Majjhima Nikaya - Punnovada Sutta

145. Punnovada Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA III
5. 3. Puõõovàdasuttaü
(145) Advice to Venerable Punna

I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One was living in Anathapindika's monastery, in Jeta's
grove in Sàvatthi. Then venerable Punna getting up from his seclusion in the
evening, approached the Blessed One, worshipped sat on a side and said.
`Venerable sir, it is good, if I'm advised in short, so that I could abide alone
and secluded, zealous to dispel diligently,' `Then Punna, listen, I will advice
you,' Venerable Punna agreed and the Blessed said.
ßPunna, there are pleasing, agreeable, forms cognizable by eye-consciousness,
arousing fondness, attachment and sensual desires. The bhikkhu, delights,
welcomes and clings to them, and interest arises. Punna, I say, the arising of
interest is the arising of unpleasantness. There are pleasing agreeable sounds
cognizable by ear-consciousness, scents cognizable by nose-consciousness, tastes
cognizable by tongue consciousness, touches cognizable by body consciousness and
ideas cognizable by mind consciousness, arousing fondness, attachment and
sensual desires. The bhikkhu, delights, welcomes and clings to them, and
interest arises. Punna, I say, the arising of interest is the arising of
unpleasantness.
Punna, there are pleasing, agreeable, forms, cognizable by eye-consciousness,
arousing fondness, attachment and sensual desires. The bhikkhu, does not delight
welcome and cling to them, and the interest ceases. Punna, I say, the cessation
of interest is the cessation of unpleasantness. There are pleasing, agreeable,
sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness, scents cognizable by nose-consciousness,
tastes cognizable by tongue consciousness, touches cognizable by body
consciousness and ideas cognizable by mind consciousness, arousing fondness,
attachment and sensual desires. The bhikkhu, does not delight, welcome and cling
to them, and so the interest ceases. Punna, I say, the cessation of interest is
the cessation of unpleasantness.
Punna, I have advised you in short. Now in which state will you abide?û
ßVenerable sir, now that I'm advised in short, I will abide in the Sunaparanta
state.û
ßPunna, the people of Sunaparanta are rough, if they scold and abuse you, what
will you do?û
ßVenerable sir, if the people of Sunaparanta scold and abuse me. It will occur
to me, indeed the people of Sunaparanta are good, they do not hurt me with their
hands.û
ßPunna, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt you with their hands, what will you
do?û
ßVenerable sir, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt me with their hands, it will
occur to me, indeed the people of Sunaparanta are good, they do not hurt me with
clods.û
ßPunna, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt you with clods, what will you do?û
ßVenerable sir, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt me with clods, it will occur
to me, indeed the people of Sunaparanta are good, they do not hurt me with a
stick.û
ßPunna, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt you with a stick, what will you do?û
ßVenerable sir, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt me with a stick, it will occur
to me, indeed the people of Sunaparanta are good, they do not hurt me with a
weaponû
ßPunna, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt you with a weapon, what will you do?û
ßVenerable sir, if the people of Sunaparanta hurt me with a weapon, it will
occur to me, indeed the people of Sunaparanta are good, they do not end my life
with a sharp weaponû
ßPunna, if the people of Sunaparanta put an end to your life with a sharp
weapon, what will you do?û
ßVenerable sir, if the people of Sunaparanta would put an end to my life, it
will occur to me thus. There are disciples of the Blessed One, who loathing the
body and life search for an assassin. Here I have got an assassin even without a
search.û
ßGood! Punna, it is possible for you to abide in Sunaparanta endowed with that
appeasement in the Teaching. You may do the fit now.û
Venerable Punna, delighting in the words of the Blessed One, got up from his
seat, worshipped the Blessed One, and moving with his right side towards the
Blessed One showed reverence. Putting his dwelling in order and taking bowl and
robes, he left on a tour to Sunaparanta and arrived there in due order. Then he
abode in that state. Venerable Punna, during that same rains, brought forth
about five hundred male disciples and about five hundred female disciples and
realized the three knowledges and venerable Punna attained final extinction.
Then many bhikkhus, approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and
said. `Venerable sir, the clansman who was advised by the Blessed One in short
has passed away. What are his movements after death.?û
ßBhikkhus, the clansman Punna is wise. He stood on his own in the Teaching. [1]
He did not worry me about questions in the Teaching. He has attained final
extinction.û
The Blessed One said thus and those bhikkhus delighted in the words of the
Blessed One.



[1] He stood on his own in the Teaching (paccapàdã dhammàssanudhammaü) means
that when advising he was on his own in the Teaching and did not need a Teacher.
This is a special feature of one who had entered the stream of the Teaching
(sotapattiphalasaccikiriya).