SN 8.9

Koṇḍaññasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho āyasmā aññāsikoṇḍañño sucirasseva yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavato pādāni mukhena ca paricumbati, pāṇīhi ca parisambāhati, nāmañca sāveti: “koṇḍaññohaṁ, bhagavā, koṇḍaññohaṁ, sugatā”ti. Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi: “ayaṁ kho āyasmā aññāsikoṇḍañño sucirasseva yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavato pādāni mukhena ca paricumbati, pāṇīhi ca parisambāhati, nāmañca sāveti: ‘koṇḍaññohaṁ, bhagavā, koṇḍaññohaṁ, sugatā’ti. Yannūnāhaṁ āyasmantaṁ aññāsikoṇḍaññaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan”ti.

With Koṇḍañña

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then Venerable Koṇḍañña Who Understood approached the Buddha after a very long absence. He bowed with his head to the Buddha’s feet, caressing them and covering them with kisses, and pronounced his name: “I am Koṇḍañña, Blessed One! I am Koṇḍañña, Holy One!” Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought, “This Venerable Koṇḍañña Who Understood has approached the Buddha after a very long absence. He bowed with his head to the Buddha’s feet, caressing them and covering them with kisses, and pronounced his name: ‘I am Koṇḍañña, Blessed One! I am Koṇḍañña, Holy One!’ Why don’t I extoll him in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses?”

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti. “Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca. Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ aññāsikoṇḍaññaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!” “Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha. Then Vaṅgīsa extolled Koṇḍañña in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses:

“Buddhānubuddho so thero, koṇḍañño tibbanikkamo; Lābhī sukhavihārānaṁ, vivekānaṁ abhiṇhaso.

“The senior monk awakened after the Buddha, Koṇḍañña, is keenly energetic. He regularly gains the blissful meditations of seclusion.

Yaṁ sāvakena pattabbaṁ, satthusāsanakārinā; Sabbassa taṁ anuppattaṁ, appamattassa sikkhato.

Whatever can be attained by a disciple who does the Teacher’s bidding, he has attained it all, through diligently training himself.

Mahānubhāvo tevijjo, cetopariyāyakovido; Koṇḍañño buddhadāyādo, pāde vandati satthuno”ti.

With great power and the three knowledges, expert in encompassing the minds of others, Koṇḍañña, the heir to the Buddha, bows at the Teacher’s feet.”