SA 727（七二七） 拘夷那竭

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was traveling among the people in the country of the wrestlers, staying between the city of Kuśinagara and the Hirannyavati River, at the side of a village. He told Venerable Ānanda, "Fold the Buddha's upper robe into four layers and spread it out. I have a backache and want to lie down and rest for a while."

Venerable Ānanda immediately followed the instruction, folded the upper robe into four layers and spread it out, then said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! The upper robe has been folded into four layers and spread out. The World-Honored One knows the time."

At that time, the World-Honored One folded his saṃghāṭī robe thickly, used it as a pillow, lay down on his right side, placed one foot on the other, focused his mind on the appearance of dawn, with right mindfulness and right knowledge, and thought of getting up. He told Venerable Ānanda, "You should explain the seven factors of awakening."

At that time, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! The factor of awakening of mindfulness, the World-Honored One himself has realized supreme perfect enlightenment and teaches it based on detachment, based on dispassion, based on cessation, and directed towards relinquishment. The factors of awakening of investigation of phenomena, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity, the World-Honored One himself has realized supreme perfect enlightenment and teaches them based on detachment, based on dispassion, based on cessation, and directed towards relinquishment."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "You should explain energy."

Ānanda said to the Buddha, "I explain energy. World-Honored One! I explain energy. Well-Gone One!"

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Only by cultivating and extensively cultivating energy can one attain supreme, perfect enlightenment." Having spoken these words, he sat upright with a focused mind.

At that time, a certain bhikṣu spoke a verse, saying:

Delighting in hearing the wonderful Dharma, I endured and quickly told others
The bhikṣu then spoke the Dharma, turning the seven factors of awakening
Excellent, Venerable Ānanda, clearly understanding and skillfully explaining, there are superior pure
dharmas, explained in detail and subtly. Mindfulness, discernment of dharmas, diligence, joy
tranquility, concentration, and equanimity - these are the seven factors of awakening
explained in detail and subtly. Having heard the explanation of the seven
factors of awakening, deeply understanding the taste of true awakening, even though
my body was afflicted with great suffering, I endured and sat upright
to listen. Observing the Dharma King, who always expounded for people, I
still delighted in hearing what was said, let alone those who had
not heard it before. The foremost great wisdom, revered by the Ten
Powers, they too should quickly come to listen to the explanation of
the true Dharma. Those who are learned and have penetrated the sūtras
and abhidharma, who are skilled in the Dharma and Vinaya, should listen
let alone others. Having heard the explanation of the true Dharma, listening
with a focused and wise mind, one attains the joy of detachment
from the Dharma explained by the Buddha. With joy, the body rests
in tranquility, and the mind is naturally joyful as well. With mental
joy, one attains right concentration, and with right observation, one engages in
practice. Those who are disgusted with the three realms, with minds liberated
from desire, disgusted with all realms of existence, not accumulating in the
human or heavenly realms, without remainder, like a lamp going out, attain
ultimate parinirvāṇa. The many benefits of hearing the Dharma are explained by
the supreme one. Therefore, one should concentrate and listen to what the
great teacher says.

After the bhikṣu spoke this verse, he rose from his seat and left.