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Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.13 Linked Discourses 47.13
2. Nālandavagga 2. At Nāḷandā
Cundasutta With Cunda
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. This event follows SN 47.12 at Nāḷandā and precedes SN 47.14 at Ukkacelā on the Vajjian shore of the Ganges, so the Buddha must have been somewhere on the road between them, not in Sāvatthī. The commentary rather implausibly tries to reconcile this by proposing that the eighty-year old Buddha and Sāriputta took a side journey of over a thousand kilometres. It is simpler to assume that, since Sāvatthī was the default location for teachings and is often ascribed as a matter of convention, it was mentioned here by mistake.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto magadhesu viharati nālakagāmake ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. At that time Venerable Sāriputta was staying in the Magadhan lands near the little village of Nālaka, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.
Cundo ca samaṇuddeso āyasmato sāriputtassa upaṭṭhāko hoti. And the novice Cunda was his carer. The commentaries identify “novice Cunda”, who reported the deaths of Sāriputta (SN 47.13:1.3) and Mahāvīra (DN 29:2.1, MN 104:3.1), as Sāriputta’s younger brother, explaining that the title “novice” was a nickname that persisted from the time he ordained as a young novice. The commentaries further identify him with Mahācunda, one of the great disciples (MN 8, MN 118, AN 6.17), who later brought the Dhamma to the land of the Cetīs (AN 6.46, AN 10.24), and once stayed with Channa and Sāriputta (MN 144:4.1, SN 35.87:1.2).
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto teneva ābādhena parinibbāyi. Then Venerable Sāriputta was fully extinguished from that sickness.
Atha kho cundo samaṇuddeso āyasmato sāriputtassa pattacīvaramādāya yena sāvatthi jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho cundo samaṇuddeso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: Then Cunda took Sāriputta’s bowl and robes and set out for Sāvatthī. He went to see Venerable Ānanda at Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Sāriputta’s passing is treated with simplicity and dignity. There is no mention of relics, or any supernatural occurrences.
“āyasmā, bhante, sāriputto parinibbuto. “Sir, Venerable Sāriputta has become fully quenched.
Idamassa pattacīvaran”ti. This is his bowl and robe.”
“Atthi kho idaṁ, āvuso cunda, kathāpābhataṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya. “Reverend Cunda, we should see the Buddha about this matter.
Āyāmāvuso cunda, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocessāmā”ti. Come, let’s go to the Buddha and inform him about this.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho cundo samaṇuddeso āyasmato ānandassa paccassosi. “Yes, sir,” replied Cunda.
Atha kho āyasmā ca ānando cundo ca samaṇuddeso yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: Then Ānanda and Cunda went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“ayaṁ, bhante, cundo samaṇuddeso evamāha: “Sir, this novice Cunda says that
‘āyasmā, bhante, sāriputto parinibbuto; Venerable Sāriputta has become fully quenched.
idamassa pattacīvaran’ti. This is his bowl and robe.
Api ca me, bhante, madhurakajāto viya kāyo, disāpi me na pakkhāyanti, dhammāpi maṁ nappaṭibhanti ‘āyasmā sāriputto parinibbuto’ti sutvā”. Since I heard this, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, and the teachings don’t spring to mind.”
“Kiṁ nu kho te, ānanda, sāriputto sīlakkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto, samādhikkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto, paññākkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto, vimuttikkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto, vimuttiñāṇadassanakkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto”ti? “Well, Ānanda, when Sāriputta was fully quenched, did he take away your entire spectrum of ethical conduct, of immersion, of wisdom, of freedom, or of the knowledge and vision of freedom?” These five “spectrums” (dhammakkhandha) are normally said to be the qualities of arahants (SN 3.24:3.6, AN 10.12:2.2). This is anomalous, as Ānanda is still a trainee and has not fully developed the last two. See also SN 55.26:17.1, where the stream-enterer Anāthapiṇḍika is said to possess right knowledge and right freedom.
“Na ca kho me, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto sīlakkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto, samādhikkhandhaṁ vā …pe… “No, sir, he did not.
paññākkhandhaṁ vā …pe…
vimuttikkhandhaṁ vā …pe…
vimuttiñāṇadassanakkhandhaṁ vā ādāya parinibbuto.
Api ca me, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto ovādako ahosi otiṇṇo viññāpako sandassako samādapako samuttejako sampahaṁsako, akilāsu dhammadesanāya, anuggāhako sabrahmacārīnaṁ. But Venerable Sāriputta was my adviser and counselor. He educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired me. He never tired of teaching the Dhamma, and he supported his spiritual companions. Text’s otiṇṇo appears to be an error and I ignore it.
Taṁ mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa dhammojaṁ dhammabhogaṁ dhammānuggahaṁ anussarāmā”ti. I remember the nectar of the teaching, the riches of the teaching, the support of the teaching given by Venerable Sāriputta.”
“Nanu taṁ, ānanda, mayā paṭikacceva akkhātaṁ: “Ānanda, did I not prepare for this when I explained that
‘sabbehi piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo aññathābhāvo. we must be parted and separated from all we hold dear and beloved?
Taṁ kutettha, ānanda, labbhā. Yaṁ taṁ jātaṁ bhūtaṁ saṅkhataṁ palokadhammaṁ, taṁ vata mā palujjīti—How could it possibly be so that what is born, created, conditioned, and liable to wear out should not wear out?
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. That is not possible.
Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato yo mahantataro khandho so palujjeyya; Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood, and the largest branch broke off. “Wear out” and “broke off” are both palujjati.
evameva kho ānanda, mahato bhikkhusaṅghassa tiṭṭhato sāravato sāriputto parinibbuto. In the same way, in the great Saṅgha that stands with heartwood, Sāriputta has become fully quenched.
Taṁ kutettha, ānanda, labbhā. Yaṁ taṁ jātaṁ bhūtaṁ saṅkhataṁ palokadhammaṁ, taṁ vata mā palujjī’ti—How could it possibly be so that what is born, created, conditioned, and liable to wear out should not wear out?
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. That is not possible.
Tasmātihānanda, attadīpā viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā. So Ānanda, live as your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge.
Kathañcānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo? And how does a mendicant do this?
Idhānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
vedanāsu …pe… They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
citte …pe… mind …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Evaṁ kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo. That’s how a mendicant lives with themselves as island and refuge, without other refuge; with the teachings as island and refuge, without other refuge.
Ye hi keci, ānanda, etarahi vā mamaccaye vā attadīpā viharissanti attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā; tamatagge mete, ānanda, bhikkhū bhavissanti ye keci sikkhākāmā”ti. Whether now or after I have passed, any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the teaching as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—those mendicants of mine eager to train shall be among the best of the best.”
Tatiyaṁ.