Cundasuttaṃ [Ud 8.5, PTS 82–85]

5.

The Discourse on Cunda

75. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a journey among the Mallas together with a large Community of monks, and arrived at Pāvā. There the Blessed One stayed at Pāvā in the mango grove of Cunda, the smith's son.

Cunda, the smith's son, heard - "The Blessed One, it is said, wandering on a journey among the Mallas together with a large Community of monks, has arrived at Pāvā and is staying at Pāvā in my mango grove." Then Cunda, the smith's son, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. The Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Cunda, the smith's son, seated to one side with a talk on the Teaching. Then Cunda, the smith's son, having been instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Teaching, said this to the Blessed One - "May the Blessed One consent to accept a meal from me tomorrow together with the Community of monks, venerable sir." The Blessed One consented by silence.

Then Cunda, the smith's son, having learned of the Blessed One's acceptance, rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed. Then Cunda, the smith's son, after that night had passed, having had superior solid and soft food prepared at his own dwelling, and an abundance of sūkaramaddava, announced the time to the Blessed One - "It is time, venerable sir, the meal is ready."

Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, together with the Community of monks, approached the dwelling of Cunda, the smith's son; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed Cunda, the smith's son - "Cunda, serve me with the sūkaramaddava that has been prepared. But serve the Community of monks with the other solid and soft food that has been prepared." "Yes, venerable sir," Cunda, the smith's son, having replied to the Blessed One, served the Blessed One with the sūkaramaddava that had been prepared; and he served the Community of monks with the other solid and soft food that had been prepared.

Then the Blessed One addressed Cunda, the smith's son - "Cunda, bury in a pit whatever sūkaramaddava is left over. I do not see anyone, Cunda, in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, by whom that, when eaten, would be properly digested, except by the Truth-finder." "Yes, venerable sir," Cunda, the smith's son, having replied to the Blessed One, buried in a pit the sūkaramaddava that was left over, and approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. The Blessed One, having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Cunda, the smith's son, seated to one side with a talk on the Teaching, rose from his seat and departed.

Then a severe illness arose in the Blessed One who had finished eating the meal of Cunda, the smith's son. Bloody diarrhoea with painful feelings occurring, bordering on death. There the Blessed One endured them, mindful and fully aware, without being distressed. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Come, Ānanda, let us approach Kusinārā." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda assented to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One, having turned aside from the road, approached a certain tree-root; having approached, he addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Come now, Ānanda, prepare for me the double robe folded in four; I am tired, Ānanda, I will sit down." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One and prepared the double robe folded in four. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Come now, Ānanda, bring me drinking water; I am thirsty, Ānanda, I will drink."

When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "Just now, venerable sir, about five hundred carts have passed by. That water cut up by the wheels flows shallow, stirred up, and muddy. This, venerable sir, is the Kukuṭṭhā river not far away, with clear water, with sweet water, with cool water, with pure water, with good fords, delightful. Here the Blessed One will drink drinking water and will cool his limbs."

For the second time, etc. For the third time the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Come now, Ānanda, bring me drinking water; I am thirsty, Ānanda, I will drink." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One, and taking the bowl, he approached that river. Then that river, which had been cut up by the wheels, shallow, stirred up, and muddy, flowing, when the Venerable Ānanda approached, flowed clear, very pure, and unsullied.

Then this occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend, is the great supernormal power and great majesty of the Truth-finder! For this river, which had been cut up by the wheels, shallow, stirred up, and muddy, flowing, when I approached, flows clear, very pure, and unsullied." Having taken drinking water with the bowl, he approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said this to the Blessed One - "Wonderful, venerable sir, marvellous, venerable sir, is the great supernormal power and great majesty of the Truth-finder! For this, venerable sir, river, which had been cut up by the wheels, shallow, stirred up, and muddy, flowing, when I approached, flows clear, very pure, and unsullied. Let the Blessed One drink the drinking water, let the Fortunate One drink the drinking water."

Then the Blessed One drank the drinking water. Then the Blessed One together with a large Community of monks approached the river Kukuṭṭhā; having approached, having plunged into the river Kukuṭṭhā, having bathed and drunk, having come out, he approached the mango grove; having approached, he addressed the Venerable Cundaka - "Come now, Cundaka, prepare for me the double robe folded in four; I am tired, Cundaka, I will lie down." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Cundaka replied to the Blessed One and prepared the double robe folded in four. Then the Blessed One lay down in the lion's posture on his right side, overlapping foot upon foot, mindful and fully aware, having attended to the perception of rising. But the Venerable Cundaka sat down right there in front of the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Now, Ānanda, someone might cause regret to Cunda, the smith's son - 'It is a loss for you, friend Cunda, it is ill-gained for you, that the Truth-finder, having eaten your last almsfood, attained final Nibbāna.' Ānanda, the regret of Cunda, the smith's son, should be removed thus -

"'It is a gain for you, friend Cunda, it is well-gained for you, that the Truth-finder, having eaten your last almsfood, attained final Nibbāna. Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, friend Cunda, face to face I received it - these two almsfoods are of equal fruit, of equal result, far greater in fruit and far greater in benefit than other almsfoods. Which two? The almsfood having eaten which the Truth-finder fully awakens to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and the almsfood having eaten which he attains final Nibbāna through the Nibbāna element without residue of clinging. These two almsfoods are of equal fruit, of equal result, far greater in fruit and far greater in benefit than other almsfoods.

"'Action conducive to life has been accumulated by the Venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action conducive to beauty has been accumulated by the Venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action conducive to happiness has been accumulated by the Venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action conducive to heaven has been accumulated by the Venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action conducive to fame has been accumulated by the Venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action conducive to authority has been accumulated by the Venerable Cunda, the smith's son.' Ānanda, the regret of Cunda, the smith's son, should be removed thus."

Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, at that time uttered this inspired utterance -