The Buddha teaches on nanda, presenting a eightfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 8.9 Nanda

“‘kulaputto’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. ‘Balavā’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. ‘Pāsādiko’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. ‘Tibbarāgo’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Kimaññatra, bhikkhave, nando indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, satisampajaññena samannāgato, yehi nando sakkoti paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti. Sace, bhikkhave, nandassa puratthimā disā āloketabbā hoti, sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando puratthimaṁ disaṁ āloketi: ‘evaṁ me puratthimaṁ disaṁ ālokayato nābhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī’ti. Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.

Sace, bhikkhave, nandassa pacchimā disā āloketabbā hoti …pe… uttarā disā āloketabbā hotidakkhiṇā disā āloketabbā hotiuddhaṁ ulloketabbā hotiadho oloketabbā hotianudisā anuviloketabbā hoti, sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando anudisaṁ anuviloketi: ‘evaṁ me anudisaṁ anuvilokayato nābhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī’ti. Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa bhojane mattaññutāya hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, nando paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa bhojane mattaññutāya hoti.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa jāgariyānuyogasmiṁ hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, nando divasaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti; rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti; rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā; rattiyā pacchimaṁ yāmaṁ paccuṭṭhāya caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa jāgariyānuyogasmiṁ hoti.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa satisampajaññasmiṁ hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, nandassa viditā vedanā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti; viditā saññā …pe… viditā vitakkā …pe… abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa satisampajaññasmiṁ hoti.

Kimaññatra, bhikkhave, nando indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, satisampajaññena samannāgato, yehi nando sakkoti paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caritun”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘kulaputto’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

“Mendicants, you could rightly call Nanda ‘Gentleman’,

‘Balavā’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

‘strong’,

‘Pāsādiko’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

‘lovely’,

‘Tibbarāgo’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

and ‘lustful’.

Kimaññatra, bhikkhave, nando indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, satisampajaññena samannāgato, yehi nando sakkoti paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.

How could he live the full and pure spiritual life unless he guards the sense doors, eats in moderation, is dedicated to wakefulness, and has mindfulness and situational awareness?

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti.

This is how Nanda guards the sense doors.

Sace, bhikkhave, nandassa puratthimā disā āloketabbā hoti, sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando puratthimaṁ disaṁ āloketi:

If he has to look to the east, he wholeheartedly concentrates before looking, thinking:

‘evaṁ me puratthimaṁ disaṁ ālokayato nābhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī’ti.

‘When I look to the east, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure will not overwhelm me.’

Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.

In this way he’s aware of the situation.

Sace, bhikkhave, nandassa pacchimā disā āloketabbā hoti …pe…

If he has to look to the west …

uttarā disā āloketabbā hoti

north …

dakkhiṇā disā āloketabbā hoti

south …

uddhaṁ ulloketabbā hoti

up …

adho oloketabbā hoti

down …

anudisā anuviloketabbā hoti, sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando anudisaṁ anuviloketi:

If he has to survey the intermediate directions, he wholeheartedly concentrates before looking, thinking:

‘evaṁ me anudisaṁ anuvilokayato nābhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī’ti.

‘When I survey the intermediate directions, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure will not overwhelm me.’

Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.

In this way he’s aware of the situation.

Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti.

This is how Nanda guards the sense doors.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa bhojane mattaññutāya hoti.

This is how Nanda eats in moderation.

Idha, bhikkhave, nando paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti:

Nanda reflects rationally on the food he eats:

‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will have the means to keep going, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.’

Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa bhojane mattaññutāya hoti.

This is how Nanda eats in moderation.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa jāgariyānuyogasmiṁ hoti.

This is how Nanda is committed to wakefulness.

Idha, bhikkhave, nando divasaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti;

Nanda practices walking and sitting meditation by day, purifying his mind from obstacles.

rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti;

In the first watch of the night, he continues to practice walking and sitting meditation.

rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā;

In the middle watch, he lies down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up.

rattiyā pacchimaṁ yāmaṁ paccuṭṭhāya caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti.

In the last watch, he gets up and continues to practice walking and sitting meditation, purifying his mind from obstacles.

Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa jāgariyānuyogasmiṁ hoti.

This is how Nanda is committed to wakefulness.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa satisampajaññasmiṁ hoti.

This is how Nanda has mindfulness and situational awareness.

Idha, bhikkhave, nandassa viditā vedanā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti;

Nanda knows feelings as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

viditā saññā …pe…

He knows perceptions as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

viditā vitakkā …pe… abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

He knows thoughts as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa satisampajaññasmiṁ hoti.

This is how Nanda has mindfulness and situational awareness.

Kimaññatra, bhikkhave, nando indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, satisampajaññena samannāgato, yehi nando sakkoti paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caritun”ti.

How could Nanda live the full and pure spiritual life unless he guards the sense doors, eats in moderation, is dedicated to wakefulness, and has mindfulness and situational awareness?”

Navamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
View all discourses →
Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
View all discourses →
Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
View all discourses →
Wakefulness

Wakefulness

A bright alertness of mind that remains clear and attentive, unclouded by dullness or drowsiness. It guards the senses and supports continuous mindfulness.

Also known as: lucidity, alertness, vigilance, watchfulness
Pāli: jāgariyā
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026