SN 8.4

Ānandasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi āyasmatā vaṅgīsena pacchāsamaṇena. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa anabhirati uppannā hoti, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

With Ānanda

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms with Venerable Vaṅgīsa as his second monk. And at that time Venerable Vaṅgīsa became dissatisfied, as lust infected his mind. Then he addressed Ānanda in verse:

“Kāmarāgena ḍayhāmi, cittaṁ me pariḍayhati; Sādhu nibbāpanaṁ brūhi, anukampāya gotamā”ti.

“I’ve got a burning desire for pleasure; My mind is on fire! Please, out of compassion, Gotama, tell me how to quench the flames.”

“Saññāya vipariyesā, cittaṁ te pariḍayhati; Nimittaṁ parivajjehi, subhaṁ rāgūpasaṁhitaṁ.

“Your mind is on fire because of a perversion of perception. Turn away from the feature of things that’s attractive, provoking lust.

Saṅkhāre parato passa, dukkhato mā ca attato; Nibbāpehi mahārāgaṁ, mā ḍayhittho punappunaṁ.

See all conditioned phenomena as alien, as suffering and not-self. Extinguish the great fire of lust, don’t burn up again and again.

Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi, ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ; Sati kāyagatā tyatthu, nibbidābahulo bhava.

With mind unified and serene, meditate on the ugly aspects of the body. With mindfulness immersed in the body, be full of disillusionment.

Animittañca bhāvehi, mānānusayamujjaha; Tato mānābhisamayā, upasanto carissasī”ti.

Meditate on the signless, give up the underlying tendency to conceit; and when you comprehend conceit, you will live at peace.”