5.
The Discourse on Vakkali
87.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Now at that time the Venerable Vakkali was dwelling in a potter's dwelling, sick, afflicted, severely ill.
Then the Venerable Vakkali addressed his attendants -
"Come, friends, approach the Blessed One;
having approached, in my name pay respect with your head at the Blessed One's feet -
'Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk is sick, afflicted, severely ill. He pays respect with his head at the Blessed One's feet.'
And say thus -
'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would approach the monk Vakkali,
out of compassion.'"
"Yes, friend," those monks, having assented to the Venerable Vakkali, approached the Blessed One;
having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Blessed One -
"Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk is sick, afflicted, severely ill. He pays respect with his head at the Blessed One's feet;
and he says thus -
'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would approach the monk Vakkali,
out of compassion.'"
The Blessed One consented by silence.
Then the Blessed One, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, approached the Venerable Vakkali. The Venerable Vakkali saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Having seen him, he stirred on his bed. Then the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Vakkali - "Enough, Vakkali, do not stir on your bed. There are these seats prepared; I will sit down there." The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Vakkali - "Is it bearable for you, Vakkali, is it endurable? Are unpleasant feelings receding, not advancing; is their receding evident, not their advancing?" "It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable; excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding." "Do you have no remorse, Vakkali, no regret?" "Indeed, venerable sir, I have no small remorse, no small regret." "But does your self not blame you regarding morality, Vakkali?" "My self does not blame me regarding morality, venerable sir." "If indeed, Vakkali, your self does not blame you regarding morality, then what is your remorse and what is your regret?" "Long since, venerable sir, I have wished to approach the Blessed One for an audience, but there is not enough strength in my body for me to approach the Blessed One for an audience."
"Enough, Vakkali, what is there for you in seeing this foul body? Whoever, Vakkali, sees the Teaching sees me; whoever sees me sees the Teaching. For, Vakkali, one seeing the Teaching sees me; one seeing me sees the Teaching.
"What do you think, Vakkali, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that - 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Etc. this is my self? "No, Venerable Sir." "Therefore here... etc. Seeing thus... etc. He understands: ... there is no more coming back to any state of being.'"
Then the Blessed One, having exhorted the Venerable Vakkali with this exhortation, rose from his seat and departed towards the Vulture's Peak mountain. Then the Venerable Vakkali, soon after the Blessed One had departed, addressed his attendants - "Come, friends, having lifted me onto a small bed, approach the Black Rock on the slope of Isigili. How indeed could one like me think that he should die in an inhabited area?" "Yes, friend," those monks, having assented to the Venerable Vakkali, having lifted the Venerable Vakkali onto a small bed, approached the Black Rock on the slope of Isigili. Then the Blessed One dwelt on the Vulture's Peak mountain for that night and the remainder of that day. Then two deities, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Vulture's Peak, approached the Blessed One. Etc. They stood to one side. Standing to one side, one deity said this to the Blessed One - "Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk intends for deliverance." Another deity said this to the Blessed One - "Surely, venerable sir, he will be liberated as one well-liberated." This is what those deities said. Having said this, having paid respect to the Blessed One, having circumambulated him keeping him on their right, they disappeared right there.
Then the Blessed One, after that night had passed, addressed the monks - "Come, monks, approach the monk Vakkali; having approached, say this to the monk Vakkali -
'Hear, friend Vakkali, the word of the Blessed One and of the two deities. This night, friend, two deities, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Vulture's Peak, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, friend, one deity said this to the Blessed One - "Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk intends for deliverance." Another deity said this to the Blessed One - "He, venerable sir, will surely be liberated as one well liberated." And the Blessed One, friend Vakkali, said this to you - "Do not fear, Vakkali; do not fear, Vakkali! Your death will not be evil, your making of time will not be evil."'" "Yes, venerable sir," those monks, having assented to the Blessed One, approached the Venerable Vakkali; having approached, they said this to the Venerable Vakkali - "Hear, friend Vakkali, the word of the Blessed One and of the two deities."
Then the Venerable Vakkali addressed his attendants - "Come, friends, lower me from the bed. How indeed could one such as I think to hear the teaching of that Blessed One while sitting on a high seat!" "Yes, friend," those monks, having assented to the Venerable Vakkali, lowered the Venerable Vakkali from the bed. "This night, friend, two deities, when the night was far advanced, etc. They stood to one side. Standing to one side, friend, one deity said this to the Blessed One - 'Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk intends for deliverance.' Another deity said this to the Blessed One - 'He, venerable sir, will surely be liberated as one well liberated.' And the Blessed One, friend Vakkali, said this to you - 'Do not fear, Vakkali; do not fear, Vakkali! Your death will not be evil, your making of time will not be evil."'" "Then, friends, in my name pay respect with your head at the Blessed One's feet - 'Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk is sick, afflicted, severely ill. He pays respect with his head at the Blessed One's feet.' And say thus - 'Matter is impermanent. Regarding that, venerable sir, I am not uncertain. That what is impermanent is suffering - I do not doubt. That what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change - there is no desire or lust or affection in me there - I do not doubt. Feeling is impermanent. Regarding that, venerable sir, I am not uncertain. That what is impermanent is suffering - I do not doubt. That what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change - there is no desire or lust or affection in me there - I do not doubt. Perception... activities are impermanent. Regarding that, venerable sir, I am not uncertain. That what is impermanent is suffering - I do not doubt. That what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change - there is no desire or lust or affection in me there - I do not doubt. Consciousness is impermanent. Regarding that, venerable sir, I am not uncertain. That what is impermanent is suffering - I do not doubt. That what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change - there is no desire or lust or affection in me there - I do not doubt.'" "Yes, friend," those monks, having assented to the Venerable Vakkali, departed. Then the Venerable Vakkali, when those monks had recently departed, brought the knife.
Then those monks approached the Blessed One; having approached, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Blessed One - "Vakkali, venerable sir, the monk is sick, afflicted, severely ill; he pays respect with his head at the Blessed One's feet; and he says thus - 'Matter is impermanent. Regarding that, venerable sir, I am not uncertain. That what is impermanent is suffering - I do not doubt. That what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change - there is no desire or lust or affection in me there - I do not doubt. Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness is impermanent. Regarding that, venerable sir, I am not uncertain. That what is impermanent is suffering - I do not doubt. That what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change - there is no desire or lust or affection in me there - I do not doubt.'"
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Come, monks, let us approach the Black Rock on the slope of Isigili; where the son of good family Vakkali has brought the knife." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One together with several monks approached the Black Rock on the slope of Isigili. The Blessed One saw the Venerable Vakkali from afar lying on a small bed with his body turned over.
Now at that time an obscuration, a darkness, was going to the eastern direction, going to the western direction, going to the northern direction, going to the southern direction, going above, going below, going to the intermediate directions. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Do you see, monks, that obscuration, that darkness, going to the eastern direction, etc. going to the intermediate directions?" "Yes, venerable sir." "This, monks, is Māra the Evil One searching for the consciousness of the son of good family Vakkali - 'Where is the consciousness of the son of good family Vakkali established?' But, monks, with consciousness unestablished, the son of good family Vakkali has attained final Nibbāna." The fifth.