Thus have I heard:
One time, the Budha was staying at Anaathapindidas Ashrama in Jetavana of Shraavastii.
At that time, Venerable Nanda was unable to uphold the noble life. He wished to discard his bhikshu robes and return to the life of a layperson.
At that time, many bhikshus went to Budha. They bowed their heads at his feet, paid their respects, and sat to one side.
Then, the many bhikshus addressed Budha, saying,
“Bhikshu Nanda is unable to uphold the noble life. He wishes to discard his bhikshu robes and return to the household life.”
At that time, Budha addressed a bhikshu, saying, “Go to Nanda and tell him, ‘The Tathaagata summons you.'”
The Bhikshu replied, “Yes, Bhagavaan!”
Then, that bhikshu, having received Budha’s instruction, rose from his seat, bowed at Budha’s feet, and withdrew.
He went to Bhikshu Nanda and said, “Budha summons you.”
Nanda replied, “Very well.”
Then, Bhikshu Nanda followed that bhikshu to Budha. He bowed his head at Budha’s feet, paid his respects, and sat to one side.
At that time, Budha said to Nanda,
“Why is it, Nanda, that you do not delight in cultivating the noble life? Do you wish to discard your bhikshu robes and return to the life of a layperson?”
Nanda replied, “Yes, Bhagavaan!”
Budha said, “Why is that, Nanda?”
Nanda replied, “My desire burns intensely, and I cannot control it.”
Budha said, “How is it, Nanda? Did you not leave the household life as a noble youth to pursue the path of the Dharma?”
Nanda replied, “Yes, Bhagavaan! I am a noble youth who left the household life with firm faith to pursue the path of the Dharma.”
Budha said, “Noble youth, this is not fitting. You left the household life to cultivate purity, yet now you wish to abandon the true Dharma and indulge in defilements.
Nanda, know that there are two things that are insatiable. If someone indulges in these, they will never be satisfied.
What are the two?
They are sexual desire and drinking alcohol.
These two things are insatiable. If someone indulges in them, they will never be satisfied, and as a result, they will not attain the state of the unconditioned.
Therefore, Nanda, you must resolve to abandon these two things. By doing so, you will surely attain the fruit of the unconditioned. Now, Nanda, cultivate the noble life well, and the fruits of the path will surely be yours.”
At that time, Budha spoke this verse:
“If a roof is not well-thatched, rain will leak through.
If a person does not guard their conduct,
They will leak with lust, anger, and delusion.
If a roof is well-thatched, rain will not leak through.
If a person guards their conduct,
They will be free from lust, anger, and delusion.”
At that time, Budha thought, “This noble youth is overwhelmed by desire. I should use fire to extinguish fire.”
Then, Budha, with his divine power, took Nanda by the hand and, in the time it takes a strong man to bend and stretch his arm, brought Nanda to the Gandha–maadana (Fragrant Mountain). On the mountain, there was a cave where a blind monkey lived.
Budha, holding Nanda with his right hand, said, “Nanda, do you see this blind monkey?”
Nanda replied, “Yes, Bhagavaan!”
Budha said, “Which is more beautiful? Is it the Shaakya maiden Sundarii, or this blind monkey?”
Nanda replied, “It is like someone injuring the nose of an extremely vicious dog and then applying poison, making the dog even more vicious. It is the same here. Comparing the Shaakya maiden Sundarii to this blind monkey is beyond comparison. It is like a great fire burning through a mountain forest, fed by dry wood, causing the fire to blaze even more intensely. It is the same with me. My thoughts of that Shaakya maiden do not leave my mind.”
At that time, Budha, in the time it takes to bend and stretch an arm, disappeared from that mountain and arrived in the Traayastrimsha heaven.
At that time, the gods of the Traayastrimsha Heaven had gathered in the Hall of Saddharma (Good Dharma).
Not far from the hall, there was a palace where five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens) were amusing themselves, all women and no men.
Nanda, seeing the five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens) from a distance, asked Budha, “What is this? Why are these five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens) amusing themselves with music and dance?”
Budha said, “Nanda, go and ask them yourself.”
Then, Venerable Nanda went to the five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens). He saw their palace, adorned with hundreds of fine seats, and it was filled only with women, with no men.
Nanda asked the yaksinis (celestial maidens), “Who are you, yaksinis (celestial maidens), amusing yourselves so joyfully?
The yaksinis (celestial maidens) replied, “We are five hundred in number, all pure and without husbands. We have heard that there is a disciple of Budha named Nanda, the son of Budha’s aunt. He is cultivating the pure noble life under the Tathaagata. After his life ends, he will be reborn here and become our husband, amusing himself with us.”
At that time, Venerable Nanda was filled with joy and could not contain himself. He thought, “I am a disciple of Budha and also the son of his aunt. These yaksinis (celestial maidens) will all become my wives.”
Then, Nanda withdrew and returned to Budha.
Budha said, “Nanda, what did those yaksinis (celestial maidens) say?”
Nanda replied, “Those yaksinis (celestial maidens) each said, ‘We have no husbands. We have heard that there is a disciple of Budha who cultivates the noble life well. After his life ends, he will be reborn here.'”
Budha said, “Nanda, what do you think? Nanda, what do you think?”
Nanda replied, “At that time, I thought, ‘I am a disciple of Budha and also the son of his aunt. These yaksinis (celestial maidens) will all become my wives.'”
Budha said, “Excellent, Nanda! Cultivate the noble life well, and I will bear witness that these five hundred women will all serve you.”
Budha further said, “Nanda, which is more beautiful? Is it the Shaakya maiden Sundarii, or these five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens)?”
Nanda replied, “Just as a blind monkey on a mountaintop has no radiance or beauty compared to Sundarii, so too is Sundarii compared to these yaksinis (celestial maidens). She has no radiance in their presence.”
Budha said, “Cultivate the noble life well, and I will bear witness that you will attain these five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens).”
At that time, Budha thought, “I will now use fire to extinguish Nanda’s fire.”
In the time it takes a strong man to bend and stretch his arm, Budha took Nanda by the arm with his right hand and brought him to hell.
At that time, the beings in hell were suffering various torments. In that hell, there was a large cauldron, empty and without anyone inside. Seeing this, Nanda became terrified, his hair standing on end, and he said to Budha, “All these beings are suffering, yet this cauldron is empty and without anyone inside.”
Budha said, “This is called the Aviici Hell.”
At that time, Nanda became even more terrified, his hair standing on end, and he said to Budha, “This is the Aviici Hell, yet it is empty and without any sinners?”
Budha said, “Nanda, go and ask yourself.”
Then, Venerable Nanda went and asked, “Prison guard, what is this hell? Why is this hell empty and without anyone?”
The prison guard replied, “Bhikshu, you should know that there is a disciple of Shaakyamuni Budha named Nanda. He cultivated the pure noble life under the Tathaagata. After his body perishes and his life ends, he will be reborn in a heavenly realm, where he will enjoy himself for a thousand years. After that, he will be reborn in this Aviici Hell, and this empty cauldron will be his chamber.”
When Venerable Nanda heard this, he was filled with terror, his hair standing on end, and he thought, “This empty cauldron is meant for me.”
He went to Budha, bowed at his feet, and said, “I wish to confess. Due to my own faults, I did not cultivate the noble life and have disturbed the Tathaagata.”
At that time, Venerable Nanda spoke this verse:
“Human life is not precious,
Even a heavenly life ends in death;
The pains of hell are bitter,
Only Nirvana is bliss.”
At that time, Budha said to Nanda, “Excellent! Excellent! As you have said, Nirvana is the greatest bliss. Nanda, I accept your confession. You were foolish and deluded, and you recognized your faults before the Tathaagata. Now I accept your repentance. Do not transgress again in the future.”
At that time, Budha, in the time it takes to bend and stretch an arm, took Nanda by the hand and disappeared from hell, arriving at the Jetavana vihara in Shraavastii.
Budha said to Nanda,
“Now, Nanda, you should cultivate two things.
What are the two?
They are calmness (Samata) and insight (Vipasyana). You should also cultivate another two things.
What are the two?
They are understanding that Samsaara is not blissful and knowing that Nirvana is blissful. You should also cultivate another two things.
What are the two?
They are wisdom and eloquence.”
At that time, Budha explained these various teachings to Nanda.
At that time, Venerable Nanda, having received Budha’s teachings, rose from his seat, bowed at Budha’s feet, and withdrew. He went to the Andha-vana and, upon arriving, sat in the lotus posture under a tree, straightened his body and mind, focused his thoughts, and contemplated the teachings of the Tathaagata.
At that time, Venerable Nanda, in a quiet place, constantly contemplated the teachings of the Tathaagata without interruption. As a noble youth who left the household life with firm faith to pursue the path of the Dharma, he cultivated the supreme noble life, ended the cycle of birth and death, established the noble life, completed what needed to be done, and would no longer be subject to rebirth. He knew this as it truly was.
At that time, Venerable Nanda became an Arhant.
Having become an Arhant, he rose from his seat, straightened his robes, went to Budha, bowed at his feet, and sat to one side.
At that time, Venerable Nanda said to Budha,
“Bhagavaan, you previously promised me five hundred yaksinis (celestial maidens). Now I renounce them all.”
Budha said, “Now that you have ended the cycle of birth and death and established the noble life, I too renounce them.”
At that time, Budha spoke this verse:
“Now I see Nanda,
Cultivating the shramana path;
All evils have ceased,
His shramana practice is flawless.”
At that time, Budha said to the bhikshus, “The one who has attained Arhantship is now bhikshu Nanda. He is free from lust, anger, and delusion. This is Bhikshu Nanda.”
When the bhikshus heard what the Budha said, they followed it with joy.