Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nando bhagavato bhātā mātucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti: “anabhirato ahaṁ, āvuso, brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; na sakkomi brahmacariyaṁ sandhāretuṁ, sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissāmī”ti.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. At that time, the venerable Nanda, the Blessed One’s brother and |cousin::lit. mother‘s sister’s son [mātucchāputta]|, said this to a number of bhikkhus: “Friends, I lead the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]| |dissatisfied::discontent [anabhirata]|. I am unable to keep up the spiritual life. I will give up the training and |revert back to lay life::return to the secular world; lit. goes back to the low [hīnāyāvattati]|.”
Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “āyasmā, bhante, nando bhagavato bhātā mātucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti: ‘anabhirato ahaṁ, āvuso, brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, na sakkomi brahmacariyaṁ sandhāretuṁ, sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissāmī’”ti.
Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, the venerable Nanda, the Blessed One’s brother and cousin, said this to a number of bhikkhus: ‘Friends, I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied. I am unable to keep up the spiritual life. I will give up the training and revert back to lay life.’”
Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena nandaṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehi: ‘satthā taṁ, āvuso nanda, āmantetī’”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā nando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ etadavoca: “satthā taṁ, āvuso nanda, āmantetī”ti.
Then the Blessed One instructed a certain bhikkhu: “Come, bhikkhu, in my name, go to Nanda and tell him: ‘The Teacher calls you, friend Nanda.’” “Yes, venerable sir,” that bhikkhu replied to the Blessed One. He went to the venerable Nanda, and on arrival said: “The Teacher calls you, friend Nanda.”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā nando tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, friend,” the venerable Nanda replied to that bhikkhu and he went to the Blessed One. Having approached the Blessed One, he paid homage and sat down to one side. When the venerable Nanda was seated there, the Blessed One said to him:
“Saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, nanda, sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamārocesi: ‘anabhirato ahaṁ, āvuso, brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, na sakkomi brahmacariyaṁ sandhāretuṁ, sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissāmī’”ti?
“Nanda, is it true that you said to a number of bhikkhus: ‘Friends, I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied. I am unable to keep up the spiritual life. I will give up the training and revert back to lay life’?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Kissa pana tvaṁ, nanda, anabhirato brahmacariyaṁ carasi, na sakkosi brahmacariyaṁ sandhāretuṁ, sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissasī”ti?
“But why do you, Nanda, lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, unable to keep it up, saying that you will give up the training and revert back to lay life?”
“Sākiyānī maṁ, bhante, janapadakalyāṇī gharā nikkhamantassa upaḍḍhullikhitehi kesehi apaloketvā maṁ etadavoca: ‘tuvaṭaṁ kho, ayyaputta, āgaccheyyāsī’ti. So kho ahaṁ, bhante, tamanussaramāno anabhirato brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, na sakkomi brahmacariyaṁ sandhāretuṁ, sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissāmī”ti.
“As I was leaving from home, venerable sir, the Sakyan lady, renowned as the country’s beauty queen, with her hair half-combed, looked back at me and said: ‘Come back quickly, dear sir.’ Remembering that, venerable sir, I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied. I am unable to keep up the spiritual life. I will give up the training and revert back to lay life.”
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—jetavane antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi.
Then the Blessed One, taking venerable Nanda by the arm — just as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from the Jeta’s grove and appeared among the gods of the Thirty-Three.
Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni accharāsatāni sakkassa devānamindassa upaṭṭhānaṁ āgatāni honti kakuṭapādāni. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ āmantesi: “passasi no tvaṁ, nanda, imāni pañca accharāsatāni kakuṭapādānī”ti?
Now at that time, about five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs had come to attend on Sakka, lord of the gods. Then the Blessed One said to venerable Nanda: “Nanda, do you see these five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, nanda, katamā nu kho abhirūpatarā vā dassanīyatarā vā pāsādikatarā vā, sākiyānī vā janapadakalyāṇī, imāni vā pañca accharāsatāni kakuṭapādānī”ti?
“What do you think, Nanda? Which is more beautiful, lovelier to behold, and more pleasing: the Sakyan lady, renowned as the country’s beauty queen, or these five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs?”
“Seyyathāpi, bhante, paluṭṭhamakkaṭī kaṇṇanāsacchinnā; evamevaṁ kho, bhante, sākiyānī janapadakalyāṇī imesaṁ pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ upanidhāya saṅkhyampi nopeti kalabhāgampi nopeti upanidhimpi nopeti. Atha kho imāni pañca accharāsatāni abhirūpatarāni ceva dassanīyatarāni ca pāsādikatarāni cā”ti.
“Venerable sir, the Sakyan lady, though renowned as the country’s beauty queen, is like a disfigured she-monkey with curtailed ears and nose, when compared with these five hundred celestial nymphs. She does not count, does not amount even to a fraction, does not stand any comparison. These five hundred celestial nymphs are indeed more beautiful, lovelier to behold, and more pleasing.”
“Abhirama, nanda, abhirama, nanda. Ahaṁ te pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānan”ti.
“Take delight, Nanda! Take delight, Nanda! I am your |guarantor::assurer, security [pāṭibhoga]| for the gaining of these five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs.”
“Sace me, bhante, bhagavā pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānaṁ, abhiramissāmahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati brahmacariye”ti.
“If the Blessed One, venerable sir, is truly my guarantor for the gaining of these five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs, then I will take great delight in leading the spiritual life under the Blessed One.”
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—devesu tāvatiṁsesu antarahito jetavane pāturahosi.
Then the Blessed One, taking venerable Nanda by the arm — just as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from among the gods of the Thirty-Three and reappeared at the Jeta’s grove.
Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū: “āyasmā kira nando bhagavato bhātā mātucchāputto accharānaṁ hetu brahmacariyaṁ carati; bhagavā kirassa pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānan”ti.
The bhikkhus heard: “It seems the venerable Nanda, who is both the Blessed One’s brother and cousin, is leading the spiritual life for the sake of celestial nymphs; and that the Blessed One has become his guarantor for the gaining of five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs.”
Atha kho āyasmato nandassa sahāyakā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bhatakavādena ca upakkitakavādena ca samudācaranti: “bhatako kirāyasmā nando upakkitako kirāyasmā nando accharānaṁ hetu brahmacariyaṁ carati; bhagavā kirassa pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānan”ti.
Then the fellow bhikkhus, companions of venerable Nanda, mocked him with the words ‘wage labourer’ and ‘bought man,’ saying: “We heard the venerable Nanda is nothing more than a wage labourer, we heard the venerable Nanda is nothing more than a bought man — leading the spiritual life for the sake of celestial nymphs; and that the Blessed One has become his guarantor for the gaining of five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs.”
Atha kho āyasmā nando sahāyakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bhatakavādena ca upakkitakavādena ca aṭṭīyamāno harāyamāno jigucchamāno eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi. “Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro kho panāyasmā nando arahataṁ ahosi.
|Troubled by::being perturbed by [aṭṭīyamāna]| his companions’ mocking him as a ‘wage labourer’ and a ‘bought man,’ the venerable Nanda, ashamed and disgusted, withdrew into seclusion, dwelling |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|, |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|, and |determination::resolve, the quality of applying oneself [pahitatta]|. And not long after, he realized for himself in that very life with |direct knowledge::experiential realization [abhiññā]|, the |perfection of the spiritual life::ideal of the spiritual path, culmination of the spiritual life [brahmacariyapariyosāna]|, for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having realized it, he abided in it. He understood: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.” And the venerable Nanda became one among arahants.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “āyasmā, bhante, nando bhagavato bhātā mātucchāputto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti. Bhagavatopi kho ñāṇaṁ udapādi: “nando āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.
Then, when the night had advanced, a certain deity, of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s grove, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood at one side. Standing to one side, that deity said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, the venerable Nanda, the Blessed One’s brother and cousin, with the |wearing away of the taints::gradual exhaustion and elimination of the mental defilements or deep-seated afflictions such as sensual desire, craving for existence, views, and ignorance [āsava + khaya]|, has realized for himself in this very life, with direct knowledge, the taintless |liberation of mind::emancipated by mind/heart, samādhi obtained from fruition [cetovimutti]| and |liberation by wisdom::emancipation by insight [paññāvimutti]|, and having realized it, he abides in it.” Knowledge arose in the Blessed One: “Nanda, with the wearing away of the taints, has realized for himself in this very life, with direct knowledge, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having realized it, he abides in it.”
Atha kho āyasmā nando tassā rattiyā accayena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā nando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “yaṁ me, bhante, bhagavā pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānaṁ, muñcāmahaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ etasmā paṭissavā”ti.
Then, when the night had passed, the venerable Nanda went to the Blessed One. Having approached the Blessed One, he paid homage and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Nanda said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, with regard to the Blessed One being my guarantor for the gaining of the five hundred dove-footed celestial nymphs, I now release the Blessed One from that |promise::agreement [paṭissava]|.”
“Mayāpi kho tvaṁ, nanda, cetasā ceto paricca vidito: ‘nando āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti. Devatāpi me etamatthaṁ ārocesi: ‘āyasmā, bhante, nando bhagavato bhātā mātucchāputto āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti. Yadeva kho te, nanda, anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuttaṁ, athāhaṁ mutto etasmā paṭissavā”ti.
“Nanda, having encompassed your mind with my mind, I have known: ‘Nanda, with the wearing away of the taints, has realized for himself in this very life, with direct knowledge, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having realized it, he abides in it.’ A deity also reported this to me: ‘Venerable sir, the venerable Nanda, the Blessed One’s brother and cousin, with the wearing away of the taints, has realized for himself in this very life, with direct knowledge, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having realized it, he abides in it.’ When your mind was freed from the taints by |not grasping::not holding, detaching [anupādāya]|, I was released from that promise.”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Yassa nittiṇṇo paṅko,
Maddito kāmakaṇḍako;
Mohakkhayaṁ anuppatto,
Sukhadukkhesu na vedhatī sa bhikkhū”ti.
“Who has crossed over the |swamp::mire [paṅka]|,
and crushed the thorn of |sensual pleasures::sense desires, wishing, wanting, delighting in [kāma]|;
Who has attained the wearing away of |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|,
that bhikkhu does not |tremble::shake, agitate [vedhatī]| amid |pleasure and pain::ease and discomfort, happiness and sorrow [sukhadukkha]|.”