With Meghiya

ud4.1:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Cālikā, on the Cālikā mountain. Now, at that time Venerable Meghiya was the Buddha’s attendant. Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Sir, I’d like to enter Jantu village for alms.” “Please, Meghiya, go at your convenience.”

ud4.1:2 Then Meghiya robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Jantu village for alms. After the meal, on his return from almsround in Jantu village, he went to the shore of Kimikālā River. As he was going for a walk along the shore of the river he saw a lovely and delightful mango grove. Seeing this, it occurred to him, “Oh, this mango grove is lovely and delightful! This is good enough for striving for a gentleman wanting to strive. If the Buddha allows me, I’ll come back to this mango grove to meditate.”

ud4.1:3 Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding,

ud4.1:4 “If the Buddha allows me, I’ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.”

ud4.1:5 When he had spoken, the Buddha said to him, “We’re alone, Meghiya. Wait until another mendicant comes.”

ud4.1:6 For a second time Meghiya said to the Buddha, “Sir, the Buddha has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. But I have. If you allow me, I’ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.” For a second time the Buddha said, “We’re alone, Meghiya. Wait until another mendicant comes.”

ud4.1:7 For a third time Meghiya said to the Buddha, “Sir, the Buddha has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. But I have. If you allow me, I’ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.” “Meghiya, since you speak of striving in meditation, what can I say? Please, Meghiya, go at your convenience.”

ud4.1:8 Then Meghiya got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he went to that mango grove, and, having plunged deep into it, sat at the root of a certain tree for the day’s meditation. But while Meghiya was meditating in that mango grove he was beset mostly by three kinds of bad, unskillful thoughts, namely, sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.

ud4.1:9 Then he thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! I’ve gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but I’m still harassed by these three kinds of bad, unskillful thoughts: sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.”

ud4.1:10 Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Meghiya came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and told the Buddha what had happened.

ud4.1:11 “Meghiya, when the heart’s release is not ripe, five things help it ripen. What five?

ud4.1:12 Firstly, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates. This is the first thing …

ud4.1:13 Furthermore, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. This is the second thing …

ud4.1:14 Furthermore, a mendicant gets to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart and leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom. This is the third thing …

ud4.1:15 Furthermore, a mendicant lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They are strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. This is the fourth thing …

ud4.1:16 Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is the fifth thing that, when the heart’s release is not ripe, helps it ripen. These are the five things that, when the heart’s release is not ripe, help it ripen.

ud4.1:17 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be ethical …

ud4.1:18 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart …

ud4.1:19 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be energetic …

ud4.1:20 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be wise …

ud4.1:21 But then, a mendicant grounded on these five things should develop four further things. They should develop the perception of ugliness to give up greed, love to give up hate, mindfulness of breathing to cut off thinking, and perception of impermanence to uproot the conceit ‘I am’. When you perceive impermanence, the perception of not-self becomes stabilized. Perceiving not-self, you uproot the conceit ‘I am’ and attain extinguishment in this very life.”

ud4.1:22 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.1:23 “Lesser thoughts and subtle thoughts arise, springing up in the mind. Not understanding these thoughts, one with mind astray runs from one thing to the next.

ud4.1:24 Having understood these thoughts that arise, springing up in the mind, an awakened one—keen, restrained, and mindful— has given them up without remainder.”

Restless

ud4.2:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā. Now at that time several mendicants were staying not far from the Buddha in a wilderness hut. They were haughty, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

ud4.2:2 The Buddha saw those mendicants staying nearby.

ud4.2:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.2:4 “Unguarded in body, ruined by wrong view, overcome with dullness and drowsiness, you fall under Satan’s sway.

ud4.2:5 That’s why you should guard the mind, with right thoughts your habitat, and right view at the fore. Having understood rise and fall, a mendicant who has overcome <j>dullness and drowsiness would abandon all bad destinies.”

The Cowherd

ud4.3:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and sat down on the seat spread out.

ud4.3:2 Then a certain cowherd went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk.

ud4.3:3 Then the cowherd said to the Buddha, “Sir, would the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented with silence. Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the cowherd rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

ud4.3:4 And when the night had passed the cowherd had plenty of thick milk-rice prepared in his own home, with fresh ghee. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, “Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.”

ud4.3:5 The Buddha robed up, took his bowl and robe and, together with the Saṅgha of monks, went to the house of that cowherd, where he sat down on the prepared seat in the dining hall. Then the cowherd served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with a thick milk-rice and fresh ghee. When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, the cowherd took a low seat and sat to one side. The Buddha then educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a teaching, after which he got up and left. But soon after the Buddha had left, the cowherd was killed by a certain man in the gap between village perimeters.

ud4.3:6 Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

ud4.3:7 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.3:8 “A wrongly directed mind would do you more harm than a hater to the hated, or an enemy to their foe.”

The Spirit’s Blow

ud4.4:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. At that time the venerables Sāriputta and Moggallāna were staying near the pigeons’ alcove. Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was sitting outdoors in the moonlight, his head freshly shaven, having entered a certain state of immersion.

ud4.4:2 Now at that time two native spirits who were friends were on their way from the north to the south on some business. They saw Sāriputta meditating there. One of the spirits said to the other, “I feel inspired, my dear, to give this ascetic a blow on the head!” The other spirit replied, “Enough, my dear, don’t hit the ascetic! That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!”

ud4.4:3 For a second time the first spirit said to the other, “I feel inspired to give this ascetic a blow on the head!” For a second time, the other spirit replied, “Enough, don’t hit the ascetic! That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!” For a third time the first spirit said to the other, “I feel inspired to give this ascetic a blow on the head!” For a third time, the other spirit replied, “Enough, don’t hit the ascetic! That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!”

ud4.4:4 Ignoring his friend, the first spirit struck Sāriputta. The blow was so strong it would have felled a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits tall, or split apart a great mountain peak. But then the spirit, crying out, “I burn, I burn!” fell into the Great Hell right there.

ud4.4:5 With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, Venerable Moggallāna saw that spirit striking Venerable Sāriputta. He approached him and said, “I hope you’re keeping well, reverend, I hope you’re all right. I hope you are not in pain.” “I am keeping well, Reverend Moggallāna; but my head does hurt a little.”

ud4.4:6 “It’s incredible, Reverend Sāriputta, it’s amazing! How mighty and powerful is Venerable Sāriputta! Just now, a native spirit struck you on the head. The blow was so strong it would have felled a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits tall, or split apart a great mountain peak. Yet you say, ‘I am keeping well, Reverend Moggallāna; but my head does hurt a little.’”

ud4.4:7 “It’s incredible, Reverend Moggallāna, it’s amazing! How mighty and powerful is Venerable Moggallāna, in that he can even see a native spirit! Whereas I can’t even see a mud-goblin right now.”

ud4.4:8 With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha heard that discussion between those two spiritual giants.

ud4.4:9 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.4:10 “One whose mind is like a rock, steady, never shaking, free of desire for desirable things, not getting annoyed when things are annoying: from where will suffering strike one whose mind is developed like this?”

A Bull Elephant

ud4.5:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Now at that time Buddha lived crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Crowded, he lived in suffering and discomfort. Then he thought, “These days I live crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Crowded, I live in suffering and discomfort. Why don’t I live alone, withdrawn from the group?”

ud4.5:2 Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosambī for alms. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he set his lodgings in order himself. Taking his bowl and robe, without informing his supporters or taking leave of the mendicant Saṅgha, he set out to go wandering alone toward Pārileyyaka, with no companion. When he eventually arrived, he stayed in a protected forest grove, at the foot of a sacred sal tree.

ud4.5:3 A certain bull elephant was also living crowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. He ate the grass they’d trampled, and they ate the broken branches he dragged down. He drank muddy water, and after his bath the female elephants bumped into him. Crowded, he lived in suffering and discomfort. Then he thought, “These days I live crowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. I eat the grass they’ve trampled, and they eat the broken branches I’ve dragged down. I drink muddy water, and after my bath the female elephants bump into me. Crowded, I live in suffering and discomfort. Why don’t I live alone, withdrawn from the herd?”

ud4.5:4 So he left the herd and went to Pārileyyaka, where he approached the Buddha in the protected forest grove at the foot of a sacred sal tree. There he attended on the Buddha, clearing the vegetation from the place where the Buddha stayed, and using his trunk to set out water for drinking and washing.

ud4.5:5 Then as the Buddha was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “Formerly I lived crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Crowded, I live in suffering and discomfort. But now I live uncrowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Being uncrowded, I live in happiness and comfort.”

ud4.5:6 And to the bull elephant also this thought came to mind, “Formerly I lived crowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. I ate the grass they’d trampled, and they ate the broken branches I’d dragged down. I drank muddy water, and after my bath the female elephants bumped into me. Crowded, I lived in suffering and discomfort. But now I live uncrowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. I eat untrampled grass, and other elephants don’t eat the broken branches I have dragged down. I don’t drink muddy water, and the female elephants don’t bump into me after my bath. Being uncrowded, I live in happiness and comfort.”

ud4.5:7 Then, understanding his own seclusion and knowing that elephant’s train of thought, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.5:8 “The giant elephant, with tusks like draft-poles, agrees heart to heart with the spiritual giant, since each finds joy in the woods alone.”

The Alms-Gatherer

ud4.6:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight. He was one who lived in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, wore rag robes, and owned just three robes. He was of few wishes, content, secluded, aloof, and energetic, an advocate of austerities, dedicated to the higher mind.

ud4.6:2 The Buddha saw him meditating there.

ud4.6:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.6:4 “Not speaking ill nor doing harm; restraint in the monastic code; moderation in eating; staying in remote lodgings; commitment to the higher mind— this is the instruction of the Buddhas.”

With Sāriputta

ud4.7:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight. He was of few wishes, content, secluded, aloof, energetic, dedicated to the higher mind.

ud4.7:2 The Buddha saw him meditating there.

ud4.7:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.7:4 “A sage of higher consciousness, diligent, training in the ways of sagacity: there are no sorrows for the unaffected, calm and ever mindful.”

With Sundarī

ud4.8:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the Buddha was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And the mendicant Saṅgha was also honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But the wanderers who followed other religions were not honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they didn’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

ud4.8:2 Then those wanderers who followed other religions, unable to bear the esteem of the mendicant Saṅgha, approached the female wanderer Sundarī and said, “Sister, are you able to do something for the welfare of your kin?” “What can I do, masters? How can I help? I’d even give my life for the welfare of my kin.”

ud4.8:3 “Well then, sister, frequently visit Jeta’s Grove.” “Yes, masters,” she replied, and did as they asked.

ud4.8:4 When those wanderers knew that Sundarī had been clearly seen by many people frequently visiting Jeta’s Grove, they killed her and dumped her in the ditch around Jeta’s Grove. Then they went to see King Pasenadi of Kosala and said to him, “Great king, we cannot find the female wanderer Sundarī.” “But where do you suspect she is?” “At Jeta’s Grove, Great King.” “Well then, search Jeta’s Grove.”

ud4.8:5 So the wanderers searched Jeta’s Grove. They pulled her body up from the ditch where they had dumped it, and lifted it on a bier. Having entered Sāvatthī, they went from street to street and from square to square, complaining to people:

ud4.8:6 “See the deed of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan! Shameless are these ascetics who follow the Sakyan, immoral and wicked. They are liars and unchaste. Sure, they claim to be of principled and moral conduct, to be chaste, truthful, ethical, and of good character. But they have no asceticism, no spirituality. Asceticism and spirituality are lost to them! Where is their asceticism, where their spirituality? They have abandoned asceticism and spirituality! How on earth can a man, having done a man’s business, kill a woman!”

ud4.8:7 Then at that time when the people of Sāvatthī saw the mendicants they abused and insulted them with rude, harsh words:

ud4.8:8 “Shameless are these ascetics who follow the Sakyan, immoral, wicked. They are liars and unchaste. Sure, they claim to be of principled and moral conduct, to be chaste, truthful, ethical, and of good character. But they have no asceticism, no spirituality. Asceticism and spirituality are lost to them! Where is their asceticism, where their spirituality? They have abandoned asceticism and spirituality! How on earth can a man, having done a man’s business, kill a woman!”

ud4.8:9 Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.

ud4.8:11 “That rumor, mendicants, won’t last long. It will only be seven days, then it will vanish. So you may respond to those critics with this verse:

ud4.8:12 A liar goes to hell, as does one who denies what they did. Both are equal in the hereafter, those men of base deeds.”

ud4.8:13 The mendicants memorized that verse in the Buddha’s presence, then used it to respond to those critics.

ud4.8:15 People thought, “These ascetics who follow the Sakyan didn’t do it, it was not done by them, they swear it.” That rumor didn’t last long. It was seven days, then it vanished.

ud4.8:16 Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

ud4.8:17 “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How well said this was by the Buddha: ‘That rumor, mendicants, won’t last long. It will only be seven days, then it will vanish.’ That rumor has vanished, sir.”

ud4.8:18 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.8:19 “People out of control stab with words, like they stab a tusker in battle with darts. When they hear a harsh word spoken, a mendicant should endure with no anger in heart.”

With Upasena

ud4.9:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then as Venerable Upasena son of Vaṅgantā was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate! My Teacher is the Blessed One, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. Well explained is the teaching and training in which I have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. My spiritual companions are ethical and of good character. I have fulfilled the precepts. My mind is unified and serene. I am a perfected one who has ended the defilements. I am of great might and power. My life has been good, and my death will be good.”

ud4.9:2 Then, knowing that Venerable Upasena’s train of thought, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.9:3 “One who has no guilt in life, nor grief at facing death: that attentive one who has seen the truth, grieves not among the grieving.

ud4.9:4 For the mendicant with peaceful mind, who has cut off craving for continued existence, the cycle of wandering is finished, there’ll be no more sorrow in the future for them.”

The Peacefulness of Sāriputta

ud4.10:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight, reviewing his own peacefulness.

ud4.10:2 The Buddha saw him meditating there.

ud4.10:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud4.10:4 “With mind at peace, so full of peace, for a mendicant who has cut the cord, the cycle of wandering is finished: they’re freed from Satan’s bonds.”