Dutiyamahānāmasutta — Reader

With Mahānāma (2nd)

Dutiyamahānāmasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, this Kapilavatthu is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people, with cramped cul-de-sacs.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idaṁ, bhante, kapilavatthu iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ sambādhabyūhaṁ.

In the late afternoon, after paying homage to the Buddha or an esteemed mendicant, I enter Kapilavatthu. I encounter a stray elephant, horse, chariot,

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ vā payirupāsitvā manobhāvanīye vā bhikkhū sāyanhasamayaṁ kapilavatthuṁ pavisanto; bhantenapi hatthinā samāgacchāmi; bhantenapi assena samāgacchāmi; bhantenapi rathena samāgacchāmi;

cart, or person. At that time I lose mindfulness regarding the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. I think:

bhantenapi sakaṭena samāgacchāmi; bhantenapi purisena samāgacchāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, tasmiṁ samaye mussateva bhagavantaṁ ārabbha sati, mussati dhammaṁ ārabbha sati, mussati saṅghaṁ ārabbha sati. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

‘If I were to die at this time, where would I be reborn in my next life?’” “Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear! Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one. A noble disciple who has four things slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment.

‘imamhi cāhaṁ samaye kālaṁ kareyyaṁ, kā mayhaṁ gati, ko abhisamparāyo’”ti? “Mā bhāyi, mahānāma, mā bhāyi, mahānāma. Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati apāpikā kālaṅkiriyā. Catūhi kho, mahānāma, dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching …

Katamehi catūhi? Idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti— itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme …pe…

the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion. Suppose there was a tree that slants, slopes, and inclines to the east. If it was cut off at the root where would it fall?” “Sir, it would fall in the direction that it slants, slopes, and inclines.”

saṅghe …pe… ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Seyyathāpi, mahānāma, rukkho pācīnaninno pācīnapoṇo pācīnapabbhāro, so mūlacchinno katamena papateyyā”ti? “Yena, bhante, ninno yena poṇo yena pabbhāro”ti.

“In the same way, a noble disciple who has four things slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment.”

“Evameva kho, mahānāma, imehi catūhi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti. Dutiyaṁ.