A forest deity approaches a mendicant in verse on with ānanda, encouraging seclusion, mindfulness, and freedom from sensual desire.

SN 9.5 With Ānanda

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando ativelaṁ gihisaññattibahulo viharati. Atha kho tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmato ānandassa anukampikā atthakāmā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Rukkhamūlagahanaṁ pasakkiya,
Nibbānaṁ hadayasmiṁ opiya;
Jhāya gotama pamādo,
Kiṁ te biḷibiḷikā karissatī”ti.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando ativelaṁ gihisaññattibahulo viharati.

Now at that time Ānanda was spending too much time persuading lay people.

Atha kho tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmato ānandassa anukampikā atthakāmā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then the deity haunting that forest had sympathy for Ānanda, wanting what’s best for him. So they approached him wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:

“Rukkhamūlagahanaṁ pasakkiya,

“You’ve left for the jungle, the root of a tree,

Nibbānaṁ hadayasmiṁ opiya;

having laid extinguishment in your heart.

Jhāya gotama pamādo,

Meditate, Gotama, don’t be negligent!

Kiṁ te biḷibiḷikā karissatī”ti.

What use is this hullabaloo to you?”

Atha kho āyasmā ānando tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.

Impelled by that deity, Venerable Ānanda was struck with a sense of urgency.

Qualities:

Compassion

Compassion

A mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty.

Also known as: benevolence, concern, sympathy, kindness towards those who are suffering
Pāli: karuṇā, anukampa
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Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Last updated on July 27, 2026