The Chapter at Kusināra
AN 3.123 At Kusinārā Kusinārasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā, in the Forest of Offerings. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, "Mendicants!"
"Venerable sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:
"Mendicants, take the case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village. A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day's meal. The mendicant accepts if they want. When the night has passed, they robe up in the morning, take their bowl and robe, and approach that householder's home, where they sit on the seat spread out. The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.
The mendicant thinks: 'It's so good that this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods.' Then they think: 'I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.' They eat that food tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. They think about it with sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts. A gift to such a mendicant is not very fruitful, I say. Why is that? Because that mendicant is negligent.
Take another case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village. A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day's meal. The mendicant accepts if they want. When the night has passed, they robe up in the morning, take their bowl and robe, and approach that householder's home, where they sit on the seat spread out. The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.
It never occurs to them: 'It's so good that the householder or their child serves and satisfies me with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.' They don't think: 'I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.' They eat that almsfood untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape. They think about it with thoughts of renunciation, good will, or harmlessness. A gift to such a mendicant is very fruitful, I say. Why is that? Because that mendicant is diligent."
AN 3.124 Arguments Bhaṇḍanasutta
"Mendicants, I'm not even comfortable thinking about a place where mendicants argue---quarreling and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words---let alone going there. I come to a conclusion about them: 'Clearly those venerables have given up three things and cultivated three things.' What three things have they given up? Thoughts of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. What three things have they cultivated? Sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts. ... I come to a conclusion about them: 'Clearly those venerables have given up three things and cultivated three things.'
I feel comfortable going to a place where the mendicants live in harmony---appreciating each other, without quarreling, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes---let alone thinking about it. I come to a conclusion about them: 'Clearly those venerables have given up three things and cultivated three things.' What three things have they given up? Sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts. What three things have they cultivated? Thoughts of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. ... I come to a conclusion about them: 'Clearly those venerables have given up three things and cultivated three things.'"
AN 3.125 The Gotamaka Shrine Gotamakacetiyasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Gotamaka Tree-shrine. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, "Mendicants!"
"Venerable sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:
"Mendicants, I teach based on direct knowledge, not without direct knowledge. I teach with reasons, not without them. I teach with a demonstrable basis, not without it. Since this is so, you should follow my advice and instruction. This is enough for you to feel joyful, delighted, and happy: 'The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The teaching is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!'"
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the thousandfold galaxy shook.
AN 3.126 Bharaṇḍu Kālāma Bharaṇḍukālāmasutta
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans when he arrived at Kapilavatthu.
Mahānāma the Sakyan heard that he had arrived. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to him, "Go into Kapilavatthu, Mahānāma, and check if there's a suitable guest house where I can spend the night."
"Yes, sir," replied Mahānāma. He returned to Kapilavatthu and searched all over the city, but he couldn't see a suitable guest house for the Buddha to spend the night.
Then Mahānāma went up to the Buddha, and said to him, "Sir, there's no suitable guest house in Kapilavatthu for you to spend the night. But there is this Bharaṇḍu the Kālāma, who used to be the Buddha's spiritual companion. Why don't you spend the night at his hermitage?"
"Go, Mahānāma, and set out a mat."
"Yes, sir," replied Mahānāma. He went to Bharaṇḍu's hermitage, where he set out a mat, and got foot-washing water ready. Then he went back to the Buddha and said to him, "The mat and foot-washing water are set out. Please, sir, go at your convenience."
Then the Buddha went to Bharaṇḍu's hermitage, sat down on the seat spread out, and washed his feet.
Then it occurred to Mahānāma, "It's too late to pay homage to the Buddha today. He's tired. Tomorrow I'll pay homage to the Buddha." He bowed to the Buddha and respectfully circled him, keeping him on his right, then he left.
Then, when the night had passed, Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
"Mahānāma, there are these three teachers found in the world. What three? One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, but not of forms or feelings. One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures and forms, but not of feelings. One teacher advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, forms, and feelings. These are the three teachers found in the world. Do these three teachers have the same goal or different goals?"
When he said this, Bharaṇḍu said to Mahānāma, "Say they're the same, Mahānāma!"
The Buddha said, "Say they're different, Mahānāma!"
For a second time, Bharaṇḍu said, "Say they're the same, Mahānāma!"
The Buddha said, "Say they're different, Mahānāma!"
For a third time, Bharaṇḍu said, "Say they're the same, Mahānāma!"
The Buddha said, "Say they're different, Mahānāma!"
Then it occurred to Bharaṇḍu, "The Buddha has rebuked me three times in front of this illustrious Mahānāma. Why don't I leave Kapilavatthu?" Then Bharaṇḍu the Kālāma left Kapilavatthu, never to return.
AN 3.127 With Hatthaka Hatthakasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.
Then, late at night, the glorious god Hatthaka, lighting up the entire Jeta's Grove, went up to the Buddha. Thinking, "I will stand before the Buddha," he sank and melted down, and wasn't able to stay still. It's like when ghee or oil is poured on sand, it sinks and melts down, and can't remain stable.
Then the Buddha said to Hatthaka, "Hatthaka, manifest a solid life-form."
"Yes, sir," replied Hatthaka. He manifested a solid life-form, bowed to the Buddha, and stood to one side.
The Buddha said to him, "Hatthaka, I wonder whether you still promulgate now the teachings that you promulgated when you were a human being?"
"I still promulgate the teachings that I promulgated as a human being. And I also promulgate teachings that I didn't promulgate as a human being.
Just as the Buddha these days lives crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples, so I live crowded by the gods. The gods come from far away, thinking, 'We'll hear the teaching in the presence of Hatthaka.'
Sir, I passed away without getting enough of three things. What three? Seeing the Buddha; hearing the true teaching; and serving the Saṅgha. I passed away without getting enough of these three things.
I could never get enough
of seeing the Buddha,
serving the Saṅgha,
or hearing the teaching.Training in the higher ethics,
loving to hear the true teaching,
Hatthaka has gone to the Aviha realm
without getting enough of these three things."
AN 3.128 Bitter Kaṭuviyasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Varanasi for alms. While the Buddha was walking for alms near the cow-hitching place at the wavy leaf fig, he saw a disgruntled monk who was looking for pleasure in external things, unmindful, without situational awareness or immersion, with straying mind and undisciplined faculties.
The Buddha said to him, "Monk, don't be bitter. If you're bitter, festering with putrefaction, flies will, without a doubt, plague and infest you."
Hearing this advice of the Buddha, that monk was struck with a sense of urgency. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, the Buddha told the mendicants what had happened. ...
When he said this, one of the mendicants asked the Buddha:
"Sir, what is this 'bitterness'? What is 'putrefaction'? And what are the 'flies'?"
"Desire is bitterness; ill will is the putrefaction; and bad, unskillful thoughts are the flies. If you're bitter, festering with putrefaction, flies will, without a doubt, plague and infest you.
When your eyes and ears are unguarded,
and you're not restrained in your sense faculties,
flies---those lustful thoughts---
will plague you.A mendicant who's bitter,
festering with putrefaction,
is far from being extinguished,
distress is their lot.Whether in village or wilderness,
if they don't find serenity in themselves,
the fool, the simpleton,
is honored only by flies.But those who have ethics,
lovers of wisdom and peace,
they, being peaceful, sleep at ease,
since they've got rid of the flies."
AN 3.129 With Anuruddha (1st) Paṭhamaanuruddhasutta
Then Venerable Anuruddha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Sometimes, sir, with my clairvoyance that's purified and superhuman, I see that females---when their body breaks up, after death---are mostly reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. How many qualities do females have so that they're reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell?"
"When females have three qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. What three? A female lives at home with a heart full of the stain of stinginess in the morning, jealousy at midday, and sexual desire in the evening. When females have these three qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell."
AN 3.130 With Anuruddha (2nd) Dutiyaanuruddhasutta
Then Venerable Anuruddha went up to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him:
"Here's the thing, Reverend Sāriputta. With clairvoyance that is purified and surpasses the human, I survey the thousandfold galaxy. My energy is roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness is established and lucid, my body is tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind is immersed in samādhi. But my mind is not freed from the defilements by not grasping."
"Well, Reverend Anuruddha, when you say: 'With clairvoyance that is purified and surpasses the human, I survey the thousandfold galaxy,' that's your conceit. And when you say: 'My energy is roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness is established and lucid, my body is tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind is immersed in samādhi,' that's your restlessness. And when you say: 'But my mind is not freed from the defilements by not grasping,' that's your remorse. It would be good to give up these three things. Ignore them and apply your mind to freedom from death."
After some time Anuruddha gave up these three things. Ignoring them, he applied his mind to freedom from death. Then Anuruddha, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: "Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place." And Venerable Anuruddha became one of the perfected.
AN 3.131 Under Cover Paṭicchannasutta
"Mendicants, three things are conveyed under cover, not in the open. What three? Females are married with a veil, not unveiled. Brahmin hymns are conveyed under cover, not openly. Wrong view is conveyed under cover, not in the open. These three things are conveyed under cover, not in the open.
Three things shine in the open, not under cover. What three? The moon shines in the open, not under cover. The sun shines in the open, not under cover. The teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One shine in the open, not under cover. These three things shine in the open, not under cover."
AN 3.132 Etchings Lekhasutta
"Mendicants, these three people are found in the world. What three? A person like a line drawn in stone, a person like a line drawn in sand, and a person like a line drawn in water.
And who is the person like a line drawn in stone? It's a person who is often angry, and their anger lingers for a long time. It's like a line drawn in stone, which isn't quickly worn away by wind and water, but lasts for a long time. In the same way, a person is often angry, and their anger lingers for a long time. This is called a person like a line drawn in stone.
And who is the person like a line drawn in sand? It's a person who is often angry, but their anger doesn't linger long. It's like a line drawn in sand, which is quickly worn away by wind and water, and doesn't last long. In the same way, a person is often angry, but their anger doesn't linger long. This is called a person like a line drawn in sand.
And who is the person like a line drawn in water? It's a person who, though spoken to by someone in a rough, harsh, and disagreeable manner, still stays in touch, interacts with, and greets them. It's like a line drawn in water, which vanishes right away, and doesn't last long. In the same way, a person, though spoken to by someone in a rough, harsh, and disagreeable manner, still stays in touch, interacts with, and greets them. This is called a person like a line drawn in water.
These are the three people found in the world."