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sn.21.8 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Nanda

At Savatthi. Then the Venerable Nanda, the Blessed One’s maternal cousin, put on well-pressed and well-ironed robes, painted his eyes, took a glazed bowl, and approached the Blessed One. Having paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side, and the Blessed One said to him:

“Nanda, this is not proper for you, a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, that you wear well-pressed and well-ironed robes, paint your eyes, and carry a glazed bowl. This is proper for you, Nanda, a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, that you be a forest dweller, an almsfood eater, a rag-robes wearer, and that you dwell indifferent to sensual pleasures.”

This is what the Blessed One said … who further said this:

“When shall I see Nanda as a forest dweller,
Wearing robes stitched from rags,
Subsisting on the scraps of strangers,
Indifferent towards sensual pleasures?”

Then, some time later, the Venerable Nanda became a forest dweller, an almsfood eater, a rag-robes wearer, and he dwelt indifferent to sensual pleasures.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

With Nanda

At Sāvatthī.
Then Venerable Nanda—the Buddha’s cousin on his mother’s side—dressed in nicely pressed and ironed robes, applied eyeshadow, and took a polished black bowl. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“Nanda, as a gentleman who has gone forth in faith from the lay life to homelessness, it’s not appropriate for you to dress in nicely pressed and ironed robes, apply eyeshadow, and carry a polished black bowl.
It’s appropriate for you to stay in the wilderness, eat only almsfood, wear rag robes, and live without concern for sensual pleasures.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“When will I see Nanda
in the wilderness, wearing rag robes,
feeding on scraps offered by strangers,
unconcerned for sensual pleasures?”
Then some time later Venerable Nanda stayed in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, wore rag robes, and lived without concern for sensual pleasures.