At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Now at that time Mahānāma the Sakyan had recently recovered from an illness. Tena kho pana samayena mahānāmo sakko gilānā vuṭṭhito hoti aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā. At that time several mendicants were making a robe for the Buddha … Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti: “niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī”ti.

Mahānāma the Sakyan heard about this. Assosi kho mahānāmo sakko: “sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti: ‘niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’”ti. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, I have heard that “sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante: several mendicants are making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that ‘sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti—when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering. niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’ti. Now, we spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?” Tesaṁ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṁ kenassa vihārena vihātabban”ti?

“Good, good, Mahānāma! “Sādhu sādhu, mahānāma. It’s appropriate that gentlemen such as you come to me and ask: Etaṁ kho, mahānāma, tumhākaṁ patirūpaṁ kulaputtānaṁ yaṁ tumhe tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyātha: ‘We spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?’ ‘tesaṁ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṁ kenassa vihārena vihātabban’ti? The faithful succeed, not the faithless. Saddho kho, mahānāma, ārādhako hoti, no assaddho; The energetic succeed, not the lazy. āraddhavīriyo ārādhako hoti, no kusīto; The mindful succeed, not the unmindful. upaṭṭhitassati ārādhako hoti, no muṭṭhassati; Those with immersion succeed, not those without immersion. samāhito ārādhako hoti, no asamāhito; The wise succeed, not the witless. paññavā ārādhako hoti, no duppañño. When you’re grounded on these five things, go on to develop six further things. Imesu kho tvaṁ, mahānāma, pañcasu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya cha dhamme uttari bhāveyyāsi.

Firstly, you should recollect the Realized One: Idha tvaṁ, mahānāma, tathāgataṁ anussareyyāsi: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ ‘itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. When a noble disciple recollects the Realized One their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. Yasmiṁ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṁ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; At that time their mind is quite unswerving, based on the Realized One. ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti tathāgataṁ ārabbha. A noble disciple whose mind is unswerving finds inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and finds joy connected with the teaching. Ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ. When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati. You should develop this recollection of the Buddha while walking, standing, sitting, lying down, while working, and while at home with your children. Imaṁ kho tvaṁ, mahānāma, buddhānussatiṁ gacchantopi bhāveyyāsi, ṭhitopi bhāveyyāsi, nisinnopi bhāveyyāsi, sayānopi bhāveyyāsi, kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhahantopi bhāveyyāsi, puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantopi bhāveyyāsi.

Furthermore, you should recollect the teaching … Puna caparaṁ tvaṁ, mahānāma, dhammaṁ anussareyyāsi …pe… the Saṅgha … saṅghaṁ anussareyyāsi …pe… your own ethical conduct … attano sīlaṁ anussareyyāsi …pe… your own generosity … attano cāgaṁ anussareyyāsi …pe… the deities … devatā anussareyyāsi: ‘santi devā cātumahārājikā …pe… santi devā tatuttari. Yathārūpāya saddhāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tatthūpapannā, mayhampi tathārūpā saddhā saṁvijjati. Yathārūpena sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tatthūpapannā, mayhampi tathārūpā paññā saṁvijjatī’ti. When a noble disciple recollects the faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom of both themselves and the deities their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. Yasmiṁ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako attano ca tāsañca devatānaṁ saddhañca sīlañca sutañca cāgañca paññañca anussarati, nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; At that time their mind is quite unswerving, based on the deities. ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti devatā ārabbha. A noble disciple whose mind is unswerving finds inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and finds joy connected with the teaching. Ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ. When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati. You should develop this recollection of the deities while walking, standing, sitting, lying down, while working, and while at home with your children.” Imaṁ kho tvaṁ, mahānāma, devatānussatiṁ gacchantopi bhāveyyāsi, ṭhitopi bhāveyyāsi, nisinnopi bhāveyyāsi, sayānopi bhāveyyāsi, kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhahantopi bhāveyyāsi, puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantopi bhāveyyāsī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.