1.
The Shorter Discourse at Gosiṅga
325. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nātikā in the brick house. Now at that time the Venerable Anuruddha and the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila were dwelling in the Gosiṅga Sal-tree Wood. Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, went to the Gosiṅga Sal-tree Wood. The grove-keeper saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Having seen the Blessed One, he said this - "Do not, ascetic, enter this grove. There are here three sons of good family dwelling intent on their own welfare. Do not cause them discomfort."
The Venerable Anuruddha heard the grove-keeper conversing with the Blessed One. Having heard, he said this to the grove-keeper - "Do not, friend grove-keeper, obstruct the Blessed One. Our Teacher, the Blessed One, has arrived." Then the Venerable Anuruddha approached the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila - "Come forth, venerable sirs, come forth, venerable sirs, our Teacher, the Blessed One, has arrived." Then the Venerable Anuruddha and the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila went forward to meet the Blessed One - one received the Blessed One's bowl and robe, one prepared a seat, one set up water for washing the feet. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One washed his feet. Those venerable ones too, having paid respect to the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To the Venerable Anuruddha seated to one side, the Blessed One said this -
326. "Is it bearable for you, Anuruddha, is it endurable, are you not troubled about almsfood?" "It is bearable, Blessed One, it is endurable, Blessed One; and we, venerable sir, are not troubled about almsfood." "But do you, Anuruddha, dwell in unity, being joyful, without contention, blended like milk and water, regarding one another with eyes of affection?" "Truly we, venerable sir, dwell in unity, being joyful, without contention, blended like milk and water, regarding one another with eyes of affection." "But in what way do you, Anuruddha, dwell in unity, being joyful, without contention, blended like milk and water, regarding one another with eyes of affection?" "Here, venerable sir, it occurs to me thus - 'It is a gain for me indeed, it is well-gained for me indeed, that I dwell together with such fellows in the holy life.' For me, venerable sir, towards these venerable ones, bodily action of friendliness is present both openly and in private; verbal action of friendliness is present both openly and in private; mental action of friendliness is present both openly and in private. It occurs to me, venerable sir, thus - 'What if I were to set aside my own mind and act according to the mind of these venerable ones.' So I, venerable sir, having set aside my own mind, act according to the mind of these venerable ones. For our bodies are indeed different, venerable sir, but our minds, methinks, are one."
The Venerable Nandiya also etc. The Venerable Kimila also said this to the Blessed One - "For me too, venerable sir, it occurs thus - 'It is a gain for me indeed, it is well-gained for me indeed, that I dwell together with such fellows in the holy life.' For me, venerable sir, towards these venerable ones, bodily action of friendliness is present both openly and in private, verbal action of friendliness is present both openly and in private, mental action of friendliness is present both openly and in private. It occurs to me, venerable sir, thus - 'What if I were to set aside my own mind and act according to the mind of these venerable ones.' So I, venerable sir, having set aside my own mind, act according to the mind of these venerable ones. For our bodies are indeed different, venerable sir, but our minds, methinks, are one."
"Thus indeed we, venerable sir, dwell in unity, being joyful, without contention, blended like milk and water, regarding one another with eyes of affection."
327. "Good, good, Anuruddha! But do you, Anuruddha, dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute?" "Truly we, venerable sir, dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute." "But in what way do you, Anuruddha, dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute?" "Here, venerable sir, among us whoever first returns from the village from almsfood, he prepares the seats, sets out drinking water and water for washing, sets out the slop basin. Whoever returns last from the village from almsfood, if there is leftover food, if he wishes he eats, if he does not wish he throws it away where there is little green vegetation, or drops it in water without living creatures. He sets in order the seats, sets in order the drinking water and water for washing, sets in order the slop basin, sweeps the refectory. Whoever sees the drinking water pot or the water pot for washing or the toilet water pot empty and hollow, he sets it up. If it is too heavy for him, having called a second by hand gesture, we set it up by joining hands, but we, venerable sir, do not on that account break into speech. And every five days we, venerable sir, sit together for the whole night in discussion on the Teaching. Thus indeed we, venerable sir, dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute."
328. "Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for you who dwell thus diligent, ardent, and resolute, any attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enter and dwell in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. This, venerable sir, is for us who dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute, the attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for the transcendence of this abiding, for the cessation of this abiding, any other attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, enter and dwell in the second meditative absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of concentration. For the transcendence of this abiding, venerable sir, for the cessation of this abiding, this is another attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for the transcendence of this abiding, for the cessation of this abiding, any other attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the fading away of rapture, dwell equanimous, mindful and fully aware, and experience happiness with the body - that which the noble ones declare: 'One who is equanimous and mindful, one who dwells in happiness' - we enter and dwell in the third meditative absorption. For the transcendence of this abiding, venerable sir, for the cessation of this abiding, this is another attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for the transcendence of this abiding, for the cessation of this abiding, any other attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the abandoning of pleasure and with the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and displeasure, enter and dwell in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. For the transcendence of this abiding, venerable sir, for the cessation of this abiding, this is another attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for the transcendence of this abiding, for the cessation of this abiding, any other attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with inattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' enter and dwell in the plane of infinite space. For the transcendence of this abiding, venerable sir, for the cessation of this abiding, this is another attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for the transcendence of this abiding, for the cessation of this abiding, any other attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' enter and dwell in the plane of infinite consciousness. Etc. With the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' we enter and dwell in the plane of nothingness. Etc. With the complete transcendence of the plane of nothingness, we enter and dwell in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. For the transcendence of this abiding, venerable sir, for the cessation of this abiding, this is another attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding."
329. "Good, good, Anuruddha! But is there, Anuruddha, for the transcendence of this abiding, for the cessation of this abiding, any other attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "How could there not be, venerable sir! Here we, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the complete transcendence of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, enter and dwell in the cessation of perception and feeling, and having seen with wisdom, our mental corruptions are completely eliminated. For the transcendence of this abiding, venerable sir, for the cessation of this abiding, this is another attained super-human achievement, a distinction of knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding. And we, venerable sir, do not perceive any other comfortable abiding more superior or more sublime than this comfortable abiding." "Good, good, Anuruddha! There is no comfortable abiding more superior or more sublime than this comfortable abiding."
330. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the Venerable Anuruddha and the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila with a talk on the Teaching, rose from his seat and departed. Then the Venerable Anuruddha and the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila, having accompanied the Blessed One, having turned back from there, the Venerable Nandiya and the Venerable Kimila said this to the Venerable Anuruddha - "Did we indeed report thus to the Venerable Anuruddha - 'We are obtainers of these and these abiding attainments,' that the Venerable Anuruddha declared in the presence of the Blessed One even up to the elimination of mental corruptions?" "The venerable ones did not indeed report thus to me - 'We are obtainers of these and these abiding attainments,' but the minds of the venerable ones were known to me, having encompassed them with my mind - 'These venerable ones are obtainers of these and these abiding attainments.' Deities also reported this matter to me - 'These venerable ones are obtainers of these and these abiding attainments.' That was declared by me when asked a question by the Blessed One."
331. Then the demon Dīgha Parajana approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, the demon Dīgha Parajana said this to the Blessed One - "It is a gain indeed, venerable sir, for the Vajjis, it is well-gained for the Vajji people, where the Truth-finder dwells, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, and these three sons of good family - the Venerable Anuruddha, and the Venerable Nandiya, and the Venerable Kimila." Having heard the sound of the demon Dīgha Parajana, the terrestrial gods proclaimed: "It is a gain indeed, friend, for the Vajjis, it is well-gained for the Vajji people, where the Truth-finder dwells, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, and these three sons of good family - the Venerable Anuruddha, and the Venerable Nandiya, and the Venerable Kimila." Having heard the sound of the terrestrial gods, the gods ruled by the four great kings... etc. the Thirty-three gods... etc. the Yāma gods... etc. the Tusita gods... etc. the Nimmānaratī gods... etc. the Paranimmitavasavattī gods... etc. the gods of Brahmā's company proclaimed: "It is a gain indeed, friend, for the Vajjis, it is well-gained for the Vajji people, where the Truth-finder dwells, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, and these three sons of good family - the Venerable Anuruddha, and the Venerable Nandiya, and the Venerable Kimila." Thus those venerable ones in that moment, in that instant, became known as far as the Brahmā world.
"So it is, Dīgha, so it is, Dīgha! Even from whatever family, Dīgha, these three sons of good family have gone forth from home into homelessness, if that family were to remember these three sons of good family with a gladdened mind, it would be for the welfare and happiness of that family for a long time. Even from whatever generation of families, Dīgha, these three sons of good family have gone forth from home into homelessness, if that generation of families were to remember these three sons of good family with a gladdened mind, it would be for the welfare and happiness of that generation of families for a long time. Even from whatever village, Dīgha, these three sons of good family have gone forth from home into homelessness, if that village were to remember these three sons of good family with a gladdened mind, it would be for the welfare and happiness of that village for a long time. Even from whatever market town, Dīgha, these three sons of good family have gone forth from home into homelessness, if that market town were to remember these three sons of good family with a gladdened mind, it would be for the welfare and happiness of that market town for a long time. Even from whatever city, Dīgha, these three sons of good family have gone forth from home into homelessness, if that city were to remember these three sons of good family with a gladdened mind, it would be for the welfare and happiness of that city for a long time. Even from whatever country, Dīgha, these three sons of good family have gone forth from home into homelessness, if that country were to remember these three sons of good family with a gladdened mind, it would be for the welfare and happiness of that country for a long time. If even all the warriors, Dīgha, were to remember these three sons of good family with gladdened minds, it would be for the welfare and happiness of all the warriors for a long time. If even all the brahmins, Dīgha... etc. if even all the merchants, Dīgha... etc. if even all the workers, Dīgha, were to remember these three sons of good family with gladdened minds, it would be for the welfare and happiness of all the workers for a long time. If even the world with its gods, Dīgha, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, were to remember these three sons of good family with gladdened minds, it would be for the welfare and happiness of the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, of the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, for a long time. See, Dīgha, how far these three sons of good family have practised for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the demon Dīgha Parajana rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Shorter Gosinga is concluded as first.