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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.76

  • Numbered Discourses 4.76Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.76
  • 8. Sure Bet8. Apaṇṇakavagga

At KusinārāKusinārasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying between a pair of sal trees in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā at the time of his full extinguishment.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati upavattane mallānaṁ sālavane antarena yamakasālānaṁ parinibbānasamaye. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants!”“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Perhaps even a single mendicant has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. So ask, mendicants! Don’t regret it later, thinking:“Siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā, pucchatha, bhikkhave, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha: ‘We were in the Teacher’s presence and we weren’t able to ask the Buddha a question.’”‘sammukhībhūto no satthā ahosi, nāsakkhimha bhagavantaṁ sammukhā paṭipucchitun’”ti. When this was said, the mendicants kept silent.Evaṁ vutte, te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

For a second time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: …Dutiyampi kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: For a second time, the mendicants kept silent.Dutiyampi kho te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

For a third time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: …Tatiyampi kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: For a third time, the mendicants kept silent.Tatiyampi kho te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants:Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Mendicants, perhaps you don’t ask out of respect for the Teacher. So let a friend tell a friend.”“siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, satthugāravenapi na puccheyyātha, sahāyakopi, bhikkhave, sahāyakassa ārocetū”ti. When this was said, the mendicants kept silent.Evaṁ vutte, te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ. Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!“acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. I am quite confident that there’s not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice.”Evaṁ pasanno ahaṁ, bhante. Natthi imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā”ti.

“Ānanda, you speak from faith. But the Realized One knows that there’s not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice.“Pasādā kho tvaṁ, ānanda, vadesi. Ñāṇameva hettha, ānanda, tathāgatassa: ‘natthi imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā’. Even the last of these five hundred mendicants is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”Imesañhi, ānanda, pañcannaṁ bhikkhusatānaṁ yo pacchimako bhikkhu so sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 3.125 The Gotamaka Shrine 0.70near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.125 13. At Kusinārā The Gotamaka Shrine At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Gotamaka Shrine. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied…
  2. DN 16 The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s Extinguishment 0.68near 6.1For a third time, the mendicants kept silent. Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Mendicants, perhaps you don’t ask out of respect for the Teacher. So let a friend tell a friend.” When this was said, the mendicants…
  3. AN 3.123 At Kusinārā 0.64near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.123 13. Kusinārā At Kusinārā At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā in the Forest of Offerings. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The…
  4. AN 10.44 At Kusinārā 0.57near 0.1Numbered Discourses 10.44 5. Abuse At Kusinārā At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā in the Forest of Offerings. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Budd…
  5. SN 47.9 Sick 0.54near 6.1“Sir, it’s fantastic that the Buddha is comfortable, that he’s keeping well, and that he’s getting by. Because when the Buddha was sick, my body felt like it was drugged. I was disorientated, and the teachings didn’t spr…
  6. AN 4.180 The Four Great References 0.51near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.180 18. Intention The Four Great References At one time the Buddha was staying near the Bhoga City, at the Ānanda Shrine. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” th…