The Chapter with Ānanda
AN 3.71 With Channa Channasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then the wanderer Channa went up to Venerable Ānanda and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda:
"Reverend Ānanda, do you advocate giving up greed, hate, and delusion?"
"We do, reverend."
"But what drawbacks have you seen, Reverend Ānanda, that you advocate giving up greed, hate, and delusion?"
"A greedy person, overcome by greed, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They experience mental pain and sadness. When greed has been given up, they don't intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They don't experience mental pain and sadness. A greedy person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When greed has been given up, they don't do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. A greedy person doesn't truly understand what's for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. When greed has been given up, they truly understand what's for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. Greed is a destroyer of sight, vision, and knowledge. It blocks wisdom, it's on the side of distress, and it doesn't lead to extinguishment.
A hateful person, overcome by hate, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. ...
A deluded person, overcome by delusion, intends to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They experience mental pain and sadness. When delusion has been given up, they don't intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, and hurt both. They don't experience mental pain and sadness. A deluded person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When delusion has been given up, they don't do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. A deluded person doesn't truly understand what's for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. When delusion has been given up, they truly understand what's for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both. Delusion is a destroyer of sight, vision, and knowledge; it blocks wisdom, it's on the side of distress, and it doesn't lead to extinguishment.
This is the drawback we've seen in greed, hate, and delusion, and this is why we advocate giving them up."
"But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion?"
"There is, reverend, a path and a practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion."
"Well, what is it?"
"It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the path, this is the practice for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion."
"This is a fine path, a fine practice, for giving up that greed, hate, and delusion. Just this much is enough to be diligent."
AN 3.72 A Disciple of the Ājīvakas Ājīvakasutta
At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita's Monastery. Then a householder who was a disciple of the Ājīvaka ascetics went up to Venerable Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to Ānanda:
"Honorable Ānanda, whose teaching is well explained? Who in the world is practicing well? Who in the world has done well?"
"Well then, householder, I'll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, householder? Is the teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion well explained or not? Or how do you see this?"
"The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained. That's how I see it."
"What do you think, householder? Are those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion practicing well or not? Or how do you see this?"
"Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well. That's how I see it."
"What do you think, householder? Have those who've given up greed, hate, and delusion---so they're cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future---done well in the world, or not? Or how do you see this?"
"Those who've given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world. That's how I see it."
"So, householder, you've declared: 'The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.' And you've declared: 'Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.' And you've declared: 'Those who've given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.'"
"It's incredible, sir, it's amazing! There's no acclaiming your own teaching or disrespecting someone else's, just teaching what's relevant in that context. The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved. You, sir, teach Dhamma for giving up greed, hate, and delusion. Your teaching is well explained. You, sir, practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion. You in the world are practicing well. You've given up greed, hate, and delusion. You in the world have done well.
Excellent, sir! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what's there, Master Ānanda has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may Master Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life."
AN 3.73 With Mahānāma the Sakyan Mahānāmasakkasutta
So I have heard.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Now at that time the Buddha had recently recovered from an illness. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"For a long time, sir, I have understood your teaching like this: 'Knowledge is for those with immersion, not those without immersion.' But, sir, does immersion come first, then knowledge? Or does knowledge come first, then immersion?"
Then Venerable Ānanda thought, "The Buddha has recently recovered from an illness, and this Mahānāma asks him a question that's too deep. Why don't I take him off to one side and teach him the Dhamma?"
Then Ānanda took Mahānāma by the arm, led him off to one side, and said to him, "Mahānāma, the Buddha has spoken of the ethics, immersion, and wisdom of a trainee; and the ethics, immersion, and wisdom of an adept. What is the ethics of a trainee? It's when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they've undertaken. This is called the ethics of a trainee.
And what is the immersion of a trainee? It's when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption ... second absorption ... third absorption ... fourth absorption. This is called the immersion of a trainee.
And what is the wisdom of a trainee? They truly understand: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. This is called the wisdom of a trainee.
Then a noble disciple---accomplished in ethics, immersion, and wisdom---realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.
In this way the Buddha has spoken of the ethics, immersion, and wisdom of both a trainee and an adept."
AN 3.74 Jains Nigaṇṭhasutta
At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then the Licchavis Abhaya and Paṇḍitakumāra went up to Venerable Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Sir, the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus: 'Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.' He advocates the elimination of past deeds by fervent mortification, and breaking the bridge by not doing any new deeds. So with the ending of deeds, suffering ends; with the ending of suffering, feeling ends; and with the ending of feeling, all suffering will have been worn away. This is how to go beyond suffering by means of this purification by wearing away in the present life. What, sir, does the Buddha say about this?"
"Abhaya, these three kinds of purification by wearing away have been rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment. What three?
It's when, Abhaya, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they've undertaken. They don't perform any new deeds, and old deeds are eliminated by experiencing their results little by little. This wearing away is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
Then a mendicant accomplished in ethics, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption ... second absorption ... third absorption ... fourth absorption. They don't perform any new deeds, and old deeds are eliminated by experiencing their results little by little. This wearing away is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
Then a mendicant accomplished in immersion realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. They don't perform any new deeds, and old deeds are eliminated by experiencing their results little by little. This wearing away is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
These are the three kinds of purification by wearing away that have been rightly explained by the Buddha ... in order to realize extinguishment."
When he said this, Paṇḍitakumāra said to Abhaya, "Dear Abhaya, is there anything in what Ānanda has said so well that you would disagree with?"
"How could I not agree with what was said so well by Ānanda? If anyone didn't agree with him, their head would explode!"
AN 3.75 Support Nivesakasutta
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
"Ānanda, those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to---friends and colleagues, relatives and family---should be encouraged, supported, and established in three things. What three?
Experiential confidence in the Buddha: 'That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.'
Experiential confidence in the teaching: 'The teaching is well explained by the Buddha---apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.'
Experiential confidence in the Saṅgha: 'The Saṅgha of the Buddha's disciples is practicing the way that's good, sincere, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha's disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.'
There might be change in the four principal states---earth, water, air, and fire---but a noble disciple with experiential confidence in the Buddha would never change. In this context, 'change' means that such a noble disciple will be reborn in hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm: this is quite impossible.
There might be change in the four principal states---earth, water, air, and fire---but a noble disciple with experiential confidence in the teaching ... or the Saṅgha would never change. In this context, 'change' means that such a noble disciple will be reborn in hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm: this is quite impossible.
Those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to---friends and colleagues, relatives and family---should be encouraged, supported, and established in these three things."
AN 3.76 Continued Existence (1st) Paṭhamabhavasutta
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Sir, they speak of this thing called 'continued existence'. How is continued existence defined?"
"If, Ānanda, there were no deeds to result in the sensual realm, would continued existence in the sensual realm still come about?"
"No, sir."
"So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The consciousness of sentient beings---shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving---is established in a lower realm. That's how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future.
If there were no deeds to result in the realm of luminous form, would continued existence in the realm of luminous form still come about?"
"No, sir."
"So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The consciousness of sentient beings---shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving---is established in a middle realm. That's how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future.
If there were no deeds to result in the formless realm, would continued existence in the formless realm still come about?"
"No, sir."
"So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The consciousness of sentient beings---shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving---is established in a higher realm. That's how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future. That's how continued existence is defined."
AN 3.77 Continued Existence (2nd) Dutiyabhavasutta
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Sir, they speak of this thing called 'continued existence'. How is continued existence defined?"
"If, Ānanda, there were no deeds to result in the sensual realm, would continued existence in the sensual realm still come about?"
"No, sir."
"So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The intention and aim of sentient beings---shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving---is established in a lower realm. That's how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future.
If there were no deeds to result in the realm of luminous form, would continued existence in the realm of luminous form still come about?"
"No, sir."
"So, Ānanda, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The intention and aim of sentient beings---shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving---is established in a middle realm. That's how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future.
If there were no deeds to result in the formless realm, would continued existence in the formless realm still come about?"
"No, sir."
"So, deeds are the field, consciousness is the seed, and craving is the moisture. The intention and aim of sentient beings---shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving---is established in a higher realm. That's how there is rebirth into a new state of existence in the future. That's how continued existence is defined."
AN 3.78 Precepts and Observances Sīlabbatasutta
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: "Ānanda, are all precepts and observances, lifestyles, and spiritual paths fruitful when taken as the essence?"
"This matter is not categorical, sir."
"Well then, Ānanda, break it down."
"Take the case of someone who cultivates precepts and observances, a lifestyle, and a spiritual path, taking this as the essence. If unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline, that's not fruitful. However, if unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow, that is fruitful."
That's what Ānanda said, and the teacher approved.
Then Ānanda, knowing that the teacher approved, got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Then, not long after Ānanda had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: "Mendicants, Ānanda is a trainee, but it's not easy to find his equal in wisdom."
AN 3.79 Fragrances Gandhajātasutta
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Sir, there are these three kinds of fragrance that spread only with the wind, not against it. What three? The fragrance of roots, heartwood, and flowers. These are the three kinds of fragrance that spread only with the wind, not against it. Is there a kind of fragrance that spreads with the wind, and against it, and both ways?"
"There is, Ānanda, such a kind of fragrance."
"So what, sir, is that kind of fragrance?"
"It's when, Ānanda, in some village or town, a woman or man has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They don't kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. They're ethical, of good character. They live at home with a heart rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.
Ascetics and brahmins everywhere praise them for these good qualities; even the deities praise them. This is the kind of fragrance that spreads with the wind, and against it, and both.
The fragrance of flowers
>doesn't spread against the wind,
nor sandalwood, pinwheel flowers, or jasmine;
but the fragrance of the good
>spreads against the wind;
a true person's virtue spreads in every direction."
AN 3.80 Lesser Cūḷanikāsutta
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: 'Ānanda, the Buddha Sikhī had a disciple called Abhibhū. Standing in the realm of divinity, he could make his voice heard throughout the thousandfold galaxy.' I wonder how far a Blessed One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha can make their voice heard?"
"He was a disciple, Ānanda. Realized Ones are immeasurable."
For a second time ...
For a third time, Ānanda said to the Buddha: "... I wonder how far a Blessed One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha can make their voice heard?"
"Ānanda, have you heard of a thousandfold lesser world system, a galaxy?"
"Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! Let the Buddha speak. The mendicants will listen and remember it."
"Well then, Ānanda, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."
"Yes, sir," Ānanda replied. The Buddha said this:
"Ānanda, a galaxy extends a thousand times as far as the moon and sun revolve and the shining ones light up the quarters. In that galaxy there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sinerus king of mountains, a thousand Black Plum Tree Lands, a thousand Western Continents, a thousand Northern Continents, a thousand Eastern Continents, four thousand oceans, four thousand great kings, a thousand realms of the gods of the four great kings, a thousand realms of the gods of the thirty-three, of the gods of Yama, of the joyful gods, of the gods who love to imagine, of the gods who control what is imagined by others, and a thousand realms of divinity. This is called a thousandfold lesser world system, a 'galaxy'.
A world system that extends for a thousand galaxies is called a millionfold middling world system, a 'galactic cluster'.
A world system that extends for a thousand galactic clusters is called a billionfold great world system, a 'galactic supercluster'.
If he wished, Ānanda, a Realized One could make his voice heard throughout a galactic supercluster, or as far as he wants."
"But how would the Buddha make his voice heard so far?"
"First, Ānanda, a Realized One would fill the galactic supercluster with light. When sentient beings saw the light, the Realized One would project his call so that they'd hear the sound. That's how a Realized One could make his voice heard throughout a galactic supercluster, or as far as he wants."
When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said, "I'm so fortunate, so very fortunate, to have a teacher with such power and might!"
When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to Venerable Ānanda, "What is it to you, Reverend Ānanda, if your teacher has such power and might?"
When he said this, the Buddha said to Venerable Udāyī, "Not so, Udāyī, not so! If Ānanda were to die while still not free of greed, he would rule as king of the gods for seven lifetimes, or as king of the Black Plum Tree Land for seven lifetimes, because of the confidence of his heart. However, Ānanda will be fully extinguished in this very life."