With Assaji

At one time the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time Venerable Assaji was staying in a monastery built by a Kassapa, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.*Not to be confused with the shameless Assaji of MN 70:4.1, this is probably the early disciple of that name (MN 35:3.1). Assaji was one the group of five mendicants who received the Buddha’s first discourse (Kd 1:6.36.1). Shortly afterwards he inspired Sāriputta with a classic epitome of the teaching (Kd 1:23.2.1). Then he addressed his carers:

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā assaji kassapakārāme viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho āyasmā assaji upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:

At one time the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Now at that time Venerable Assaji was staying in a monastery built by a Kassapa, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.*Not to be confused with the shameless Assaji of MN 70:4.1, this is probably the early disciple of that name (MN 35:3.1). Assaji was one the group of five mendicants who received the Buddha’s first discourse (Kd 1:6.36.1). Shortly afterwards he inspired Sāriputta with a classic epitome of the teaching (Kd 1:23.2.1).Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā assaji kassapakārāme viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Then he addressed his carers: Atha kho āyasmā assaji upaṭṭhāke āmantesi:

“Please, reverends, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him: ‘Sir, the mendicant Assaji is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’ And then say: ‘Sir, please go to the mendicant Assaji out of sympathy.’”

“etha tumhe, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha: ‘assaji, bhantebhanteEn los textos pali, se usa como vocativo para dirigirse al Buddha o a un monje budista. En el uso moderno a menudo se emplea también como título.Ver en el glosario, bhikkhubhikkhuUn hombre que ha renunciado a la vida de hogar para vivir una vida de virtud elevada (ver sīla) de acuerdo con el Vinaya en general, y las reglas del Pātimokkha en particular. La raíz de la palabra significa «mendicante», es decir, uno que vive de limosnas. Como el masculino se usa como género por defecto en pali, el término bhikkhu a menudo incluye también a las monjas, por lo que «mendicante» puede usarse como traducción de género neutro. Ver saṅgha, parisā, upasampadā.Ver en el glosario ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. Evañca vadetha: ‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena assaji bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

“Please, reverends, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him: “etha tumhe, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatha: ‘Sir, the mendicant Assaji is sick, suffering, gravely ill. ‘assaji, bhantebhanteEn los textos pali, se usa como vocativo para dirigirse al Buddha o a un monje budista. En el uso moderno a menudo se emplea también como título.Ver en el glosario, bhikkhubhikkhuUn hombre que ha renunciado a la vida de hogar para vivir una vida de virtud elevada (ver sīla) de acuerdo con el Vinaya en general, y las reglas del Pātimokkha en particular. La raíz de la palabra significa «mendicante», es decir, uno que vive de limosnas. Como el masculino se usa como género por defecto en pali, el término bhikkhu a menudo incluye también a las monjas, por lo que «mendicante» puede usarse como traducción de género neutro. Ver saṅgha, parisā, upasampadā.Ver en el glosario ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. He bows with his head to your feet.’ So bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti. And then say: Evañca vadetha: ‘Sir, please go to the mendicant Assaji out of sympathy.’” ‘sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena assaji bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā’”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied. They did as he asked. The Buddha consented with silence.

“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato assajissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “assaji, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko …pe… sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena assaji bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

“Yes, reverend,” those monks replied. They did as he asked. “Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato assajissa paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “assaji, bhante, bhikkhu ābādhiko …pe… sādhu kira, bhante, bhagavā yena assaji bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. The Buddha consented with silence. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to Venerable Assaji. Venerable Assaji saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and stirred in his cot.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā assaji tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā assaji bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to Venerable Assaji. Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā assaji tenupasaṅkami. Venerable Assaji saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, Addasā kho āyasmā assaji bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. and stirred in his cot. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi.

But the Buddha said to him, “It’s all right, Assaji, don’t get up. There are some seats spread out, I will sit there.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ assajiṁ etadavoca:*āyasmantaṁ assajiṁ → āyasmato assajissa (pts1ed, mr) “alaṁ, assaji, mā tvaṁ mañcake samadhosi. Santimāni āsanāni paññattāni, tatthāhaṁ nisīdissāmī”ti.

But the Buddha said to him, Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ assajiṁ etadavoca:*āyasmantaṁ assajiṁ → āyasmato assajissa (pts1ed, mr)“It’s all right, Assaji, don’t get up. “alaṁ, assaji, mā tvaṁ mañcake samadhosi. There are some seats spread out, I will sit there.” Santimāni āsanāni paññattāni, tatthāhaṁ nisīdissāmī”ti.

He sat on the seat spread out and said, “I hope you’re keeping well, Assaji; I hope you’re all right. And I hope the pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”

Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ assajiṁ etadavoca: “kacci te, assaji, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ …pe… paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no abhikkamo”ti?

He sat on the seat spread out and said, Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ assajiṁ etadavoca: “I hope you’re keeping well, Assaji; I hope you’re all right. And I hope the pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.” “kacci te, assaji, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ …pe… paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no abhikkamo”ti?

“Sir, before my time of illness I meditated having completely stilled the physical process. But now I can’t get immersion. Since I can’t get immersion, I think: ‘May I not decline!’”

“Pubbe khvāhaṁ, bhante, gelaññe passambhetvā passambhetvā kāyasaṅkhāre viharāmi, sohaṁ samādhiṁ nappaṭilabhāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, taṁ samādhiṁ appaṭilabhato evaṁ hoti: ‘no cassāhaṁ parihāyāmī’”ti.

“Sir, before my time of illness I meditated having completely stilled the physical process. But now I can’t get immersion. “Pubbe khvāhaṁ, bhante, gelaññe passambhetvā passambhetvā kāyasaṅkhāre viharāmi, sohaṁ samādhiṁ nappaṭilabhāmi. Since I can’t get immersion, I think: Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, taṁ samādhiṁ appaṭilabhato evaṁ hoti: ‘May I not decline!’” ‘no cassāhaṁ parihāyāmī’”ti.

“There are, Assaji, ascetics and brahmins for whom samādhisamādhiConcentración o estabilidad unificada de la mente. En meditación, samādhi reúne y estabiliza la atención sobre un objeto hasta distintos grados de profundidad, pudiendo culminar en jhāna. Es uno de los cinco indriya, una de las cinco fuerzas, uno de los siete bojjhaṅgas y el octavo factor del Noble Sendero Óctuple.Ver en el glosario is the essence, equating immersion with the ascetic life. They think:*This is possibly in reference to Godhika, who likewise was distressed by his inability to keep up his meditation (SN 4.23:1.4). States of samādhi are conditioned and dependent on a healthy body, which is why the Bodhisatta needed to eat before he became enlightened (MN 36:33.2). The Buddha urges final Nibbāna, which is not a state of consciousness, but freedom from attachment. ‘May we not decline!’*The notion that even an arahant can decline is discussed and rejected at Kv 1.2.

“Ye te, assaji, samaṇabrāhmaṇā samādhisārakā samādhisāmaññā tesaṁ taṁ samādhiṁ appaṭilabhataṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘no cassu mayaṁ parihāyāmā’ti.

“There are, Assaji, ascetics and brahmins for whom samādhisamādhiConcentración o estabilidad unificada de la mente. En meditación, samādhi reúne y estabiliza la atención sobre un objeto hasta distintos grados de profundidad, pudiendo culminar en jhāna. Es uno de los cinco indriya, una de las cinco fuerzas, uno de los siete bojjhaṅgas y el octavo factor del Noble Sendero Óctuple.Ver en el glosario is the essence, equating immersion with the ascetic life. They think:*This is possibly in reference to Godhika, who likewise was distressed by his inability to keep up his meditation (SN 4.23:1.4). States of samādhi are conditioned and dependent on a healthy body, which is why the Bodhisatta needed to eat before he became enlightened (MN 36:33.2). The Buddha urges final Nibbāna, which is not a state of consciousness, but freedom from attachment.“Ye te, assaji, samaṇabrāhmaṇā samādhisārakā samādhisāmaññā tesaṁ taṁ samādhiṁ appaṭilabhataṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘May we not decline!’*The notion that even an arahant can decline is discussed and rejected at Kv 1.2.‘no cassu mayaṁ parihāyāmā’ti.

What do you think, Assaji? Is form permanent or impermanent?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assaji, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

What do you think, Assaji? Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assaji, Is form permanent or impermanent?” rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“So you should truly see … Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’

“tasmātiha …pe… evaṁ passaṁ …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātīti.

“So you should truly see … “tasmātiha …pe… Seeing this … evaṁ passaṁ …pe… They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’ nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātīti.

If they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t relish it. If they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t relish it. If they feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t relish it. If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a painful feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a neutral feeling, they feel it detached. Feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’ They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, being no longer relished, will become cool right here.’

So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anajjhositā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti.*vedayati → vediyati (bj, pts1ed) Dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anajjhositā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti. Adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti …pe… ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti. So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati; dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati; adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati. So kāyapariyantikañce vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikañce vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.

If they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t relish it. So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anajjhositā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti.*vedayati → vediyati (bj, pts1ed)If they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t relish it. Dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anajjhositā’ti pajānāti. ‘Anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti. If they feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t relish it. Adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā ‘aniccā’ti pajānāti …pe… ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti. If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached. So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati; If they feel a painful feeling, they feel it detached. dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati; If they feel a neutral feeling, they feel it detached. adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati. Feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’ So kāyapariyantikañce vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikañce vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, being no longer relished, will become cool right here.’ ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.

Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn. As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to not being fed.

Seyyathāpi, assaji, telañca paṭicca, vaṭṭiñca paṭicca, telappadīpo jhāyeyya; tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya.

Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn. Seyyathāpi, assaji, telañca paṭicca, vaṭṭiñca paṭicca, telappadīpo jhāyeyya; As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to not being fed. tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya.

In the same way, feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’ They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, being no longer relished, will become cool right here.’”

Evameva kho, assaji, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.

In the same way, feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’ Evameva kho, assaji, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, being no longer relished, will become cool right here.’” ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.