Dharma Talk with Ikushun Desiree Webster: Advice Given to Anathapindika

Ikushun Desiree discusses the freedom possible to us through practice and understanding of the nature of self.

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Talk Notes:

“Anathapindikovada Sutta”(Advice to Anathapindika)  

And, in Thich Nhat Hanh’s translation, “the Discourse on Teachings being Given to the Sick”

Talk given on October 12^th, 2023 by Desiree Webster, Red Cedar Zen Community.

“An unsurpassed, penetrating and perfect Dharma is rarely encountered even in a hundred, thousand, million kalpas…having it to see and listen to, to remember and accept, I vow to taste the truth of the Tathagatha’s words.”

Dear Friends,

In keeping with our fall offerings on the early discourses from the Buddha, I would like to offer a sutra found in the Ekottara Agama, The Majjhima Nikaya—"the Middle Length Discourses” and the Madhyama Agama, all collections of the earliest Buddhist texts. In the Middle Length Discourses, it is called “Anathapindikovada Sutta”—Advice to Anathapindika.  It is a featured discourse in the Plum Village Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, and, with that community I first heard it. It’s not surprising to those who know me that I am most drawn to Thich Nhat Hanh’s translation of this sutra, which he refers to as “the Discourse on Teachings being Given to the Sick.” I’m going to present this talk in a bit of a different format.  I will offer a very short history of Anathapindika and then talk about my first encounter with this sutra.  Then, I will be reading through the Plum Village version of this sutra with you, replicating loosely how it was presented to me—in a somewhat guided meditation format.  I’ll end with a paragraph of the sutra as it was translated in the Middle Length Discourses, translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, to offer another reference and contrast to TNH’s translation.

Anathapindika, born Sudatta, was a wealthy merchant, banker, and philanthropist—perhaps the wealthiest in Savatti at that time—and, one of the Buddha’s greatest lay supporters.  There is an interesting, and fuller story around how he met the Buddha and how his lifelong devotion came to be. (There seems to be very abundant information on his life.) If you’re interested in this more detailed history, a good place to find it is on Wikipedia.

 He was a relative of Subhuti, one of the Buddha’s principal disciples.  Anathapindika means, “one who gives alms to the unprotected” supposedly because of his reputation of loving to give to those in need.  The short version of the story goes that he was able to buy the park on which was built the Jetavana Monastery from the prince of Kosala, who was reluctant to sell at the time, by covering the park grounds with coins. We often hear of the times the Buddha spent there and talks in Jeta’s Grove, and, in fact, most of the Buddha’s discourses were given from there.  There are many resources available about Anathapindika’s life, as mentioned—you can also read about his quest for land and devotion to the Buddha in “Old Path White Clouds” by Thich Nhat Hanh’s account of the Buddha’s life.

So, the first time I heard this sutra, was at one of my earliest retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh and his community of monks and nuns.  Sister Chan Khong, “True Emptiness,” lead hundreds of us on the meditative section of the sutra.  If you’re unfamiliar with Sister Chan Khong, she is the oldest member of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing, and she worked along side of Thay (TNH) during those early years in the 1960s for peace and remained with his throughout his life. She continues to be a backbone to this day for the community. As she recited a portion of the sutra for us, in a sweet, tender voice, I was touched so deeply as I heard the words. I felt that they penetrated to my core and gave a sense of vast freedom.  This discourse has never left me.  

Please relax, perhaps close your eyes, and allow the sutra to wash through you.  It’s a few minutes long, somewhat repetitive, and includes a lot given its short length, but I’d like to read the whole thing for you.  It begins with the story of this time that Anathapindika lies dying.  It takes us through all of the aspects of being, seeing how things come and go in our conditioned world, and allows us to touch the “unconditioned” realm, the “ultimate dimension.”

 Discourse on the Teachings to Be Given to the Sick

I heard these words of the Buddha one time when the Lord was staying in the monastery in the Jeta Grove in Anathapindika’s park, near Shravasti. At that time the householder Anathapindika was seriously ill. When the Venerable Shariputra was told this, he immediately went to Ananda and said, “Brother Ananda, let us go and visit the layman Anathapindika.

The Venerable Ananda put on his robe, and holding his bowl, went into the town of Shravasti with the Venerable Shariputra to make the almsround. The two of them stopped at every house until they came to the house of the layman Anathapindika, and they went in to visit him. After he had sat down, the Venerable Shariputra asked the layman Anathapindika, “How is your illness? Is it getting better or worse? Is the physical pain easing at all or is it getting greater?” The householder Anathapindika replied, “Venerable monks, it does not seem to be getting better. The pain is not easing. It is getting greater all the time.” Shariputra said, “Friend Anathapindika, let us now practice together the recollection of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The recollection goes like this:

“The Buddha has gone to Suchness, is fully and truly awakened, has perfected understanding and action, has arrived at true happiness, understands the nature of the world, is unequaled in understanding, has conquered the afflictions of human beings, is a teacher of gods and humans, and is the Awakened One, the one who liberates the world.

“The Dharma is the teaching of love and understanding that the Tathagata has expounded. It is deep and lovely, worthy of the highest respect, and very precious. It is a teaching that cannot be compared to ordinary teachings. It is a path of practice for the Noble Ones.

“The Sangha is the community of practice, guided by the teachings of the Tathagata. The community is in harmony, and within it all aspects of the practice can be realized. The community is respected and precious. It practices the precepts and realizes concentration, insight, and liberation. The Sangha is the highest field of merit in the world.

“Friend Anathapindika, if you recollect the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha in this way, the beneficial effects are beyond measure. Recollecting in this way, you can put an end to the obstacles of wrong deeds and the afflictions. You can harvest a fruit that is as fresh and sweet as the nectar of deathlessness. Anyone practicing an upright way of life who knows how to recollect the Three Jewels will have no chance of falling into the three lower realms but will be reborn as a human or a god.

“Friend Anathapindika, now is the time to practice the meditation on the
Six Sense Bases:

These eyes are not me. I am not caught in these eyes.
These ears are not me. I am not caught in these ears.
This nose is not me. I am not caught in this nose.
This tongue is not me. I am not caught in this tongue.
This body is not me. I am not caught in this body.
This mind is not me. I am not caught in this mind.

“Now continue your meditation with the Six Sense Objects:

These forms are not me. I am not caught in these forms.
These sounds are not me. I am not caught in these sounds.
These smells are not me. I am not caught in these smells.
These tastes are not me. I am not caught in these tastes.
These contacts with the body are not me. I am not caught in these contacts with the body.
These thoughts are not me. I am not caught in these thoughts.

“Now continue your meditation on the Six Sense Consciousnesses:

Sight is not me. I am not caught in sight.
Hearing is not me. I am not caught in hearing.
Consciousness based on the nose is not me. I am not caught in consciousness based on the nose.
Consciousness based on the tongue is not me. I am not caught in consciousness based on the tongue.
Consciousness based on the body is not me. I am not caught in consciousness based on the body.
Consciousness based on the mind is not me. I am not caught in consciousness based on the mind.

“Now continue your meditation on the Six Elements:

The earth element is not me. I am not caught in the earth element.
The water element is not me. I am not caught in the water element.
The fire element is not me. I am not caught in the fire element.
The air element is not me. I am not caught in the air element.
The space element is not me. I am not caught in the space element.
The consciousness element is not me. I am not caught in the consciousness element.

“Now continue your meditation on the Five Aggregates:

Form is not me. I am not limited by the form aggregate.
Feelings are not me. I am not limited by the feelings aggregate.
Perceptions are not me. I am not limited by the perceptions aggregate.
Mental formations are not me. I am not limited by the mental formations aggregate.
Consciousness is not me. I am not limited by the consciousness aggregate.

“Now continue your meditation on the Three Times:

The past is not me. I am not limited by the past.
The present is not me. I am not limited by the present.
The future is not me. I am not limited by the future.

“Friend Anathapindika, everything arises and ceases due to causes and conditions. In reality, the nature of everything is not born and does not die, does not come and does not go. When eyes arise, they arise, but they do not come from anywhere. When eyes cease to be, they cease to be, but they do not go anywhere. Eyes are neither nonexistent before they arise, nor are they existent after they arise. Everything that is, comes to be because of a combination of causes and conditions. When the causes and conditions are sufficient, eyes are present. When the causes and conditions are not sufficient, eyes are absent. The same is true of ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind; form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and thought; sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, somatosensory and mind consciousness; the Six Elements, the Five Aggregates, and the Three Times.

“In the Five Aggregates, there is nothing that we can call ‘I,’ a ‘person,’ or a ‘lifespan.’ Ignorance is the inability to see this truth. Because there is ignorance, there are wrong perceptions of formations. Because there are wrong perceptions of formations, there is wrong consciousness. Because there is wrong consciousness, there is the distinction between the perceiver and the perceived. Because there is the distinction between the perceiver and the perceived, there is the distinction between the six organs and the six objects of sense. Because there is the distinction between the six organs and the six objects of sense, there is contact. Because there is contact, there is feeling. Because there is feeling, there is craving. Because there is craving, there is grasping. Because there is grasping, there is being and then birth, death, and the inexpressible mass of suffering and grief.

“Friend Anathapindika, you have meditated that everything that arises is due to causes and conditions and does not have a separate self. That is called ‘the meditation on emptiness.’ It is the highest and the most profound meditation.”

When he had practiced to this point, the layman Anathapindika began to cry and tears flowed down his cheeks. Venerable Ananda asked him, “Friend, why are you crying? Has your meditation not been successful? Do you have some regret?” The layman Anathapindika replied, “Venerable Ananda, I do not regret anything. The meditation has been most successful. I am crying because I am so deeply moved. I have been fortunate to have been able to serve the Buddha and his community for many years, yet I have never heard a teaching so wonderful and precious as the teaching transmitted by the Venerable Shariputra today.”

Then the Venerable Ananda said to the layman Anathapindika, “Do you not know, friend, that the Buddha often gives this teaching to bhikshus and bhikshunis?” The layman Anathapindika replied, “Venerable Ananda, please tell the Buddha that there are also laypeople with the capacity to listen, understand, and put into practice these deep and wonderful teachings.”

After listening to and practicing with the two venerable monks, Anathapindika felt free and at ease, and gave rise to the highest mind. The Venerables Shariputra and Ananda bade him farewell and went back to the monastery, and Anathapindika passed away and was born in the thirty-third heaven.

Translated by Thich Nhat Hanh from Ekottara Agama 51.8, in consultation with Majjhima Nikaya 143 and Madhyama Agama 26.

Finally, I’d like to read just a paragraph now of the translation found in the Majjhima Nikaya (Middle Length Discourses), so you have a sense of how it’s worded there also. This discourse is #143, “Advice to Anathapindika”, and here is an example of the meditative section : Instead of “these eyes are not me, I am not caught in these eyes”, it is translated, “I will not cling to the eye, and my consciousness will not be dependent on the eye”…and goes on through the sense bases, the sense objects, etc. with this wording. For me, hearing the phrase in the Thich Nhat Hanh version gives rise to a greater sense of freedom. I think Thich Nhat Hanh exercises the use of his understanding in ways that he thinks provide the best chances of understanding for the listener—but of course, everyone is different.   However, I know that “clinging” is described in many of the early texts as the primary reason a person is not peaceful. And, therefore, the release of clinging is the primary way to peace. So, I understand how this interpretation/version can encourage letting go from a different angle.  The Middle Length Discourse translation also includes a lengthier conclusion to the discourse, with some lines in verse, if you are interested. Translations in general, differ, of course—different wording, give different levels of understanding with different interpretations.  We often compare and contrast translations in our study groups when they are available.  It is important to question the various interpretations, and to use logic in deciphering translations.  It’s good to have some knowledge of the background of the editor/translator.  For instance, I tend to be skeptical if the translation is purely from an academic point of view and not one that is accompanied by wisdom and direct experience from practice.  

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this discourse. Now, I’d like for us to get into small groups and reflect with each other on anything that struck you within the sutra, or perhaps an awareness that arose in your own body/mind, from these words. 

Thank you for receiving the offering of The Sutra on Anathapidika today.  

“May our intentions equally extend to all beings and place with the true merit of Buddha’s way: Beings are numberless, I vow to save them, delusions are inexhaustible, I vow to end them, Dharma Gates are boundless, I vow to enter them, Buddha’s way is unsurpassable, I vow to become it.