SN21:10 A Bhikkhu Named Elder
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion a certain bhikkhu named Elder [n.397] Aññataro bhikkhu theranāmako. Spk does not explain this peculiar name or further identify the monk. was a lone dweller and spoke in praise of dwelling alone. He entered the village for alms alone, he returned alone, he sat alone in private, he undertook walking meditation alone.
Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, sn.ii.283 paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: "Here, venerable sir, there is a certain bhikkhu named Elder who is a lone dweller and who speaks in praise of dwelling alone."
2Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu thus: "Come, bhikkhu, tell the bhikkhu Elder in my name that the Teacher calls him."
"Yes, venerable sir," that bhikkhu replied, and he went to the Venerable Elder and told him: "The Teacher calls you, friend Elder."
"Yes, friend," the Venerable Elder replied, and he approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him: "Is it true, Elder, that you are a lone dweller and speak in praise of dwelling alone?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"But how, Elder, are you a lone dweller and how do you speak in praise of dwelling alone?"
"Here, venerable sir, I enter the village for alms alone, I return alone, I sit alone in private, and I undertake walking meditation alone. It is in such a way that I am a lone dweller and speak in praise of dwelling alone."
3"That is a way of dwelling alone, Elder, I do not deny this. But as to how dwelling alone is fulfilled in detail, listen to that and attend closely, I will speak."
"Yes, venerable sir."
"And how, Elder, is dwelling alone fulfilled in detail? Here, Elder, what lies in the past has been abandoned, what lies in the future has been relinquished, and desire and lust for present forms of individual existence has been thoroughly removed. [n.398] Spk: The past is said to be abandoned (pahīnaṁ) by the abandoning of desire and lust for the five aggregates of the past; the future is relinquished (paṭinissaṭṭhaṁ) by the relinquishing of desire and lust for the five aggregates of the future. Cp. MN III 188–89, 195–98. The plural attabhāvapaṭilābhesu is hard to account for; perhaps it means the five aggregates taken individually, though this would be an unusual use of the expression. It is in such a way, Elder, that dwelling alone is fulfilled in detail." sn.ii.284
4This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
5"The wise one, all-conqueror, all-knower,
Among all things unsullied, with all cast off,
Liberated in the destruction of craving:
I call that person ‘one who dwells alone.’"
[n.399] The first three pādas are at Sn 211 and, with a variation, at Dhp 353. Spk: All-conqueror (sabābhibhuṁ): one who abides having overcome all aggregates, sense bases, and elements, and the three kinds of existence. Unsullied (anupalittaṁ, or "unstuck") among those very things by the paste (lepa) of craving and views. Liberated in the destruction of craving (taṇhakkhaye vimuttaṁ): liberated in Nibbāna, called the destruction of craving by way of the liberation that takes this as its object.
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu theranāmako ekavihārī ceva hoti ekavihārassa ca vaṇṇavādī. So eko gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisati eko paṭikkamati eko raho nisīdati eko caṅkamaṁ adhiṭṭhāti.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "idha, bhante, aññataro bhikkhu theranāmako ekavihārī ekavihārassa ca vaṇṇavādī"ti.
2Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: "ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena theraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehi: ‘satthā taṁ, āvuso thera, āmantetī’"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā thero tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: "satthā taṁ, āvuso thera, āmantetī"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā thero tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ theraṁ bhagavā etadavoca: "Saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, thera, ekavihārī ekavihārassa ca vaṇṇavādī"ti?
"Evaṁ, bhante".
"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, thera, ekavihārī ekavihārassa ca vaṇṇavādī"ti?
"Idhāhaṁ, bhante, eko gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisāmi eko paṭikkamāmi eko raho nisīdāmi eko caṅkamaṁ adhiṭṭhāmi. Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, ekavihārī ekavihārassa ca vaṇṇavādī"ti.
3"Attheso, thera, ekavihāro neso natthīti vadāmi. Api ca, thera, yathā ekavihāro vitthārena paripuṇṇo hoti taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho … pe … .
"Kathañca, thera, ekavihāro vitthārena paripuṇṇo hoti. Idha, thera, yaṁ atītaṁ taṁ pahīnaṁ, yaṁ anāgataṁ taṁ paṭinissaṭṭhaṁ, paccuppannesu ca attabhāvapaṭilābhesu chandarāgo suppaṭivinīto. Evaṁ kho, thera, ekavihāro vitthārena paripuṇṇo hotī"ti.
4Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
5"Sabbābhibhuṁ sabbaviduṁ sumedhaṁ,
Sabbesu dhammesu anūpalittaṁ;
Sabbañjahaṁ taṇhākkhaye vimuttaṁ,
Tamahaṁ naraṁ ekavihārīti brūmī"ti.
Dasamaṁ.