Ānanda and One Fine NightĀnandabhaddekarattasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Now at that time Venerable Ānanda was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca bhāsati.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, where he sat down on the seat spread out,Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. and addressed the mendicants:Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Who was inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”“ko nu kho, bhikkhave, upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti?

“It was Venerable Ānanda, sir.”“Āyasmā, bhante, ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “But in what way were you inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”“yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti?

“I was doing so in this way, sir,” replied Ānanda.“Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsiṁ—

“Don’t run back to the past,Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya, don’t anticipate the future.nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ; What’s past is left behind,Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ, the future has not arrived;appattañca anāgataṁ.

and any present phenomenonPaccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ, you clearly discern in every case.tattha tattha vipassati; The unfaltering, the unshakable:Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ, having known that, foster it.taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

Today’s the day to keenly work—Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ, who knows, tomorrow may bring death!ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve; For there is no bargain to be struckNa hi no saṅgaraṁ tena, with Death and his mighty horde.mahāsenena maccunā.

One who keenly meditates like this,Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ, tireless all night and day:ahorattamatanditaṁ; that’s who has one fine night—Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti, so declares the peaceful sage.santo ācikkhate muni.

And how do you run back to the past? …‘Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti?

And how do you not run back to the past? …Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti?

And how do you anticipate the future? …Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati?

And how do you not anticipate the future? …Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati?

And how do you falter amid presently arisen phenomena? …Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati?

And how do you not falter amid presently arisen phenomena? …Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati? That’s how you don’t falter amid presently arisen phenomena.evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

‘Don’t run back to the past,Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya, don’t anticipate the future. …nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ; that’s who has one fine night—Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti, so declares the peaceful sage.’santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

That’s how I was inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.”Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsin”ti.

“Good, good, Ānanda.“Sādhu sādhu, ānanda. It’s good that you were inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.”Sādhu kho tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:

And the Buddha repeated the verses and analysis once more.Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti …pe…

That is what the Buddha said.Idamavoca bhagavā. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.