Lomasakaṅgiya and One Fine NightLomasakaṅgiyabhaddekarattasutta

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 Lomasakaṅgiya was staying in the Sakyan country at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Candana, lighting up the entire Banyan Tree Monastery, went up to the Venerable Lomasakaṅgiya, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, he said to Lomasakaṅgiya:Atha kho candano devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ nigrodhārāmaṁ obhāsetvā yenāyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho candano devaputto āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṅgiyaṁ etadavoca:

“Mendicant, do you remember the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”“dhāresi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā”ti?

“No, reverend, I do not.“Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Do you?”Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā”ti?

“I also do not.“Ahampi kho, bhikkhu, na dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. But do you remember just the verses on the one who has one fine night?”Dhāresi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?

“I do not.“Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Do you?”Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?

“I do.”“Dhāremi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti.

“How do you remember the verses on the one who has one fine night?”“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, āvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?

“This one time, the Buddha was staying among the gods of the thirty-three at the root of the Orchid Tree on the stone spread with a cream rug.“Ekamidaṁ, bhikkhu, samayaṁ bhagavā devesu tāvatiṁsesu viharati pāricchattakamūle paṇḍukambalasilāyaṁ. There he taught the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night to the gods of the thirty-three:Tatra bhagavā devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:

‘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 munī’ti.

That’s how I remember the verses of the one who has one fine night.Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Learn the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night, mendicant,Uggaṇhāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; memorize it,pariyāpuṇāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; and remember it.dhārehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. It is beneficial and relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.”Atthasaṁhito, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddeso ca vibhaṅgo ca ādibrahmacariyako”ti.

That is what the godling Candana saidIdamavoca candano devaputto. before vanishing right there.Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Then Lomasakaṅgiya set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sāvatthī.Atha kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo tassā rattiyā accayena senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sāvatthi tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Eventually he came to Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Grove. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then he added:Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sāvatthi jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“But mendicant, do you know that god?”“Jānāsi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ devaputtan”ti?

“I do not, sir.”“Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi taṁ devaputtan”ti.

“That godling was named Candana.“Candano nāma so, bhikkhu, devaputto. Candana pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens to the teaching.Candano, bhikkhu, devaputto aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasikatvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti. Well then, mendicant, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”Tena hi, bhikkhu, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” Lomasakaṅgiya replied.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavato paccassosi. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“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, bhikkhu, atītaṁ anvāgameti …pe…

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