To Nakulapitar Nakulapitar Sutta (SN 22:1)
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('â', Even though I may be afflicted in body, my mind will be unafflicted.â That is how you should train yourself." Then the householder Nakulapitar, delighting in & approving of the Blessed Oneâs words, rose from his seat and—bowing down to the Blessed One and circumambulating him, keeping him to his right—went to Ven. Sṅriputta and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Sṅriputta said to him, "Your faculties are clear & calm, householder, your complexion pure. Have you had the opportunity of listening to a Dhamma talk in the presence of the Blessed One today?" "How could it be otherwise, venerable sir? I have just now been sprinkled by the Blessed One with the deathless ambrosia of a Dhamma talk." "And how were you sprinkled by the Blessed One with the deathless ambrosia of a Dhamma talk?" "Just now I went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As I was sitting there I said to him, ),
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('â', Lord, I am a feeble old man, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life. I am afflicted in body & ailing with every moment. And it is only rarely that I get to see the Blessed One & the monks who nourish the heart. May the Blessed One teach me, may the Blessed One instruct me, for my long-term benefit & happiness.â "When this was said, the Blessed One said to me, ),
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('â', So it is, householder. So it is. The body is afflicted, weak, & encumbered. For who, looking after this body, would claim even a moment of true health, except through sheer foolishness? So you should train yourself: "Even though I may be afflicted in body, my mind will be unafflicted." That is how you should train yourself.â Thatâs how I was sprinkled by the Blessed One with the deathless ambrosia of a Dhamma talk." "But why didnât it occur to you to question the Blessed One further: ),
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('â', In what way is one afflicted in body & afflicted in mind? And in what way is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind?â "I would come from a long way away to hear the explication of these words in Ven. Sṅriputtaâs presence. It would be good if Ven. Sṅriputta himself would enlighten me as to their meaning." "Then in that case, householder, listen & pay close attention. I will speak." "As you say, venerable sir," the householder Nakulapitar responded to him. Ven. Sṅriputta said: "Now, how is one afflicted in body & afflicted in mind? "There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person—who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for people of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma—assumes form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am formâ or ),
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('â', Form is mine.â As he is seized with these ideas, that form changes & alters. From the change & alteration in his form, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "He assumes feeling to be the self, or the self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or the self as in feeling. He is seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am feelingâ or ),
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('â', Feeling is mine.â As he is seized with these ideas, that feeling changes & alters. From the change & alteration in the feeling, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "He assumes perception to be the self, or the self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or the self as in perception. He is seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am perceptionâ or ),
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('â', Perception is mine.â As he is seized with these ideas, that perception changes & alters. From the change & alteration in the perception, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "He assumes fabrications to be the self, or the self as possessing fabrications, or fabrications as in the self, or the self as in fabrications. He is seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am fabricationsâ or ),
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('â', Fabrications are mine.â As he is seized with these ideas, those fabrications change & alter. From the change & alteration in the fabrications, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. He is seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am consciousnessâ or ),
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('â', Consciousness is mine.â As he is seized with these ideas, that consciousness changes & alters. From the change & alteration in the consciousness, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body and afflicted in mind. "And how is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind? There is the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones—who has regard for noble ones, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for people of integrity, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma—doesnât assume form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is not seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am formâ or ),
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('â', Form is mine.â As he is not seized with these ideas, that form changes & alters. From the change & alteration in the form, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "He doesnât assume feeling to be the self.⦠"He doesnât assume perception to be the self.⦠"He doesnât assume fabrications to be the self.⦠"He doesnât assume consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. He is not seized with the idea that ),
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('â', I am consciousnessâ or ),
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('â', Consciousness is mine.â As he is not seized with these ideas, that consciousness changes & alters. From the change & alteration in the consciousness, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. "This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind." That is what Ven. Sṅriputta said. Gratified, the householder Nakulapitar delighted in Ven. Sṅriputtaâs words. See also: MN 75; MN 109; SN 36:6; Sn 5:16; Thig 5:8 - --> - - - -