[120] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas near Suṃsumāragira, in the Deer Park at the Bhesakaḷā Grove.
Now on that occasion the Venerable Anuruddha was dwelling among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove (Pācīnavaṃsadāya). Then, while the Venerable Anuruddha was in solitude, gone into retreat, this reflection arose in his mind: "This Dhamma is for one of few wishes, not for one of many wishes; this Dhamma is for one who is content, not for one who is discontent; this Dhamma is for one who is secluded, not for one who delights in company; this Dhamma is for one of aroused energy (vīriya), not for one who is lazy; this Dhamma is for one whose mindfulness (sati) is established, not for one whose mindfulness is muddled; this Dhamma is for one who is concentrated, not for one who is unconcentrated; this Dhamma is for one who is wise, not for one who is unwise."
Then the Blessed One, having known with his own mind the reflection in the Venerable Anuruddha's mind, just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, disappeared from among the Bhaggas near Suṃsumāragira, in the Deer Park at the Bhesakaḷā Grove, and appeared among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove, in the presence of the Venerable Anuruddha. The Blessed One sat down on the seat that had been prepared. The Venerable Anuruddha, having paid homage to the Blessed One, sat down to one side. As the Venerable Anuruddha sat to one side, the Blessed One said this to him: "Good, good, Anuruddha! It is good, Anuruddha, that you have thought these thoughts of a great man (mahāpurisavitakka): 'This Dhamma is for one of few wishes, not for one of many wishes; this Dhamma is for one who is content, not for one who is discontent; this Dhamma is for one who is secluded, not for one who delights in company; this Dhamma is for one of aroused energy, not for one who is lazy; this Dhamma is for one whose mindfulness is established, not for one whose mindfulness is muddled; this Dhamma is for one who is concentrated, not for one who is unconcentrated; this Dhamma is for one who is wise, not for one who is unwise.' Therefore, Anuruddha, think also this eighth thought of a great man: 'This Dhamma is for one who delights in non-proliferation (nippapañca), who takes delight in non-proliferation; this Dhamma is not for one who delights in proliferation (papañca), who takes delight in proliferation.'
"When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, for as long as you wish, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, you will enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, for as long as you wish, with the subsiding of thought and examination, you will enter and dwell in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and examination, and has rapture and pleasure born of concentration (samādhi). When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, for as long as you wish, with the fading away of rapture, you will dwell equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, you will experience pleasure with the body; you will enter and dwell in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare: 'He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells in pleasure.' When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, for as long as you wish, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and grief, you will enter and dwell in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and has purification of mindfulness by equanimity (upekkhā).
"When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, and you become one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, these four jhānas pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant dwellings in this very life, then, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son has a clothes-chest full of variously dyed cloths, even so, while you dwell content, your rag-robe (paṃsukūlacīvara) will seem to you to be conducing to your delight, to freedom from agitation, to dwelling at ease, and to entering upon Nibbāna. When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, and you become one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, these four jhānas pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant dwellings in this very life, then, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son has boiled rice of choice hill-rice with the black grains picked out, with many soups and many curries, even so, while you dwell content, your almsfood of scraps will seem to you to be conducing to your delight, to freedom from agitation, to dwelling at ease, and to entering upon Nibbāna. When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, and you become one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, these four jhānas pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant dwellings in this very life, then, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son has a peaked house, plastered within and without, draught-free, with fastened bolts and closed shutters, even so, while you dwell content, your lodging at the foot of a tree will seem to you to be conducing to your delight, to freedom from agitation, to dwelling at ease, and to entering upon Nibbāna. When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, and you become one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, these four jhānas pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant dwellings in this very life, then, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son has a couch spread with a long-fleeced coverlet, spread with a white woollen coverlet, spread with an embroidered coverlet, with a choice spread of kadali-deer hide, with a canopy above and red cushions at both ends, even so, while you dwell content, your bed and seat spread with grass will seem to you to be conducing to your delight, to freedom from agitation, to dwelling at ease, and to entering upon Nibbāna. When, Anuruddha, you think these eight thoughts of a great man, and you become one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, these four jhānas pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant dwellings in this very life, then, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son has various medicines — that is, ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, and molasses — even so, while you dwell content, your medicine of putrid urine will seem to you to be conducing to your delight, to freedom from agitation, to dwelling at ease, and to entering upon Nibbāna.
"Therefore, Anuruddha, you should spend the coming rains residence right here among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Anuruddha replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having exhorted the Venerable Anuruddha with this exhortation, just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, disappeared from among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove and appeared among the Bhaggas near Suṃsumāragira, in the Deer Park at the Bhesakaḷā Grove. The Blessed One sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, I will teach you the eight thoughts of a great man. Listen to it. … And what, bhikkhus, are the eight thoughts of a great man? This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one of few wishes, not for one of many wishes; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is content, not for one who is discontent; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is secluded, not for one who delights in company; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one of aroused energy, not for one who is lazy; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one whose mindfulness is established, not for one whose mindfulness is muddled; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is concentrated, not for one who is unconcentrated; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is wise, not for one who is unwise; this Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who delights in non-proliferation, who takes delight in non-proliferation; this Dhamma is not for one who delights in proliferation, who takes delight in proliferation.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one of few wishes, not for one of many wishes' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, being one of few wishes, does not wish: 'May they know me as one of few wishes'; being content, he does not wish: 'May they know me as content'; being secluded, he does not wish: 'May they know me as secluded'; being of aroused energy, he does not wish: 'May they know me as one of aroused energy'; being one whose mindfulness is established, he does not wish: 'May they know me as one whose mindfulness is established'; being concentrated, he does not wish: 'May they know me as concentrated'; being wise, he does not wish: 'May they know me as wise'; being one who delights in non-proliferation, he does not wish: 'May they know me as one who delights in non-proliferation.' 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one of few wishes, not for one of many wishes' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is content, not for one who is discontent' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is content with any kind of robe, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick. 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is content, not for one who is discontent' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is secluded, not for one who delights in company' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells secluded, there come visitors — bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay followers, female lay followers, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians. Thereupon the bhikkhu, with a mind that slants toward seclusion, slopes toward seclusion, inclines toward seclusion, withdrawn, delighting in renunciation (nekkhamma), invariably gives them talk connected only with dismissing them. 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is secluded, not for one who delights in company' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one of aroused energy, not for one who is lazy' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states; he is strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility in regard to wholesome states. 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one of aroused energy, not for one who is lazy' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one whose mindfulness is established, not for one whose mindfulness is muddled' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and discretion, one who remembers and recollects even what was done and said long ago. 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one whose mindfulness is established, not for one whose mindfulness is muddled' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is concentrated, not for one who is unconcentrated' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is concentrated, not for one who is unconcentrated' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is wise, not for one who is unwise' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is wise, possessing the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble, penetrative, leading to the complete destruction of suffering (dukkha). 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who is wise, not for one who is unwise' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who delights in non-proliferation, who takes delight in non-proliferation; this Dhamma is not for one who delights in proliferation, who takes delight in proliferation' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu's mind (citta) launches out into the cessation (nirodha) of proliferation, becomes confident, becomes settled, and is released. 'This Dhamma, bhikkhus, is for one who delights in non-proliferation, who takes delight in non-proliferation; this Dhamma is not for one who delights in proliferation, who takes delight in proliferation' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said."
Then the Venerable Anuruddha spent the following rains residence right there among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove. Then the Venerable Anuruddha, dwelling alone, withdrawn, heedful, ardent (ātāpī), and resolute, before long realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being." And the Venerable Anuruddha became one of the arahants. Then the Venerable Anuruddha, having attained arahantship, on that occasion spoke these verses:
"Knowing my thoughts, the Teacher, unsurpassed in the world,
came to me by psychic power in a body made of mind.
He taught me more than my thought had reached:
the Buddha, delighting in non-proliferation, taught non-proliferation.
Having understood his Dhamma, I dwelt delighting in his teaching.
The three true knowledges (vijjā) have been attained;
the Buddha's teaching has been done."
The Chapter on Householders, the third.
The summary thereof:
Two Uggas and two Hatthakas, with Mahānāma, Jīvaka;
two on powers, the inopportune moments told; with Anuruddha, those are ten.
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The Chapter on Giving, the fourth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.