MN 132  Ānanda bhaddekaratta sutta - Ānanda and A Single Auspicious Night

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca bhāsati.

Now at that time, the venerable Ānanda was instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| in the assembly hall. He was reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “ko nu kho, bhikkhave, upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti?

For the Blessed One, having emerged from |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]| in the late afternoon, approached the assembly hall, and sat down on the prepared seat. Once he was seated, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, who has been instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma in the assembly hall? Who has been reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’?”

“Āyasmā, bhante, ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti.

“It was venerable Ānanda, venerable sir, who has been instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma in the assembly hall. He has been reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī”ti?

Then the Blessed One asked the venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, how were you instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma? How were you reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’?”

“Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsiṁ—

“Venerable sir, I was thus instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma, thus reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’—

Verse

Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.

Let not a person |revive::relive, return to; lit. causes to follow back [anvāgameti]| the past,
|nor place hope upon::does not anticipate, does not expect, does not personally wish for [nappaṭikaṅkhati]| the future;
For whatever is past is |given up::abandoned, dispelled, eliminated, left behind [pahīna]|,
and the future has not been reached.

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he |discerns with insight::sees in detail, understands with insight; lit. sees distinctly [vipassati]|;
|That unassailable, steady [vision]::Per MA, this describes insight not overpowered by lust or defilements. Here it refers not to Nibbāna itself, but to a stage of insight practice—contemplation of the present moment without being shaken or misled into a view of self. [asaṁhīra asaṅkuppa]|—
the wise one should cultivate.

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.

Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.

Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate muni.

But one who dwells |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|,
|energetic::without laziness [atandita]|, both day and night;
It is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.

Past

‘Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti? Evaṁrūpo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁvedano ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁsañño ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁsaṅkhāro ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁviññāṇo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti— evaṁ kho, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti.

‘And how, friends, does one revive the past? One thinks, ‘I was of such |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| in the past,’ and thus finds |delight::pleasure, enjoyment, relish [nandi]| there. One thinks, ‘I had such |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. This, friends, is how one revives the past.

Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti? Evaṁrūpo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁvedano ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁsañño ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁsaṅkhāro ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁviññāṇo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti— evaṁ kho, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti.

And how, friends, does one not revive the past? One thinks, ‘I was of such form in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such felt experience in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such perception in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such intentional constructs in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ and does not find delight there. This is how one does not revive the past.

Future

Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati? Evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁvedano siyaṁ …pe… evaṁsañño siyaṁ … evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ … evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti— evaṁ kho, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati.

And how, friends, does one place hope upon the future? One thinks, ‘I may have such form in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such felt experience in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such intentional constructs in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. This is how one places hope upon the future.

Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati? Evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁvedano siyaṁ …pe… evaṁsañño siyaṁ … evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ … evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti— evaṁ kho, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati.

And how, friends, does one not place hope upon the future? One thinks, ‘I may have such form in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such felt experience in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such intentional constructs in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ but does not find delight there. This is how one does not place hope upon the future.

Presently Arisen Phenomena

Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati? Idha, āvuso, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ; vedanaṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ— evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati.

And how, friends, |is one swept away by::is carried away by, is drawn along by [saṁhīrati]| presently arisen |phenomena::characteristics, thoughts, mental states, mental qualities [dhammā]|? Here, friends, an |uninstructed::uninitiated, untaught, untrained [assutavant]| ordinary person, |who has no regard for::lit. who has not seen [adassāvī]| the Noble Ones and is unskilled and untrained in the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| of the Noble Ones; who has no regard for the persons of integrity, and is unskilled and untrained in the Dhamma of the persons of integrity, perceives form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as being in self, or self as being in form; perceives felt experience as self, or self as possessing felt experience, or felt experience as being in self, or self as being in felt experience; perceives perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as being in self, or self as being in perception; perceives intentional constructs as self, or self as possessing intentional constructs, or intentional constructs as being in self, or self as being in intentional constructs; perceives consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as being in self, or self as being in consciousness. In this way, friends, one is swept away by presently arisen phenomena.

Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati? Idha, āvuso, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ; na vedanaṁ … na saññaṁ … na saṅkhāre … na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ— evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

And how, friends, |is one not swept away by::is not carried away by, is not drawn along by [na + saṁhīrati]| presently arisen phenomena? Here, friends, a learned disciple of the Noble Ones, who has regard for the Noble Ones and is skilled and trained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones; who has regard for the persons of integrity and is skilled and trained in the Dhamma of the persons of integrity, does not perceive form as self, nor self as possessing form, nor form as being in self, nor self as being in form; does not perceive felt experience as self, nor self as possessing felt experience, nor felt experience as being in self, nor self as being in felt experience; does not perceive perception as self, nor self as possessing perception, nor perception as being in self, nor self as being in perception; does not perceive intentional constructs as self, nor self as possessing intentional constructs, nor intentional constructs as being in self, nor self as being in intentional constructs; does not perceive consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness, nor consciousness as being in self, nor self as being in consciousness. In this way, friends, one is not swept away by presently arisen phenomena.

Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.

Let not a person revive the past,
nor place hope upon the future;
For whatever is past is given up,
and the future has not been reached.

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he discerns with insight;
That unassailable, steady [vision]—
the wise one should cultivate.

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.

Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.

Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

But one who dwells with continuous effort,
energetic, both day and night;
It is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night. [Repeated]’

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsin”ti.

Venerable sir, I was thus instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma, thus reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’”

“Sādhu sādhu, ānanda. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:

“Good, good, Ānanda! It is good that you were instructing, encouraging, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma thus, and reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’ thus:

‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
…pe…
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

Let not a person revive the past,
nor place hope upon the future;
For whatever is past is given up,
and the future has not been reached.
Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he discerns with insight;
That unassailable, steady [vision]—
the wise one should cultivate.
Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.
But one who dwells with continuous effort,
energetic, both day and night;
It is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.’

Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti …pe… evaṁ kho, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti. Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ nānvāgameti …pe… evaṁ kho, ānanda, atītaṁ nānvāgameti. Kathañca, ānanda, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati …pe… evaṁ kho, ānanda, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati. Kathañca, ānanda, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati …pe… evaṁ kho, ānanda, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati. Kathañca, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati …pe… evaṁ kho, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati. Kathañca, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati …pe… evaṁ kho, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

And how, Ānanda, does one revive the past? One thinks, ‘I was of such form in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such felt experience in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such perception in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such intentional constructs in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. This, Ānanda, is how one revives the past. And how, Ānanda, does one not revive the past? One thinks, ‘I was of such form in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such felt experience in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such perception in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such intentional constructs in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ and does not find delight there. This is how one does not revive the past. And how, Ānanda, does one place hope upon the future? One thinks, ‘I may have such form in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such felt experience in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such intentional constructs in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. This is how one places hope upon the future. And how, Ānanda, does one not place hope upon the future? One thinks, ‘I may have such form in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such felt experience in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such intentional constructs in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ but does not find delight there. This is how one does not place hope upon the future. And how, Ānanda, is one swept away by presently arisen phenomena? Here, Ānanda, an uninstructed ordinary person, who has no regard for the Noble Ones and is unskilled and untrained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones; who has no regard for the persons of integrity, and is unskilled and untrained in the Dhamma of the persons of integrity, perceives form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as being in self, or self as being in form; perceives felt experience as self, or self as possessing felt experience, or felt experience as being in self, or self as being in felt experience; perceives perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as being in self, or self as being in perception; perceives intentional constructs as self, or self as possessing intentional constructs, or intentional constructs as being in self, or self as being in intentional constructs; perceives consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as being in self, or self as being in consciousness. In this way, Ānanda, one is swept away by presently arisen phenomena. And how, Ānanda, is one not swept away by presently arisen phenomena? Here, Ānanda, a learned disciple of the Noble Ones, who has regard for the Noble Ones and is skilled and trained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones; who has regard for the persons of integrity and is skilled and trained in the Dhamma of the persons of integrity, does not perceive form as self, nor self as possessing form, nor form as being in self, nor self as being in form; does not perceive felt experience as self, nor self as possessing felt experience, nor felt experience as being in self, nor self as being in felt experience; does not perceive perception as self, nor self as possessing perception, nor perception as being in self, nor self as being in perception; does not perceive intentional constructs as self, nor self as possessing intentional constructs, nor intentional constructs as being in self, nor self as being in intentional constructs; does not perceive consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness, nor consciousness as being in self, nor self as being in consciousness. In this way, Ānanda, one is not swept away by presently arisen phenomena.

‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
…pe…
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’”ti.

Let not a person revive the past,
nor place hope upon the future;
For whatever is past is given up,
and the future has not been reached.
Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he discerns with insight;
That unassailable, steady [vision]—
the wise one should cultivate.
Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.
But one who dwells with continuous effort,
energetic, both day and night;
It is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.’

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

The Blessed One said this. The venerable Ānanda was delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.