SN 55.40

Nandiyasakkasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho nandiyo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho nandiyo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “yasseva nu kho, bhante, ariyasāvakassa cattāri sotāpattiyaṅgāni sabbena sabbaṁ sabbathā sabbaṁ natthi sveva nu kho, bhante, ariyasāvako pamādavihārī”ti.

Nandiya the Sakyan

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then Nandiya the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, if a noble disciple were to totally and utterly lack the four factors of stream-entry, would they live negligently?”

“‘Yassa kho, nandiya, cattāri sotāpattiyaṅgāni sabbena sabbaṁ sabbathā sabbaṁ natthi tamahaṁ bāhiro puthujjanapakkhe ṭhito’ti vadāmi. Api ca, nandiya, yathā ariyasāvako pamādavihārī ceva hoti, appamādavihārī ca taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho nandiyo sakko bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Nandiya, someone who totally and utterly lacks these four factors of stream-entry stands outside in the faction of ordinary persons, I say. Neverthless, Nandiya, as to how a noble disciple lives negligently and how they live diligently, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” Nandiya replied. The Buddha said this:

“Kathañca, nandiya, ariyasāvako pamādavihārī hoti? Idha, nandiya, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. So tena buddhe aveccappasādena santuṭṭho na uttari vāyamati divā pavivekāya, rattiṁ paṭisallānāya. Tassa evaṁ pamattassa viharato pāmojjaṁ na hoti. Pāmojje asati, pīti na hoti. Pītiyā asati, passaddhi na hoti. Passaddhiyā asati, dukkhaṁ viharati. Dukkhino cittaṁ na samādhiyati. Asamāhite citte dhammā na pātubhavanti. Dhammānaṁ apātubhāvā pamādavihārītveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.

“And how does a noble disciple live negligently? Firstly, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … They’re content with that confidence, and don’t make a further effort for solitude by day or retreat by night. When they live negligently, there’s no joy. When there’s no joy, there’s no rapture. When there’s no rapture, there’s no tranquility. When there’s no tranquility, there’s suffering. When one is suffering, the mind does not become immersed in samādhi. When the mind is not immersed in samādhi, principles do not become clear. Because principles have not become clear, they’re reckoned to live negligently.

Puna caparaṁ, nandiya, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. So tehi ariyakantehi sīlehi santuṭṭho na uttari vāyamati divā pavivekāya rattiṁ paṭisallānāya. Tassa evaṁ pamattassa viharato pāmojjaṁ na hoti. Pāmojje asati, pīti na hoti. Pītiyā asati, passaddhi na hoti. Passaddhiyā asati, dukkhaṁ viharati. Dukkhino cittaṁ na samādhiyati. Asamāhite citte dhammā na pātubhavanti. Dhammānaṁ apātubhāvā pamādavihārītveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati. Evaṁ kho, nandiya, ariyasāvako pamādavihārī hoti.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. They’re content with that ethical conduct loved by the noble ones, and don’t make a further effort for solitude by day or retreat by night. When they live negligently, there’s no joy. When there’s no joy, there’s no rapture. When there’s no rapture, there’s no tranquility. When there’s no tranquility, there’s suffering. When one is suffering, the mind does not become immersed in samādhi. When the mind is not immersed in samādhi, principles do not become clear. Because principles have not become clear, they’re reckoned to live negligently. That’s how a noble disciple lives negligently.

Kathañca, nandiya, ariyasāvako appamādavihārī hoti? Idha, nandiya, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. So tena buddhe aveccappasādena asantuṭṭho uttari vāyamati divā pavivekāya rattiṁ paṭisallānāya. Tassa evaṁ appamattassa viharato pāmojjaṁ jāyati. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati. Pītimanassa kāyo passambhati. Passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati. Sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati. Samāhite citte dhammā pātubhavanti. Dhammānaṁ pātubhāvā appamādavihārītveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.

And how does a noble disciple live diligently? Firstly, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … But they’re not content with that confidence, and make a further effort for solitude by day and retreat by night. When they live diligently, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. When the mind is immersed in samādhi, principles become clear. Because principles have become clear, they’re reckoned to live diligently.

Puna caparaṁ, nandiya, ariyasāvako dhamme …pe… saṅghe …pe… ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. So tehi ariyakantehi sīlehi asantuṭṭho uttari vāyamati divā pavivekāya rattiṁ paṭisallānāya. Tassa evaṁ appamattassa viharato pāmojjaṁ jāyati. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati. Pītimanassa kāyo passambhati. Passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati. Sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati. Samāhite citte dhammā pātubhavanti. Dhammānaṁ pātubhāvā appamādavihārītveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati. Evaṁ kho, nandiya, ariyasāvako appamādavihārī hotī”ti.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. But they’re not content with that ethical conduct loved by the noble ones, and make a further effort for solitude by day and retreat by night. When they live diligently, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. When the mind is immersed in samādhi, principles become clear. Because principles have become clear, they’re reckoned to live diligently. That’s how a noble disciple lives diligently.”