Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa was dwelling at fiḷavI at the Aggāḷava Shrine together with his preceptor, the Venerable Nigrodhakappa. Now on that occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa, newly ordained, not long gone forth, had been left behind as a caretaker of the dwelling.
Then a number of women, beautifully adorned, approached the Aggāḷavaka Park in order to see the dwelling. When the Venerable Vaṅgīsa saw those women, dissatisfaction arose in him; lust infested his mind. Then it occurred to him: “It is a loss for me indeed, it is no gain for me! It is a mishap for me indeed, it is not well gained by me, that dissatisfaction has arisen in me, that lust has infested my mind. How could anyone else dispel my dissatisfaction and arouse delight? Let me dispel my own dissatisfaction and arouse delight by myself.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa, having dispelled his own dissatisfaction and aroused delight by himself, on that occasion recited these verses:
707 “Alas, though I am one who has renounced,
Gone from home into homelessness,
These thoughts still run over me,
Impudent thoughts from the Dark One.
708 “Even if mighty youths, great archers,
Trained men, masters of the bow,
A thousand such men who do not flee
Should surround me on all sides,
709 And if women were to come here
Still more numerous than this,
They would never make me tremble
For I stand firmly in the Dhamma.
710 “I have heard this as a witness
From the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun:
The path leading to Nibbāna —
That is where my mind delights.
711 “If, while I am dwelling thus,
You approach me, Evil One,
I will act in such a way, O Death,
That you won’t even see my path.”
On one occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa was dwelling at fiḷavI at the Aggāḷava Shrine together with his preceptor, the Venerable Nigrodhakappa. Now on that occasion, when the Venerable Nigrodhakappa returned from his alms round, after his meal he would enter the dwelling and would come out either in the evening or on the following day.
Now on that occasion dissatisfaction had arisen in the Venerable Vaṅgīsa; lust had infested his mind. Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “It is a loss for me indeed, it is no gain for me! It is a mishap for me indeed, it is not well gained by me, that dissatisfaction has arisen in me, that lust has infested my mind. <401> How could anyone else dispel my dissatisfaction and arouse delight? Let me dispel my own dissatisfaction and arouse delight by myself.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa, having dispelled his own dissatisfaction and aroused delight by himself, on that occasion recited these verses:
712 “Having abandoned discontent and delight
And household thoughts entirely,
One should not nurture lust towards anything;
The lustless one, without delight —
He is indeed a Bhikkhu.
713 “Whatever exists here on earth and in space,
Comprised by form, included in the world —
Everything impermanent decays;
The sages fare having pierced this truth.
714 “People are tied to their acquisitions,
To what is seen, heard, sensed, and felt;
Dispel desire for this, be unstirred:
They call him a sage
Who clings to nothing here.
715 “Then those caught in the sixty,
Led by their own thoughts —
There are many such among the people
Who have settled on wrong doctrine:
One who would not join their faction anywhere,
Nor utter corrupt speech — he is a Bhikkhu.
716 “Proficient, long trained in concentration,
Honest, discreet, without longing,
The sage has attained the peaceful state,
Depending on which he bides his time
Fully quenched within himself.”
On one occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa was living at fiḷavI at the Aggāḷava Shrine together with his preceptor, the Venerable Nigrodhakappa. Now on that occasion, the Venerable Vaṅgīsa, because of his own ingenuity, had been looking down at other well-behaved Bhikkhus. Then the thought occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “It is a loss for me indeed, it is no gain for me! It is a mishap for me indeed, it is not well gained by me, that because of my ingenuity I look down upon other wellbehaved Bhikkhus.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa, having aroused remorse in himself, on that occasion recited these verses:
717 “Abandon conceit, O Gotama,
And leave the pathway of conceit entirely.
Infatuated with the pathway of conceit,
For a long time you’ve been remorseful.
718 “People smeared by denigration,
Slain by conceit, fall into hell.
People sorrow for a long time,
Slain by conceit, reborn in hell.
719 “But a Bhikkhu never sorrows at all,
A path-knower practising rightly.
He experiences acclaim and happiness;
Truly they call him a seer of Dhamma.
720 “Therefore be pliant here and strenuous;
Having abandoned the hindrances, be pure.
Having entirely abandoned conceit,
Be an end-maker by knowledge, peaceful.”
On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, in the morning, the Venerable Ānanda dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthi for alms with the Venerable Vaṅgīsa as his companion. Now on that occasion dissatisfaction had arisen in the Venerable Vaṅgīsa; lust had infested his mind. Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa addressed the Venerable Ānanda in verse:
721 “I am burning with sensual lust,
My mind is engulfed by fire.
Please tell me how to extinguish it,
Out of compassion, O Gotama.”
[The Venerable Ānanda:]
722 “It is through an inversion of perception
That your mind is engulfed by fire.
Turn away from the sign of beauty
Provocative of sensual lust.
723 “See formations as alien,
As suffering, not as self.
Extinguish the great fire of lust;
Don’t burn up again and again.
724 “Develop the mind on foulness,
One-pointed, well concentrated;
Apply your mindfulness to the body,
Be engrossed in revulsion.
725 “Develop meditation on the signless,
And discard the tendency to conceit.
Then, by breaking through conceit,
You will be one who fares at peace.”
At Sāvatthi. There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”
“Venerable sir!” those Bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, when speech possesses four factors, then it is well spoken, not badly spoken, and it is blameless, not blameworthy among the wise. What four? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu speaks only what is well spoken, not what is badly spoken. He speaks only on the Dhamma, not on non-Dhamma. He speaks only what is pleasant, not what is unpleasant. He speaks only what is true, not what is false. When speech possesses these four factors, it is well spoken, not badly spoken, and it is
blameless, not blameworthy among the wise.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
726 “What is well spoken, the good say, is foremost;
Second, speak Dhamma, not non-Dhamma;
Third, speak what is pleasant, not unpleasant;
Fourth, speak the truth, not falsehood.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
The Blessed One said: “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses:
727 “One should utter only such speech
By which one does not afflict oneself
Nor cause harm to others:
Such speech is truly well spoken.
728 “One should utter only pleasant speech,
Speech that is gladly welcomed.
When it brings them nothing evil
What one speaks is pleasant to others.
729 “Truth, indeed, is deathless speech:
This is an ancient principle.
The goal and the Dhamma, the good say,
Are established upon truth.
730 “The secure speech which the Buddha utters
For the attainment of Nibbāna,
For making an end to suffering
Is truly the foremost speech.”
On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the Bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk, [spoken] with speech that was polished, clear, articulate, expressing well the meaning. And those Bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, directing their whole mind to it.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Venerable Sāriputta is instructing the Bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk, [spoken] with speech that is polished, clear, articulate, expressing well the meaning. And those Bhikkhus are listening to the Dhamma with eager ears…. Let me extol the Venerable Sāriputta to his face with suitable verses.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Venerable Sāriputta, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, friend Sāriputta! An inspiration has come to me, friend Sāriputta!”
“Then express your inspiration, friend Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Venerable Sāriputta to his face with suitable verses:
731 “Deep in wisdom, intelligent,
Skilled in the true path and the false,
Sāriputta, of great wisdom,
Teaches the Dhamma to the Bhikkhus.
732 “He teaches briefly,
He speaks in detail.
His voice, like that of a myna bird,
Pours forth inspired discourse.
733 “As he teaches them, they listen
To his sweet utterance.
Uplifted in mind, made joyful
By his delightful voice,
Sonorous and lovely,
The Bhikkhus incline their ears.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in the Eastern Park in the Mansion of Migāra’s Mother together with a great Saṅgha of Bhikkhus, with five hundred Bhikkhus, all of them arahants. Now on that occasion — the Uposatha day of the fifteenth — the Blessed One was sitting in the open surrounded by the Bhikkhu Saṅgha in order to hold the Pavāraṇā. Then, having surveyed the silent Bhikkhu Saṅgha, the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Come now, Bhikkhus, let me invite you: Is there any deed of mine, either bodily or verbal, which you would censure?”
When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “Venerable sir, there is no deed of the Blessed One, either bodily or verbal, that we censure. For, venerable sir, the Blessed One is the originator of the path unarisen before, the producer of the path unproduced before, the declarer of the path undeclared before. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the one skilled in the path. And his disciples now dwell following that path and become possessed of it afterwards. And I, venerable sir, invite the Blessed One: Is there any deed of mine, either bodily or verbal, which the Blessed One would censure?”
“There is no deed of yours, Sāriputta, either bodily or verbal, that I censure. For you, Sāriputta, are wise, one of great wisdom, of wide wisdom, of joyous wisdom, of swift wisdom, of sharp wisdom, of penetrative wisdom. Just as the eldest son of a wheel-turning monarch properly keeps in motion the wheel [of sovereignty] set in motion by his father, so do you, Sāriputta, properly keep in motion the Wheel of Dhamma set in motion by me.”
“If, venerable sir, the Blessed One does not censure any deed of mine, bodily or verbal, does he censure any deed, bodily or verbal, of these five hundred Bhikkhus?”
“There is no deed, Sāriputta, bodily or verbal, of these five hundred Bhikkhus that I censure. For of these five hundred Bhikkhus, Sāriputta, sixty Bhikkhus are triple-knowledge bearers, sixty Bhikkhus are bearers of the six direct knowledges, sixty Bhikkhus are liberated in both ways, while the rest are liberated by wisdom.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
The Blessed One said: “Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses:
734 “Five hundred Bhikkhus have gathered today,
The fifteenth day, for purification —
Untroubled seers who have ended renewed existence,
Who have cut off all fetters and bonds.
735 “Just as a king, a wheel-turning monarch,
Accompanied by his ministers,
Travels all over this mighty earth
Bounded by the deep dark ocean —
736 So they attend on the victor in battle,
The unsurpassed caravan leader —
The disciples bearing the triple knowledge,
Who have left Death far behind.
737 “All are true sons of the Blessed One,
Here no worthless chaff is found.
I worship the Kinsman of the Sun,
Destroyer of the dart of craving.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, together with a great Saṅgha of Bhikkhus, with 1250 Bhikkhus. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the Bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning Nibbāna. And those Bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, directing their whole mind to it.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Blessed One is instructing the Bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning Nibbāna. And those Bhikkhus are listening to the Dhamma with eager ears…. Let me extol the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
“Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses:
738 “Over a thousand Bhikkhus here
Attend upon the Fortunate One
As he teaches the dust-free Dhamma,
Nibbāna inaccessible to fear.
739 “They listen to the stainless Dhamma
Taught by the Perfectly Enlightened One.
The Enlightened One indeed shines
Honoured by the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.
740 “O Blessed One, your name is ‘Nāga,’
The best seer of the seers.
Like a great cloud bearing rain
You pour down on the disciples.
741 “Having emerged from his daytime abode
From a desire to behold the Teacher,
Your disciple Vaṅgīsa, O great hero,
Bows down in worship at your feet.”
“Had you already thought out these verses, Vaṅgīsa, or did they occur to you spontaneously?”
“I had not already thought out these verses, venerable sir; they occurred to me spontaneously.”
“In that case, Vaṅgīsa, let some more verses, not already thought out, occur to you.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the Venerable Vaṅgīsa replied. Then he extolled the Blessed One with some more verses that had not been previously thought out:
742 “Having overcome the deviant course of Māra’s path,
You fare having demolished barrenness of mind.
Behold him, the releaser from bondage,
Unattached, dissecting into parts.
743 “For the sake of leading us across the flood
You declared the path with its many aspects.
The seers of Dhamma stand immovable
In that Deathless declared by you.
744 “The light-maker, having pierced right through,
Saw the transcendence of all stations;
Having known and realized it himself,
He taught the chief matter to the five.
745 “When the Dhamma has been so well taught,
What negligence is there for those who understand it?
Therefore, living diligent in the Blessed One’s Teaching,
One should always reverently train in it.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then the Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña, after a very long absence, approached the Blessed One, prostrated himself with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, kissed the Blessed One’s feet, stroked them with his hands, and announced his name thus: “I am Koṇḍañña, Blessed One! I am Koṇḍañña, Fortunate One!”
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña, after a very long absence, has approached the Blessed One … kisses the Blessed One’s feet, strokes them with his hands, and announces his name…. Let me extol the Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
“Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Venerable Aññā Koṇḍañña in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses:
746 “Enlightened in succession to the Buddha,
The elder Koṇḍañña, of strong endeavour,
Is one who gains pleasant dwellings,
One who often gains the seclusions.
747 “Whatever may be attained by a disciple
Who practises the Master’s Teaching,
All that has been attained by him,
One who trained diligently.
748 “Of great might, a triple-knowledge man, Skilled in the course of others’ minds — Koṇḍañña, a true heir of the Buddha, Pays homage at the Teacher’s feet.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope, together with a great Saṅgha of Bhikkhus, with five hundred Bhikkhus all of whom were arahants. Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna searched their minds with his own mind [and saw that they were] released, without acquisitions.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “The Blessed One is dwelling at Rājagaha on the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope…. Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna has searched their minds with his own mind [and seen that they are] released, without acquisitions. Let me extol the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him:
“An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
“Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the Blessed One’s presence with suitable verses:
749 “While the sage is seated on the mountain slope, Gone to the far shore of suffering,
His disciples sit in attendance on him,
Triple-knowledge men who have left Death behind.
750 “Moggallāna, great in spiritual power,
Encompassed their minds with his own,
And searching [he came to see] their minds:
Fully released, without acquisitions!
751 “Thus those perfect in many qualities
Attend upon Gotama,
The sage perfect in all respects,
Gone to the far shore of suffering.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Campā on the bank of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond together with a great Saṅgha of Bhikkhus, with five hundred Bhikkhus, seven hundred male lay followers, seven hundred female lay followers, and many thousands of devatās. The Blessed One outshone them in beauty and glory.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa: “This Blessed One is dwelling at Campā … and many thousands of devatās. The Blessed One outshines them in beauty and glory. Let me extol the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!”
“Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.”
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with a suitable verse:
752 “As the moon shines in a cloudless sky,
As the sun shines devoid of stain,
So you, AṅgIrasa, O great sage,
Outshine the whole world with your glory.”
On one occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa had only recently attained arahantship and, while experiencing the happiness of liberation, on that occasion he recited these verses:
753 “Drunk on poetry, I used to wander
From village to village, town to town.
Then I saw the Enlightened One
And faith arose within me.
754 “He then taught me the Dhamma:
Aggregates, sense bases, and elements.
Having heard the Dhamma from him,
I went forth into homelessness.
755 “Indeed, for the good of many,
The sage attained enlightenment,
For the Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunīs
Who have reached and seen the fixed course.
756 “Welcome indeed has it been for me,
My coming into the Buddha’s presence.
The three knowledges have been obtained,
The Buddha’s Teaching has been done.
757 “I know now my past abodes,
The divine eye is purified.
A triple knowledge man, attained to spiritual powers,
I am skilled in the course of others’ minds.”