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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

21. Bhikkhusaṁyutta: With Monks

I. Monks — SN21.8: With Nanda

1At Sāvatthī.

Then Venerable Nanda—the Buddha’s cousin on his mother’s side—dressed in nicely pressed and ironed robes, applied eyeshadow, and took a polished black bowl. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Nanda, as a gentleman who has gone forth in faith from the lay life to homelessness, it’s not appropriate for you to dress in nicely pressed and ironed robes, apply eyeshadow, and carry a polished black bowl. It’s appropriate for you to stay in the wilderness, eat only alms-food, wear rag robes, and live without concern for sensual pleasures.”


That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

2“When will I see Nanda
in the wilderness, wearing rag robes,
feeding on scraps offered by strangers,
unconcerned for sensual pleasures?”

3Then some time later Venerable Nanda stayed in the wilderness, ate only alms-food, wore rag robes, and lived without concern for sensual pleasures.

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati.

Atha kho āyasmā nando bhagavato mātucchāputto ākoṭitapaccākoṭitāni cīvarāni pārupitvā akkhīni añjetvā acchaṁ pattaṁ gahetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

"na kho te taṁ, nanda, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ ākoṭitapaccākoṭitāni cīvarāni pārupeyyāsi, akkhīni ca añjeyyāsi, acchañca pattaṁ dhāreyyāsi. Etaṁ kho te, nanda, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ āraññiko ca assasi, piṇḍapātiko ca paṁsukūliko ca kāmesu ca anapekkho vihareyyāsī"ti.


Idamavoca bhagavā … pe … satthā: 

2"Kadāhaṁ nandaṁ passeyyaṁ,
āraññaṁ paṁsukūlikaṁ;
Aññātuñchena yāpentaṁ,
kāmesu anapekkhinan"ti.

3Atha kho āyasmā nando aparena samayena āraññiko ca piṇḍapātiko ca paṁsukūliko ca kāmesu ca anapekkho vihāsīti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.