1 Thus was heard by me. At one time, the venerable Sariputta and the venerable Mahamoggallana were wandering on tour with a large community of bhikkhus. Now on that occasion the female lay disciple, Nandamata of Velukantaka, having risen during the night before dawn, chanted the Parayana.

2 At that time the great king Vessavana, was travelling from northern region to the southern region on some business. The great king, Vessavana heard the female lay disciple, Nandamata chanting the Parayana. Having heard, he stood waiting for the chanting to finish. Then the female lay disciple, Nandamata having chanted the Parayana, became silent.

3 So then the great king Vessavana having known that the female disciple, Nandamata had finished, greatly rejoiced saying: “Good sister, good sister.”

4 “But who is this dear?”

5 “I, O sister, am your brother, the great king Vessavana.”

6 Good dear. Well now, may this dhamma discourse chanted by me be my gift to you as my guest.

7 Very well sister, may this also be your gift to me as your guest. Tomorrow the community of bhikkhus headed by Sariputta and Moggallana will come to Velukantaka without having eaten their morning meal. Having served that community of bhikkhus, dedicate the offering to me. Thus, that will be your gift to me as your guest.

8 Then with the passing of the night, the female lay disciple, Nandamata prepared excellent hard foods and soft foods at her own house. Then the community of bhikkhus headed by Sariputta and Moggallana, without having eaten their morning meal, arrived at Velukantaka.

9 So then the female lay disciple, Nandamata addressed a certain man: “Come you good man, having gone to the monastery, announce to the community of bhikkhus: “It is time Bhante, the meal is ready at the house of the noble lady, Nandamata.””

10 Then in the morning, the community of bhikkhus headed by Sariputta and Moggallana, having dressed, having taken bowl and robe, went to the female lay disciple, Nandamata's house. Upon arrival, they sat down on a prepared seat.

11 So then the female lay disciple, Nandamata, with her own hands, served and satisfied the community of bhikkhus headed by Sariputta and Moggallana with excellent hard foods and soft foods. Then, when the venerable Sariputta had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl, the female lay disciple, Nandamata, having taken a certain lower seat, sat down to one side. Having sat down to one side, the venerable Sariputta said this to the female lay disciple, Nandamata.

12 “But who, O Nandamata, announced to you of the community of bhikkhus arrival?”

13 Here I, O Bhante, having arisen during the night before dawn, chanted the Parayana. Then, O Bhante, the great king Vessavana having known that I had finished, greatly rejoiced saying: “Good sister, good sister.”

14 “But who is this dear?”

15 “I, O sister, am your brother, the great king Vessavana.”

16 Good dear. Well now, may this dhamma discourse chanted by me be my gift to you as my guest.

17 Very well sister, may this also be your gift to me as your guest. Tomorrow the community of bhikkhus headed by Sariputta and Moggallana will come to Velukantaka without having eaten their morning meal. Having served that community of bhikkhus, dedicate the offering to me. Thus, that will be your gift to me as your guest.

18 That is to say, O Bhante, “May the merits of this offering indeed be for the happiness of that great king Vessavana.”

19 “It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata, in as much as you converse face to face with the great king by the name of Vessavana, the son of the devas who is so powerful, of such great influence.”

20 That is not, O Bhante, the only marvellous and unprecedented quality of mine. There are for me also other marvellous and unprecedented qualities.

21 Here, O Bhante, my only son named Nanda, dearly and beloved, the king having seized him on some pretext or another, dragged him away and killed him. Yet I, O Bhante, do not recall an alteration of mind when the young boy was seized or while being seized; when he was bounded or while being bounded; when he was slained or while being slain.

22 “It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata, in as much as you purify even the arousal of mental states.”

23 That is not, O Bhante, the only marvellous and unprecedented quality of mine. There are for me also other marvellous and unprecedented qualities.

24 Here, O Bhante, when my husband passed away, he arose in a certain womb of a yakkha. He revealed himself to me with just his former self-begotten. Yet I, O Bhante, do not recall an alteration of mind on account of that.

25 “It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata, in as much as you purify even the arousal of mental states.”

26 That is not, O Bhante, the only marvellous and unprecedented quality of mine. There are for me also other marvellous and unprecedented qualities.

27 “From the time, O Bhante, that I was brought to my young husband as a young girl, I do not recall transgressing against my husband even in thought, let alone in body.”

28 “It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata, in as much as you purify even the arousal of mental states.”

26 That is not, O Bhante, the only marvellous and unprecedented quality of mine. There are for me also other marvellous and unprecedented qualities.

30 “Since I, O Bhante, declared myself a female lay disciple, I do not recall purposely transgressing any training rules.”

31 It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata.”

32 That is not, O Bhante, the only marvellous and unprecedented quality of mine. There are for me also other marvellous and unprecedented qualities.

33 Here O Bhante, to whatever extent I wish, quite secluded from sense-desires, secluded from unwholesome dhammas, I enter upon and abide in the happiness and pleasure born of seclusion, connected with thinking and pondering, the first jhana. From the subsiding of thinking and pondering, with the internal tranquilization and unification of mind, without thinking and pondering, I enter upon and abide in the happiness and pleasure born of samadhi, the second jhana. With the fading away of happiness, I, dwelling mindful and contemplative, look on with equanimity as I experience pleasure in the body, of which the Noble Ones say: “The equanimous dweller in pleasure is the mindful one,” I enter upon and abide in the third jhana. From the abandoning of [physical] pleasure and pain, from the extinction of former mental pleasure and mental pain, I enter upon and abide in the utter purity of mindfulness and equanimity, without pain, without pleasure, the fourth jhana.

34 It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata.”

35 That is not, O Bhante, the only marvellous and unprecedented quality of mine. There are for me also other marvellous and unprecedented qualities.

36 Of these five lower fetters declared by the Auspicious One, O Bhante, I do not see any of them that are not abandoned in myself.

37 It is marvellous, O Nandamata, it is unprecedented, O Nandamata.”

38 Then the venerable Sariputta having further instructed, aroused, energized and gladdened the female lay disciple, Nandamata with talk on the Dhamma, having risen up from his seat, he departed.

1 evamme sutaṃ: ekaṃ samayaṃ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno dakkhiṇāgirismiṃ cārikaṃ caranti mahatā bhikkhu saṅghena saddhiṃ. tena kho pana samayena veḷukaṇṭakī nandamātā upāsikā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṃ paccūṭṭhāya pārāyaṇaṃ sarena bhāsati.

2 tena kho pana samayena vessavaṇo mahārājā uttarāya disāya dakkhiṇaṃ disaṃ gacchati kenacideva karaṇīyena. assosi kho vessavaṇo mahārājā nandamātāya upāsikāya pārāyaṇaṃ sarena bhāsantiyā. sutvā kathāpariyosānaṃ āgamayamāno aṭṭhāsi. atha kho nandamātā upāsikā pārāyaṇaṃ sarena bhāsitvā tuṇhī ahosi.

3 atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā nandamātāya upāsikāya kathāpariyosānaṃ viditvā abbhanumodi: sādhu bhagini, sādhu bhaginīti.

4 ko panesa bhadramukhāti.

5 ahaṃ te bhaginī bhātā vessavaṇo mahārājāti.

6 sādhu bhadramukha, tena hi yo me ayaṃ dhammapariyāyo bhaṇito, idante hotu ātitheyyanti.

7 sādhu bhaginī, etaṃ ceva me hotu ātitheyyaṃ: sve ca sāriputta moggallānapamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso veḷukaṇṭakaṃ āgamissati. tañca bhikkhusaṅghaṃ parivisitvā mama dakkhiṇaṃ ādiseyyāsi. evañca me bhavissati ātitheyyanti.

8 atha kho nandamātā upāsikā tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane paṇītaṃ khādanīyaṃ bhojanīyaṃ paṭiyādāpesi. atha kho sāriputtamoggallānapamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso yena veḷukaṇṭako tadavasarī.

9 atha kho nandamātā upāsikā aññataraṃ purisaṃ āmantesi: ehi tvaṃ ambho purisa, ārāmaṃ gantvā bhikkhusaṅghassa kālaṃ ārocehi: "kālo bhante, ayyāya nandamātuyā nivesane niṭṭhitaṃ bhatta, nti. evaṃ ayye, ti kho so puriso nandamātāya upāsikāya paṭissutvā ārāmaṃ gantvā bhikkhusaṅghassa kālaṃ ārocesi: "kālo bhante, ayyāya nandamātuyā nivesane niṭṭhitaṃ bhattanti, "

10 atha kho sāriputtamoggallānapamukho bhikkhusaṅgho pubbanhasamayaṃ nivāsetvā pattacīvaraṃ ādāya yena nandamātuyā upāsikāya nivesanaṃ tenupasaṅkami. upasaṅkamitvā paṭṭattāsane nisīdi.

11 atha kho nandamātā upāsikā sāriputtamoggallānapamukhaṃ bhikkhusaṅghaṃ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatvā santappesi sampavāresi. atha kho nandamātā upāsikā āyasmantaṃ sāriputtaṃ bhuttāviṃ onītapattapāṇīṃ ekamantaṃ nisīdi. ekamantaṃ nisinnaṃ kho nandamātaraṃ upāsikaṃ āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:

12 ko pana te nandamāte, bhikkhusaṅghassa abbhāgamanaṃ ārocesīti.

13 idhāhaṃ bhante, rattiyā paccusasamayaṃ paccuṭṭhāya pārāyaṇaṃ sarena bhāsitvā tuṇhī ahosiṃ. atha kho bhante, vessavaṇo mahārājā mama kathāpariyosānaṃ viditvā abbhanumodi "sādhu bhaginī, sādhu bhaginī, ti.

14 ko panesa bhadramukhāti.

15 ahaṃ te bhaginī bhātā vessavaṇo mahārājāti.

16 sādhu bhadramukha, tena hi yo me ayaṃ dhammapariyāyo bhaṇito, idante hotu ātitheyyanti.

17 sādhu bhaginī, etaṃ ceva me hotu ātitheyyaṃ: sve ca sāriputta moggallānapamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso veḷukaṇṭakaṃ āgamissati. tañca bhikkhusaṅghaṃ parivisitvā mama dakkhiṇaṃ ādiseyyāsi. evañca me bhavissati ātitheyyanti.

18 yadidaṃ bhante, dāne puññaṃ hi taṃ vessavaṇassa mahārājassa sukhāya hotuti.

19 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhūtaṃ nandamāte, yatra hi nāma vessavaṇena mahārājena evaṃ mahiddhikena evaṃ mahesakkhena devaputtena sammukhā sallapissatīti.

20 na kho me bhante esova acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo:

21 idha me bhante nando nāma eko puttako piyo manāpo. taṃ rājāno kismiñcideva pakaraṇe okkassa paggayha jīvitā voropesuṃ. tasmiṃ kho panāhaṃ bhante, dārake gahite vā gayhamāne vā baddhe vā vajjhamāne vā hate vā haṭṭamāne vā nābhijānāmi cittassa aññathattanti.

22 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhūtaṃ nandamāte, yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessatīti.

23 na kho me bhante esova acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo:

24 idha me bhante, sāmiko kālakato assa aññataraṃ yakkhayoniṃ upapanno. so me teneva purimena attabhāvena uddasseti. na kho panāhaṃ bhante, abhijānāmi tato nidānaṃ cittassa aññathattanti.

25 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhūtaṃ nandamāte, yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessatīti.

26 na kho me bhante esova acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo:

27 yatohaṃ bhante, sāmikassa daharasseva daharā ānītā, nābhijānāmi sāmikaṃ manasāpi aticaritā, kuto pana kāyenāti.

28 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhūtaṃ nandamāte, yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessatīti.

26 na kho me bhante esova acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo:

30 yadāhaṃ bhante, upāsikā paṭidesitā, nābhijānāmi kiñci sikkhāpadaṃ sañcicca vītikkamitāti.

31 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhutaṃ nandamāteti.

32 na kho me bhante esova acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo:

33 idhāhaṃ bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vicekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharāmi. vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharāmi. pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhakā ca viharāmi, satā ca sampajānā sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedemi. yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhantī upekkhako satimā sukhavihāriti tatiyaṃ jhanaṃ upasampajja viharāmi. sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṃ atthagamā adukkhaṃ asukhaṃ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṃ catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharāmi.

34 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhutaṃ nandamāteti.

35 na kho me bhante esova acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo:

36 yānīmāni bhante, bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saññojanāni, nāhaṃ tesaṃ kiñci attani appahīnaṃ samanupassāmi.

37 acchariyaṃ nandamāte, abbhutaṃ nandamāteti.

38 atha kho āyasmā sāriputto nandamātaraṃ upāsikaṃ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṃsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmiti.