86(6)NāgitaThe opening framework of this sutta is the same as that of 5:30 and 6:42 but the content of the discourse partly differs.
The opening framework of this sutta is the same as that of 5:30 and 6:42 but the content of the discourse partly differs.On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on tour among the Kosalans together with a large Sangha of bhikkhus when he reached the Kosalan brahmin village named Icchānangala.
There the Blessed One dwelled in the Icchānangala wood landthicket.
The brahmin householders of Icchānangala heard:
"It is said that the ascetic Gotama,the son of the Sakyans who went forth from a Sakyan family,has arrived at Icchānangala and is now dwelling[341]in the Icchānangala woodl and thicket.
Now a good report about that Master Gotama has circulated thus:
‘That Blessed One is an arahant;perfectly enlightened...[as in
6:42]...he reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure.Now it is good to see such arahants."
Then,when the night had passed,the brahmin householders of Icchānangala took abundant food of various kinds and went to the Icchānangala woodl and thicket.
They stood outside the entrance making an uproar and a racket.
Now on that occasion the Venerable Nagita was the Blessed One's attendant.
The Blessed One then addressed the Venerable Nagita:
"Who is making such an uproar and a racket,Nagita?One would think it was fishermen at a haul of fish."
"Bhante,these are the brahmin householders of Icchānangala who have brought abundant food of various kinds.They are standing outside the entrance,[wishing to offer it]to the Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus."
"Let me never come upon fame,Nagita,and may fame never catch up with me.
One who does not gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,this bliss of renunciation,bliss of solitude,bliss of peace,bliss of enlightenment
that I gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,might accept that vile pleasure,that slothful pleasure,the pleasure of gain,honor,and praise."
"Let the Blessed One now consent,Bhante,
let the Fortunate One consent.
This is now the time for the Blessed One to consent.
Wherever the Blessed One will go now,the brahmin householders of town and countryside will incline in the same direction.
Just as,[342]when thick drops of rain are pouring down,the water flows down along the slope,
so too,wherever the Blessed One will go now,the brahmin householders of town and country will incline in the same direction.
For what reason?
Because of the Blessed One's virtuous behavior and wisdom."
"Let me never come upon fame,Nagita,and may fame never catch up with me.
One who does not gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,this bliss of renunciation...
...might accept that vile pleasure,that slothful pleasure,the pleasure of gain,honor,and praise.
“Even some deities,Nagita,may not gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,this bliss of renunciation,bliss of solitude,bliss of peace,bliss of enlightenment that I gain at will,withouttrouble or difficulty:
(1)"When,
In what follows,factors SS4-7 are identical with SS1-4 of 6:42. In Ce and Ee,SS5-6 of 6:42 are excluded from this sutta,but the last sentence of 6:42,not a numerical factor there,here becomes S8.Be includes SS5-6 of 6:42,which then become SS8-9.The final sentence of the sutta would then either be unnumbered or counted as S10. If Be is followed,it is hard to account for this sutta being in the Eights rather than in the Nines or Tens.SS1-3 of the present sutta have no counterparts in the previous versions. Brahmali suggests numbering the sentence that begins"Even some deities".as S1 and treating the final sentence of the sutta as unnumbered,which would be consistent with 6:42.However,I here follow the numbering of Ce,my primary source text.Nagita,you come together and meet,intent on companionship,it occurs to me:'Surely,these venerable ones do not gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,this bliss of reriunciation,bliss of solitude,bliss of peace,bliss of enlightenment
that I gain at will,without trouble or difficulty;
for when they [343]come together and meet,they are intent upon companionship.
(2)"I see,Nagita,bhikkhus laughing and playing by poking one another with the fingers.
It then occurs to me:
'Surely,these venerable ones do not gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,this bliss of renunciation...
which I gain at will,without troubleor difficulty;
for these venerable ones laugh and play by poking one another with the fingers.
(3)"I see,Nagita,bhikkhus who,having eaten as much as they want until their bellies are full,yield to the pleasure of rest,the pleasure of sloth,the pleasure of sleep.
It then occurs to me:
'Surely,these venerable ones do not gain at will,without trouble or difficulty,this bliss of renunciation...
which I gain at will,without trouble or difficulty.
For having eaten as much as they want until their bellies are fall,they yield to the pleasure of rest,the pleasure of sloth,the pleasure of sleep.'
(4)"I see,Nagita,a bhikkhu dwelling on the outskirts of a village sitting in a state of concentration.
It then occurs to me:
'Now a monastery attendant or a novice will return to this venerableone
and cause him to fail away from that concentration.
The Ce reading here agrees more closely with the Be reading of 6:42 than with the Ce reading of the latter.But here Ce has the verb paccessati,"to return"(absent in Ce 6:42),whereas in both suttas Be has upatthahissati,"will serve."Ee's saccessati is likely to be a misreading of paccessati.This version has no mention of sahadhammika,a co-religionist,as in 6:42.[344]For this reason I am not pleased with this bhikkhu's dwelling on the outskirts of a village.
(5)"I see,Nagita,a forest-dwelling bhikkhu sitting dozingin the forest.
It then occurs to me:
'Now this venerable one will dispel this sleepiness and fatigue and attend only to the perception of forest,[a state of]oneness.'
For this reason I am pleased with this bhikkhu's dwelling in the forest.
(6)"I see,Nāgita,a forest-dwelling bhikkhu sitting in the forest in an unconcentrated state:
It then occurs to me:
'Now this venerable one will concentrate his unconcentrated mind or guard his concentrated mind.'
For this reason I am pleased with this bhikkhu's dwelling in the forest.
(7)"I see,Nagita,a forest-dwelling bhikkhu sitting in the forest in a state of concentration.
It then occurs to me:
'Now this venerable one will liberate his unliberated mind or guard his liberated mind.'
For this reason I am pleased with this bhikkhu's dwelling in the forest.
(8)“When,Nagita,I am traveling on a highway and do notsee anyone ahead of me or behind me,even if it is just for the purpose of defecating and urinating,on that occasion I am at ease."