ud.3.2 Udana

The Discourse about Nanda

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time venerable Nanda, the Gracious One’s brother, his mother’s sister’s son, confessed this to many monks:

“I have no great delight, venerable friends, living the spiritual life, I am not able to endure the spiritual life, having disavowed the training, I will return to what is inferior.”

Then a certain monk went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sat on one side that monk said this to the Gracious One:

“Venerable Nanda, reverend Sir, the Gracious One’s brother, his mother’s sister’s son, confesses this to many monks: ‘I have no great delight, venerable friends, living the spiritual life, I am not able to endure the spiritual life, having disavowed the training, I will return to what is inferior.’ ”

Then the Gracious One addressed a certain monk, saying: “Please go, monk, and with my word address the monk Nanda, saying: ‘The Teacher, venerable friend Nanda, calls you.’ ”

“Yes, reverend Sir,” said that monk, and after replying to the Gracious One, he went to venerable Nanda, and after going, he said this to venerable Nanda: “The Teacher, venerable friend Nanda, calls you.”

“Yes, venerable friend,” said venerable Nanda, and after replying to that monk, he went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sat on one side, the Gracious One said this to venerable Nanda:

“Is it true, as it seems, Nanda, that you confessed this to many monks, saying:

“I have no great delight, venerable friends, living the spiritual life, I am not able to endure the spiritual life, having disavowed the training, I will return to what is inferior.’ ”

“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“But why do you, Nanda, have no great delight living the spiritual life, are not able to endure the spiritual life, and having disavowed the training, will return to what is inferior?”

“As I was leaving from home, reverend Sir, a Sakyan girl, the most beautiful woman in the country, with her hair half-combed, having looked round, said this to me: ‘Master, may you quickly return.’ Remembering that, reverend Sir, I have no great delight living the spiritual life, I am not able to endure the spiritual life, and having disavowed the training, I will return to what is inferior.”

Then the Gracious One, having taken venerable Nanda by the arm, just as a strong man might stretch out a bent arm, or bend in an outstretched arm, in the same way did he disappear from Jeta’s Wood, and reappear amongst the Tāvatiṁsa devas. Then at that time five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs had come to attend to Sakka, the lord of the devas.

Then the Gracious One addressed venerable Nanda, saying: “Do you see, Nanda, these five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs?”

“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“What do you think about this, Nanda, who has the most perfect form, is the most fair to behold, is the most pleasing, the Sakyan girl, the most beautiful woman in the country, or these five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs?”

“Like a disfigured monkey, reverend Sir, with its ears and nose cut off, so is the Sakyan girl, reverend Sir, the most beautiful woman in the country, compared with these five hundred celestial nymphs she does not count, she is not even a fraction, she is not even half a fraction, she is not even to be compared! These five hundred celestial nymphs certainly have the most perfect form, are the most fair to behold, are the more pleasing.”

“Take delight, Nanda! Take delight, Nanda! I am your surety for gaining five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs!”

“If, reverend Sir, the Gracious One is my surety for gaining five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs, I will take great delight, reverend Sir, in living the spiritual life under the Gracious One.”

Then the Gracious One, having taken venerable Nanda by the arm, just as a strong man might stretch out a bent arm, or bend in an outstretched arm, in the same way did they disappear from amongst the Tāvatiṁsa devas, and reappear in Jeta’s Wood.

The monks heard: “Venerable Nanda, it seems, the Gracious One’s brother, his mother’s sister’s son, is living the spiritual life for the sake of celestial nymphs, the Gracious One, it seems, is his surety for gaining five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs!”

Then venerable Nanda’s monk-friends accosted venerable Nanda with words about a hireling, with words about a lackey, saying: “It seems venerable Nanda is a hireling, it seems venerable Nanda is a lackey, he is living the spiritual life for the sake of celestial nymphs, the Gracious One, it seems, is his surety for gaining five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs!”

Then venerable Nanda, at his monk-friends’ words about a hireling, words about a lackey, was distressed, ashamed, and disgusted, and while dwelling solitary, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute, after no long time attained that good for which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home to homelessness, that unsurpassed conclusion to the spiritual life, and dwelt having known, having directly experienced, and having attained nibbāna himself in this very life:

“Destroyed is birth accomplished is the spiritual life done is what ought to be done there is no more of this mundane state”—this he knew.

And venerable Nanda became another of the Worthy Ones.

Then a certain devatā, when the night had passed, having lit up the whole of Jeta’s Wood with his surpassing beauty, went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he stood on one side. While standing on one side that devatā said this to the Gracious One:

“Venerable Nanda, reverend Sir, the Gracious One’s brother, his mother’s sister’s son, through the destruction of the pollutants, without pollutants, freed in mind, freed through wisdom, dwells having known, having directly experienced, and having attained nibbāna himself in this very life.”

And this knowledge arose to the Gracious One:

“Nanda, through the destruction of the pollutants, without pollutants, freed in mind, freed through wisdom, dwells having known, having directly experienced, and having attained nibbāna himself in this very life.”

Then venerable Nanda, when that night had passed, went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sat on one side venerable Nanda said this to the Gracious One:

“That, reverend Sir, for which the Gracious One was my surety—for gaining five hundred celestial dove-footed nymphs—I free the Gracious One, reverend Sir, from that promise.”

“Nanda, having encompassed your mind fully with my mind, I understood: ‘Nanda, through the destruction of the pollutants, without pollutants, freed in mind, freed through wisdom, dwells having known, having directly experienced, and having attained nibbāna himself in this very life.’

“Also a devatā announced that matter to me, saying: ‘Venerable Nanda, reverend Sir, the Gracious One’s brother, his mother’s sister’s son, through the destruction of the pollutants, without pollutants, freed in mind, freed through wisdom, dwells having known, having directly experienced, and having attained nibbāna himself in this very life.’

“When, Nanda, your mind was freed from the pollutants without attachment, then was I freed from that promise.”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“He who has got out of the quagmire,
who has crushed the thorn of sense desire,
Who has arrived at the destruction of delusion,
that monk does not shake in regard to pleasure and pain.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

With Nanda

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Now at that time Venerable Nanda, the Buddha’s brother and maternal cousin, informed several mendicants:
“I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied.
I am unable to keep up the spiritual life. I shall resign the training and return to a lesser life.”
Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.
So the Buddha addressed a certain monk,
“Please, monk, in my name tell the mendicant Nanda that
the teacher summons him.”
“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Nanda and said to him,
“Reverend Nanda, the teacher summons you.”
“Yes, reverend,” Nanda replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“Is it really true, Nanda, that you informed several mendicants that
you are unable to keep up the spiritual life; that you shall resign the training and return to a lesser life?”
“Yes, sir,” he replied.
“But why are you so dissatisfied with the spiritual life?”
“As I left my house, sir, the finest lady of the Sakyan land, her hair half-combed, glanced at me and said,
‘Hurry back, master.’
Recalling that, I am dissatisfied and shall resign the training.”
Then the Buddha took Nanda by the arm and, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared among the gods of the Thirty-Three.
Now at that time five hundred dove-footed nymphs had come to attend to Sakka, the lord of gods.
Then the Buddha said to Nanda,
“Nanda, do you see these five hundred dove-footed nymphs?”
“Yes, sir,” he replied.
“What do you think, Nanda? Who is more attractive, good-looking, and lovely—the finest lady of the Sakyan land, or these five hundred dove-footed nymphs?”
“Compared to these five hundred dove-footed nymphs, the finest lady of the Sakyan land is like a deformed monkey with its ears and nose cut off.
She doesn’t count, there’s no comparison, she’s not worth a fraction.
These five hundred dove-footed nymphs are far more attractive, good-looking, and lovely.”
“Rejoice, Nanda, rejoice!
I guarantee you five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
“If, sir, you guarantee me five hundred dove-footed nymphs, I shall happily lead the spiritual life under the Buddha.”
Then the Buddha took Nanda by the arm and, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the gods of the Thirty-Three and reappeared at Jeta’s Grove.
The mendicants heard,
“It seems Venerable Nanda—who is both the Buddha’s half-brother and maternal cousin—leads the spiritual life for the sake of nymphs.
And it seems that the Buddha guaranteed him five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
Monks who were his friends accused him of being a hireling and a lackey,
“It seems Nanda is a hireling, it seems he is a lackey: he leads the spiritual life for the sake of nymphs.
And it seems that the Buddha guaranteed him five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
Then Nanda—embarrassed, ashamed, and disgusted at being called a hireling and a lackey—living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.”
Venerable Nanda became one of the perfected.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, Venerable Nanda—who is both the Buddha’s half-brother and maternal cousin—has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. He lives having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements.”
And the knowledge also came to the Buddha:
“Nanda has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. He lives having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements.”
Then, when the night had passed, Nanda went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“Sir, you guaranteed me five hundred dove-footed nymphs. I release you from that promise.”
“Nanda, I comprehended your mind and knew that
you had realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom.
And deities also told me about this.
As soon as your mind was freed from defilements by not grasping, I was released from that promise.”
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“The mendicant who has crossed over the bog,
who has crushed the thorns of sensuality,
who has reached the end of delusion,
trembles not at pleasure and pain.”