Nandasuttaṃ [Ud 3.2, PTS 22–24]

2.

The Discourse on Nanda

22. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time the Venerable Nanda, the Blessed One's brother, his maternal aunt's son, announced thus to several monks - "I live the holy life without delight, friends; I am not able to maintain the holy life, I shall reject the training and return to the lower life."

Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that monk said this to the Blessed One - "The Venerable Nanda, venerable sir, the Blessed One's brother, his maternal aunt's son, announces thus to several monks - 'I live the holy life without delight, friends, I am not able to maintain the holy life, I shall reject the training and return to the lower life.'"

Then the Blessed One addressed a certain monk - "Come, monk, in my name address the monk Nanda - 'The Teacher calls you, friend Nanda.'" "Yes, venerable sir," that monk, having assented to the Blessed One, approached the Venerable Nanda; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Nanda - "The Teacher calls you, friend Nanda."

"Yes, friend," the Venerable Nanda, having assented to that monk, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To the Venerable Nanda seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:

"Is it true, Nanda, that you announced thus to several monks - 'I live the holy life without delight, friends, I am not able to maintain the holy life, I shall reject the training and return to the lower life'?" "Yes, venerable sir."

"But why do you, Nanda, live the holy life without delight, are not able to maintain the holy life, and will reject the training and return to the lower life?" "Venerable sir, the Sakyan woman, the most beautiful girl in the country, as I was leaving the house, having looked at me with her half-combed hair, said this to me - 'Come back quickly, master's son.' So I, venerable sir, recollecting that, live the holy life without delight, I am not able to maintain the holy life, I shall reject the training and return to the lower life."

Then the Blessed One, having taken the Venerable Nanda by the arm - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from Jeta's Grove, appeared among the gods of the Thirty-three.

Now at that time about five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet had come to attend upon Sakka, the lord of the gods. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Nanda: "Do you see, Nanda, these five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet?" "Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Nanda, which are more beautiful, more fair to behold, more lovely - the Sakyan woman, the most beautiful girl in the country, or these five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet?" "Just as, venerable sir, a singed monkey with its ears and nose cut off, even so, venerable sir, the Sakyan woman, the most beautiful girl in the country, compared with these five hundred nymphs, does not amount to a reckoning, does not bear comparison, does not amount to a fraction. Indeed these five hundred nymphs are more beautiful, more fair to behold, and more lovely."

"Enjoy yourself, Nanda, enjoy yourself, Nanda! I am your surety for obtaining five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet." "If, venerable sir, the Blessed One is my surety for obtaining five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet, I shall delight, venerable sir, in the holy life under the Blessed One."

Then the Blessed One, having taken the Venerable Nanda by the arm - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the gods of the Thirty-three, appeared in Jeta's Grove.

The monks heard: "The Venerable Nanda, it is said, the Blessed One's brother, his maternal aunt's son, lives the holy life for the sake of nymphs; the Blessed One, it is said, is his surety for obtaining five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet."

Then the monks who were friends of the Venerable Nanda addressed the Venerable Nanda with talk of being a hireling and talk of being a bought slave: "The Venerable Nanda, it is said, is a hireling; the Venerable Nanda, it is said, is a bought slave; he lives the holy life for the sake of nymphs; the Blessed One, it is said, is his surety for obtaining five hundred nymphs with dove-like feet."

Then the Venerable Nanda, being troubled, ashamed, and disgusted by the talk of being a hireling and the talk of being a bought slave from the monks who were his friends, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And the Venerable Nanda became one of the Worthy Ones.

Then a certain deity, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, that deity said this to the Blessed One - "The Venerable Nanda, venerable sir, the Blessed One's brother, his maternal aunt's son, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions." Knowledge also arose in the Blessed One: "Nanda, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions."

Then the Venerable Nanda, after that night had passed, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Nanda said this to the Blessed One - "Venerable sir, as for the Blessed One being my surety for the attainment of five hundred dove-footed nymphs, I release the Blessed One, venerable sir, from that promise." "I too have encompassed your mind with my mind and known, Nanda - 'Nanda, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.' A deity also reported this matter to me - 'The Venerable Nanda, venerable sir, the Blessed One's brother, maternal aunt's son, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.' Just when your mind was liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging, Nanda, then I was released from that promise."

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