1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Now on that occasion the venerable Ānanda was instructing, urging, rousing, and gladdening the bhikkhus with talk on the Dhamma in the assembly hall. He was reciting the summary and exposition of "One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night."

2Then, in the evening, the Blessed One rose from meditation and went to the assembly hall. He sat down on a seat made ready and asked the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, who has been instructing, urging, rousing, and gladdening the bhikkhus with talk on the Dhamma in the assembly hall? Who has been reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night’?"

"It was the venerable Ānanda, venerable sir."

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3Then the Blessed One asked the venerable Ānanda: "Ānanda, how were you instructing, urging, rousing, and gladdening the bhikkhus with talk on the Dhamma, and reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night’?"

"I was doing so thus, venerable sir:

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4"Let not a person revive the past
Or on the future build his hopes;More literally the first two lines would be translated: "Let not a person run back to the past or live in expectation of the future." The meaning will be elucidated in the expository passage of the sutta.
For the past has been left behind
And the future has not been reached.

5Instead with insight let him see
Each presently arisen state;MA: He should contemplate each presently arisen state, just where it has arisen, by way of the seven contemplations of insight (insight into impermanence, suffering, non-self, disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, relinquishment).
Let him know that and be sure of it,
Invincibly, unshakeably.Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ. MA explains that this is said for the purpose of showing insight and counter-insight (see n.1143); for insight is "invincible, unshakeable" because it is not vanquished or shaken by lust and other defilements. Elsewhere the expression "the invincible, the unshakeable" is used as a description of Nibbāna (e.g., Sn v.1149) or of the liberated mind (e.g., Thag v.649), but here it seems to refer to a stage in the development of insight. The recurrence of the verb form saṁhīrati in verse 8 and verse 9 suggests that the intended meaning is contemplation of the present moment without being misled into the adoption of a view of self.

6Today the effort must be made;
Tomorrow Death may come, who knows?
No bargain with Mortality
Can keep him and his hordes away,

7But one who dwells thus ardently,
Relentlessly, by day, by night
It is he, the Peaceful Sage has said,The "Peaceful Sage" (santo muni) is the Buddha.
Who has had a single excellent night.

8"How, bhikkhus, does one revive the past? One nurtures delight there thinking, ‘I had such material form in the past.’MA: One "finds delight" by bringing to bear upon the past either craving or a view associated with craving. It should be noted that it is not the mere recollection of the past through memory that causes bondage, but the reliving of past experiences with thoughts of craving. In this respect the Buddha’s teaching differs significantly from that of Krishnamurti, who seems to regard memory itself as the villain behind the scene. One nurtures delight there thinking, ‘I had such feeling in the past,’ … ‘I had such perception in the past,’ … ‘I had such formations in the past,’ … ‘I had such consciousness in the past.’ That is how one revives the past.

9"And how, bhikkhus, does one not revive the past? One does not nurture delight there thinking, ‘I had such material form in the past.’The syntax of the Pali allows this sentence to be inter-preted in two ways, as stating either that one thinks, "I had such form in the past," yet does not find delight in that thought; or that one does not find delight in the past by thinking such a thought. Horner, Ñāṇananda (in Ideal Solitude), and Ñm (in Ms) construe the sentence in the former way; I had preserved Ñm's rendering in the first edition. On reconsideration, I now believe that the second interpretation is more true to the intention of the text. This also ties in better with the stanzas themselves, which enjoin the disciple not to dwell in the past and the future but to contemplate "each presently arisen state" just as it presents itself. One does not nurture delight there thinking, ‘I had such feeling in the past,’ … ‘I had such perception in the past,’ … ‘I had such formations in the past,’ … ‘I had such consciousness in the past.’ That is how one does not revive the past.

10"And how, bhikkhus, does one build up hope upon the future? One nurtures delight there thinking, ‘May I have such material form in the future!’In the first edition, this sentence was rendered: "Thinking, ‘I may have such material form in the future,’ one finds delight in that." In retrospect, it now seems to me more likely that the sentence expresses an exclamatory wish for the future. One nurtures delight there thinking, ‘May I have such feeling in the future!’ … ‘May I have such perception in the future!’ … ‘May I have such formations in the future!’ … ‘May I have such consciousness in the future!’ That is how one builds up hope upon the future.

11"And how, bhikkhus, does one not build up hope upon the future? One does not nurture delight there thinking, ‘May I have such material form in the future!’ One does not nurture delight there thinking, ‘May I have such feeling in the future!’ … ‘May I have such perception in the future!’ … ‘May I have such formations in the future!’ … ‘May I have such consciousness in the future!’ That is how one does not build up hope upon the future.

12"And how, bhikkhus, is one vanquished in regard to presently arisen states?The verb here and in the next paragraph, saṁhīrati, refers back to the line in the verse, "invincibly, unshakeably." MA glosses: "One is dragged along by craving and views because of the lack of insight." Here, bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards material form as self, or self as possessed of material form, or material form as in self, or self as in material form. He regards feeling as self … perception as self … formations as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessed of consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That is how one is vanquished in regard to presently arisen states.

13"And how, bhikkhus, is one invincible in regard to presently arisen states? Here, bhikkhus, a well-taught noble disciple, who has regard for noble ones and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who has regard for true men and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, does not regard material form as self, or self as possessed of material form, or material form as in self, or self as in material form. He does not regard feeling as self … perception as self … formations as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessed of consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That is how one is invincible in regard to presently arisen states.

14"Let not a person revive the past
Or on the future build his hopes;
For the past has been left behind
And the future has not been reached.

15Instead with insight let him see
Each presently arisen state;
Let him know that and be sure of it,
Invincibly, unshakeably.

16Today the effort must be made;
Tomorrow Death may come, who knows?
No bargain with Mortality
Can keep him and his hordes away,

17But one who dwells thus ardently,
Relentlessly, by day, by night —
It is he, the Peaceful Sage has said,
Who has had a single excellent night.

18"I was instructing, urging, rousing, and gladdening the bhikkhus with talk on the Dhamma thus, and reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night’ thus."

19"Good, good, Ānanda! It is good that you were instructing, urging, rousing, and gladdening the bhikkhus with talk on the Dhamma thus, and reciting the summary and exposition of ‘One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night’ thus:

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20–22"Let not a person revive the past …
Repeat as above.

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23That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Ānanda was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.

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1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca bhāsati.

2Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenupaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "ko nu kho, bhikkhave, upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī"ti?

"Āyasmā, bhante, ānando upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī"ti.

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3Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: "yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsī"ti?

"Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsiṁ –

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4Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.

5Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

6Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.

7Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate muni.

8‘Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti? Evaṁrūpo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁvedano ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁsañño ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁsaṅkhāro ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁviññāṇo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti — evaṁ kho, āvuso, atītaṁ anvāgameti.

9Kathañca, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti? Evaṁrūpo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁvedano ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁsañño ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁsaṅkhāro ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁviññāṇo ahosiṁ atītamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti — evaṁ kho, āvuso, atītaṁ nānvāgameti.

10Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati? Evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti, evaṁvedano siyaṁ … pe … evaṁsañño siyaṁ … evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ … evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ samanvāneti — evaṁ kho, āvuso, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati.

11Kathañca, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati? Evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti, evaṁvedano siyaṁ … pe … evaṁsañño siyaṁ … evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ … evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānanti tattha nandiṁ na samanvāneti — evaṁ kho, āvuso, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati.

12Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati? Idha, āvuso, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ; vedanaṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ — evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati.

13Kathañca, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati? Idha, āvuso, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ; na vedanaṁ … na saññaṁ … na saṅkhāre … na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ — evaṁ kho, āvuso, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

14Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṁ;
Yadatītaṁ pahīnaṁ taṁ,
appattañca anāgataṁ.

15Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṁ,
tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,
taṁ vidvā manubrūhaye.

16Ajjeva kiccamātappaṁ,
ko jaññā maraṇaṁ suve;
Na hi no saṅgaraṁ tena,
mahāsenena maccunā.

17Evaṁvihāriṁ ātāpiṁ,
ahorattamatanditaṁ;
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

18Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesiṁ samādapesiṁ samuttejesiṁ sampahaṁsesiṁ, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsin"ti.

19"Sādhu sādhu, ānanda. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi, bhaddekarattassa uddesañca vibhaṅgañca abhāsi:

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20‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
… pe …
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’ti.

21Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti … pe … evaṁ kho, ānanda, atītaṁ anvāgameti. Kathañca, ānanda, atītaṁ nānvāgameti … pe … evaṁ kho, ānanda, atītaṁ nānvāgameti. Kathañca, ānanda, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati … pe … evaṁ kho, ānanda, anāgataṁ paṭikaṅkhati. Kathañca, ānanda, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati … pe … evaṁ kho, ānanda, anāgataṁ nappaṭikaṅkhati. Kathañca, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati … pe … evaṁ kho, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu saṁhīrati. Kathañca, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati … pe … evaṁ kho, ānanda, paccuppannesu dhammesu na saṁhīrati.

22‘Atītaṁ nānvāgameyya,
… pe …
Taṁ ve bhaddekarattoti,
santo ācikkhate munī’"ti.

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23Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

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Ānandabhaddekarattasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.