Nalanda Vagga

Satipathana Samyutta Mahavagga Samyutta,
Samyutta Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

3. Cunda Sutta
Discourse concerning Bhikkhu Cunda

      379. At one time the Bhagava was staying at the Jetavana monastery of Anathapindika, Savathi. At that time the Venerable Sariputta was residing in the village of Nalaka in the country of Magadha; being afflicted with illness he was suffering grievously from his sickness. Cunda Samanuddesa attended upon the Venerable Sariputta during his illness. (Cunda Samanera, meaning, Cunda the novice. A younger brother of the Venerable Sariputta, he was still called by this name although by that time he had become a bhikkhu.)

      Then the Venerable Sariputta passed away into parinibbana from his illness. Then Cunda Samanuddesa, taking the bowl and the robes of the Venerable Sariputta, went to Savatthi where the Venerable Ananda was residing in the Jetavana monastery of Anathapindika. Having approached the Venerable Ananda and paying homage to him, Cunda Samanuddesa sat at one side and said to the Venerable Ananda: "Venerable Sir, the Venerable Sariputta has passed away into parinibbana. Here are alms-bowl and robes'. "Friend Cunda, we have this news as a reason to see the Bhagava. Come, friend Cunda, we will go and see the Bhagava and report to him about the matter (of the passing away of the Venerable Sariputta)". Very well, Venerable Sir", replied Cunda Samanuddesa to the Venerable Ananda.

      Then the Venerable Ananda and the Venerable Cunda Samanuddesa approached the Bhagava. Making their obeisance to the Bhagava, they took their seat at one side. Then the Venerable Ananda addressed the Bhagava; "Venerable Sir, the Venerable Cunda Samanuddesa has told me, 'Venerable Sir, the Venerable Sariputta has passed away into parinibbana. Here are his alms bowl and robes'. Venerable Sir, when I heard that the Venerable Sariputta had passed away into parinibbana, my body felt heavy and stiff; my sight in all directions became dim; I became bewildered, unable to grasp doctrine (such as on the methods of steadfast mindfulness).

      Ananda, did Sariputta, in passing into parinibbana take away your accumulation (aggregate) of sila, your accumulation of samadhi, your accumulation of panna, your accumulation of emancipation (magga, phala), or your accumulation of reflective knowledge (paceavekkhana nana). 'No, Venerable Sir, the Venerable Sariputta in passing into parinibbana did not take away my accumulation of Sila ...p... of samadhi ...p... of panna ...p... of emancipation ...p... of reflective knowledge. But the Venerable Sariputta had instructed me in the dhamma. had instilled me with the dhamma, had taught me to understand the dhamma, had caused me to realize (the benefit of) the dhamma, had caused me to become established in (observance of) the dhamma, and had caused me to be filled with gladness and enthusiasm for (the practice of the dhamma; he had been an indefatigable teacher of the dhamma, always assisting his fellow-bhikkhus in the practice of the Life of Purity. We are always thinking of the quality of the Venreable Sariputta's dhamma, the richness of his dhamma and the benevolent helpfulness of his dhamma.

      Ananda, have I not previously proclaimed that there must be separation (while living) severance (through death) and sundering (through being in different states of existence) from all that are dear and beloved. Ananda, concerning this matter, how can the wish be realized that anything which has the nature of arising, of appearing, of being conditioned or compounded, and of decay and dissolution, should not disintegrate and disappear? There can be no such possibility. Just as, Ananda, the biggest branch of huge free would break off while the tree which is full of pith is still standing, so also, Ananda, Sariputta had passed away while the large community of bhikkhus, endowed with the essence of dhamma, is still well established. Ananda, how can the wish be realized that anything which has the nature of arising, of appearing, of being conditioned or compounded, and of decay and dissolution, should not disintegrate and disappear? There can be no such possibility. Therefore, Ananda, let yourselves be your own firm support, and let yourselves and not anyone or anything else, be your refuge; let the Dhamma, the Teaching, be your own firm support. and let the dhamma, and not anything else, be your refuge.

      How does the bhikkhu, Ananda, abide making himself his own firm support and making himself and not anyone or anything else, his own refuge; making the Dhamma, the Teaching, his own firm support, and making the dhamma, and not anything else, his refuge? In this Teaching, Ananda. the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas ;...p... on Sensation ...p... on mind ...p... keeps his mind steadfastly on the mind-objects with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas. In this manner, Ananda, the bhikkhu abides making himself his own firm support, and making himself and not anyone or anything else, his own refuge; making the Dhamma his own support, and making the dhamma, not anything else, his refuge.

      Ananda, those bhikkhus who, either now or after my passing away, make them selves their own firm support, and make themselves, and not anyone or anything else, their refuge, who make the Dhamma their finn support and make the Dhamma, and not anything else, their refuge, -- all such bhikkhus, Ananda, among all the the bhikkhus who cherish the (three) training practices (Sila, Samadhi, Panna) shall reach the highest, noblest state.

End of the Cunda Sutta.

the third in this Vagga.