The Buddha teaches on at kusinārā, presenting a threefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 3.123 At Kusinārā

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati baliharaṇe vanasaṇḍe. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ nigamaṁ upanissāya viharati. Tamenaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti. Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti. So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa gahapatiputtassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati. Tamenaṁ so gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.

Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti. Evampissa hoti: ‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti. So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. So tattha kāmavitakkampi vitakketi, byāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, vihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi. Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ na mahapphalanti vadāmi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Pamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharati.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ nigamaṁ upanissāya viharati. Tamenaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti. Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti. So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa gahapatiputtassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati. Tamenaṁ so gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.

Tassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti. Evampissa na hoti: ‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti. So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. So tattha nekkhammavitakkampi vitakketi, abyāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, avihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi. Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ mahapphalanti vadāmi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Appamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharatī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati baliharaṇe vanasaṇḍe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā, in the Forest of Offerings.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ nigamaṁ upanissāya viharati.

“Mendicants, take the case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village.

Tamenaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti.

A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day’s meal.

Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti.

The mendicant accepts if they want.

So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa gahapatiputtassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati.

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.

Tamenaṁ so gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.

The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

The mendicant thinks:

‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti.

‘It’s so good that this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods.’

Evampissa hoti:

Then they think:

‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti.

‘I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.’

So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

They eat that food tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape.

So tattha kāmavitakkampi vitakketi, byāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, vihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi.

They think about it with sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts.

Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ na mahapphalanti vadāmi.

A gift to such a mendicant is not very fruitful, I say.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Pamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharati.

Because that mendicant is negligent.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ gāmaṁ nigamaṁ upanissāya viharati.

Take another case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village.

Tamenaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto upasaṅkamitvā svātanāya bhattena nimanteti.

A householder or their child approaches and invites them for the next day’s meal.

Ākaṅkhamāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu adhivāseti.

The mendicant accepts if they want.

So tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena tassa gahapatissa gahapatiputtassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamati; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdati.

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.

Tamenaṁ so gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāreti.

The householder or their child serves and satisfies them with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Tassa na evaṁ hoti:

It never occurs to them:

‘sādhu vata myāyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeti sampavāretī’ti.

‘It’s so good that the householder or their child serves and satisfies me with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.’

Evampissa na hoti:

They don’t think:

‘aho vata māyaṁ gahapati gahapatiputto āyatimpi evarūpena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappeyya sampavāreyyā’ti.

‘I really hope this householder serves me with delicious fresh and cooked foods in the future, too.’

So taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

They eat that almsfood untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape.

So tattha nekkhammavitakkampi vitakketi, abyāpādavitakkampi vitakketi, avihiṁsāvitakkampi vitakketi.

They think about it with thoughts of renunciation, good will, or harmlessness.

Evarūpassāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dinnaṁ mahapphalanti vadāmi.

A gift to such a mendicant is very fruitful, I say.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Appamatto hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viharatī”ti.

Because that mendicant is diligent.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Non-harm

Non-harm

The intention of harmlessness, rooted in the understanding that all beings tremble at violence and fear death.

Also known as: non-violence, non-injury, harmlessness, non-killing, non-hurting
Pāli: avihiṃsā, ahiṁsa
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026