Ud 4.9

Upasenasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, satthā ca me bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho; svākkhāte camhi dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito; sabrahmacārino ca me sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā; sīlesu camhi paripūrakārī; susamāhito camhi ekaggacitto; arahā camhi khīṇāsavo; mahiddhiko camhi mahānubhāvo. Bhaddakaṁ me jīvitaṁ, bhaddakaṁ maraṇan”ti.

With Upasena

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then as Venerable Upasena son of Vaṅgantā was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate! My Teacher is the Blessed One, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. Well explained is the teaching and training in which I have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. My spiritual companions are ethical and of good character. I have fulfilled the precepts. My mind is unified and serene. I am a perfected one who has ended the defilements. I am of great might and power. My life has been good, and my death will be good.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, knowing that Venerable Upasena’s train of thought, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Yaṁ jīvitaṁ na tapati, maraṇante na socati; Sa ve diṭṭhapado dhīro, sokamajjhe na socati.

“One who has no guilt in life, nor grief at facing death: that attentive one who has seen the truth, grieves not among the grieving.

Ucchinnabhavataṇhassa, santacittassa bhikkhuno; Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro, natthi tassa punabbhavo”ti.

For the mendicant with peaceful mind, who has cut off craving for continued existence, transmigration through births is finished, there’ll be no more future lives for them.”