English
10. Connected Discourses with Bhikkhus 1. Kolita Sutta 235. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There, indeed, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the bhikkhus, saying, “Friends, bhikkhus!” “Friend!” those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this: “Here, friends, as I was in seclusion, withdrawn, a mental reflection arose in me thus: ‘Noble silence, noble silence is spoken of. What, now, is noble silence?’ Then, friends, it occurred to me: ‘Here, a bhikkhu, with the fading away of thought and examination, with the internal pacification and unification of mind, enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which is without thought and examination, born of concentration, filled with rapture and happiness. This is called noble silence.’ So, friends, with the fading away of thought and examination, with the internal pacification and unification of mind, I entered and dwelt in the second jhāna, which is without thought and examination, born of concentration, filled with rapture and happiness. As I was dwelling in this dwelling, friends, perceptions and mental formations associated with thought arose in me.” “Then, friends, the Blessed One, having approached me through psychic power, said this: ‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna, do not be heedless, brahmin, of noble silence! Establish your mind in noble silence! Make your mind unified in noble silence! Concentrate your mind in noble silence!’ So, friends, at a later time, with the fading away of thought and examination, with the internal pacification and unification of mind, I entered and dwelt in the second jhāna, which is without thought and examination, born of concentration, filled with rapture and happiness. If one were to say rightly, friends, ‘A disciple, aided by the Teacher, has attained great supernormal power,’ it is I whom one would rightly say, ‘A disciple, aided by the Teacher, has attained great supernormal power.’” The First. 2. Upatissa spoken 236. He dwells at Sāvatthī. There, indeed, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus— "Friends, bhikkhus!" "Friend!" those bhikkhus replied to the venerable Sāriputta. The venerable Sāriputta said this— "Here, friends, as I was dwelling in seclusion, withdrawn, this thought arose in my mind— 'Is there anything in the world whose change and alteration would give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair for me?' Then, friends, it occurred to me— 'There is nothing in the world whose change and alteration would give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair for me.'" When this was said, the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Sāriputta— "Even with the change and alteration of the Teacher, friend Sāriputta, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would not arise for you?" "Even with the change and alteration of the Teacher, friend, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would not arise for me, but it would be thus for me— 'Alas, the Teacher, so mighty, so powerful, so glorious, has disappeared. If the Blessed One were to remain for a long, extended time, that would be for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, for compassion for the world, for the good, benefit, and happiness of gods and humans.' For indeed, the venerable Sāriputta's latent tendencies of 'I-making,' 'mine-making,' and conceit have been thoroughly uprooted for a long time. Therefore, even with the change and alteration of the Teacher, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would not arise for the venerable Sāriputta." The second. 3. The Jar Discourse 237. Thus have I heard— At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. At that time, indeed, the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahāmoggallāna were dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground, in a single dwelling. Then, indeed, the venerable Sāriputta, in the evening, having risen from seclusion, approached the venerable Mahāmoggallāna; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable He exchanged greetings with Mahāmoggallāna. Having concluded their courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Sāriputta said to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Your faculties, friend Moggallāna, are serene; your complexion is pure, radiant. Surely, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, you have spent the day in a peaceful abiding." "Indeed, friend, I have spent the day in a coarse abiding. But I did have a Dhamma talk." "With whom, then, did Venerable Mahāmoggallāna have a Dhamma talk?" "I had a Dhamma talk, friend, with the Blessed One." "Far away, friend, the Blessed One now dwells in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Did Venerable Mahāmoggallāna approach the Blessed One by psychic power; or did the Blessed One approach Venerable Mahāmoggallāna by psychic power?" "I did not, friend, approach the Blessed One by psychic power; nor did the Blessed One approach me by psychic power. But my divine eye became clear, and my divine ear-element, as far as the Blessed One was. And the Blessed One's divine eye became clear, and his divine ear-element, as far as I was." "In what way, then, did Venerable Mahāmoggallāna have a Dhamma talk with the Blessed One?" "Here, friend, I said to the Blessed One: 'Energetic, energetic, it is said, venerable sir. To what extent, venerable sir, is one energetic?' When this was said, friend, the Blessed One said to me: 'Here, Moggallāna, a bhikkhu dwells energetic: Let skin, sinews, and bones remain; let flesh and blood dry up in the body; that which is to be attained by human strength, by human energy, by human effort, there will be no cessation of energy until that is attained. In this way, Moggallāna, one is energetic.' In this way, friend, I had a talk with the Blessed One." is a discourse on Dhamma.” “Just as, friends, of the Himālaya, king of mountains, a tiny bit of rock and gravel is merely for a comparison; even so are we to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, merely for a comparison. For the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna is greatly powerful, greatly mighty, and if he wished, he could remain for an eon.” “Just as, friends, of a large pot of salt, a tiny bit of salt is merely for a comparison; even so are we to the Venerable Sāriputta, merely for a comparison. For the Venerable Sāriputta has been praised, extolled, and commended by the Blessed One in many ways – ‘Sāriputta in wisdom, in virtue and in peace; even a bhikkhu who has reached the far shore, would be no more than this.’ Thus, those two great Nāgas approved of each other’s well-spoken, well-uttered words. The Third. 4. The New Bhikkhu Sutta 238. Dwelling at Sāvatthī. Now at that time, a certain new bhikkhu, having returned from his alms-round after his meal, entered the monastery, and being unconcerned, remained silent and withdrawn, and did not perform services for the bhikkhus during the time of making robes. Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One; having approached and saluted the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, a certain new bhikkhu, having returned from his alms-round after his meal, entered the monastery, and being unconcerned, remained silent and withdrawn, and did not perform services for the bhikkhus during the time of making robes.” Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu: “Come, bhikkhu, in my name, address that bhikkhu, saying: ‘The Teacher, friend, addresses you.’” “Yes, venerable sir,” replied that bhikkhu to the Blessed One, and he approached that bhikkhu; having approached, he said to that bhikkhu: “The Teacher, friend, addresses you.” “Yes, friend,” replied that The bhikkhu, having assented to that bhikkhu, approached the Bhagavā; having approached, he saluted the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. To that bhikkhu, seated to one side, the Bhagavā said this: "Is it true, bhikkhu, that after the meal, having returned from the alms-round, you enter the monastery, unconcerned, silent, and do not perform services for the bhikkhus at the time of making robes?" "I too, bhante, perform my own duty," he replied. Then the Bhagavā, having understood the thought of that bhikkhu with his own thought, addressed the bhikkhus: "Do not, bhikkhus, find fault with this bhikkhu. This bhikkhu, bhikkhus, is one who obtains at will, without difficulty, without trouble, the four jhānas, the mental attainments, the pleasant abiding in this very life, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge, he enters upon and abides in it in this very life." This is what the Bhagavā said. Having said this, the Sugata, the Teacher, further said this: "Not by beginning with slackness, Not by little strength, Is Nibbāna to be attained, The release from all suffering. "And this young bhikkhu, This supreme person, Bears his final body, Having conquered Māra with his host." The Fourth. 5. Sujāta Sutta 239. Residing at Sāvatthī. Then the venerable Sujāta approached the Bhagavā. The Bhagavā saw the venerable Sujāta coming from afar. Having seen him, he addressed the bhikkhus: "This noble son, bhikkhus, shines in both ways – both because he is handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, and because for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge, he enters upon and abides in it in this very life." This is what the Bha … the Teacher (said): “Truly, this monk shines forth, with a mind made straight; Detached, disjoined, extinguished without clinging; He bears his final body,