Nikkhantasutta — Reader

Renounced

Nikkhantasutta

So I have heard. At one time Venerable Vaṅgīsa was staying near Āḷavī, at Āḷavī’s premier shrine, together with his mentor, Venerable Nigrodhakappa. Now at that time Vaṅgīsa was junior, recently gone forth. He had been left behind to look after the dwelling. Then several women dressed in all their finery went to the monastery at Āḷavī’s premier shrine in order to inspect the dwelling.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā vaṅgīso āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye āyasmatā nigrodhakappena upajjhāyena saddhiṁ. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā vaṅgīso navako hoti acirapabbajito ohiyyako vihārapālo. Atha kho sambahulā itthiyo samalaṅkaritvā yena aggāḷavako ārāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu vihārapekkhikāyo.

When Vaṅgīsa saw them he became dissatisfied, with lust infecting his mind. Then he thought, “It’s my loss, my misfortune, that I’ve become dissatisfied, with lust infecting my mind. How is it possible for someone else to dispel my discontent and give rise to satisfaction?

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa tā itthiyo disvā anabhirati uppajjati, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi: “alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ; yassa me anabhirati uppannā, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti, taṁ kutettha labbhā, yaṁ me paro anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyya.

Why don’t I do it myself?” Then, on the occasion of dispelling his own discontent and giving rise to satisfaction, he recited these verses: “Now that I’ve renounced the lay life for homelessness,

Yannūnāhaṁ attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyyan”ti. Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādetvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi: “Nikkhantaṁ vata maṁ santaṁ, agārasmānagāriyaṁ;

I’m overrun by the rude thoughts of the Dark One. Even if a thousand warrior chiefs and great archers, well trained, with strong bows,

Vitakkā upadhāvanti, pagabbhā kaṇhato ime. Uggaputtā mahissāsā, sikkhitā daḷhadhammino;

were to completely surround me; I would never flee. And even if women come, many more than that,

Samantā parikireyyuṁ, sahassaṁ apalāyinaṁ. Sacepi etato bhiyyo, āgamissanti itthiyo;

they won’t bother me, for I stand firm in the teaching. I heard with my own ears from the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun,

Neva maṁ byādhayissanti, dhamme samhi patiṭṭhitaṁ. Sakkhī hi me sutaṁ etaṁ, buddhassādiccabandhuno;

about the path going to extinguishment; that’s what delights my mind. Wicked One, if you come near me as I meditate like this,

Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ, tattha me nirato mano. Evañce maṁ viharantaṁ, pāpima upagacchasi;

I’ll make sure that you, Death, won’t even see the path I take.”

Tathā maccu karissāmi, na me maggampi dakkhasī”ti.