Advice to AnāthapiṇḍikaAnāthapiṇḍikovādasutta

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 the householder Anāthapiṇḍika was sick, suffering, gravely ill.Tena kho pana samayena anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Then he addressed a man,Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi: “Please, my man, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:“ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi: ‘Sir, the householder Anāthapiṇḍika is sick, suffering, gravely ill.‘anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. He bows with his head to your feet.’So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Then go to Venerable Sāriputta, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:Yena cāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena āyasmato sāriputtassa pāde sirasā vandāhi: ‘Sir, the householder Anāthapiṇḍika is sick, suffering, gravely ill.‘anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. He bows with his head to your feet.’So āyasmato sāriputtassa pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. And then say:Evañca vadehi: ‘Sir, please visit him at his home out of sympathy.’”‘sādhu kira, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

“Yes, sir,” that man replied. He did as Anāthapiṇḍika asked.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so puriso anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: Sāriputta consented with silence.Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā sāriputto tuṇhībhāvena.

Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went with Venerable Ānanda as his second monk to Anāthapiṇḍika’s home. He sat down on the seat spread out and said to Anāthapiṇḍika,Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya āyasmatā ānandena pacchāsamaṇena yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā sāriputto anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “I hope you’re keeping well, householder, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”“kacci te, gahapati, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

“I’m not keeping well, Honorable Sāriputta, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.“Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo. The winds piercing my head are so severe, it feels like a strong man drilling into my head with a sharp point.Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. The pain in my head is so severe, it feels like a strong man tightening a strong leather strap around my head.Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakhaṇḍena sīse sīsaveṭhaṁ dadeyya; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā. The winds slicing my belly are so severe, like a deft butcher or their apprentice were slicing open a cow’s belly with a sharp meat cleaver.Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. The burning in my body is so severe, it feels like two strong men grabbing a weaker man by the arms to burn and scorch him on a pit of glowing coals. That’s how severe the burning is in my body.Seyyathāpi, bhante sāriputta, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ, samparitāpeyyuṁ; evameva kho me, bhante sāriputta, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho. I’m not keeping well, Honorable Sāriputta, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”Na me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.

“That’s why, householder, you should train like this:“Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp the eye, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the eye.’‘na cakkhuṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhunissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp the ear, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the ear.’ …‘na sotaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me sotanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ‘I shall not grasp the nose, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the nose.’ …‘na ghānaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me ghānanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ‘I shall not grasp the tongue, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the tongue.’ …‘na jivhaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me jivhānissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ‘I shall not grasp the body, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the body.’ …‘na kāyaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me kāyanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ‘I shall not grasp the mind, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the mind.’‘na manaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manonissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp sight, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on sight.’ …‘na rūpaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me rūpanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ‘I shall not grasp sound …‘na saddaṁ upādiyissāmi …pe… smell …na gandhaṁ upādiyissāmi … taste …na rasaṁ upādiyissāmi … touch …na phoṭṭhabbaṁ upādiyissāmi … idea, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on idea.’na dhammaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me dhammanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp eye consciousness, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on eye consciousness.’ …‘na cakkhuviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhuviññāṇanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ‘I shall not grasp ear consciousness …‘na sotaviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … nose consciousness …na ghānaviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … tongue consciousness …na jivhāviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … body consciousness …na kāyaviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi … mind consciousness, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on mind consciousness.’na manoviññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manoviññāṇanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp eye contact …‘na cakkhusamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhusamphassanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. ear contact …‘na sotasamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … nose contact …na ghānasamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … tongue contact …na jivhāsamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … body contact …na kāyasamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi … mind contact, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on mind contact.’na manosamphassaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manosamphassanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp feeling born of eye contact …‘na cakkhusamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me cakkhusamphassajāvedanānissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. feeling born of ear contact …‘na sotasamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … feeling born of nose contact …na ghānasamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … feeling born of tongue contact …na jivhāsamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … feeling born of body contact …na kāyasamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … feeling born of mind contact, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the feeling born of mind contact.’na manosamphassajaṁ vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me manosamphassajāvedanānissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp the earth element …‘na pathavīdhātuṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me pathavīdhātunissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. water element …‘na āpodhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … fire element …na tejodhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … air element …na vāyodhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … space element …na ākāsadhātuṁ upādiyissāmi … consciousness element, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the consciousness element.’na viññāṇadhātuṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me viññāṇadhātunissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp form …‘na rūpaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me rūpanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. feeling …‘na vedanaṁ upādiyissāmi … perception …na saññaṁ upādiyissāmi … choices …na saṅkhāre upādiyissāmi … consciousness, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on consciousness.’na viññāṇaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me viññāṇanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp the dimension of infinite space …‘na ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me ākāsānañcāyatananissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. the dimension of infinite consciousness …‘na viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi … the dimension of nothingness …na ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi … the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’na nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me nevasaññānāsaññāyatananissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp this world, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on this world.’‘na idhalokaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me idhalokanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ.

You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp the other world, and there shall be no consciousness of mine dependent on the other world.’‘na paralokaṁ upādiyissāmi, na ca me paralokanissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabbaṁ. You should train like this:Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘I shall not grasp whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by my mind, and my consciousness will not have that as support.’‘yampi me diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anupariyesitaṁ anucaritaṁ manasā tampi na upādiyissāmi, na ca me tannissitaṁ viññāṇaṁ bhavissatī’ti. That’s how you should train.”Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabban”ti.

When he said this, Anāthapiṇḍika cried and burst out in tears.Evaṁ vutte, anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati parodi, assūni pavattesi. Venerable Ānanda said to him,Atha kho āyasmā ānando anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “Are you failing, householder? Are you fading, householder?”“olīyasi kho tvaṁ, gahapati, saṁsīdasi kho tvaṁ, gahapatī”ti?

“No, Honorable Ānanda.“Nāhaṁ, bhante ānanda, olīyāmi, napi saṁsīdāmi; But for a long time I have paid homage to the Buddha and the esteemed mendicants.api ca me dīgharattaṁ satthā payirupāsito manobhāvanīyā ca bhikkhū; Yet I have never before heard such a Dhamma talk.”na ca me evarūpī dhammī kathā sutapubbā”ti.

“Householder, such Dhamma talk does not strike when teaching white-clothed laypeople.“Na kho, gahapati, gihīnaṁ odātavasanānaṁ evarūpī dhammī kathā paṭibhāti; Rather, it strikes when teaching those gone forth.”pabbajitānaṁ kho, gahapati, evarūpī dhammī kathā paṭibhātī”ti.

“Well then, Honorable Sāriputta, let such Dhamma talk strike when teaching white-clothed laypeople as well!“Tena hi, bhante sāriputta, gihīnampi odātavasanānaṁ evarūpī dhammī kathā paṭibhātu. There are gentlemen with little dust in their eyes. They’re in decline because they haven’t heard the teaching.Santi hi, bhante, kulaputtā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti; There will be those who understand the teaching!”bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti.

And when the venerables Sāriputta and Ānanda had given the householder Anāthapiṇḍika this advice they rose from their seats and left.Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca ānando anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu. Not long after they had left, Anāthapiṇḍika passed away and was reborn in the host of joyful gods.Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati, acirapakkante āyasmante ca sāriputte āyasmante ca ānande, kālamakāsi tusitaṁ kāyaṁ upapajji.

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Anāthapiṇḍika, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. and addressed the Buddha in verse:Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“This is indeed that Jeta’s Grove,“Idañhi taṁ jetavanaṁ, frequented by the Saṅgha of seers,isisaṅghanisevitaṁ; where the King of Dhamma stayed:Āvutthaṁ dhammarājena, it brings me joy!pītisañjananaṁ mama.

Deeds, knowledge, and principle;Kammaṁ vijjā ca dhammo ca, ethical conduct, an excellent livelihood;sīlaṁ jīvitamuttamaṁ; by these are mortals purified,Etena maccā sujjhanti, not by clan or wealth.na gottena dhanena vā.

That’s why an astute person,Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso, seeing what’s good for themselves,sampassaṁ atthamattano; would examine the teaching rationally,Yoniso vicine dhammaṁ, that’s how they become purified in that.evaṁ tattha visujjhati.

Sāriputta is full of wisdom,Sāriputtova paññāya, ethics, and peace.sīlena upasamena ca; Even a mendicant who has crossed overYopi pāraṅgato bhikkhu, might at best equal him.”etāvaparamo siyā”ti.

That is what the godling Anāthapiṇḍika said,Idamavoca anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto. and the Teacher concurred.Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Then the godling Anāthapiṇḍika,Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto: knowing that the Teacher concurred, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.“samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened.Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:

When he had spoken, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, that godling must surely have been Anāthapiṇḍika.“so hi nūna so, bhante, anāthapiṇḍiko devaputto bhavissati. For the householder Anāthapiṇḍika was devoted to Venerable Sāriputta.”Anāthapiṇḍiko, bhante, gahapati āyasmante sāriputte abhippasanno ahosī”ti.

“Good, good, Ānanda.“Sādhu sādhu, ānanda. You’ve reached the logical conclusion, as far as logic goes.Yāvatakaṁ kho, ānanda, takkāya pattabbaṁ, anuppattaṁ taṁ tayā. For that was indeed the godling Anāthapiṇḍika.”Anāthapiṇḍiko so, ānanda, devaputto”ti.

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