1At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Then Venerable Bhaddaji went up to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and Venerable Ānanda said to him:

“Reverend Bhaddaji, what is the best sight, the best sound, the best happiness, the best perception, and the best state of existence?”

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2“Reverend, there is this Brahmā, the undefeated, the champion, the universal seer, the wielder of power. When you see Brahmā, that’s the best sight. There are the gods called ‘of streaming radiance’, who are drenched and steeped in pleasure. Every so often they feel inspired to exclaim: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’ When you hear that, it’s the best sound. There are the gods called ‘replete with glory’. Since they’re truly content, they experience pleasure. This is the best happiness. There are the gods reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is the best perception. There are the gods reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the best state of existence.”

“So, Venerable Bhaddaji, do you agree with what most people say about this?”

3“Well, Venerable Ānanda, you’re very learned. Why don’t you clarify this yourself?”

“Well then, Reverend Bhaddaji, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

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“Yes, reverend,” Bhaddaji replied. Ānanda said this:

4“What you see when the defilements end in the present life is the best sight. What you hear when the defilements end in the present life is the best sound. The happiness you feel when the defilements end in the present life is the best happiness. What you perceive when the defilements end in the present life is the best perception. The state of existence in which the defilements end in the present life is the best state of existence.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Atha kho āyasmā bhaddaji yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ bhaddajiṁ āyasmā ānando etadavoca:  "

kiṁ nu kho, āvuso bhaddaji, dassanānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ savanānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ sukhānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ saññānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ bhavānaṁ aggan"ti?

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2"Atthāvuso, brahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī, yo taṁ brahmānaṁ passati, idaṁ dassanānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, ābhassarā nāma devā sukhena abhisannā parisannā. Te kadāci karahaci udānaṁ udānenti:  ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’ti. Yo taṁ saddaṁ suṇāti, idaṁ savanānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, subhakiṇhā nāma devā. Te santaṁyeva tusitā sukhaṁ paṭivedenti, idaṁ sukhānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā devā, idaṁ saññānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagā devā, idaṁ bhavānaṁ aggan"ti.

"Sameti kho idaṁ āyasmato bhaddajissa, yadidaṁ bahunā janenā"ti?

3"Āyasmā kho ānando bahussuto. Paṭibhātu āyasmantaṁyeva ānandan"ti.

" Tenahāvuso bhaddaji, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī"ti.

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"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā bhaddaji āyasmato ānandassa paccassosi. Āyasmā ānando etadavoca: 

4"Yathā passato kho, āvuso, anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ dassanānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā suṇato anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ savanānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā sukhitassa anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ sukhānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā saññissa anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ saññānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā bhūtassa anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ bhavānaṁ aggan"ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Āghātavaggo dutiyo.

5Dve āghātavinayā,
sākacchā sājīvato pañhaṁ;
Pucchā nirodho codanā,
sīlaṁ nisanti bhaddajīti.