With Nandiya Nandiyasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

Now at that time the Buddha wanted to commence the rains residence at Sāvatthī. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagantukāmo hoti.

Nandiya the Sakyan heard about this, Assosi kho nandiyo sakko: “bhagavā kira sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagantukāmo”ti. and thought, Atha kho nandiyassa sakkassa etadahosi: “Why don’t I also commence the rains residence at Sāvatthī. “yannūnāhampi sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagaccheyyaṁ. There I can focus on my work and from time to time get to see the Buddha.” Tattha kammantañceva adhiṭṭhahissāmi, bhagavantañca lacchāmi kālena kālaṁ dassanāyā”ti.

So the Buddha commenced the rains residence in Sāvatthī, Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagacchi. and so did Nandiya. Nandiyopi kho sakko sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ upagacchi. There he focused on his work and from time to time got to see the Buddha. Tattha kammantañceva adhiṭṭhāsi, bhagavantañca labhi kālena kālaṁ dassanāya.

At that time several mendicants were making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti: when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering. “niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī”ti.

Nandiya the Sakyan heard about this. Assosi kho nandiyo sakko: “sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti: ‘niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’”ti. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho nandiyo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho nandiyo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, I have heard that “sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: several mendicants are making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that ‘sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti—when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering. niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’ti. Now, we spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?” Tesaṁ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṁ kenassa vihārena vihātabban”ti?

“Good, good Nandiya! “Sādhu sādhu, nandiya. It’s appropriate that gentlemen such as you come to me and ask: Etaṁ kho, nandiya, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ, yaṁ tumhe tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyātha: ‘We spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?’ ‘tesaṁ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṁ kenassa vihārena vihātabban’ti? The faithful succeed, not the faithless. Saddho kho, nandiya, ārādhako hoti, no assaddho; The ethical succeed, not the unethical. sīlavā ārādhako hoti, no dussīlo; The energetic succeed, not the lazy. āraddhavīriyo ārādhako hoti, no kusīto; The mindful succeed, not the unmindful. upaṭṭhitassati ārādhako hoti, no muṭṭhassati; Those with immersion succeed, not those without immersion. samāhito ārādhako hoti, no asamāhito; The wise succeed, not the witless. paññavā ārādhako hoti, no duppañño. When you’re grounded on these six things, go on to establish mindfulness on five further things internally. Imesu kho te, nandiya, chasu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya pañcasu dhammesu ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

Firstly, you should recollect the Realized One: Idha tvaṁ, nandiya, tathāgataṁ anussareyyāsi: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on the Realized One. Iti kho te, nandiya, tathāgataṁ ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

Furthermore, you should recollect the teaching: Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, dhammaṁ anussareyyāsi: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’ ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti. In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on the teaching. Iti kho te, nandiya, dhammaṁ ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

Furthermore, you should recollect your good friends: Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, kalyāṇamitte anussareyyāsi: ‘I’m fortunate, so very fortunate, ‘lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, to have good friends who advise and instruct me out of kindness and sympathy.’ yassa me kalyāṇamittā anukampakā atthakāmā ovādakā anusāsakā’ti. In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on good friends. Iti kho te, nandiya, kalyāṇamitte ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

Furthermore, you should recollect your own generosity: Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, attano cāgaṁ anussareyyāsi: ‘I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate. ‘lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, Among people with hearts full of the stain of stinginess I live at home rid of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.’ yohaṁ maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitāya pajāya vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasāmi muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato’ti. In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on generosity. Iti kho te, nandiya, cāgaṁ ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

Furthermore, you should recollect the deities: Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, nandiya, devatā anussareyyāsi: ‘There are deities who, surpassing the company of deities that consume edible food, are reborn in a certain host of mind-made deities. They don’t see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement.’ ‘yā devatā atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devatānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapannā, tā karaṇīyaṁ attano na samanupassanti katassa vā paticayaṁ’. An irreversibly freed mendicant doesn’t see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement. Seyyathāpi, nandiya, bhikkhu asamayavimutto karaṇīyaṁ attano na samanupassati katassa vā paticayaṁ; In the same way, Nandiya, there are deities who, surpassing the company of deities that consume edible food, are reborn in a certain host of mind-made deities. They don’t see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement. evamevaṁ kho, nandiya, yā tā devatā atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devatānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapannā, tā karaṇīyaṁ attano na samanupassanti katassa vā paticayaṁ. In this way you should establish mindfulness internally based on the deities. Iti kho te, nandiya, devatā ārabbha ajjhattaṁ sati upaṭṭhāpetabbā.

A noble disciple who possesses these eleven qualities gives up bad, unskillful qualities and doesn’t cling to them. Imehi kho, nandiya, ekādasahi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako pajahateva pāpake akusale dhamme, na upādiyati. It’s like when a pot full of water is tipped over, so the water drains out and doesn’t go back in. Seyyathāpi, nandiya, kumbho nikkujjo vamateva udakaṁ, no vantaṁ paccāvamati; Suppose there was an uncontrolled fire. It advances burning up dry woodlands and doesn’t turn back over what it has burned. seyyathāpi vā pana, nandiya, sukkhe tiṇadāye aggi mutto ḍahaññeva gacchati, no daḍḍhaṁ paccudāvattati; In the same way, a noble disciple who possesses these eleven qualities gives up bad, unskillful qualities and doesn’t cling to them.” evamevaṁ kho, nandiya, imehi ekādasahi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako pajahateva pāpake akusale dhamme, na upādiyatī”ti.