkhusatāni sāvatthiṁ anuppattāni honti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya.Now at that time five hundred mendicants headed by Yasoja arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.1.4Tedha kho āgantukā bhikkhū nevāsikehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ paṭisammodamānā senāsanāni paññāpayamānā pattacīvarāni paṭisāmayamānā uccāsaddā mahāsaddā ahesuṁ.At that, those visiting mendicants, while exchanging pleasantries with the resident mendicants, preparing their lodgings, and putting away their bowls and robes, made a colossal racket.¹

2.1Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,2.2“ke panete, ānanda, uccāsaddā mahāsaddā kevaṭṭā maññe macchavilope”ti?“Ānanda, who’s making that colossal racket? You’d think it was fishermen hauling in a catch!”2.3“Etāni, bhante, yasojappamukhāni pañcamattāni bhikkhusatāni sāvatthiṁ anuppattāni bhagavantaṁ dassanāya.“Sir, those five hundred mendicants headed by Yasoja have arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.2.4Tete āgantukā bhikkhū nevāsikehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ paṭisammodamānā senāsanāni paññāpayamānā pattacīvarāni paṭisāmayamānā uccāsaddā mahāsaddā”ti.It’s those visiting mendicants who, while exchanging pleasantries with the resident mendicants, preparing their lodgings, and putting away their bowls and robes, made a colossal racket.”2.5“Tenahānanda, mama vacanena te bhikkhū āmantehi:“Well then, Ānanda, in my name tell those mendicants that2.6‘satthā āyasmante āmantetī’”ti.the Teacher summons them.”

3.1“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca:“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. He went to those mendicants and said,3.2“satthā āyasmante āmantetī”ti.“Venerables, the Teacher summons you.”3.3“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants. Then they rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them,

4.1“Kiṁ nu tumhe, bhikkhave, uccāsaddā mahāsaddā, kevaṭṭā maññe macchavilope”ti?“Mendicants, what’s with that colossal racket? You’d think it was fishermen hauling in a catch!”4.2Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā yasojo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he said this, Venerable Yasoja said to the Buddha,4.3“imāni, bhante, pañcamattāni bhikkhusatāni sāvatthiṁ anuppattāni bhagavantaṁ dassanāya.“Sir, these five hundred mendicants have arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.4.4Teme āgantukā bhikkhū nevāsikehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ paṭisammodamānā senāsanāni paññāpayamānā pattacīvarāni paṭisāmayamānā uccāsaddā mahāsaddā”ti.It’s these visiting mendicants who, while exchanging pleasantries with the resident mendicants, preparing their lodgings, and putting away their bowls and robes, made a colossal racket.”4.5“Gacchatha, bhikkhave, paṇāmemi vo; na vo mama santike vatthabban”ti.“Go away, mendicants, I dismiss you. You are not to stay in my presence.”

5.1“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena vajjī tena cārikaṁ pakkamiṁsu.“Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. They got up from their seats, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. They set their lodgings in order and left, taking their bowls and robes.5.2Vajjīsu anupubbena cārikaṁ caramānā yena vaggumudā nadī tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā vaggumudāya nadiyā tīre paṇṇakuṭiyo karitvā vassaṁ upagacchiṁsu.Traveling stage by stage in the land of the Vajjis, they arrived at the Vaggumudā River. They built leaf huts near the riverbank and there they entered the rainy season.

6.1Atha kho āyasmā yasojo vassūpagato bhikkhū āmantesi:Then Venerable Yasoja, having entered the rainy season, addressed the mendicants:6.2“bhagavatā mayaṁ, āvuso, paṇāmitā atthakāmena hitesinā, anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya.“Out of sympathy, reverends, the Buddha dismissed us, wanting what’s best for us.6.3Handa mayaṁ, āvuso, tathā vihāraṁ kappema yathā no viharataṁ bhagavā attamano assā”ti.Come, let us live in such a way that the Buddha would be pleased with us.”6.4“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato yasojassa paccassosuṁ.“Yes, reverend,” they replied.6.5Atha kho te bhikkhū vūpakaṭṭhā appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharantā tenevantaravassena sabbeva tisso vijjā sacchākaṁsu.Then those mendicants, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, all realized the three knowledges in that same rainy season.

7.1Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena vesālī tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.When the Buddha had stayed in Sāvatthī as long as he pleased, he set out for Vesālī.7.2Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena vesālī tadavasari.Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Vesālī,7.3Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.where he stayed in the hall with the peaked roof.

8.1Atha kho bhagavā vaggumudātīriyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:Then, having applied his mind to comprehending the minds of the mendicants staying on the bank of the Vaggumudā River, the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,8.2“ālokajātā viya me, ānanda, esā disā, obhāsajātā viya me, ānanda, esā disā;“A light, it appears to me, has arisen in this quarter, Ānanda; a brightness has arisen.8.3yassaṁ disāyaṁ vaggumudātīriyā bhikkhū viharanti gantuṁ appaṭikūlāsi me manasi kātuṁ.I’m not put off at the thought of going to where the mendicants are staying on the bank of the Vaggumudā River.²8.4Pahiṇeyyāsi tvaṁ, ānanda, vaggumudātīriyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ santike dūtaṁ:Send a message to those mendicants:8.5‘satthā āyasmante āmanteti, satthā āyasmantānaṁ dassanakāmo’”ti.‘Venerables, the Teacher summons you. He wants to see you.’”

9.1“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā yena aññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. He went to one of the mendicants and said,9.2“ehi tvaṁ, āvuso, yena vaggumudātīriyā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā vaggumudātīriye bhikkhū evaṁ vadehi:“Please, Reverend, go to the mendicants staying on the bank of the Vaggumudā River and say to them,9.3‘satthā āyasmante āmanteti, satthā āyasmantānaṁ dassanakāmo’”ti.‘Venerables, the Teacher summons you. He wants to see you.’”

10.1“Evamāvuso”ti kho so bhikkhu āyasmato ānandassa paṭissutvā—“Yes, reverend,” replied that mendicant.10.2seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ antarahito vaggumudāya nadiyā tīre tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ purato pāturahosi.Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof, and reappeared in front of those mendicants on the bank of the Vaggumudā River.10.3Atha kho so bhikkhu vaggumudātīriye bhikkhū etadavoca:Then he said to those mendicants,10.4“satthā āyasmante āmanteti, satthā āyasmantānaṁ dassanakāmo”ti.“Venerables, the Teacher summons you. He wants to see you.”

11.1“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya—“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants. They set their lodgings in order and took their bowls and robes.11.2seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—vaggumudāya nadiyā tīre antarahitā mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ bhagavato sammukhe pāturahesuṁ.Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from the bank of the Vaggumudā River, and reappeared in the presence of the Buddha in the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.11.3Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā āneñjena samādhinā nisinno hoti.But at that time the Buddha was sitting immersed in imperturbable meditation.11.4Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi:Then those mendicants thought,11.5“katamena nu kho bhagavā vihārena etarahi viharatī”ti?“What kind of meditation is the Buddha practicing right now?”11.6Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi:They thought,11.7“āneñjena kho bhagavā vihārena etarahi viharatī”ti.“He is practicing the imperturbable meditation.”11.8Sabbeva āneñjasamādhinā nisīdiṁsu.They all sat in imperturbable meditation.

12.1Atha kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante paṭhame yāme, uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:And then, as the night was getting late, in the first watch of the night, Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha and said,12.2“abhikkantā, bhante, ratti; nikkhanto paṭhamo yāmo; ciranisinnā āgantukā bhikkhū;“Sir, the night is getting late. It is the first watch of the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.12.3paṭisammodatu, bhante, bhagavā āgantukehi bhikkhūhī”ti.Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”12.4Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.But the Buddha kept silent.

13.1Dutiyampi kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante majjhime yāme, uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:For a second time, as the night was getting late, in the middle watch of the night, Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha and said,13.2“abhikkantā, bhante, ratti;“Sir, the night is getting late. It is the second watch of the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.13.3nikkhanto majjhimo yāmo;13.4ciranisinnā āgantukā bhikkhū;13.5paṭisammodatu, bhante, bhagavā āgantukehi bhikkhūhī”ti.Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”13.6Dutiyampi kho bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.But for a second time the Buddha kept silent.

14.1Tatiyampi kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante pacchime yāme, uddhaste aruṇe, nandimukhiyā rattiyā uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:For a third time, as the night was getting late, in the last watch of the night, as dawn stirred, bringing joy to the night, Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha and said,14.2“abhikkantā, bhante, ratti;“Sir, the night is getting late. It is the last watch of the night; dawn stirs, bringing joy to the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.14.3nikkhanto pacchimo yāmo;14.4uddhasto aruṇo;14.5nandimukhī ratti;14.6ciranisinnā āgantukā bhikkhū;14.7paṭisammodatu, bhante, bhagavā, āgantukehi bhikkhūhī”ti.Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”

15.1Atha kho bhagavā tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhahitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:Then the Buddha emerged from that immersion and addressed Ānanda,15.2“sace kho tvaṁ, ānanda, jāneyyāsi ettakampi te nappaṭibhāseyya.“If you’d known, Ānanda, you wouldn’t have said so much.³15.3Ahañca, ānanda, imāni ca pañca bhikkhusatāni sabbeva āneñjasamādhinā nisīdimhā”ti.Both I and these five hundred mendicants have been sitting in imperturbable meditation.”

16.1Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

17.1“Yassa jito kāmakaṇḍako,∥“A mendicant who has beaten <j>the thorn of sensuality—17.2Akkoso ca vadho ca bandhanañca;and abuse, killing, and caging—17.3Pabbatova so ṭhito anejo,steady as a mountain, imperturbable,17.4Sukhadukkhesu na vedhatī sa bhikkhū”ti.trembles not at pleasure and pain.”

17.5Tatiyaṁ.