Majjhima Nikaya - Culagosinga Sutta

31. Culagosinga Sutta - English Majjhima Nikàya I
4. 1. Cålagosingasuttaü
(31) The Minor Discourse in the Gosinga Forest

I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One was living in a brick house in Nàdikà. At that time
venerables Anuruddha, Nandiya and Kimbila were abiding in the Gosinga Sala
forest gifted by the king. The Blessed One getting up from his seclusion in the
evening approached the Sala forest. The forest keeper saw the Blessed One coming
in the distance and said, recluse, do not enter this forest. There are three
sons of clansmen abiding here seeking their own good, do not inconvenience them.
Venerable Anuruddha heard this conversation between the forest keeper and the
Blessed One and told the forest keeper. Do not obstruct the Blessed One, it is
our Teacher, the Blessed One. Venerable Anuruddha addressed venerables Nandiya
and Kimbila, come! Venerable ones, our Teacher has arrived. Then Venerables
Anuruddha, Nandiya, and Kimbila approached the Blessed One, accepted bowl and
robes from the Blessed One. One prepared a seat and another administered water
to wash the feet. The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat and washed his feet.
Those venerable ones worshipped the Blessed One and sat on a side.
The Blessed One addressed venerable Anuruddha: Anuruddha, are you alright, do
you have any fatigue owing to want of morsel food? Venerable sir, we are
alright, we have no fatigue owing to lack of morsel food. Anuruddha, are you
united and friendly without a dispute, like milk and water and do you abide
seeing each other with friendly eyes? Venerable sir, we are united like milk and
water, friendly, without a dispute and abide seeing each other with friendly
eyes. Anuruddha, how do you abide united like milk and water, friendly, without
a dispute seeing each other with friendly eyes? Venerable sir, this thought
occurs to me It is gain for me that I live with such co-associates in the holy
life. So I abide with bodily actions of loving kindness towards these venerable
ones openly and secretly. With verbal actions of loving kindness towards these
venerable ones openly and secretly. With mental actions of loving kindness
towards these venerable ones openly and secretly Sometimes it occurs to me what
if I discard my thoughts and concede to the thoughts of these venerable ones. So
I discard my thoughts and concede to the thoughts of these venerable ones.
Venerable sir, we are various in bodies, and one in mind.
Venerable Nandiya and venerable Kimbila too said to the Blessed One, venerable
sir, this thought occurs to me. It is gain for me, that I live with such
co-associates in the holy life. So I abide, with bodily actions of loving
kindness towards these venerable ones openly and secretly. With verbal actions
of loving kindness openly and secretly. With mental actions of loving kindness
openly and secretly Sometimes it occurs to me, what if I discard my thoughts and
concede to the thoughts of these venerable ones. So I discard my thoughts and
concede to the thoughts of these venerable ones. Venerable sir, we are various
in bodies and one single in mind. . .
Venerable sir, in this manner we abide united like milk and water, friendly,
without a dispute, seeing each other with friendly eyes. Good, Anuruddha, do you
live diligently for dispelling? Venerable sir, indeed we abide diligently for
dispelling. Anuruddha, how do you abide diligently for dispelling? Venerable
sir, whoever comes from the village first, after collecting morsel food,
prepares the seats administers water for drinking and washing and places the
spittoons. Whoever comes last from the village, partakes of what is left over if
he desires, if he does not, throws it to a place where nothing grows, or puts
into some water where there is no life. He puts away the seats, and the vessels
of water, washes the spittoons and sweeps the refectory, Whoever sees the water
vessels for drinking, washing or toilets empty, fills them up. If he finds it
not in his capacity to carry it, would call another with the wave of the hand.
Would not utter a word on account of it. On every fifth day we would sit
throughout the night discussing a topic on the Teaching. Venerable sir, thus we
abide diligently for dispelling. Good, Anuruddha, you abide diligently for
dispelling. [1] Have you attained any distinctive knowledge above human? Why not
venerable sir, Whenever we desire, seclude the mind from sensual thoughts and
defiling thoughts and with joy and pleasantness born from seclusion attained to
abide in the first jhàna. Venerable sir, that is the distinctive knowledge we
have attained above human. Good, Anuruddha, overcoming that and above that, is
there any distinctive knowledge you have attained and abide above human?. Why
not venerable sir. Whenever we desire, overcoming thoughts and thought
processes, the mind internally settled in one point, with joy and pleasantness
born of concentration attained to abide in the second jhàna. Venerable sir,
overcoming that and above that, this is the distinctive knowledge we have
attained and abide above human. Good, Anuruddha, having overcome that and above
that is there any distinctive knowledge you have attained to, abide above human.
Why not venerable sir? Whenever we desire, with equanimity to joy and detachment
we abide mindful and aware experiencing pleasantness with the body, in the third
jhàna.. To this, the noble ones say abiding mindfully in pleasantaness with
equanimity. Good Anuruddha, having overcome that and above that is there any
distinctive knowledge you attain to abide above human? Why not venerable sir.
Whenever we desire, dispelling pleasantness and unpleasantness, having overcome
pleasure and displeasure earlier, with equanimity mindfulness purified, attained
to, we abide in the fourth jhàna. Venerable sir, overccoming that and above
that, this is the distinctive knowledge we have attained and abide above human.
Good, Anuruddha, overcoming that and above it, is there any distinctive
knowledge you attained to, abide above human?. Why not venerable sir. Whenever
we desire overcoming all perceptions of matter and overcoming perceptions of
anger, not attending to various perceptions, with space is boundless attained
to, abide in the sphere of space. Venerable sir, overcoming that and above that,
this is the distinctive knowledge we attained to, abide above human. Good,
Anuruddha, having overcome that and above that is there any distinctive
knowledge and vision you have attained to, abide above human?. Why not venerable
sir? Whenever we desire overcoming all the sphere of space, with consciousness
is boundless, and with there is nothing, attained to, abide in the sphere of
no-thingness. Overcoming all the sphere of no-thingness attained to abide in the
sphere of neither-peception-nor-non-perception, Venerable sir, overcoming that
and above it, this is the distinctive knowledge and vision we attained to abide,
above human. Good, Anuruddha, overcoming that, is there any distinctive
knowledge and vision you have attained to, abide above human? Why not venerable
sir. Whenever we desire attaining to the sphere of neither- perception -nor
-non-perception we abide in the cessation of perceptions and feelings. Seeing
this with wisdom desires get destroyed. Venerable, sir, overcoming that and
above that, this is the distinctive knowledge and vision we attained to, abide,
above human. Venerable sir, we have not seen a more noble and a more exalted
abiding above this. -Good, Anuruddha, there is no abiding more noble and more
exalted than this. . .
Then the Blessed One advised, instructed, incited, and made the hearts light of
venerables Anuruddha, Nandiya and Kimbila and getting up from the seat went
away. When the Blessed One was going the three venerables Anuruddha, Nandiya and
Kimbila followed after the Blessed One and stopped short. Then venerables
Nandiya and Kimbila asked venerable Anuruddha. What, did we tell you venerable
Anuruddha, that we are gainers of those abidings and attainments. that the
venerable one told the Blessed One as much as our destruction of desires? Not
that the venerable ones told me about their abidings and attainments yet we
penetrated the minds of the venerable ones and knew that the venerable ones are
gainers of those attainments. The gods too told me about this, and when the
Blessed One questioned me about it I replied.
Then the demon Dãgha approached the Blessed One worshipped, stood on a side and
said thus to the Blessed One: Venerable sir, 'It is great gain for the Vajjis
that the Blessed One abides perfect and rightfully enlightened and also these
three sons of clansmen, venerable Anuruddha, venerable Kimbila and venerable
Nandiya'. Hearing the sound of the demon Dãgha the terrestrial gods echoed it.
Hearing the sound of the terrestial gods, the retinue of the four great kings
echoed it. Hearing the sound of the four great kings, the group of thirty two
gods echoed it. Hearing the sound of the group of thirty two gods, the Yàma gods
echoed it. Hearing the sound of the Yàma gods, the gods of happiness echoed it,
Hearing the sound of the gods of happiness, the gods attached to creations,
echoed it. Hearing the sound of the gods attached to creations, the gods
attached to the creations of others, echoed it. Hearing the sound of the gods
attached to the creations of others, the brahma gods echoed it. In a moment it
was known as far as the Brahmà world
Dãgha, this is so, from whatever clan these three sons of clansmen went forth,
if those clans recall these three with a pleasant mind, it will conduce to their
happiness for a long time. If their family circle,----the people in the village
from where they went forth--- from whatever hamlet,--- from whatever town,----
from whatever state---whoever warriors recall these three sons of clansmen---
whoever brahmins -whoever househoders--- whoever outcastes recall these three
clansmen with a pleasant mind it will conduce to their happiness for a long
time. Dãgha, anyone in this world of gods and men together with its Màras,
Brahmàs, were to recall these three sons of clansmen, it will conduce to their
happiness for a long time.
The Blessed One said thus and the demon Dãgha delighted in the words of the
Blessed One.



[1] Abide diligently for dispelling (evaü kho mayaü bhante appamattà àtàpino
pahitattaü viharàmàti). When asked how they abode diligently for dispelling, he
gives a complete picture of how they behaved. It becomes such behaviour where
there are no disputes what so ever. Yet all the necessary work is done with
complete clarity and preciseness This kind of behaviour involves a lot of clear
thinking and dispelling all kinds defilements in the mind such as sensual
thoughts, angry thoughts and hurting thoughts. This behaviour is founded on a
lot of loving kindness, compassion, intrinsic joy and also equanimity and it
promotes harmony. These are indeed the basics necessary for concentration.