English
Then many bhikkhus approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the young man named Puṇṇa, who was briefly exhorted by the Blessed One, has passed away. What is his destination, what is his future state?" "Puṇṇa, the young man, bhikkhus, was wise, he practiced in accordance with the Dhamma, and he did not trouble me concerning the Dhamma. Puṇṇa, the young man, bhikkhus, has attained final Nibbāna." The Blessed One said this. Those bhikkhus were delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Discourse on the Exhortation to Puṇṇa, the third, is finished. 4. The Discourse on the Exhortation by Nandaka 398. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, together with about five hundred bhikkhunis, approached the Blessed One; having approached, she paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, let the Blessed One exhort the bhikkhunis; Venerable sir, let the Blessed One instruct the bhikkhunis; Venerable sir, let the Blessed One give a Dhamma talk to the bhikkhunis." Now at that time, the elder bhikkhus were exhorting the bhikkhunis in turn. Venerable Nandaka did not wish to exhort the bhikkhunis in turn. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Whose turn is it today, Ānanda, to exhort the bhikkhunis in turn?" "Venerable sir, everyone has taken their turn to exhort the bhikkhunis. This Venerable Nandaka, Venerable sir, does not wish to exhort the bhikkhunis in turn." Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Nandaka: 'Instruct, Nandaka, the bhikkhunis; advise, Nandaka, the bhikkhunis; deliver, brahmin, a Dhamma talk to the bhikkhunis.' "Yes, Venerable Sir," replied Venerable Nandaka to the Blessed One, and in the morning, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, he entered Sāvatthī for alms. Having wandered for alms in Sāvatthī, after his meal, having returned from his alms-round, he went, with one companion, to the Royal Park. Those bhikkhunis saw Venerable Nandaka coming from afar. Having seen him, they prepared a seat, and set out water for the feet. Venerable Nandaka sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, he washed his feet. Those bhikkhunis also bowed to Venerable Nandaka and sat down to one side. When they were seated to one side, Venerable Nandaka said to those bhikkhunis: "Sisters, this will be a talk of questions and answers. There, those who understand should say, 'We understand,' and those who do not understand should say, 'We do not understand.' Or if anyone has any doubt or perplexity, I should be questioned about it: 'Venerable Sir, how is this? What is the meaning of this?'" "Even with this much, Venerable Sir, we are pleased and delighted with Venerable Nandaka, that Venerable Nandaka has invited us." 399. "What do you think, sisters, is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "And what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, Venerable Sir." "And what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What do you think, sisters, is the ear permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir..." is the nose permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "Is the tongue permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "Is the body permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "...Is the mind permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Before this, venerable sir, it has been well seen by us with right wisdom as it really is: 'These six internal sense bases are impermanent'." "Good, good, sisters! Thus it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it really is." 400. "What do you think, sisters, are forms permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "What do you think, sisters, are sounds permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... ...are odors permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir"... "are tastes permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir"... "are tangibles permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir"... "are mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Before this, venerable sir, it has been well seen by us with right wisdom as it really is: 'These six external sense bases are impermanent'." "Good, good, sisters! Thus it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it really is." 401. "What do you think, sisters, is eye-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Is it permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, sir." "And what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, sir." "And what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, sir." "What do you think, sisters, is ear-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, sir." "...Is nose-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, sir." "...Is tongue-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, sir." "...Is body-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, sir." "...Is mind-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, sir." "And what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, sir." "And what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, sir." "For what reason?" "Because, sir, we have already seen this clearly with right wisdom as it really is: 'These six classes of consciousness are impermanent'." "Good, good, sisters! So it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it really is." 402. "Just as, sisters, when an oil lamp is burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change; the wick is impermanent, subject to change; the flame is impermanent, subject to change; the light is impermanent, subject to change. If, sisters, someone were to say: 'When that oil lamp is burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change; the wick is impermanent, subject to change; the flame is impermanent, subject to change; but its light is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' — would that person, sisters, be speaking rightly?" "No, sir." "For what reason?" "Because, sir, when that oil lamp is burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, The wick too is impermanent, subject to change, the flame too is impermanent, subject to change; how much more so its light is impermanent, subject to change." "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say this – 'These six internal sense bases are impermanent, subject to change; and whatever feeling one experiences, be it pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, dependent on these six internal sense bases, that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' – would such a one, sisters, be speaking rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Dependent on each specific condition, venerable sir, each specific feeling arises. With the cessation of each specific condition, each specific feeling ceases." "Good, good, sisters! This is how it is, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing with right wisdom as it really is." 403. "Just as, sisters, for a great, standing, strong tree, its roots too are impermanent, subject to change, its trunk too is impermanent, subject to change, its branches and leaves too are impermanent, subject to change, its shade too is impermanent, subject to change. If someone, sisters, were to say this – 'For that great, standing, strong tree, its roots too are impermanent, subject to change, its trunk too is impermanent, subject to change, its branches and leaves too are impermanent, subject to change, but its shade is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change' – would such a one, sisters, be speaking rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "For that great, standing, strong tree, venerable sir, its roots too are impermanent, subject to change, its trunk too is impermanent, subject to change, its branches and leaves too are impermanent, subject to change; how much more so its shade is impermanent, subject to change." "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say this – 'These six external sense bases are impermanent, subject to change And whatever one experiences, dependent on the six external sense bases, whether pleasure or pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure, 'that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change'— would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Dependent on each particular condition, venerable sir, each particular feeling arises. With the cessation of each particular condition, each particular feeling ceases." "Excellent, excellent, sisters! Thus it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it really is." "Just as, sisters, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow,