With YasojaYasojasutta

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 five hundred mendicants headed by Yasoja arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.Tena kho pana samayena yasojappamukhāni pañcamattāni bhikkhusatāni sāvatthiṁ anuppattāni honti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya. 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.Tedha kho āgantukā bhikkhū nevāsikehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ paṭisammodamānā senāsanāni paññāpayamānā pattacīvarāni paṭisāmayamānā uccāsaddā mahāsaddā ahesuṁ.

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

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. He went to those mendicants and said,“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū etadavoca: “Venerables, the Teacher summons you.”“satthā āyasmante āmantetī”ti. “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,“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:

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

“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.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena vajjī tena cārikaṁ pakkamiṁsu. 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.Vajjīsu anupubbena cārikaṁ caramānā yena vaggumudā nadī tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā vaggumudāya nadiyā tīre paṇṇakuṭiyo karitvā vassaṁ upagacchiṁsu.

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

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

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

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

“Yes, reverend,” replied that mendicant.“Evamāvuso”ti kho so bhikkhu āyasmato ānandassa paṭissutvā— 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.seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ antarahito vaggumudāya nadiyā tīre tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ purato pāturahosi. Then he said to those mendicants,Atha kho so bhikkhu vaggumudātīriye bhikkhū etadavoca: “Venerables, the Teacher summons you. He wants to see you.”“satthā āyasmante āmanteti, satthā āyasmantānaṁ dassanakāmo”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants. They set their lodgings in order and took their bowls and robes.“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya— 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.seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—vaggumudāya nadiyā tīre antarahitā mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ bhagavato sammukhe pāturahesuṁ. But at that time the Buddha was sitting immersed in imperturbable meditation.Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā āneñjena samādhinā nisinno hoti. Then those mendicants thought,Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: “What kind of meditation is the Buddha practicing right now?”“katamena nu kho bhagavā vihārena etarahi viharatī”ti? They thought,Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: “He is practicing the imperturbable meditation.”“āneñjena kho bhagavā vihārena etarahi viharatī”ti. They all sat in imperturbable meditation.Sabbeva āneñjasamādhinā nisīdiṁsu.

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,Atha kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante paṭhame yāme, uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the first watch of the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.“abhikkantā, bhante, ratti; nikkhanto paṭhamo yāmo; ciranisinnā āgantukā bhikkhū; Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”paṭisammodatu, bhante, bhagavā āgantukehi bhikkhūhī”ti. But the Buddha kept silent.Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.

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,Dutiyampi kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante majjhime yāme, uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the second watch of the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.“abhikkantā, bhante, ratti; Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”paṭisammodatu, bhante, bhagavā āgantukehi bhikkhūhī”ti. But for a second time the Buddha kept silent.Dutiyampi kho bhagavā tuṇhī ahosi.

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,Tatiyampi kho āyasmā ānando abhikkantāya rattiyā, nikkhante pacchime yāme, uddhaste aruṇe, nandimukhiyā rattiyā uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “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.“abhikkantā, bhante, ratti; Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”paṭisammodatu, bhante, bhagavā, āgantukehi bhikkhūhī”ti.

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

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

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