So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī, at Āḷavī’s premier shrine. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye. Now at that time it was not long after Venerable Vaṅgīsa’s mentor, the senior monk named Nigrodhakappa, had become fully quenched. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa upajjhāyo nigrodhakappo nāma thero aggāḷave cetiye aciraparinibbuto hoti. Then as Vaṅgīsa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi—“Has my mentor become quenched or not?” parinibbuto nu kho me upajjhāyo udāhu no parinibbutoti? Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Vaṅgīsa came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavantaṁ etadavoca—“Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind. idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi—‘Has my mentor become quenched or not?’” parinibbuto nu kho me upajjhāyo, udāhu no parinibbutoti. Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and addressed him in verse: Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“I ask the teacher unrivaled in wisdom, “Pucchāmi satthāramanomapaññaṁ, who has cut off all doubts in this very life: Diṭṭheva dhamme yo vicikicchānaṁ chettā; a monk has died at Āḷavī’s premier shrine, Aggāḷave kālamakāsi bhikkhu, who was well-known, famous, and quenched. Ñāto yasassī abhinibbutatto.

Nigrodhakappa was his name; Nigrodhakappo iti tassa nāmaṁ, it was given to that brahmin by you, Blessed One. Tayā kataṁ bhagavā brāhmaṇassa; He wandered in your honor, yearning for freedom, So taṁ namassaṁ acari mutyapekkho, energetic, a resolute Seer of Truth. Āraddhaviriyo daḷhadhammadassī.

O Sakyan, All-seer, Taṁ sāvakaṁ sakya mayampi sabbe, we all wish to know about that disciple. Aññātumicchāma samantacakkhu; Our ears are eager to hear, Samavaṭṭhitā no savanāya sotā, for you are the most excellent teacher. Tuvaṁ no satthā tvamanuttarosi.

Cut off our doubt, declare this to us; Chindeva no vicikicchaṁ brūhi metaṁ, your wisdom is vast, tell us of his quenching! Parinibbutaṁ vedaya bhūripañña; All-seer, speak among us, Majjheva no bhāsa samantacakkhu, like the thousand-eyed Sakka <j>in the midst of the gods! Sakkova devāna sahassanetto.

Whatever ties there are, or paths to delusion, Ye keci ganthā idha mohamaggā, or things on the side of unknowing, <j>or that are bases of doubt Aññāṇapakkhā vicikicchaṭhānā; vanish on reaching a Realized One, Tathāgataṁ patvā na te bhavanti, for his eye is the best of all people’s. Cakkhuñhi etaṁ paramaṁ narānaṁ.

If no man were ever to disperse corruptions, No ce hi jātu puriso kilese, like the wind dispersing the stormclouds, Vāto yathā abbhaghanaṁ vihāne; darkness would shroud the whole world; Tamovassa nivuto sabbaloko, not even brilliant men would shine. Na jotimantopi narā tapeyyuṁ.

The attentive are bringers of light; Dhīrā ca pajjotakarā bhavanti, my hero, that is what I think of you. Taṁ taṁ ahaṁ vīra tatheva maññe; We’ve come for your discernment and knowledge: Vipassinaṁ jānamupāgamumhā, here in this assembly, declare to us about Kappāyana. Parisāsu no āvikarohi kappaṁ.

Swiftly send forth your sweet, sweet voice, Khippaṁ giraṁ eraya vaggu vagguṁ, like a goose stretching its neck, gently honking, Haṁsova paggayha saṇikaṁ nikūja; lucid-flowing, with lovely tone: Bindussarena suvikappitena, alert, we all listen to you. Sabbeva te ujjugatā suṇoma.

You have entirely abandoned birth and death; Pahīnajātimaraṇaṁ asesaṁ, restrained and pure, I urge you to speak the Dhamma! Niggayha dhonaṁ vadessāmi dhammaṁ; For while ordinary people have no wish-granter, Na kāmakāro hi puthujjanānaṁ, Realized Ones have a comprehensibility-granter. Saṅkheyyakāro ca tathāgatānaṁ.

Your answer is definitive, and we will adopt it, Sampannaveyyākaraṇaṁ tavedaṁ, for you have perfect understanding. Samujjupaññassa samuggahītaṁ; We raise our joined palms one last time, Ayamañjalī pacchimo suppaṇāmito, one of unrivaled wisdom, <j>don’t deliberately confuse us. Mā mohayī jānamanomapañña.

Knowing the noble teaching from top to bottom, Parovaraṁ ariyadhammaṁ viditvā, unrivaled hero, don’t deliberately confuse us. Mā mohayī jānamanomavīra; As a man baking in the summer sun <j>would long for water, Vāriṁ yathā ghammani ghammatatto, I long for your voice, so let the sound rain forth. Vācābhikaṅkhāmi sutaṁ pavassa.

Surely Kappāyana did not <j>lead the spiritual life in vain? Yadatthikaṁ brahmacariyaṁ acarī, Did he realize quenching, Kappāyano kaccissa taṁ amoghaṁ; or did he still have a residue? Nibbāyi so ādu saupādiseso, Let us hear what kind of liberation he had!” Yathā vimutto ahu taṁ suṇoma”.

“He cut off craving for name and form right here,” “Acchecchi taṇhaṁ idha nāmarūpe, said the Buddha, (iti bhagavā) “the river of darkness that had long lain within him. Kaṇhassa sotaṁ dīgharattānusayitaṁ; He has entirely crossed over birth and death.” Atāri jātiṁ maraṇaṁ asesaṁ”, So declared the Blessed One, the leader of the five. Iccabravī bhagavā pañcaseṭṭho.

“Now that I have heard your words, “Esa sutvā pasīdāmi, seventh of seers, I am confident. Vaco te isisattama; My question, it seems, was not in vain, Amoghaṁ kira me puṭṭhaṁ, the brahmin did not deceive me. Na maṁ vañcesi brāhmaṇo.

As he said, so he did—Yathāvādī tathākārī, he was a disciple of the Buddha. Ahu buddhassa sāvako; He cut the net of death the deceiver, Acchidā maccuno jālaṁ, so extended and strong. Tataṁ māyāvino daḷhaṁ.

Blessed One, Kappāyana saw Addasā bhagavā ādiṁ, the starting point of grasping. Upādānassa kappiyo; He has indeed gone far beyond Accagā vata kappāyano, Death’s dominion so hard to pass.” Maccudheyyaṁ suduttaran”ti.

Nigrodhakappasuttaṁ dvādasamaṁ.