Majjhima Nikaya - Nandakovada Sutta

MN 146
Nandakovada Sutta
Nandaka's Exhortation
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M iii 270



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 2002 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi, at
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then Mahapajapati Gotami, together with
about 500 other nuns, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down
to him, stood to one side. As she was standing there she said to him, "Exhort
the nuns, lord. Instruct the nuns, lord. Give the nuns a talk on Dhamma."
Now at that time the elder monks were taking turns in exhorting the nuns, but
Ven. Nandaka didn't want to exhort the nuns when his turn came. So the Blessed
One addressed Ven. Ananda: "Ananda, whose turn is it to exhort the nuns today?"
"Lord, everyone has taken his turn 1 in exhorting the nuns, except for Ven.
Nandaka, here, who doesn't want to exhort the nuns when his turn comes."
Then the Blessed One addressed Ven. Nandaka: "Exhort the nuns, Nandaka. Instruct
the nuns, Nandaka. Give the nuns a talk on Dhamma, brahman."
"As you say, lord," Ven. Nandaka replied. Then, early in the morning, having put
on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he went into Rajagaha for alms.
After his meal, on returning from his alms round, he went with a companion to
Rajaka Park. The nuns saw him coming from afar and, on seeing him, arranged a
seat and set out water for his feet. Ven. Nandaka sat down on the arranged seat
and washed his feet. The nuns bowed down to him and sat to one side.
As they were sitting there, Ven. Nandaka said to them: "This will be a
question-response talk, sisters. Where you understand, you should say, 'We
understand.' Where you don't, you should say, 'We don't understand.' Where you
are doubtful or perplexed, you should question me in response: 'How is this,
venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?'"
"Venerable sir, we are gratified & delighted that you invite us in this way."
"So then, sisters, what do you think: Is the eye constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, venerable sir." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or
stressful?" "Stressful, venerable sir." "And is it fitting to regard what is
inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?"
"No, venerable sir."
"... Is the ear constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"... Is the nose constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"... Is the tongue constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"... Is the body constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"What do you think, sisters: Is the intellect constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, venerable sir." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or
stressful?" "Stressful, venerable sir." "And is it fitting to regard what is
inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because we have already seen it well as it
actually is, with right discernment, that these six internal media are
inconstant."
"Good, good, sisters. That's how it is for a disciple of the noble ones who has
seen it as it actually is with right discernment.
"Now what do you think, sisters: Are forms constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant,
venerable sir." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"
"Stressful, venerable sir." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant,
stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I
am'?"
"No, venerable sir."
"... Are sounds constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"... Are aromas constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"... Are flavors constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir." ...
"... Are tactile sensations constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable
sir." ...
"What do you think, sisters: Are ideas constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant,
venerable sir." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"
"Stressful, venerable sir." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant,
stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I
am'?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because we have already seen it well as it
actually is, with right discernment, that these six external media are also
inconstant."
"Good, good, sisters. That's how it is for a disciple of the noble ones who has
seen it as it actually is with right discernment.
"Now what do you think, sisters: Is eye-consciousness constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, venerable sir." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or
stressful?" "Stressful, venerable sir." "And is it fitting to regard what is
inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?"
"No, venerable sir."
"... Is ear-consciousness constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir."
...
"... Is nose-consciousness constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir."
...
"... Is tongue-consciousness constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable
sir." ...
"... Is body-consciousness constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, venerable sir."
...
"What do you think, sisters: Is intellect-consciousness constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant, venerable sir." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or
stressful?" "Stressful, venerable sir." "And is it fitting to regard what is
inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self.
This is what I am'?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because we have already seen it well as it
actually is, with right discernment, that these six consciousness-groups, too,
are inconstant."
"Good, good, sisters. That's how it is for a disciple of the noble ones who has
seen it as it actually is with right discernment.
"Just as when the oil in a burning oil lamp is inconstant & subject to change,
its wick is inconstant & subject to change, its flame is inconstant & subject to
change, its light is inconstant & subject to change. If someone were to say,
'The oil in that burning oil lamp is inconstant & subject to change, its wick is
inconstant & subject to change, its flame is inconstant & subject to change, but
as for its light, that is constant, everlasting, eternal, & not subject to
change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because the oil in that burning oil lamp is
inconstant & subject to change, its wick is inconstant & subject to change, its
flame is inconstant & subject to change, so how much more should its light be
inconstant & subject to change."
"In the same way, sisters, if someone were to say, 'My six internal media are
inconstant, but what I experience based on the six internal media — pleasure,
pain, or neither pleasure nor pain — that is constant, everlasting, eternal, &
not subject to change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because each feeling arises dependent on its
corresponding condition. With the cessation of its corresponding condition, it
ceases."
"Good, good, sisters. That's how it is for a disciple of the noble ones who has
seen it as it actually is with right discernment.
"Just as when the root of a great, standing tree — possessed of heartwood — is
inconstant & subject to change, its trunk is inconstant & subject to change, its
branches & foliage are inconstant & subject to change, its shadow is inconstant
& subject to change. If someone were to say, 'The root of that great, standing
tree — possessed of heartwood — is inconstant & subject to change, its trunk is
inconstant & subject to change, its branches & foliage are inconstant & subject
to change, but as for its shadow, that is constant, everlasting, eternal, & not
subject to change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because the root of that great, standing tree —
possessed of heartwood — is inconstant & subject to change, its trunk is
inconstant & subject to change, its branches & foliage are inconstant & subject
to change, so how much more should its shadow be inconstant & subject to
change."
"In the same way, sisters, if someone were to say, 'My six external media are
inconstant, but what I experience based on the six internal media — pleasure,
pain, or neither pleasure nor pain — that is constant, everlasting, eternal, &
not subject to change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because each feeling arises dependent on its
corresponding condition. With the cessation of its corresponding condition, it
ceases."
"Good, good, sisters. That's how it is for a disciple of the noble ones who has
seen it as it actually is with right discernment.
"Just as if a skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, having killed a cow, were
to carve it up with a sharp carving knife so that — without damaging the
substance of the inner flesh, without damaging the substance of the outer hide —
he would cut, sever, & detach only the skin muscles, connective tissues, &
attachments in between. Having cut, severed, & detached the outer skin, and then
covering the cow again with that very skin, if he were to say that the cow was
joined to the skin just as it had been: would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because if the skilled butcher or butcher's
apprentice, having killed a cow, were to ... cut, sever, & detach only the skin
muscles, connective tissues, & attachments in between; and ... having covered
the cow again with that very skin, then no matter how much he might say that the
cow was joined to the skin just as it had been, the cow would still be disjoined
from the skin."
"This simile, sisters, I have given to convey a message. The message is this:
The substance of the inner flesh stands for the six internal media; the
substance of the outer hide, for the six external media. The skin muscles,
connective tissues, & attachments in between stand for passion & delight. And
the sharp knife stands for noble discernment — the noble discernment that cuts,
severs, & detaches the defilements, fetters, & bonds in between.
"Sisters, there are these seven factors for awakening 2 through whose
development & pursuit a monk enters & remains in the fermentation-free
awareness-release & discernment-release,3 having directly known & realized them
for himself right in the here & now. Which seven? There is the case where a monk
develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent
on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment. He develops
analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening ... persistence as a factor for
awakening ... rapture as a factor for awakening ... serenity as a factor for
awakening ... concentration as a factor for awakening ... equanimity as a factor
for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on
cessation, resulting in relinquishment. These are the seven factors for
awakening through whose development & pursuit a monk enters & remains in the
fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known
& realized them for himself right in the here & now."
Then, having exhorted the nuns with this exhortation, Ven. Nandaka dismissed
them, saying, "Go, sisters. The time has come." The nuns, delighting in and
approving of Ven. Nandaka's exhortation, got up from their seats, bowed down to
him, circumambulated him — keeping him to the right — and went to the Blessed
One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, they stood to one side.
As they were standing there, the Blessed One said to them, "Go, nuns. The time
has come." So the nuns, having bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated
him — keeping him to the right — and departed.
Then not long after the nuns' departure the Blessed One addressed the monks:
"Monks, just as on the uposatha day of the fourteenth, people at large are not
doubtful or perplexed as to whether the moon is lacking or full, for it is
clearly lacking; 4 in the same way, even though the nuns are gratified with
Nandaka's Dhamma-teaching, their resolves have not yet been fulfilled." So he
addressed Ven. Nandaka: "In that case, Nandaka, exhort the nuns again tomorrow
with the exact same exhortation."
"As you say, lord," Ven. Nandaka replied. Then, after the night had passed,
early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer
robe, he went into Rajagaha for alms ... [as before, from "Then the Blessed One
addressed Ven. Nandaka" up to:]
Then not long after the nuns' departure the Blessed One addressed the monks:
"Monks, just as on the uposatha day of the fifteenth, people at large are not
doubtful or perplexed as to whether the moon is lacking or full, for it is
clearly full; in the same way, the nuns are gratified with Nandaka's
Dhamma-teaching, and their resolves have been fulfilled. Of these 500 nuns, the
most backward is a stream-winner, not destined for the planes of deprivation,
headed to self-awakening for sure."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.



Notes
1. This phrase is not in the PTS edition.
2. The commentary explains that Ven. Nandaka introduces the topic of the seven
factors of awakening here to indicate where the nuns have more work to do in
their practice. From the questions and answers, it is obvious that they have
developed the second factor of awakening — analysis of qualities (or dhammas) —
which is the factor associated with insight and discernment. However, for their
resolves to be fulfilled, they need to focus on developing the factors
associated with tranquillity and concentration.
3. On awareness-release and discernment-release, see AN 2.30 and AN 9.44.
Discernment-release is always transcendent; awareness-release, only when
fermentation-free.
4. Apparently, in the Buddha's time, the 29-day lunar month was divided so that
the half ending in the new moon uposatha had fourteen days, and the half ending
in the full moon uposatha, fifteen days. How they compensated for the fact that
the lunar month is not exactly 29 days is not known.
See also: SN 35.101; AN 4.94