The Mahānāma Suttas
I. The First Mahānāma Sutta
On What to Dwell Upon as One’s Refuge
[218] Thus have I heard:
At one time the Blessed One was staying at Nikāla Grove (Nikoradhāra-maṇḍapa) near Rājagaha (Gābilavati) in the Sākya country. At that time many bhikkhus (bhikkhu) had prepared robes and requisites in the expectation that the Blessed One, being fully endowed with robes, would go on a tour for three months. King Mahānāma the Sākya (mahānāma) learned that many bhikkhus had prepared robes and requisites expecting the Blessed One to go on a three-month tour. Then King Mahānāma went to pay homage to the Blessed One at his dwelling, sat to one side, and asked:
“Venerable Sir, I have heard that many bhikkhus have readied robes and requisites in expectation of the Blessed One’s going on a three-month tour. I, who live by Dhamma (dhamma-upeta), would ask: by what Dhamma-principles should one who lives by Dhamma dwell? By what should I live, O Lord?”
The Blessed One said: “Good, good, great householder (mahāpabhoṭa). It is proper that you, a householder and kinsman, should come and ask this. Listen, great householder.
A kinsman (kulabhatta) who has faith (saddhā) is complete; one without faith is not complete. One who arouses endeavour (appamāda — diligence) is complete; the lazy are not. One established in mindfulness (sati) is complete; one forgetful of mindfulness is not. One whose mind is steady is complete; one without a steady mind is not. One endowed with wisdom (paññā) is complete; one with feeble wisdom is not.
Great householder, having these five qualities (pañca dhamma) established, you should further cultivate six qualities (cha dhamma). What are those six? When the noble disciple (ariyasāvaka) recollects the Tathāgata (tathāgata) — thinking, ‘It is by such qualities that the Blessed One is an Arahant (arahant), self-awakened, complete in knowledge and conduct, gone to what is good, knower of the world, teacher of humans and devas, the Enlightened One who delights and expounds Dhamma’ — then at that time the mind of that noble disciple is not tormented by lust (rāga), not tormented by hate (dosa), not tormented by delusion (moha). At that time his mind goes straight.
Great householder, when a noble disciple’s mind goes straight through recollection of the Tathāgata, he gains knowledge of meaning (ṭhātu-ñāṇa), knowledge of Dhamma (dhamma-ñāṇa), and a wholesome rapture (pramodā) accompanied by Dhamma; rapture (pīti) arises in him. The body of that noble disciple, possessed of rapture, becomes tranquil; tranquil in body he experiences bliss (sukha); with a blissful mind his mind becomes concentrated (samādhi). Great householder, such a noble disciple I say has reached tranquility among those untranquil, is free from ill will among those with ill will, and is one perfected in the stream of Dhamma and in recollection of the Buddha (buddhānussati).
Again, recollect the Dhamma (dhamma) — the Dhamma well spoken by the Blessed One, to be seen directly, timeless (akālika), inviting inspection (ehipassika), to be realized within (opanayika), to be known by the wise individually (paccattaṃ veditabbaṃ). When the noble disciple recollects the Dhamma thus, the same sequence follows: no torment by lust, hate, or delusion; mind goes straight; he gains knowledge of meaning and of Dhamma; rapture, tranquility, bliss, concentration; he is tranquil among the untranquil, free from ill will, perfected in Dhamma and in recollection of Dhamma (dhammānussati).
Again, recollect the Saṅgha (saṅgha): the Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples who are upright, rightly practicing, practicing the Dhamma, rightly acting — the four pairs of persons, the eight kinds of persons — these Saṅgha disciples are worthy of reverence, hospitality, donation, and veneration; they are the field of wholesome merit, none better. When a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha, the same beneficial sequence occurs — straight mind, knowledge, rapture, tranquillity, bliss, concentration — and he is tranquil among the untranquil, without ill will, perfected in recollection of the Saṅgha (saṅghānussati).
Again, recollect your own virtue (sīla): that it is not broken, not flawed, not stained, it is free and praised by the wise; sense-craving and wrong view cannot touch it; it is practiced for concentration. When a noble disciple recollects his virtue, the same beneficial sequence occurs: straight mind, knowledge, rapture, tranquillity, bliss, concentration — perfected in recollection of virtue (sīlānussati).
Again, recollect your generosity (cāga): that it is your wealth, that you possess a mind free from stinginess, liberally giving, open-handed, delighted in charity, fit to be asked of, delighted in divided gifts, living at home among the stingy. When a noble disciple recollects generosity, again the same sequence — and he is perfected in recollection of generosity (cāganussati).
Again, recollect the devas (deva): the devas of the four Great Kings, of the Tāvatiṃsa, Yāmā, Tusita, Nimmānarati, Paranimmita-vasavatti, and heavenly Brahmā realms — consider how they, by their faith, by their virtue, by their learning, by their generosity, by their wisdom, are reborn in those heavenly states. When a noble disciple recollects the devas and their qualities, again the same beneficial sequence — and he is perfected in recollection of devas (devatānussati).
Great householder, one who recollects these things — the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, one’s virtue, generosity, and the devas — such a noble disciple’s mind goes straight; he attains the calm, is free from ill will among those with ill will, and is accomplished in the respective recollection-streams: Buddhānussati, Dhammānussati, Saṅghānussati, Sīlānussati, Cāganussati, Devatānussati.
End of the First Mahānāma Sutta.
II. The Second Mahānāma Sutta
On a Not-Disgraceful Passing Away (a good death)
[1510] Thus have I heard:
At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Nikoradhāra Grove near Rājagaha. Then King Mahānāma the Sākya came to pay homage, sat to one side, and said:
“Venerable Sir, this city of Rājagaha is wealthy and bustling. When I sit near the Blessed One or near the bhikkhus who give delight, and then enter the city at evening, I do not go in accompanied by elephants, horses, chariots, carts, or even men. Sometimes I lose recollection of the Blessed One, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha, and I wonder: if now I should die, what destiny would be mine? What would be my future state?”
The Blessed One said: “May you be blessed, great householder. Do not fear. You shall have a not-disgraceful death (anavajja-maraṇa); you shall experience a passing away that is not blameworthy. Great householder, a noble follower who possesses four qualities inclines toward Nibbāna, leans toward Nibbāna, and is led to Nibbāna. What are those four qualities?
A noble follower is endowed with unwavering faith (asaddhāna? — here: firm saddhā) in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; endowed with virtue that the noble ones approve (sīla), unbroken and practiced for the sake of concentration; endowed with earnest effort (viriya) and the right practice. When one possesses these four, he inclines toward Nibbāna as a tree inclined in a given direction, when its root is cut it will fall in the direction it inclined. So too, the noble follower possessing these four qualities inclines and falls toward Nibbāna.”
End of the Second Mahānāma Sutta.
VII. The Seventh Mahānāma Sutta
On the Qualities of a Lay Follower (Obhāsaka / Upāsaka)
[1590] Thus have I heard:
At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Nikoradhāra Grove near Rājagaha. King Mahānāma the Sākya came, paid homage, and asked:
“Venerable Sir, by what is one called a lay follower (upāsaka)?”
The Blessed One said: “Great householder, one who takes refuge in the Buddha (Buddha-saraṇa), in the Dhamma (Dhamma-saraṇa), and in the Saṅgha (Saṅgha-saraṇa) — by this one is called a lay follower (upāsaka).”
The king asked: “By what is a lay follower said to be complete in virtue (sīla)?”
The Blessed One replied: “Great householder, a lay follower who abstains from taking life (paṇatibāta), from stealing (adhinnāda), from sexual misconduct (kāmesu-micchācāra), from false speech (musāvāda), and from intoxicants that cause heedlessness (surā-meraya-maddava) — by this one is called complete in virtue.”
The king asked: “By what is one complete in faith (saddhā)?”
The Blessed One: “A lay follower who has faith, who trusts the Buddha’s awakening (sabba-yathā…), who recognizes: ‘It is for these reasons the Blessed One is fully awakened, expounds Dhamma, is a guide, and so forth’ — by this one is called complete in faith.”
The king asked: “By what is one complete in generosity (cāga)?”
The Blessed One: “A lay follower who is free from stinginess, generous without hindrance, with open hands, delighted in giving, fit to be asked of, rejoicing in distributed gifts, and living at home — by this one is called complete in generosity.”
The king asked: “By what is one complete in wisdom (paññā)?”
The Blessed One: “A lay follower who has wisdom — insight into arising and passing away (udayabbaya-ñāṇa), noble and effective for uprooting the defilements, leading properly to the ending of suffering — by this one is called complete in wisdom.”
End of the Seventh Mahānāma Sutta.
Short Pāli Glossary (concise, intensive)
- Bhikkhu — ordained monk.
- Tathāgata — epithet of the Buddha, “Thus-Gone/Thus-Come.”
- Ariyasāvaka — noble disciple; one who has entered the path.
- Saddhā — faith, confidence in the Buddha and his awakening.
- Sati — mindfulness; recollection.
- Pañca dhamma / cha dhamma — five and six qualities referred to in the sutta (contextual lists given in the text).
- Pīti / sukha / samādhi — rapture, bliss, and concentration respectively.
- Buddhānussati / Dhammānussati / Saṅghānussati — recollection of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha.
- Sīla — moral virtue; ethical conduct.
- Cāga — generosity; liberality.
- Devatānussati — recollection of the devas (heavenly beings).
- Upāsaka / upāsikā — lay follower (male / female).
- Paṇatibāta, Adhinnāda, Kāmesu-micchācāra, Musāvāda, Surā-meraya-maddava — five precepts (no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no intoxicants).
- Udāyabbaya-ñāṇa — insight into arising and passing away (key to wisdom/p insight).
- Anavajja-maraṇa — a not-disgraceful or blameless death (a death free of regret and unwholesome factors).