2017 MN 146 Nandakovada Sutta - Advice from Nandaka-aZpvaH3ou4U.en.vtt.txt

From: https://youtube.com/watch?v=aZpvaH3ou4U

Context: Throughout this transcript, Bhante Vimalaramsi is the speaker unless otherwise indicated.

those have I heard on one occasion the

blessed one was living in Swati in

jeta's grove anathapindika's park then

Maha Maha Prajapati go Tommy together

with five hundred bikinis went as a

blessed one after paying homage to the

Blessed One she stood at one side and

said to him venerable sir let the

Blessed One advise the bhikkhunis let

the Blessed One instruct the bhikkhunis

let the Blessed One give the bhikkhunis

a talk on the Dhamma now on that

occasion the elder bhikkhunis were

taking turns and advising the Baku knees

but the venerable nandaka did not want

to advise them when it was his turn then

the blessed one addressed the venerable

Ananda Ananda whose term is it to t2

today to advise the bhikkhunis that

venerable sir it is the venerable nan da

cos term to advise the Baku knees but he

does not want to advise them even though

it's his turn then the blessed one

addressed the venerable nandaka advised

the Baku knees nandaka instruct the Baku

knees man Dhaka gives of bhikkhunis a

talk on the Dhamma

yes venerable sir the venerable nandaka

replied the reason he didn't want to

give to Baku knees a talk on the Dhamma

was in a recent past lifetime

he was a king and he had these

concubines and they turned out to be

these bhikkhunis in this lifetime and he

thought that if he gave them a talk on

the Dhamma than they were going to fall

in love with him again and he would be

criticized by other sects yes venerable

serve of interval nandaka replied then

in the morning the venerable nun back

addressed taking his bowl and outer robe

went into Swati for alms

when he'd wandered for alms and Swati

and had returned from his alms round

after his meal he went to a companion to

a companion to the rajaka Park the

bhikkhunis saw the venerable nandaka

coming in the distance and prepared a

seat and set out water for the feet and

the venerable non dont't nandaka sat

down on a seat made ready and washed his

feet the bikinis paid homage to him and

sat down at one side when they were

seated the venerable nandaka told the

bhikkhunis sister sisters i will be this

talk will be in the form of questions

when you understand you should say we

understand when you do not understand

you should say we do not understand when

you're doubtful or perplexed you should

ask me how is this venerable serve what

is the mat the meaning of this

a generals venerable sir we were

satisfied and pleased with the master

nandaka in that he invites us even with

this much sisters what do you think is

the eye permanent or impermanent

impermanent venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering or happiness

suffering venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded thus this is

mine this I am this is my self no

venerable sir sister's what do you think

is the year permanent or impermanent

impermanent venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering or happiness

suffering venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded thus this is

mine this I am this is my self no

venerable sir is the nose permanent or

impermanent impermanent venerable sir is

what is impermanent suffering or

happiness suffering venerable sir is

what is impermanent suffering and

subject to change to be regarded thus

this is mine this I am this is

myself no venerable sir is the tongue

permanent or impermanent impermanent

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering or happiness suffering

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering and subject to change fit to

be regarded thus this is mine this I am

this is my self no venerable sir is the

body permanent or impermanent

impermanent venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering or happiness

suffering venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded thus this is

mine this I am this is my self no

venerable sir

is the mind perfect there it permanent

or impermanent impermanent venerable sir

what is impermanent suffering and

subject happiness or suffering suffering

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering and subject to change fit to

be regarded thus this is mine this I am

this is my self no venerable sir why is

that because venerable sir we have

already seen this well as it actually is

with proper wisdom thus these six

internal basis are impermanent good good

sisters so it is with a noble disciple

who knows this as it actually is with

proper

wisdom sisters what do you think our

forms permanent or impermanent

impermanent venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering their happiness

suffering venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded thus this is

mine this I am this is my self no

venerable sir our sounds permanent or

impermanent impermanent venerable sir is

what is impermanent subject as suffering

or happiness suffering venerable sir is

what is impermanent suffering and

subject to change fit to be regarded

thus this is mine this I am this is my

self no venerable sir our elders

permanent or impermanent impermanent

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering or happiness suffering

venerable sir is what is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded thus this is

mine this I am this is my self no

venerable sir our flavours permanent or

impermanent impermanent venerable sir is

what is impermanent suffering or

happiness suffering venerable sir

is what is impermanent suffering and

subject to change fit to be regarded

thus this is mine this I am this is my

self no venerable sir our tangibles

permanent or impermanent impermanent

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering or happiness suffering

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering and subject to change fit to

be regarded thus this is mine this I am

this is my self no venerable sir our

mind objects permanent or impermanent

impermanent venerable sir

is what is impermanent suffering or

happiness suffering venerable sir is

what is impermanent suffering and

subject to change fit to be regarded

thus this is mine this I am this is my

self no venerable sir why is that

because venerable sir we have already

seen this well as it actually is with

proper wisdom thus these six external

bases are impermanent good good sisters

so it is with a noble disciple who sees

this as it actually is with proper

wisdom sisters what do you think is I

consciousness permanent or impermanent

impermanent venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering or happiness

suffering venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded the

this is mine this I am this is my self

no venerable sir is ear-consciousness

permanent or impermanent impermanent

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering or happiness suffering

venerable sir is what is impermanent

suffering and subject to change fit to

be regarded thus this is mine this I am

this is my self no venerable sir is

nose-consciousness permanent or

impermanent excuse me

impermanent venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering or happiness

suffering venerable sir is what is

impermanent suffering and subject to

change fit to be regarded thus this is

mine this I am this is my self no

venerable sir why is that because

venerable sir we have already seen as it

actually is

with proper wisdom thus these six basis

are these these six

classes of consciousness as they as they

truly are good sister good so it is with

no a noble disciple who sees that this

as it actually is with proper wisdom

sisters suppose an oil lamp does burning

its oil is impermanent subject to change

its wick is impermanent subject to

change its flame is impermanent subject

to change and its radiance is

impermanent subject to change now would

anyone be speaking rightly who spoke to

us well the oil lamp is burning its oil

wick and flame are impermanent and

subject to change but its radiance is

permanent everlasting eternal not

subject to change

no venerable sir why is that because

venerable sir while the oil lamp is

burning it's oil wick and flame are

impermanent and subject to change so

it's radiance must be per impermanent

and subject to change so two sisters

would anyone be speaking rightly who

spoke thus these six internal bases are

impermanent and subject to change but

the pleasant painful and neither

pleasant-nor-painful feeling that one

experience experiences in dependence on

these six internal bases is permanent

you think it's sometimes

everlasting eternal not subject to

change

no venerable sir why is that because

each feeling arises in dependence on its

corresponding condition and with the

cessation of that corresponding

condition the feeling ceases good good

sister so it is with a noble disciple

who sees this as it actually is with

proper wisdom sisters suppose a great

tree standing possessed of heartwood its

roots is impermanent subject to change

its trunk is impermanent subject to

change its branches and foliage are

impermanent subject to change and its

shadow is impermanent subject to change

now would anyone be speaking rightly who

spoke less the root the trunk the

branches and foliage of this great tree

standing possessed of heartwood are

impermanent and subject to change but

its shadow is permanent everlasting

eternal not subject to change

no venerable sir why is that because

venerable sir the root trunk branches

and foliage of this great tree standing

the zest of heartwood are impermanent

and subject to change so it's shadow

must be impermanent and subject to

change so two sisters would anyone be

speaking rightly who spokes us these six

in external bases are impermanent and

subject to change but the Pleasant

painful Norbit pleasant-nor-painful

feeling that one experiences

independence on these six external basis

is permanent everlasting eternal not

subject to change this is a real

interesting thing because he's also

referring to a permanent and God so it's

something to consider

one of the key things that all people

that believe in a God is everlasting is

always going to be the same but how is

that possible when nothing in the

universe is everlasting and is changing

all the time okay no venerable sir wise

why is that because each feeling arises

in dependence upon its corresponding

condition and with the cessation of its

corresponding condition feeling ceases

good good sisters so it is with a noble

disciple who sees this as it actually is

with proper wisdom sisters suppose the

skilled butcher or his apprentice were

to kill a cow and carve it up with a

sharp butcher's knife without damaging

the inner mass of flesh and without

damaging the outer hide he would cut

sever and carve away the inner tendons

the sinews and ligaments with the

sharpen butcher's knife

having cut severed and carved all this

away he would remove the outer hide and

cover the cow again with that same hide

would he be speaking rightly if he were

to say this cow is joined to its hide

just as it was before

no venerable sir why is that because if

a skilled butcher or his apprentice were

to kill a cow and cut and sever and

carve it all away even though he covers

the cow again with that same hide the

cow is then and says this cow is joined

to its eyes just as it was before that

cow would still be disjoined from that

height sisters I have given you a simile

in order to convey a meaning this is the

meaning the inner mass of flesh is a

term for the in term of six internal

bases the outer hide is a term for the

six external bases the inner tendon

sinews and ligaments is a term for

delight and lust the sharp butcher's

knife is a term for noble wisdom noble

wisdom that cuts severs and carves away

the inner defilements fetters and bonds

sisters there are these seven awakening

factors through the development and

cultivation of which a monk by realizing

for himself with direct knowledge here

and now enters upon and abides and the

deliverance of

and deliverance by wisdom that art ain't

less with the destruction of the taints

what are the seven here sister monk

develops a mindfulness awakening factor

which is supported by seclusion

dispassion and cessation and ripens in

relinquishment he develops the

investigation of your experience a

weakening factor it's going to go do the

same thing again okay which is supported

by seclusion dispassion and cessation

and ripens and relinquishment he

develops the energy awakening factor

which is developed by seclusion

dispassion cessation and ripens and

relinquishment he develops the joy

awakening factor which is developed by

seclusion dispassion and cessation and

ripens and relinquishment he develops

the tranquility awakening factor which

is developed by seclusion dispassion

cessation and ripens and relinquishment

he develops the collectiveness awakening

factor which is developed through could

seclusion dispassion and cessation and

ripens and relinquishment he develops

the equanimity awakening factor

these seven factors when they are in

perfect balances when you attain nirvana

and the awakening factors are used in a

lot of different ways when you have

sloth and torpor then you want to bring

up the awakening factor of investigation

energy and joy whoa isn't that something

how does sloth and torpor arise what

happens first what happens after that

what happens after that that's how you

investigate now a lot of people have

told me but I'm already sleepy why do I

have to have the relaxed step because

you're not true easily be your dull

that's what torpor really is you develop

it after the the torpor gets so bad that

it turns into sleepiness but how does it

arise take an interest in how it arises

what happens first when you're doing

that you are also experiencing an

increase in energy because your interest

gets beat how does this happen what

happens first so when your mind is

dulled out investigate it see with

what's happening

now when your mind starts to get real

excited or agitated then you don't use

the investigation and energy and joy

will come when you finally let it go if

you try to do that you're going to not

be successful in overcoming the

restlessness you have to bring up the

awakening factor of tranquillity the

awakening factor of stillness or the

awakening factor of equanimity that's

what you use when you're excited a lot

of people you'll get to a certain level

and certain depth of their meditation

and their mind thinks a lot and they

start to get involved with the thinking

and they start to become frustrated

because their mind is so caught up in

thinking and is so distracting that they

come to me and complain now I had a monk

here last year he was pretty successful

at the start of his meditation and then

he would get into neither perception nor

non-perception or nothingness I'm not

sure which it was and all of a sudden

his mind would start pushing he wanted

to get another attainment I want this

now every day he would come in and he

would come complain about having a

thoughtful Oprah thought he mind a mind

that was continual thoughts

back off on your energy don't try so

hard

and I reminded him about every day that

he was wanting something to happen that

desire is going to stop it from

happening and you're going to get

restless that's just the way it works

that's the natural unfolding of this

process so every day I told him sit down

with a determination I don't care what

happens next but every day you would

come back and the interview and tell me

about how restless this mind was so I

told him to stop doing that over and

over for a month just let those thoughts

be there nothing let him go just stay

with your object of meditation after a

month he came into the interview and his

face was all radiant and he was so happy

said I just figured out that I was

trying too hard now this is after a

month of me tearing my hair out to get

him step to stop am i telling him over

and over and over again let go of your

desire for something to happen and he

said well I do it every day I tell

myself every day but he didn't believe

it secretly he wanted it to happen so he

had a month of suffering because of not

paying attention to the instructions and

following them because he had this

secret desire I want to be an hour

okay but in our hot doesn't want to be

in our hot that just happens when the

conditions are right

so these awakening factors when you're

restless bring up a feeling of

tranquility and your mind will quiet

down

fairly quickly but if you have a secret

desire for something to happen in the

way you want it to guess what the

awakening factors won't work because of

that desire I want it to stop I want it

to go away I hate when this kind of

thing happens well let go of that it's

not yours anyway why are you trying to

control it is this me is this mine is

this Who I am no that's just a feeling

and when you the feeling will cease on

its own when the conditions are right

for it to cease so it's a real important

aspect of the teaching to understand

that you have to let go of everything

everything is impermanent

everything is kind of the suffering that

arises and it's not yours anyway

so why get involve with it realize that

all of this stuff is just part of the

way things are right now everything is

impermanent everything is a kind of

unsatisfactoriness it doesn't matter

whether it's a painful feeling or a

pleasant feeling you treat them both in

the same way you allow them to be

without taking them personally this is

just part of the show it's part of a

process don't get involved with it one

of the biggest problems that most

meditators have is they're afraid to let

go they want to be in control okay well

you can be in control by letting go of

the want to be in control

by bringing up a feeling of tranquility

or equanimity with a meditation pain

when it comes up the best way to allow

that to be is just by allowing it to be

there by itself

don't keep your attention on it don't

get caught in your thoughts about it

just let it be there by itself it will

fade away on its own okay these are the

seven awakening factors through the

development and cultivation of which a

monk by realizing for himself with

direct knowledge here and now enters and

abides in the deliverance of mind and

deliverance by wisdom that are tainless

with the destruction of the taints when

the venerable nandaka had advised the

bhikkhunis thus he dismissed them saying

go sister it is time when the Baku knees

have delighted and rejoiced in the

venerable nan daka's words rose from

their seats after paying homage to the

venerable nandaka departed keeping him

on their right this is a statement that

bhikkhu bodhi uses a lot it doesn't mean

that they went by him on the right hand

side and then kept kept what he's saying

in the right way they went to the

Blessed One after paying homage to him

at one side the blessed one told them go

sisters it is time when the bhikkhunis

paid homage to the blessed one and

departed keeping him in there on the

right

soon after they had left the blessed one

addressed the bhikkhus monk just as on

this apostle a day of the fourteenth

people are not doubtful or perplexed as

to whether the moon is incomplete or

full since the moon is clearly

incomplete so to these bhikkhunis are

satisfied with andhakas teaching in the

dhamma but their intentions have not

been fulfilled then the blessed one

addressed the venerable non doc oh well

then non daca tomorrow you should Rio

you should advise these bhikkhunis in

exactly the same way again

yes venerable sir the venerable non daca

replied then the next morning the

venerable Languedoc addressed and he

went out on his alms round then the

bhikkhunis paid homage to the blessed

one and departed and they just went

through the same thing which I'm not

going to do to you you have enough for

right now

soon after they left the blessed one

addressed the monks monk just as on now

Posada day of the fifteenth people are

not doubtful or perplexed as to whether

the moon is incomplete or full since a

moon is clearly full so to those

bhikkhunis are satisfied with been

daka's teaching the Dhamma

and their intention has been fulfilled

because even the least advanced of those

500 bhikkhunis is a stream enterer no

longer subject to permission bound for

deliverance headed for awakening that is

what the Blessed One said the monks were

satisfied and delighted in the Blessed

ones words so this is actually a very

powerful sentence and I think we should

probably make

I think doing the whole thing and then

doing it all again following the way the

suitor was supposed to be so that you

can listen to it it's real easy to get

caught up and misses me this is mine

this is myself

but when you hear it over and over again

this is is it permanent or impermanent

is it suffering or happiness is what is

suffering that me is it mine is it

myself and hearing that is a good

reminder so that when you're sitting in

meditation and you start getting caught

up in something bring this up bring up

the fact that there it doesn't matter

whether it's with the eyes the ears or

the mind it doesn't matter it's all

impermanent

it's all subject to change everything

that subject to change is dukkha

and

you get to see this as it actually is

this isn't mine I didn't ask this stuff

to come up so keep reminding yourself of

that and the more you become familiar

with it the easier it is to not get

involved with the rubbish thoughts the

ones that are saying well this is mine

this is my feeling either this is

absolutely me well but it's not and the

more you can remind yourself of that the

easier the meditation becomes the easier

it becomes to use the six R's

lightly not as a stick to beat things

away you use the six RS only to let go

of the craving

your mind will start to get more and

more clear as you do this now there's

going to be time to forget okay so you

forgot

so what start again that's why I say

turn this into a game it's just your

mind going off being crazy about one

thing or another that's fine there's no

problem with that just let it be relax

and good it's doing its own silly little

thing and it's not yours

you don't ask it to come up you can't

control it well it's there so why fight

with the truth allow the truth to be

there's an acronym I like to use is

don't resist or push anything physical

pain don't resist it

don't try to push it away mental pain

don't resist it don't try to push it

away

soften your mind and smile drops let

your mind be like water just go around

this stuff yeah it's there and yeah it

stops the water from flowing down

straight but the water doesn't resist or

get upset just hold out to be okay

the more you can realize this the more

you can develop that mind that doesn't

get caught up in fear and anxiety and

sadness and depression the more you see

it as it actually is and let your mind

be like water going around an obstacle

you're developing your equanimity and

when your equanimity starts to get

strong it turns to dissin disenchantment

and disenchantment is a finer degree of

equanimity

so please have fun smile laugh with the

craziness of your mind there I go again

think I know my mind would get tired

coming back to the same stuff but laugh

with it

keep your mind light that's your job

keep your mind light and relaxed okay do

you have any questions everybody knows

this stuff so well that you don't need

to ask questions of course right that's

when I when I ask if you feel relief

that's what I'm looking for but don't

just believe your mind when it says I

don't need to do this anymore

keep doing it for awhile and see if

anything else comes up but eventually

you can go back to doing the six

directions

and you can always write you see what

happens when people write to David he

gives me the email and I I read it and

then we discuss so I do get to see all

of these things I'm really being serious

when I say I want you to have fun so any