ud.3.3 Udana

The Discourse about Yasoja

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 five hundred monks with Yasoja at their head had arrived in Sāvatthī, to see the Gracious One. Then those visiting monks while exchanging greetings with the resident monks, having the dwelling places assigned, putting the bowls and robes in order, made a loud noise, a great noise.

Then the Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda, saying: “Who are these making a loud noise, a great noise? One would think it is fishermen with their haul of fish!”

“These, reverend Sir, are five hundred monks with Yasoja at their head, who have arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Gracious One. These visiting monks while exchanging greetings with the resident monks, having the dwelling places assigned, putting the bowls and robes in order, make a loud noise, a great noise.”

“Now then, Ānanda, with my word address those monks, saying: ‘The Teacher calls the venerable ones.’ ”

“Yes, reverend Sir,” said venerable Ānanda, and after replying to the Gracious One, he went to those monks, and after going, he said this to those monks: “The Teacher calls the venerable ones.”

“Yes, friend,” said those monks, and after replying to venerable Ānanda, they went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side. While sat on one side the Gracious One said this to those monks:

“Why, monks, are you making a loud noise, a great noise, so one would think it is fishermen with their haul of fish?”

After that was said, venerable Yasoja said this to the Gracious One: “These, reverend Sir, are five hundred monks who have arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Gracious One. These visiting monks while exchanging greetings with the resident monks, having the dwelling places assigned, putting the bowls and robes in order, make a loud noise, a great noise.”

“Please go, monks, I am dismissing you. You should not live in my presence.”

“Yes, reverend Sir,” said those monks, and after replying to the Gracious One, rising from their seats, worshipping and circumambulating the Gracious One, putting their dwelling places in order, picking up their robes and bowls, they went on walking tour towards Vajji. While walking gradually through Vajji on walking tour they went to the river Vaggumudā, and after going and making leaf-huts on the bank of the river Vaggumudā, they entered upon the Rains Retreat.

Then venerable Yasoja, having entered upon the Rains Retreat, addressed those monks saying: “We were dismissed, friends, by the Gracious One, who desires our welfare, who seeks our benefit, who is compassionate, out of compassion for us. Well now, venerable friends, we must live in such a way that the Gracious One will be pleased with our living.”

“Yes, friend,” those monks replied to venerable Yasoja. Then those monks while dwelling secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute, within the Rains Retreat all realized the three deep understandings.

Then the Gracious One, having dwelt at Sāvatthī for as long as he wished, went on walking tour towards Vesālī, and while walking gradually on walking tour he arrived at Vesālī. There the Gracious One dwelt near Vesālī, in the Great Wood, at the Gabled Hall. Then the Gracious One, having applied his mind, and with his mind fully encompassed the minds of the monks on the bank of the Vaggumudā, addressed venerable Ānanda, saying:

“It is as though something light has arisen for me, Ānanda, in this direction. It is as though something splendid has arisen for me, Ānanda, in this direction. To go to that direction where the monks on the bank of the Vaggumudā dwell and to apply my mind is not disagreeable. Please send, Ānanda, a messenger into the presence of the monks on the bank of the Vaggumudā, to say: ‘The Teacher, venerable friends, calls you, the Teacher desires to see the venerable ones.’ ”

“Yes, reverend Sir,” said venerable Ānanda, and after replying to the Gracious One, he went to a certain monk, and after going, he said this to that monk: “Come, venerable friend, you should go to the monks on the bank of the Vaggumudā, and after going, please say this to the monks on the bank of the Vaggumudā: ‘The Teacher, venerable friends, calls you, the Teacher desires to see the venerable ones.’ ”

“Yes, friend,” said that monk, and after replying to venerable Ānanda, 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 the Gabled Hall in Great Wood, and reappear in front of those monks on the bank of the river Vaggumudā. Then that monk said this to the monks on the bank of the Vaggumudā: “The Teacher, venerable friends, calls you, the Teacher desires to see the venerable ones.”

“Yes, friend,” said those monks, and after replying to that monk, setting their dwelling places in order, and picking up their bowls and robes, 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 the bank of the river Vaggumudā, and reappear in front of the Gracious One in the Gabled Hall in Great Wood.

Then at that time the Gracious One was sitting in imperturbable concentration. Then it occured to those monks: “Now in what state is the Gracious One dwelling at the present time?”

Then it occured to those monks: “The Gracious One is dwelling in a state of imperturbability at the present time,” and they all sat in imperturbable concentration.

Then venerable Ānanda, when the night had passed, when the first watch of the night had gone, after rising from his seat, arranging his robe on one shoulder, and raising his hands in respectful salutation, said this to the Gracious One:

“The night has passed, reverend Sir, the first watch of the night has gone, for a long time these visiting monks have been sitting, let the Gracious One exchange greetings, reverend Sir, with the visiting monks.”

When that was said, the Gracious One was silent.

For a second time venerable Ānanda, when the night had passed, when the middle watch of the night had gone, after rising from his seat, arranging his robe on one shoulder, and raising his hands in respectful salutation, said this to the Gracious One:

“The night has passed, reverend Sir, the middle watch of the night has gone, for a long time these visiting monks have been sitting, let the Gracious One exchange greetings, reverend Sir, with the visiting monks.”

For a second time the Gracious One was silent.

For a third time venerable Ānanda, when the night had passed, when the last watch of the night had gone, when dawn had risen, when the night had a joyful appearance, after rising from his seat, arranging his robe on one shoulder, and raising his hands in respectful salutation, said this to the Gracious One:

“The night has passed, reverend Sir, the last watch of the night has gone, dawn has risen, the night has a joyful appearance, for a long time these visiting monks have been sitting, let the Gracious One exchange greetings, reverend Sir, with the visiting monks.”

Then the Gracious One, after rising from that concentration, addressed venerable Ānanda, saying:

“If you knew, Ānanda, you would not say even this much about them. I and these five hundred monks, Ānanda, have all been sat in imperturbable concentration.”

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

“He who is victorious over the thorn of sense desire,
Scolding, slaying, and other bonds,
He who stands unmoved like a mountain,
That monk does not shake in regard to pleasure and pain.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

With Yasoja

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Now at that time around five hundred mendicants headed by Yasoja arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.
At that, those visiting mendicants, while exchanging pleasantries with the resident mendicants, preparing their lodgings, and putting away their bowls and robes, made a dreadful racket.
Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,
“Ānanda, who’s making that dreadful racket? You’d think it was fishermen hauling in a catch!”
“Sir, those five hundred mendicants headed by Yasoja have arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.
It’s those visiting mendicants who, while exchanging pleasantries with the resident mendicants, preparing their lodgings, and putting away their bowls and robes, made a dreadful racket.”
“Well then, Ānanda, in my name tell those mendicants that
the teacher summons them.”
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. He went to those mendicants and said,
“Venerables, the teacher summons you.”
“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants. Then they rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them,
“Mendicants, what’s with that dreadful racket? You’d think it was fishermen hauling in a catch!”
When he said this, Venerable Yasoja said to the Buddha,
“Sir, these five hundred mendicants have arrived at Sāvatthī to see the Buddha.
It’s these visiting mendicants who, while exchanging pleasantries with the resident mendicants, preparing their lodgings, and putting away their bowls and robes, made a dreadful racket.”
“Go away, mendicants, I dismiss you. You are not to stay in my presence.”
“Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. They got up from their seats, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. They set their lodgings in order and left, taking their bowls and robes.
Traveling stage by stage in the land of the Vajjīs, they arrived at the Vaggumudā River. They built leaf huts near the riverbank and there they entered the rainy season.
Then Venerable Yasoja, having entered the rainy season, addressed the mendicants:
“Out of compassion, reverends, the Buddha dismissed us, wanting what’s best for us.
Come, let us live in such a way that the Buddha would be pleased with us.”
“Yes, reverend,” they replied.
Then those mendicants, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, all realized the three knowledges in that same rainy season.
When the Buddha had stayed in Sāvatthī as long as he wished, he set out for Vesālī.
Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Vesālī,
where he stayed in the hall with the peaked roof.
Then, having applied his mind to comprehending the minds of the mendicants staying on the bank of the river Vaggumudā, the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda,
“A light, it appears to me, has arisen in this quarter, Ānanda; a brightness has arisen.
I’m not put off at the thought of going to where the mendicants are staying on the bank of the river Vaggumudā.
Send a message to those mendicants:
‘Venerables, the teacher summons you. He wants to see you.’”
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. He went to one of the mendicants and said,
“Please, Reverend, go to the mendicants staying on the bank of the river Vaggumudā and say to them,
‘Venerables, the teacher summons you. He wants to see you.’”
“Yes, reverend,” replied that mendicant.
Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof, and reappeared in front of those mendicants on the bank of the river Vaggumudā.
Then he said to those mendicants,
“Venerables, the teacher summons you. He wants to see you.”
“Yes, reverend,” replied those mendicants. They set their lodgings in order and took their bowls and robes.
Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from the bank of the river Vaggumudā, and reappeared in the presence of the Buddha in the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
But at that time the Buddha was sitting immersed in imperturbable meditation.
Then those mendicants thought,
“What kind of meditation is the Buddha practicing right now?”
They thought,
“He is practicing the imperturbable meditation.”
They all sat in imperturbable meditation.
And then, as the night was getting late, in the first watch of the night, Venerable Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha and said,
“Sir, the night is getting late. It is the first watch of the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.
Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”
But the Buddha kept silent.
For a second time, as the night was getting late, in the middle watch of the night, Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha and said,
“Sir, the night is getting late. It is the second watch of the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.
Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”
But for a second time the Buddha kept silent.
For a third time, as the night was getting late, in the last watch of the night, as dawn stirred, bringing joy to the night, Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha and said,
“Sir, the night is getting late. It is the last watch of the night; dawn stirs, bringing joy to the night, and the visiting mendicants have been sitting long.
Sir, please greet the visiting mendicants.”
Then the Buddha emerged from that immersion and addressed Ānanda,
“If you’d known, Ānanda, you wouldn’t have said so much.
Both I and these five hundred mendicants have been sitting in imperturbable meditation.”
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“A mendicant who has beaten the thorns of sensuality—
and abuse, killing, and caging—
steady as a mountain, imperturbable,
trembles not at pleasure and pain.”