Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.
Now at that time, the venerable |Lomasakaṅgiya::name of an arahant monk; lit. having hairy limbs [lomasakaṅgiya]| was dwelling among the Sakyans at |Kapilavatthu::name of the capital city of the Sakyans, the birthplace of the Buddha [kapilavatthu]| in the Banyan Park.
Atha kho candano devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ nigrodhārāmaṁ obhāsetvā yenāyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho candano devaputto āyasmantaṁ lomasakaṅgiyaṁ etadavoca:
Then, when the night was far advanced, the deity |Candana::::Chandana|, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Banyan Park, approached the venerable Lomasakaṅgiya. Having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, the deity |Candana::::Chandana| said to the venerable Lomasakaṅgiya:
“dhāresi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā”ti?
“Do you remember the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night,’ bhikkhu?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā”ti?
“I do not remember the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night,’ friend. But do you, friend, remember the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’?”
“Ahampi kho, bhikkhu, na dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Dhāresi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?
“I too|, bhikkhu,::::| do not remember the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’ But do you|, bhikkhu,::::| remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?
“I do not remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night,’ friend. But do you, friend, remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’?”
“Dhāremi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti.
“I remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night,’ bhikkhu.”
“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, āvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā”ti?
“But how, friend, do you remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’?”
“Ekamidaṁ, bhikkhu, samayaṁ bhagavā devesu tāvatiṁsesu viharati pāricchattakamūle paṇḍukambalasilāyaṁ. Tatra bhagavā devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:
“At one time, |bhikkhu,::::| the Blessed One was dwelling among the |Tāvatiṁsa::heaven of the Thirty Three [tāvatiṁsa]| deities at the foot of the Pāricchattaka tree, on the Paṇḍukambala rock. There the Blessed One recited the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’ to the Tāvatiṁsa deities:
Verse
‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.
‘Let not a person |revive::relive, return to; lit. causes to follow back [anvāgameti]| the past,
|nor place hope upon::does not anticipate, does not expect, does not personally wish for [nappaṭikaṅkhati]| the future;
for whatever is past is |given up::abandoned, dispelled, eliminated, left behind [pahīna]|,
and the future has not been reached.
Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.
Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he |discerns with insight::sees in detail, understands with insight; lit. sees distinctly [vipassati]|;
|that unassailable, steady [vision]::Per MA, this describes insight not overpowered by lust or defilements. Here it refers not to Nibbāna itself, but to a stage of insight practice—contemplation of the present moment without being shaken or misled into a view of self. [asaṁhīra asaṅkuppa]|—
the wise one should cultivate.
Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.
Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.
Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’ti.
But one who dwells |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application; lit. burning [ātāpī]|,
|energetic::without laziness [atandita]|, both day and night;
it is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.’
Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Uggaṇhāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; pariyāpuṇāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; dhārehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Atthasaṁhito, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddeso ca vibhaṅgo ca ādibrahmacariyako”ti.
This is how|, bhikkhu,::::| I remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’ Learn the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’; memorize the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’; remember the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’ The summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’ is beneficial, |bhikkhu,::::| and is fundamental to the spiritual life.”
Idamavoca candano devaputto. Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi.
This is what the deity |Candana::::Chandana| said. Having said this, he vanished right there.
Atha kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo tassā rattiyā accayena senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sāvatthi tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sāvatthi jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, at the end of that night, the venerable Lomasakaṅgiya put his lodging in order, took his bowl and robe, and set out wandering towards Sāvatthi. Wandering by stages, he arrived at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Lomasakaṅgiya said to the Blessed One:
“Ekamidāhaṁ, bhante, samayaṁ sakkesu viharāmi kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho, bhante, aññataro devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ nigrodhārāmaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho, bhante, so devaputto maṁ etadavoca: ‘dhāresi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā’ti? Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, taṁ devaputtaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañcā’ti? ‘Ahampi kho, bhikkhu, na dhāremi bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Dhāresi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā’ti? ‘Na kho ahaṁ, āvuso, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Tvaṁ panāvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā’ti? ‘Dhāremi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattiyo gāthā’ti. ‘Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, āvuso, dhāresi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā’ti? ‘Ekamidaṁ, bhikkhu, samayaṁ bhagavā devesu tāvatiṁsesu viharati pāricchattakamūle paṇḍukambalasilāyaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:
“At one time, venerable sir, I was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Park. Then, venerable sir, when the night was far advanced, a certain deity of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Banyan Park, approached me. Having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, venerable sir, that deity said to me: ‘Do you remember the summary and exposition of “One who has had a single auspicious night,”| bhikkhu::::|?’ When this was said, venerable sir, I said to that deity: ‘I do not remember the summary and exposition of “One who has had a single auspicious night,” friend. But do you, friend, remember the summary and exposition of “One who has had a single auspicious night”?’ ‘I too|, bhikkhu,::::| do not remember the summary and exposition of “One who has had a single auspicious night.” But do you|, bhikkhu,::::| remember the verses of “One who has had a single auspicious night”?’ ‘I do not remember the verses of “One who has had a single auspicious night,” friend. But do you, friend, remember the verses of “One who has had a single auspicious night”?’ ‘I remember the verses of “One who has had a single auspicious night|,” bhikkhu::::”|.’ ‘But how, friend, do you remember the verses of “One who has had a single auspicious night”?’ ‘At one time, |bhikkhu,::::| the Blessed One was dwelling among the Tāvatiṁsa deities at the foot of the Pāricchattaka tree, on the Paṇḍukambala rock. There the Blessed One recited the summary and exposition of “One who has had a single auspicious night” to the Tāvatiṁsa deities:
“Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
…pe…
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī”ti.
‘Let not a person revive the past,
...
it is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.’
Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhu, dhāremi bhaddekarattiyo gāthā. Uggaṇhāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; pariyāpuṇāhi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca; dhārehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca. Atthasaṁhito, bhikkhu, bhaddekarattassa uddeso ca vibhaṅgo ca ādibrahmacariyako’ti.
This is how|, bhikkhu,::::| I remember the verses of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’ Learn the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’; memorize the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’; remember the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’ The summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night’ is beneficial, |bhikkhu,::::| and is fundamental to the spiritual life.’
Idamavoca, bhante, so devaputto. Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca desetū”ti.
This is what that deity said, venerable sir. Having said this, he vanished right there. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the summary and exposition of ‘One who has had a single auspicious night.’”
“Jānāsi pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, taṁ devaputtan”ti?
“But do you know that deity, bhikkhu?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi taṁ devaputtan”ti.
“I do not know that deity, venerable sir.”
“Candano nāma so, bhikkhu, devaputto. Candano, bhikkhu, devaputto aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasikatvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti. Tena hi, bhikkhu, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“That deity is named |Candana::::Chandana||, bhikkhu.::::.| The deity |Candana::::Chandana||, bhikkhu,::::| listens to the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, paying attention, focusing his whole mind, and lending an ear. Then listen to this|, bhikkhu,::::| and pay close attention; I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Lomasakaṅgiya replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.
“Let not a person revive the past,
nor place hope upon the future;
for whatever is past is given up,
and the future has not been reached.
Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.
Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he discerns with insight;
that unassailable, steady [vision]—
the wise one should cultivate.
Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.
Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.
Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate muni.
But one who dwells with continuous effort,
energetic, both day and night;
it is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.
Exposition
Kathañca, bhikkhu, atītaṁ anvāgameti …pe…
And how|, bhikkhu,::::| does one revive the past? One thinks, ‘I was of such |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| in the past,’ and thus finds |delight::pleasure, enjoyment, relish [nandi]| there. One thinks, ‘I had such |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, experience felt on contact; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such |intentional constructs::the constructive activity that shapes each moment of experience, expressed as bodily, verbal, and mental formations; the accumulated conditioning — patterns, tendencies, and habits — produced by prior action [saṅkhārā]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| in the past,’ and thus finds delight there.
evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, atītaṁ anvāgameti.
This|, bhikkhu,::::| is how one revives the past.
Kathañca, bhikkhu, atītaṁ nānvāgameti …pe…
And how|, bhikkhu,::::| does one not revive the past? One thinks, ‘I was of such form in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such feeling in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such perception in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such intentional constructs in the past,’ and does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ and does not find delight there.
evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, atītaṁ nānvāgameti.
This is how|, bhikkhu,::::| one does not revive the past.
Kathañca, bhikkhu, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati …pe…
And how|, bhikkhu,::::| does one place hope upon the future? One thinks, ‘I may have such form in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such feeling in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such intentional constructs in the future,’ and thus finds delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ and thus finds delight there.
evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati.
This is how|, bhikkhu,::::| one places hope upon the future.
Kathañca, bhikkhu, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati …pe…
And how|, bhikkhu,::::| does one not place hope upon the future? One thinks, ‘I may have such form in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such feeling in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such intentional constructs in the future,’ but does not find delight there. One thinks, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ but does not find delight there.
evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati.
This is how|, bhikkhu,::::| one does not place hope upon the future.
Kathañca, bhikkhu, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati …pe…
And how|, bhikkhu,::::| |is one swept away by::is carried away by, is drawn along by [saṁhīrati]| presently arisen |phenomena::characteristics, thoughts, mental states, mental qualities [dhammā]|? Here, |bhikkhu,::::| an |uninstructed::uninitiated, untaught, untrained [assutavant]| ordinary person, |who has no regard for::lit. who has not seen [adassāvī]| the Noble Ones and is unskilled and untrained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones; who has no regard for the persons of integrity, and is unskilled and untrained in the Dhamma of the persons of integrity, perceives form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as being in self, or self as being in form; perceives feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as being in self, or self as being in feeling; perceives perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as being in self, or self as being in perception; perceives intentional constructs as self, or self as possessing intentional constructs, or intentional constructs as being in self, or self as being in intentional constructs; perceives consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as being in self, or self as being in consciousness.
evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati.
In this way, |bhikkhu,::::| one is swept away by presently arisen phenomena.
Kathañca, bhikkhu, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati …pe…
And how|, bhikkhu,::::| |is one not swept away by::is not carried away by, is not drawn along by [na + saṁhīrati]| presently arisen phenomena? Here, |bhikkhu,::::| a learned disciple of the Noble Ones, who has regard for the Noble Ones and is skilled and trained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones; who has regard for the persons of integrity and is skilled and trained in the Dhamma of the persons of integrity, does not perceive form as self, nor self as possessing form, nor form as being in self, nor self as being in form; does not perceive feeling as self, nor self as possessing feeling, nor feeling as being in self, nor self as being in feeling; does not perceive perception as self, nor self as possessing perception, nor perception as being in self, nor self as being in perception; does not perceive intentional constructs as self, nor self as possessing intentional constructs, nor intentional constructs as being in self, nor self as being in intentional constructs; does not perceive consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness, nor consciousness as being in self, nor self as being in consciousness.
evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.
In this way, |bhikkhu,::::| one is not swept away by presently arisen phenomena.
Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.
Let not a person revive the past,
nor place hope upon the future;
for whatever is past is given up,
and the future has not been reached.
Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.
Whatever phenomena are presently arisen,
in each case he discerns with insight;
that unassailable, steady [vision]—
the wise one should cultivate.
Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.
Effort should be made today,
for who knows if death will come tomorrow?
There is no negotiating with death,
the great army that spares none.
Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī”ti.
But one who dwells with continuous effort,
energetic, both day and night;
it is they, the Peaceful Sage has said,
who has had a single auspicious night.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā lomasakaṅgiyo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
The Blessed One said this. The venerable Lomasakaṅgiya was delighted and pleased with the Blessed One’s words.