Dīghāvuupāsakasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.3

Linked Discourses 55.3

1. Veḷudvāravagga

1. At Bamboo Gate

Dīghāvuupāsakasutta

With Dīghāvu

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Tena kho pana samayena dīghāvu upāsako ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

Now at that time the lay follower Dīghāvu was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Atha kho dīghāvu upāsako pitaraṁ jotikaṁ gahapatiṁ āmantesi:

Then he addressed his father, the householder Jotika,

“ehi tvaṁ, gahapati, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vanda:

“Please, householder, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him:

‘dīghāvu, bhante, upāsako ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

‘Sir, the lay follower Dīghāvu is sick, suffering, gravely ill.

So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti.

He bows with his head to your feet.’

Evañca vadehi:

And then say:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena dīghāvussa upāsakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

‘Sir, please visit him at his home out of sympathy.’”

“Evaṁ, tātā”ti kho jotiko gahapati dīghāvussa upāsakassa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jotiko gahapati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Yes, dear,” replied Jotika. He did as Dīghāvu asked.

“dīghāvu, bhante, upāsako ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati.

Evañca vadeti:

‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena dīghāvussa upāsakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

The Buddha consented with silence.

Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena dīghāvussa upāsakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā dīghāvuṁ upāsakaṁ etadavoca:

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the lay follower Dīghāvu, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to him,

“kacci te, dīghāvu, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo”ti?

“I hope you’re keeping well, Dīghāvu, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

“Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ, na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo”ti.

“Sir, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”

“Tasmātiha te, dīghāvu, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

“So, Dīghāvu, you should train like this:

‘buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato bhavissāmi—itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

‘I will have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

Dhamme …pe…

the teaching …

saṅghe …pe…

the Saṅgha …

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato bhavissāmi akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi’.

And I will have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.’

Evañhi te, dīghāvu, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

“Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā cattāri sotāpattiyaṅgāni desitāni, saṁvijjante dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmi.

“Sir, these four factors of stream-entry that were taught by the Buddha are found in me, and I exhibit them.

Ahañhi, bhante, buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato—itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

For I have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

Dhamme …pe…

the teaching …

saṅghe …pe…

the Saṅgha …

ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehī”ti.

And I have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.”

“Tasmātiha tvaṁ, dīghāvu, imesu catūsu sotāpattiyaṅgesu patiṭṭhāya cha vijjābhāgiye dhamme uttari bhāveyyāsi.

“In that case, Dīghāvu, grounded on these four factors of stream-entry you should further develop these six things that play a part in realization.

Idha tvaṁ, dīghāvu, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharāhi, anicce dukkhasaññī, dukkhe anattasaññī pahānasaññī virāgasaññī nirodhasaññīti.

You should meditate observing the impermanence of all conditions, perceiving suffering in impermanence, perceiving not-self in suffering, perceiving giving up, perceiving fading away, and perceiving cessation.

Evañhi te, dīghāvu, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

“Yeme, bhante, bhagavatā cha vijjābhāgiyā dhammā desitā, saṁvijjante dhammā mayi, ahañca tesu dhammesu sandissāmi.

“These six things that play a part in realization that were taught by the Buddha are found in me, and I exhibit them.

Ahañhi, bhante, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī viharāmi, anicce dukkhasaññī, dukkhe anattasaññī pahānasaññī virāgasaññī nirodhasaññī.

For I meditate observing the impermanence of all conditions, perceiving suffering in impermanence, perceiving not-self in suffering, perceiving giving up, perceiving fading away, and perceiving cessation.

Api ca me, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

But still, sir, I think,

‘mā hevāyaṁ jotiko gahapati mamaccayena vighātaṁ āpajjī’”ti.

‘I hope Jotika doesn’t suffer distress when I’ve gone.’”

“Mā tvaṁ, tāta dīghāvu, evaṁ manasākāsi.

Jotika said, “Dear Dīghāvu, don’t focus on that.

Iṅgha tvaṁ, tāta dīghāvu, yadeva te bhagavā āha, tadeva tvaṁ sādhukaṁ manasi karohī”ti.

Come on, dear Dīghāvu, you should closely focus on what the Buddha is saying.”

Atha kho bhagavā dīghāvuṁ upāsakaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

When the Buddha had given this advice he rose from his seat and left.

Atha kho dīghāvu upāsako acirapakkantassa bhagavato kālamakāsi.

Not long after the Buddha left, Dīghāvu passed away.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“yo so, bhante, dīghāvu nāma upāsako bhagavatā saṅkhittena ovādena ovadito so kālaṅkato.

“Sir, the lay follower named Dīghāvu, who was advised in brief by the Buddha, has passed away.

Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?

Where has he been reborn in his next life?”

“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, dīghāvu upāsako, paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ vihesesi.

“Mendicants, the lay follower Dīghāvu was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings.

Dīghāvu, bhikkhave, upāsako pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā”ti.

With the ending of the five lower fetters, he’s been reborn spontaneously, and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.”

Tatiyaṁ.