1.
The Discourse on Nakulapitā
1.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas at Suṃsumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, in the Deer Park.
Then the householder Nakulapitā approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the householder Nakulapitā said this to the Blessed One -
"I, venerable sir, am old, aged, elderly, one who has traversed the span of life, advanced in years, with a sick body, constantly afflicted. And I, venerable sir, am one who rarely sees the Blessed One and the monks who are inspiring to the mind. Let the Blessed One exhort me, venerable sir; let the Blessed One instruct me, venerable sir; which would be for my welfare and happiness for a long time."
"So it is, householder, so it is, householder! For this body, householder, is sick, egg-like, wrapped up. For whoever, householder, carrying about this body, would claim even a moment's health - what else could it be but folly? Therefore, householder, you should train thus - 'Though my body is sick, my mind will be free from sickness.' Thus indeed, householder, should you train."
Then the householder Nakulapitā, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Blessed One had said, rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and approached the Venerable Sāriputta; having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Sāriputta and sat down to one side. To the householder Nakulapitā seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this - "Your faculties are indeed very clear, householder; your complexion is pure and bright. Did you today receive a talk on the Teaching in the presence of the Blessed One for hearing?"
"How could it not be, venerable sir! Just now, venerable sir, I have been sprinkled with the deathless by the Blessed One through a talk on the Teaching." "In what way, then, householder, were you sprinkled with the deathless by the Blessed One through a talk on the Teaching?" "Here, venerable sir, I approached the Blessed One; having approached, I paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, I, venerable sir, said this to the Blessed One - 'I, venerable sir, am old, aged, elderly, one who has traversed the span of life, advanced in years, with a sick body, constantly afflicted. And I, venerable sir, am one who rarely sees the Blessed One and the monks who are inspiring to the mind. Let the Blessed One exhort me, venerable sir; let the Blessed One instruct me, venerable sir; which would be for my welfare and happiness for a long time.'
"When this was said, venerable sir, the Blessed One said this to me: 'So it is, householder, so it is, householder! For this body, householder, is sick, egg-like, wrapped up. For whoever, householder, carrying about this body, would claim even a moment's health - what else could it be but folly? Therefore, householder, you should train thus: Though my body is sick, my mind will be without sickness. Thus indeed, householder, should you train.' Thus, venerable sir, I was sprinkled with the deathless by the Blessed One through a talk on the Teaching."
"But did it not occur to you, householder, to ask the Blessed One further: 'In what way, venerable sir, is one sick in body and sick in mind, and in what way is one sick in body but not sick in mind?'" "We would come even from afar, venerable sir, to the presence of the Venerable Sāriputta to understand the meaning of this statement. It would be good indeed if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Venerable Sāriputta himself."
"Well then, householder, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the householder Nakulapitā assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"And how, householder, is one sick in body and sick in mind? Here, householder, an ignorant worldling, who does not see the noble ones, who is not skilled in the noble teaching, who is undisciplined in the noble teaching, who does not see good persons, who is not skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is undisciplined in the teaching of good persons, regards matter as self, or self as possessing matter; or matter as in self, or self as in matter. He remains obsessed with 'I am matter, matter is mine.' For him who remains obsessed with 'I am matter, matter is mine,' that matter changes, becomes otherwise. Due to the change and alteration of matter, there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish.
"He regards feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling; or feeling as in self, or self as in feeling. He remains obsessed with 'I am feeling, feeling is mine.' For him who remains obsessed with 'I am feeling, feeling is mine,' that feeling changes, becomes otherwise. Due to the change and alteration of feeling, there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish.
"He regards perception as self, or self as possessing perception; or perception as in self, or self as in perception. He remains obsessed with 'I am perception, perception is mine.' For him who remains obsessed with 'I am perception, perception is mine,' that perception changes, becomes otherwise. Due to the change and alteration of perception, there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish.
He regards activities as self, or self as possessing activities; or activities as in self, or self as in activities. He is in a state of prepossession with 'I am activities, activities are mine.' For him who is in a state of prepossession with 'I am activities, activities are mine,' those activities change and become otherwise. From the change and alteration of activities, there arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish.
He regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness; or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. He is in a state of prepossession with 'I am consciousness, consciousness is mine.' For him who is in a state of prepossession with 'I am consciousness, consciousness is mine,' that consciousness changes and becomes otherwise. From the change and alteration of consciousness, there arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. Thus, householder, one is sick in body and sick in mind.
And how, householder, is one sick in body but not sick in mind? Here, householder, a learned noble disciple, who sees the noble ones, who is skilled in the noble teaching, who is well disciplined in the noble teaching, who sees good persons, who is skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is well disciplined in the teaching of good persons, does not regard matter as self, nor self as possessing matter; nor matter as in self, nor self as in matter. He is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am matter, matter is mine.' For him who is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am matter, matter is mine,' that matter changes and becomes otherwise. From the change and alteration of matter, there do not arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish.
He does not regard feeling as self, nor self as possessing feeling; nor feeling as in self, nor self as in feeling. He is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am feeling, feeling is mine.' For him who is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am feeling, feeling is mine,' that feeling changes and becomes otherwise. From the change and alteration of feeling, there do not arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish.
He does not regard perception as self, nor self as possessing perception; nor perception as in self, nor self as in perception. He is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am perception, perception is mine.' For him who is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am perception, perception is mine,' that perception changes and becomes otherwise. From the change and alteration of perception, there do not arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish.
He does not regard activities as self, nor self as possessing activities; nor activities as in self, nor self as in activities. He is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am activities, activities are mine.' For him who is not in a state of prepossession with 'I am activities, activities are mine,' those activities change and become otherwise. From the change and alteration of activities, there do not arise for him sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish.
"He does not regard consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness; nor consciousness as in self, nor self as in consciousness. He is not one who stands obsessed with 'I am consciousness, consciousness is mine.' For him who does not stand obsessed with 'I am consciousness, consciousness is mine,' that consciousness changes, becomes otherwise. Due to the change and alteration of consciousness, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish do not arise for him. Thus, householder, one has a sick body but not a sick mind."
This is what the Venerable Sāriputta said. Delighted, the householder Nakulapitā rejoiced in what the Venerable Sāriputta had said. The first.