English
For transcending this dwelling, venerable sir, for the calming of this dwelling, this other superior human state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision, has been attained, a comfortable dwelling." 329. "Excellent, excellent, Anuruddha! But for transcending this dwelling of yours, Anuruddha, for the calming of this dwelling, is there any other superior human state..." Have you not attained a comfortable dwelling, a special noble knowledge and vision? What indeed would it be for us, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, as long as we wish, having entirely transcended the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, we enter and dwell in the cessation of perception and feeling, and having seen with wisdom, our defilements are destroyed. For transcending this dwelling, venerable sir, for appeasing this dwelling, this other comfortable dwelling, a special attainment of noble knowledge and vision, superior to human states, has been attained. And from this comfortable dwelling, venerable sir, we do not perceive any other comfortable dwelling that is more superior or more excellent. Excellent, excellent, Anuruddha! From this comfortable dwelling, there is no other comfortable dwelling that is more superior or more excellent. 330. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, inspired, gladdened, and encouraged Venerable Anuruddha, Venerable Nandiya, and Venerable Kimila with a Dhamma talk, rose from his seat and departed. Then Venerable Anuruddha, Venerable Nandiya, and Venerable Kimila, having accompanied the Blessed One, returned from there. Then Venerable Nandiya and Venerable Kimila said this to Venerable Anuruddha: "Did we indeed tell Venerable Anuruddha this: 'We are gainers of these and these attainments of dwelling'?" "That Venerable Anuruddha declared before the Blessed One up to the destruction of defilements?" "Indeed, venerable sirs, you did not tell me this: 'We are gainers of these and these attainments of dwelling.' But I knew by encompassing your minds with my mind: 'These venerable sirs are gainers of these and these attainments of dwelling.' And devas also informed me of this matter: 'These venerable sirs are gainers of these and these attainments of dwelling.' Therefore, when questioned by the Blessed One, I declared it." 331. Then the yakkha Dīgha Parajana, where the Blessed One was... approached; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, the yakkha Dīgha Parajana said this to the Blessed One: “It is truly a gain, venerable sir, for the Vajjians, a well-gained gain for the Vajji people, where the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, dwells, and these three young men— Venerable Anuruddha, Venerable Nandiya, and Venerable Kimila.” Hearing the sound of the yakkha Dīgha Parajana, the Earth Devas made the sound known: “It is truly a gain, sirs, for the Vajjians, a well-gained gain for the Vajji people, where the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, dwells, and these three young men— Venerable Anuruddha, Venerable Nandiya, and Venerable Kimila.” Hearing the sound of the Earth Devas, the Devas of the Four Great Kings… …the Tāvatiṃsa Devas… …the Yāma Devas… …the Tusita Devas… …the Nimmānaratī Devas… …the Paranimmitavasavattī Devas… …the Brahmakāyika Devas made the sound known: “It is truly a gain, sirs, for the Vajjians, a well-gained gain for the Vajji people, where the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, dwells, and these three young men— Venerable Anuruddha, Venerable Nandiya, and Venerable Kimila.” Thus, those venerable ones at that moment, at that instant, became known up to the Brahma-world. “So it is, Dīgha, so it is, Dīgha! From whatever family, Dīgha, these three young men have gone forth from home to homelessness, if that family were to remember these three young men with a confident mind, that would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that family. From whatever circle of families, Dīgha, these three young men have gone forth from home to homelessness, if that circle of families were to remember these three young men with a confident mind, that would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that circle of families. From whatever village, Dīgha, these three young men have gone forth from home to homelessness, where they went forth, if that village were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that village. And, Dīgha, from whatever market town these three young men went forth from home to homelessness, if that market town were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that market town. And, Dīgha, from whatever city these three young men went forth from home to homelessness, if that city were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that city. And, Dīgha, from whatever country these three young men went forth from home to homelessness, if that country were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that country. If all the khattiyas, Dīgha, were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of all those khattiyas. If all the brahmins, Dīgha…pe… if all the vessas, Dīgha…pe… if all the suddas, Dīgha, were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of all those suddas. If the world with its devas, Dīgha, with Māra, with Brahmā, with its recluses and brahmins, its devas and humans, were to remember these three young men with a serene mind, it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of that world with its devas, with Māra, with Brahmā, with its recluses and brahmins, its devas and humans. See, Dīgha, how these three young men are practicing for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans.” This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, Dīgha Parajana, the yakkha, rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Cūḷagosiṅga Sutta, the first, is finished. 2. The Mahāgosiṅga Sutta 332. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in the Gosiṅga Sāla-wood with many with those well-known, well-known elder disciples— and with the Venerable Sāriputta, and with the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and with the Venerable Mahākassapa, and with the Venerable Anuruddha, and with the Venerable Revata, and with the Venerable Ānanda, and with other well-known, well-known elder disciples. Then indeed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having risen from seclusion in the evening, approached the Venerable Mahākassapa; having approached, he said to the Venerable Mahākassapa: "Come, friend Kassapa, let us approach the Venerable Sāriputta to hear the Dhamma." "Yes, friend," indeed the Venerable Mahākassapa replied to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. Then indeed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and the Venerable Mahākassapa, and the Venerable Anuruddha approached the Venerable Sāriputta to hear the Dhamma. Indeed the Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and the Venerable Mahākassapa, and the Venerable Anuruddha approaching the Venerable Sāriputta to hear the Dhamma. Having seen them, he approached the Venerable Revata; having approached, he said to the Venerable Revata: "Indeed, friend Revata, those good men are approaching the Venerable Sāriputta to hear the Dhamma. Come, friend Revata, let us approach the Venerable Sāriputta to hear the Dhamma." "Yes, friend," indeed the Venerable Revata replied to the Venerable Ānanda. Then indeed the Venerable Revata, and the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Sāriputta to hear the Dhamma. 333. Indeed the Venerable Sāriputta saw the Venerable Revata and the Venerable Ānanda approaching from afar. Having seen him, he said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Indeed, let the Venerable Ānanda come! Welcome to the Venerable Ānanda, the attendant of the Blessed One, the one who dwells near the Blessed One! Delightful, friend Ānanda, is the Gosiṅga Sāla-tree Wood, the moonlit night, s All the sāla trees are in full bloom, divine, I think, are the fragrances that waft; with what kind of monk, friend Ānanda, would the Gosiṅga Sāla forest be adorned? Here, friend Sāriputta, a monk is learned, a holder of what he has heard, a collector of what he has heard. Those teachings which are beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, proclaiming the utterly complete and purified holy life— such teachings are well-learned by him, held, familiarized by speech, examined by mind, well-penetrated by view. He teaches the Dhamma to the four assemblies with well-rounded words and phrases, without interruption, for the uprooting of underlying tendencies. With such a monk, friend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga Sāla forest be adorned. 334. When this was said, Venerable Sāriputta said to Venerable Revata: Friend Revata, Venerable Ānanda has declared his own insight. Now we ask Venerable Revata: Delightful, friend Revata, is the Gosiṅga Sāla forest, a moonlit night, all the sāla trees are in full bloom, divine, I think, are the fragrances that waft; with what kind of monk, friend Revata, would the Gosiṅga Sāla forest be adorned? Here, friend Sāriputta, a monk is fond of seclusion, delighted in seclusion, devoted to inner tranquility of mind, not neglecting jhāna, endowed with insight, a developer of empty dwellings. With such a monk, friend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga Sāla forest be adorned. 335. When this was said, Venerable Sāriputta said to Venerable Anuruddha: Friend Anuruddha, Venerable Revata has declared his own insight. Now we ask Venerable Anuruddha: Delightful, friend Anuruddha, is the Gosiṅga Sāla forest,