SN21:8 Nanda
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Nanda, the Blessed One's maternal cousin, put on well-pressed and well-ironed robes, painted his eyes, took a glazed bowl, and approached the Blessed One.
[n.393] He was the son of the Buddha’s father Suddhodana and his aunt and foster mother, Mahāpajāpatī Gotami. Hence, though he was also the Buddha’s half-brother through their common father, the text refers to him as mātucchaputtā, "maternal cousin." His story is at Ud 22 and, more elaborately, at Dhp-a I 115–22; see BL 1:217–23.
Spk: Why did the elder behave thus? To find out what the Teacher thought about it, thinking: "If the Teacher says, ‘My half-brother is beautiful like this,’ I’ll conduct myself in this way all my life. But if he points out a fault here, I’ll give this up, wear a rag-robe, and dwell in a remote lodging."
Having paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side, and the Blessed One said to him:
"Nanda, this is not proper for you, a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, that you wear well-pressed and well-ironed robes, paint your eyes, and carry a glazed bowl. This is proper for you, Nanda, a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, that you be a forest dweller, an almsfood eater, a rag-robes wearer, and that you dwell indifferent to sensual pleasures."
This is what the Blessed One said … who further said this:
2"When shall I see Nanda as a forest dweller,
Wearing robes stitched from rags,
Subsisting on the scraps of strangers,
[n.394] Aññātuñchena yāpentaṁ. Spk: Scraps gained by one seeking delicious, well-seasoned food at the homes of affluent and powerful people are called "scraps of known people" (ñātuncha, lit. "known scraps"). But the mixed food obtained by standing at the doors of houses is called "scraps of strangers" (lit. "unknown scraps").
Indifferent towards sensual pleasures?"
3Then, some time later, the Venerable Nanda became a forest dweller, an almsfood eater, a rag-robes wearer, and he dwelt indifferent to sensual pleasures.
1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. Atha kho āyasmā nando bhagavato mātucchāputto ākoṭitapaccākoṭitāni cīvarāni pārupitvā akkhīni añjetvā acchaṁ pattaṁ gahetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
"na kho te taṁ, nanda, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ ākoṭitapaccākoṭitāni cīvarāni pārupeyyāsi, akkhīni ca añjeyyāsi, acchañca pattaṁ dhāreyyāsi. Etaṁ kho te, nanda, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ āraññiko ca assasi, piṇḍapātiko ca paṁsukūliko ca kāmesu ca anapekkho vihareyyāsī"ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā … pe … satthā:
2"Kadāhaṁ nandaṁ passeyyaṁ,
āraññaṁ paṁsukūlikaṁ;
Aññātuñchena yāpentaṁ,
kāmesu anapekkhinan"ti.
3Atha kho āyasmā nando aparena samayena āraññiko ca piṇḍapātiko ca paṁsukūliko ca kāmesu ca anapekkho vihāsīti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.