The Sakya Nandiya

At one time The Blessed One was living with the Sakyas, abiding in Nigrodha's monastery in Kapilavatthu. The Blessed One had a desire to observe the rains in Sāvatthi.

The Sakya Nandiya heard that The Blessed One had a desire to observe the rains in Sāvatthi. Then it occured to the Sakya Nandiya: The Blessed One has a desire to observe the rains in Sāvatthi, what if I too observe the rains in Sāvatthi and attend to the work as well. Then I will get a chance to see The Blessed One from time to time.

The Blessed One oberved the rains in Sāvatthi and the Sakya Nandiya too observed the rains in Sāvatthi. He attended to the work there and also from time to time obtained a chance to see The Blessed One. At that time many bhikkhus were sewing The Blessed One's robe and The Blessed One was to leave on a tour at the end of the three months when the robe was ready. The Sakya Nandiya heard that, many bhikkhus are engaged in sewing The Blessed One's robe, and The Blessed One was to leave on a tour at the end of the three months when the robe was ready. So the Sakya Nandiya approached The Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said: “Venerable sir, we hear that many bhikkhus are engaged in sewing The Blessed One's robe and The Blessed One is to leave on a tour at the end of three months when the robe is ready. We abide in various abidings. Which is the most suitable abiding, in which we should abide?"

“Good! Nandiya, sons of clansmen like you should approach the Thus Gone One to ask this Venerable sir, we abide in various abidings. Which is the most suitable abiding, in which we should abide? Nandiya, one with faith will be successful, not without faith One with aroused effort will be successful, not without aroused effort One with mindfulness established will be successful, not without. One concentrated will be successful, not without concentration. A wise one will be successful, not one without wisdom.

Established in these five things, you should further develop six things. You should recollect the Thus Gone One, worthy and rightfully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well gone, knows the worlds, the incomparable tamer of those to be tamed. The Teacher of gods and men, enlightened and blessed. Nandiya, then you should internally establish the sign of the Thus Gone One in your mind ...

Again, Nandiya, you should recollect the Teaching -'Well proclaimed is the Teaching of The Blessed One, here and now, not a matter of time, leading inwards, to be realized by the wise by themselves. Nandiya, then you should internally establish the sign of the Teaching in your mind.

Again, Nandiya you should recollect the Community of bhikkhus-'The Community of bhikkhus of The Blessed One, have come to the right path, the straight path, the wise path and the path of mutual understanding, such as the four cuplets of eight Great beings. These are The Blessed One's disciples who are worthy of reverence, hospitality, gifts and honour with clasped hands The incomparable field of merit for the world. Nandiya, then you should internally establish the sign of the Community of bhikkhus in your mind.

Again, Nandiya you should recollect your spiritual friends. It is great gain for me that my spiritual friends advise and incite me out of compassion. Nandiya, then you should internally establish the sign of the spiritual friends in your mind.

Again, Nandiya you should recollect your own benevolence: It is great gain for me, that in a world overwhelmed with stains of selfishness, I abide in a household free from stains of selfishness. I abide released in benevolence, with open hands ready to give to the needy and arranging to give gifts. Nandiya, then you should internally establish the sign of your benevolence in your mind.

Again, Nandiya recollect the gods: Who have gone beyond those partaking material food and are born with a certain kind of mental beings. They do not see any duties to do, nor any accumulation of the doneṆandiya, then you should internally establish the sign of the gods in your mind.

Nandiya, the noble disciple endowed with these eleven things certainly dispels demerit and does not seize. Nandiya, just as a pot turned upside down, certainly would throw out all the water, does not take in the vomited again. In a dried up field what is saved from the fire would indeed get burned, not the already burnt. In the same manner, Nandiya, the noble disciple endowed with these eleven things certainly dispels demerit and does not seize.