Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saɱyutta
2. Nālandā Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
47. Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
2. Nālandā

Sutta 13

Cuṇḍa Suttaɱ

Cuṇḍa^[1]

Translated by F. L. Woodward

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[140]

[1][bodh][than][nypo] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

On that occasion the venerable Sāriputta was staying [141] among the Magadhese
at Nālagāmaka,^[2]
being sick,
afflicted,
stricken with a sore disease.

Now Cunda the novice was in attendance
on the venerable Sāriputta.

And it was owing to this sickness
that the venerable Sāriputta passed away.

So Cunda the novice,
taking the venerable Sāriputta's bowl and outer robe,
went to Sāvatthī,
to Jeta Grove,
and so to Anāthapiṇḍika's Park,
where he went to visit the venerable Ānanda,^[3]
and on coming to him
saluted him
and sat down at one side.

So seated,
Cunda the novice said this to the venerable Ānanda:

"Sir, the venerable Sāriputta has passed away.

Here are his bowl and outer robe.

[This water-strainer holds his relics.]"^[4]

"Friend Cunda, this piece of news^[5]
will be an excuse for seeing the Exalted One.

Let us go, friend Cunda,
to visit the Exalted One,
and when we get there
we will tell him about this matter."

"Very good, sir," said Cunda the novice
in reply to the venerable Ānanda.

So the venerable Ānanda
and Cunda the novice
went to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him
and sat down at one side.

As they thus sat
the venerable Ānanda said this to the Exalted One:

"Lord, this Cunda the novice said to me:

'Sir, the venerable Sāriputta has passed away.

Here are his bowl and outer robe.

This water-strainer holds his relics.'

Indeed, lord, thereat
my body was as if drugged.

My bearings were confused.^[6]

[142] The teachings^[7] were not clear to me
when I heard the words
'the venerable Sāriputta has passed away.'"^[8]

■

"But tell me, Ānanda,
when the venerable Sāriputta passed away,
did he take with him
the constituents of virtue;
did he take with him
the constituents of concentration;
did he take with him
the constituents of wisdom;
did he take with him
the constituents of release;
did he take with him
the constituents of release by knowing and seeing?"^[9]

"Nay, lord, when the venerable Sāriputta passed away
he did not take with him the constituents of virtue;
he did not take with him
the constituents of concentration;
he did not take with him
the constituents of wisdom;
he did not take with him
the constituents of release;
he did not take with him
the constituents of release by knowing and seeing.

But he was to me an adviser,
one who was well grounded.^[10]

He was an instructor,
one who could arouse,
incite
and gladden.

He was unwearied in teaching the Norm.

He was the patron^[11]
of those who lived the righteous life along with him.

We bear in mind
that essence of the Norm,
that patronage of the Norm
possessed by the venerable Sāriputta, lord."

■

"Have I not aforetime^[12]
declared to you this, Ānanda, - [143] how in all things that are dear and delightful
there is the nature of diversity,
the nature of separation,
the nature of otherness?

How is it possible, Ānanda,
in the case of what is born,
what is become,
what is compounded,
what is transitory, -
how is it possible
to have one's wish fulfilled:

'Oh! may it not perish'?

Nay, such a thing cannot be.

Just as, Ānanda, from some mighty tree,
standing firm and full of vigour^[13]
one of the greater limbs rots off, -
even so, Ānanda, from the mighty Order of monks,
standing firm and full of vigour,
Sāriputta has passed away.

How is it possible, Ānanda,
I say,
in the case of what is born,
what is become,
what is compounded,
what is transitory, -
how is it possible
that one's wish can be fulfilled:

'Oh! may it not perish'?

Nay, such a thing cannot be.

Wherefore, Ānanda,
do ye abide grounded on self,
self-refuged,
taking refuge in none other.

Do ye abide grounded on the Norm,
taking refuge in the Norm,
having none other refuge.

And how, Ānanda,
does a monk so abide?

Herein, Ānanda,
a monk abides in body contemplating body
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
having restrained the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He dwells as regards feelings contemplating feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
having restrained the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He dwells as regards mind contemplating mind
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
having restrained the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He dwells as regards mind-states contemplating mind-states
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
having restrained the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

That, Ānanda, is how a monk abides grounded on self,
self-refuged,
taking refuge in none other.

Whoso, Ānanda,
either now
or when I have passed away,
shall abide grounded on self,
self-refuged,
taking refuge in none other;
grounded on the Norm,
with the Norm for refuge,
taking refuge in none other, -
they, Ānanda,
shall be my monks,
they shall be atop of the gloom;
that is,
they who are anxious to learn."^[14]

 

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^[1] Cf. Dialog. iii, 112 n.; K.S. iv, 30; Brethren, 119. According to Comy. the younger brother of Sāriputta. Comy. on S. i, 174 says he was one of the series of the Buddha's personal attendants before Ānanda was appointed, the others being Nāgasamāla, Upavāṇa, Sunakkhatta, Sāgato, Bodhi and Meghiya (for whom see Udāna [Ed.: But?).

^[2] Comy. on S. iv, 251, 'not far from Rājagaha, on his family property.'

^[3] Comy. thinks he did not like to break the news to the Master himself.

^[4] Burmese MSS. of text add dhātu-paribhāvanam (?). Comy. adds: idaṅ dhātu-parissāvanan ti ('this water-strainer holds his relics'), but says 'he said this to each person'; so I add it in brackets.

^[5] Kathā-pābhataṅ = kathā-mūlaṅ (lit. 'topic of conversation'). Comy.

^[6] Cf. supra, i, § 9. Here, says Comy., Ānanda was 'all of a tremble, like a cock escaping from the mouth of a cat.'

^[7] Dhammā. Thag. Comy. says: pariyatti-dhammā (the doctrines to be learned by heart). Our Comy. uddesa-paripucchā-dhammā (advice and questioning).

^[8] Cf. Thag. v, 1034; Brethren, p. 356 (on Ānanda): 'The following verse the thera uttered on hearing of the passing away' of the General of the Norm:

The firmament on every hand
Grows dim, yea, all confused stand
The truths I seemed to understand.
Gone is the noble friend we love,
And dark is earth and heaven above.

^[9] Sīla-samādhi-paññā-vimutti-vimutti-ñāṇa-dassanā-kkhandhaṅ (the constituents of the Path to Nibbāna).

^[10] Otiṇṇo. See Pali Dict. s.v, (recommending its deletion from the text); but Comy. has it, and thus comments: Tiṇṇesu vatthusu nānappikārena ovadana-sīlo. Cf. UdA. 23, otiṇṇa-vatthuka-puggale (? one who has reached solid ground). For the words following, cf. It. 107.

^[11] Anuggāhako. Cf. K.S. iii, 6; to the comment on which Comy. here refers.

^[12] Paṭigacc'eva. Cf. Trenckner, Milinda, App. and Pāli Miscellany, Comy. paṭikacc'eva (not from paṭigacchati, but paṭikaroti, 'to provide for the future,' so 'provisionally, previously'). Cf. Buddhist Suttas, ll9Â Dialog. ii, 184.

^[13] Sāravant, in the case of a tree 'heartwood, pith, timber.'

^[14] Cf. supra, § 9.