Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
I: Mettā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
I. On Amity
Sutta 9
Nanda suttaṃ
The Venerable Nanda
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1][than][bodh] Monks, one might say,
speaking rightly of Nanda:[1]
"He is a clansman";
"He is strong";
one might say:
"He is handsome";
one might say,
speaking rightly of him:
"He is very passionate."
§
Monks, save he keep the doors of the senses guarded,
be [113] moderate in eating,
be watchful;
save he have mindfulness and self-possession,
how can Nanda live the godly life
in all its purity?
§
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to guard[2] the doors of the senses:
Monks, if Nanda has occasion to look to the eastern quarter,
concentrating his whole attention,
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"thus while I look to the eastern quarter,
there shall not flow in upon me covetousness,
nor discontent,
nor evil,
nor any unrighteous state."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
If he has occasion to look to the western quarter,
concentrating his whole attention,
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"thus while I look to the eastern quarter,
there shall not flow in upon me covetousness,
nor discontent,
nor evil,
nor any unrighteous state."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
If he has occasion to look to the northern quarter,
concentrating his whole attention,
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"thus while I look to the eastern quarter,
there shall not flow in upon me covetousness,
nor discontent,
nor evil,
nor any unrighteous state."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
If he has occasion to look to the southern quarter,
concentrating his whole attention,
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"thus while I look to the eastern quarter,
there shall not flow in upon me covetousness,
nor discontent,
nor evil,
nor any unrighteous state."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
If he has occasion to look to the zenith,
concentrating his whole attention,
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"thus while I look to the eastern quarter,
there shall not flow in upon me covetousness,
nor discontent,
nor evil,
nor any unrighteous state."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
If he has occasion to look to the nadir,
concentrating his whole attention,
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"thus while I look to the eastern quarter,
there shall not flow in upon me covetousness,
nor discontent,
nor evil,
nor any unrighteous state."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
If he has occasion to look to the points between the quarters,[3]
concentrating his whole attention
he gazes thereat, reflecting:
"Thus while I look to the points between the quarters,
covetousness and the rest
shall not flow in upon me."
Thus in this way is he self-possessed.
■
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to guard the doors of the senses.[4]
§
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to be moderate in eating:
Monks, herein Nanda eats his food
with orderly reflection,
not for amusement,
for lust,
for adornment,
for beauty;
but to suffice for the sustaining
and nourishment of his body,
to appease hunger
and to aid the practice of the godly life.
■
He reflects:
"In this way I shall crush out the old feelings
and not allow any new feelings to arise
and I shall continue to dwell
in blamelessness and comfort."
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to be moderate in eating.[5]
§
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to watchfulness:
Monks, herein by day
Nanda purges his mind of thoughts that hinder,
when walking, when sitting down;
so, too, during the first watch of the night;
during the middle watch
he lies [114] like a lion on his right side,
with foot covering foot,
mindful and self-possessed,
intent upon the thought of getting up;
getting up in the last watch of the night
he purges his mind of thoughts that hinder,
when walking and when sitting.
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to watchfulness.[6]
§
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to mindfulness and self-possession:
Monks, herein to Nanda
recognized[7] feelings rise,
recognized they endure,
recognized they set;
recognized perceptions rise,
recognized they endure,
recognized they set;
recognized reflections rise,
recognized they endure,
recognized they set.
Monks, this is the way for Nanda
to mindfulness and self possession.
§
Monks, save Nanda keep the doors of the senses guarded,
be moderate in eating,
be watchful,
save he have mindfulness and self-possession,
how can Nanda live the godly life
in all its purity?'
[1] He was the Buddha's cousin; see A.A. i, 315; Th. i, 157; S. ii, 281; Ud. 21. This last is depicted at Amarāvatī; see Bachhofer's Early Indian Sculpture ii, pl. 128.
[2] It will be noted that I have taken these words as dative of purpose, but they may all be the locative (as the last two), so we may translate: this is Nanda's guardedness, moderation, watchfulness and so forth.
[3] Cf. B.rhad. Up. 4, 2, 4; Prā.s. Up. 1, 6; Dialogues iii, p. 170, 173.
[4] Cf. M. i, 355 (F. Dial. i, 255).
[5] This stock passage recurs at M. i, 273; ii, 138; iii, 2; A. i, 114; ii, 145; iii, 388. For a detailed commentary see Vism. 31 ff.
[6] See G.S. i, 98.
[7] Viditā.
