4.
The Discourse on Advice from Nandaka
398. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī together with about five hundred nuns approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said this to the Blessed One - "Let the Blessed One exhort the nuns, venerable sir; let the Blessed One instruct the nuns, venerable sir; let the Blessed One give a talk on the Teaching to the nuns, venerable sir."
Now at that time the elder monks were exhorting the nuns by turns. The Venerable Nandaka did not wish to exhort the nuns by turns. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Whose turn is it today, Ānanda, to exhort the nuns by turns?" "All have done their turn, venerable sir, to exhort the nuns by turns. This Venerable Nandaka, venerable sir, does not wish to exhort the nuns by turns."
Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Nandaka - "Exhort the nuns, Nandaka; instruct the nuns, Nandaka; give a talk on the Teaching to the nuns, brahmin." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Nandaka replied to the Blessed One, and having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Having walked for almsfood in Sāvatthī, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, with a companion, he approached the Rājakārāma. Those nuns saw the Venerable Nandaka coming from afar. Having seen him, they prepared a seat and set up water for the feet. The Venerable Nandaka sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, he washed his feet. Those nuns too, having paid respect to the Venerable Nandaka, sat down to one side. To those nuns seated to one side, the Venerable Nandaka said this - "There will be a discussion by questioning, sisters. Therein, by those who understand - 'we understand' should be said; by those who do not understand - 'we do not understand' should be said. Or if any of you has uncertainty or doubt, I myself should be asked about this matter - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?'" "Even by this much, venerable sir, we are delighted and satisfied with the noble Nandaka, that the noble Nandaka invites us to admonish."
399. "What do you think, sisters, is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What do you think, sisters, is the ear permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. Is the nose permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is the tongue permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is the body permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is the mind permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Already before, venerable sir, this has been well seen by us as it really is with right wisdom: 'Thus these six internal sense bases are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
400. "What do you think, sisters, are forms permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What do you think, sisters, are sounds permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Etc. Are odours permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Are flavours permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Are tangible objects permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Are mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Already before, venerable sir, this has been well seen by us as it really is with right wisdom: 'Thus these six external sense bases are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
401. "What do you think, sisters, is eye-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What do you think, sisters, is ear-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. Is nose-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is tongue-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is body-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Is mind-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Already before, venerable sir, this has been well seen by us as it really is with right wisdom: 'Thus these six classes of consciousness are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
402. "Just as, sisters, when an oil lamp is burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change, and the radiance is impermanent, subject to change. Now, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'Of that oil lamp burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change; but whatever radiance it has, that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Because, venerable sir, of that oil lamp burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change; how much more so is its radiance impermanent, subject to change." "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'These six internal sense bases of mine are impermanent; but whatever one experiences dependent on the six internal sense bases - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Dependent on each respective condition, venerable sir, each respective feeling arises. With the cessation of each respective condition, each respective feeling ceases." "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
403. "Just as, sisters, of a great tree standing with substance, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change, and the shadow is impermanent, subject to change. Now, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'Of that great tree standing with substance, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change, but whatever shadow it has, that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Because, venerable sir, of that great tree standing with substance, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change; how much more so is its shadow impermanent, subject to change." "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'These six external sense bases of mine are impermanent. But whatever one experiences dependent on the six external sense bases - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Dependent on each respective condition, venerable sir, each respective feeling arises. With the cessation of each respective condition, each respective feeling ceases." "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
404. "Just as, sisters, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, might cut all round the cow with a sharp butcher's knife without damaging the inner body of flesh, without damaging the outer body of hide. Whatever connecting flesh there is in between, whatever sinew in between, whatever binding in between, that very thing he would cut, cut all round, cut through, cut completely through with a sharp butcher's knife. Having cut, having cut all round, having cut through, having cut completely through, having shaken off the outer body of hide, having covered that cow with that very hide, he might speak thus - 'This cow is connected with this very hide just as before'; would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Because, Venerable Sir, that skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, might cut all round the cow with a sharp butcher's knife without damaging the inner body of flesh, without damaging the outer body of hide. Whatever connecting flesh there is in between, whatever sinew in between, whatever binding in between, that very thing he would cut, cut all round, cut through, cut completely through with a sharp butcher's knife. Having cut, having cut all round, having cut through, having cut completely through, having shaken off the outer body of hide, having covered that cow with that very hide, although he might speak thus - 'This cow is connected with this very hide just as before'; yet that cow is unbound from that very hide."
"This simile, sisters, has been made by me for the purpose of conveying the meaning. This is the meaning here: 'The inner body of flesh', sisters, is a designation for the six internal sense bases; 'the outer body of hide', sisters, is a designation for the six external sense bases; 'the connecting flesh in between, the sinew in between, the binding in between', sisters, is a designation for delight and lust; 'the sharp butcher's knife', sisters, is a designation for noble wisdom; that noble wisdom which cuts, cuts all round, cuts through, cuts completely through the defilement in between, the mental fetter in between, the bondage in between.
405. "There are, however, these seven factors of enlightenment, sisters, because of having developed and cultivated which, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. Which seven? Here, sisters, a monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, based upon seclusion, based upon dispassion, based upon cessation, maturing in release; he develops the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena... etc. He develops the enlightenment factor of energy... He develops the enlightenment factor of rapture... He develops the enlightenment factor of tranquillity... He develops the enlightenment factor of concentration... He develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity, based upon seclusion, based upon dispassion, based upon cessation, maturing in release. These, sisters, are the seven factors of enlightenment, because of having developed and cultivated which, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions."
406. Then the Venerable Nandaka, having exhorted those nuns with this exhortation, dismissed them - "Go, sisters; it is time." Then those nuns, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Venerable Nandaka had said, rose from their seats, paid respect to the Venerable Nandaka, circumambulated him keeping him on their right, and approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. To those nuns standing to one side, the Blessed One said this - "Go, nuns; it is time." Then those nuns, having paid respect to the Blessed One and circumambulated him keeping him on their right, departed. Then the Blessed One, when those nuns had recently departed, addressed the monks - "Just as, monks, on the uposatha day, the fourteenth, there is no uncertainty or doubt for many people - 'Is the moon waning or is the moon full?' - then indeed the moon is waning. Just so, monks, those nuns are delighted with Nandaka's proclamation of the Teaching, but their thoughts are not yet fulfilled."
407. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Nandaka - "If so, Nandaka, tomorrow too you should exhort those nuns with the same exhortation." "Yes, Venerable Sir," the Venerable Nandaka assented to the Blessed One. Then the Venerable Nandaka, after that night had passed, in the earlier period of the day, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Having walked for almsfood in Sāvatthī, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, with a companion, he approached the Rājakārāma. Those nuns saw the Venerable Nandaka coming from afar. Having seen him, they prepared a seat and set up water for the feet. The Venerable Nandaka sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, he washed his feet. Those nuns too, having paid respect to the Venerable Nandaka, sat down to one side. To those nuns seated to one side, the Venerable Nandaka said this - "There will be a discussion by questioning, sisters. Therein, by those who understand, 'we understand' should be said; by those who do not understand, 'we do not understand' should be said. Or if any of you has uncertainty or doubt, I myself should be asked about this matter - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?'" "Even by this much, venerable sir, we are delighted and satisfied with the noble Nandaka, that the noble Nandaka invites us to admonish."
408. "What do you think, sisters, is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What do you think, sisters, is the ear permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. Is the nose permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. The tongue... The body... Is the mind permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Already before, venerable sir, this has been well seen by us as it really is with right wisdom: 'Thus these six internal sense bases are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
409. "What do you think, sisters, are forms permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What do you think, sisters, are sounds permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Etc. Are odours permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Are flavours permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Are tangible objects permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Are mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Already before, venerable sir, this has been well seen by us as it really is with right wisdom: 'Thus these six external sense bases are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
410. "What do you think, sisters, is eye-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. Is ear-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Is nose-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Is tongue-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Is body-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Is mind-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Already before, venerable sir, this has been well seen by us as it really is with right wisdom: 'Thus these six classes of consciousness are impermanent.'" "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
411. "Just as, sisters, when an oil lamp is burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change, and the radiance is impermanent, subject to change. Now, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'Of that oil lamp burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change; but whatever radiance it has, that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Because, venerable sir, of that oil lamp burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change; how much more so is its radiance impermanent, subject to change." "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'These six internal sense bases of mine are impermanent. But whatever one experiences dependent on the six internal sense bases - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Dependent on each respective condition, venerable sir, each respective feeling arises. With the cessation of each respective condition, each respective feeling ceases." "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
412. "Just as, sisters, of a great tree standing with substance, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change, and the shadow is impermanent, subject to change. Now, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'Of that great tree standing with substance, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change; but whatever shadow it has, that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Because, venerable sir, of that great tree standing with substance, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change; how much more so is its shadow impermanent, subject to change." "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say thus - 'These six external sense bases of mine are impermanent. But whatever one experiences dependent on the external sense bases - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' - would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Dependent on each respective condition, venerable sir, each respective feeling arises. With the cessation of each respective condition, each respective feeling ceases." "Good, good, sisters! For this is so, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing as it really is with right wisdom."
413. "Just as, sisters, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, might cut all round the cow with a sharp butcher's knife without damaging the inner body of flesh, without damaging the outer body of hide. Whatever connecting flesh there is in between, whatever sinew in between, whatever binding in between, that very thing he would cut, cut all round, cut through, cut completely through with a sharp butcher's knife. Having cut, having cut all round, having cut through, having cut completely through, having shaken off the outer body of hide, having covered that cow with that very hide, he might speak thus - 'This cow is connected with this very hide just as before'; would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Because, Venerable Sir, that skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, might cut all round the cow with a sharp butcher's knife without damaging the inner body of flesh, without damaging the outer body of hide. Whatever connecting flesh there is in between, whatever sinew in between, whatever binding in between, that very thing he would cut, cut all round, cut through, cut completely through with a sharp butcher's knife. Having cut, having cut all round, having cut through, having cut completely through, having shaken off the outer body of hide, having covered that cow with that very hide, although he might speak thus - 'This cow is connected with this very hide just as before'; yet that cow is unbound from that very hide."
"This simile, sisters, has been made by me for the purpose of conveying the meaning. This is the meaning here: 'The inner body of flesh', sisters, is a designation for the six internal sense bases; 'the outer body of hide', sisters, is a designation for the six external sense bases; 'the connecting flesh in between, the sinew in between, the binding in between', sisters, is a designation for delight and lust; 'the sharp butcher's knife', sisters, is a designation for noble wisdom; that noble wisdom which cuts, cuts all round, cuts through, cuts completely through the defilement in between, the mental fetter in between, the bondage in between.
414. "There are, however, these seven factors of enlightenment, sisters, because of having developed and cultivated which, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. Which seven? Here, sisters, a monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, based upon seclusion, based upon dispassion, based upon cessation, maturing in release. He develops the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena... etc. He develops the enlightenment factor of energy... He develops the enlightenment factor of rapture... He develops the enlightenment factor of tranquillity... He develops the enlightenment factor of concentration... He develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity, based upon seclusion, based upon dispassion, based upon cessation, maturing in release. These, sisters, are the seven factors of enlightenment, because of having developed and cultivated which, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions."
415. Then the Venerable Nandaka, having exhorted those nuns with this exhortation, dismissed them - "Go, sisters; it is time." Then those nuns, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Venerable Nandaka had said, rose from their seats, paid respect to the Venerable Nandaka, circumambulated him keeping him on their right, and approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. To those nuns standing to one side, the Blessed One said this - "Go, nuns; it is time." Then those nuns, having paid respect to the Blessed One and circumambulated him keeping him on their right, departed. Then the Blessed One, when those nuns had recently departed, addressed the monks - "Just as, monks, on the uposatha day, the fifteenth, there is no uncertainty or doubt for many people - 'Is the moon waning or is the moon full?' - then indeed the moon is full; just so, monks, those nuns are delighted with Nandaka's proclamation of the Teaching, and their thoughts are fulfilled. Of those five hundred nuns, monks, the one who is the last among them is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Exhortation by Nandaka is concluded as fourth.