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### Udana III.3

# Yasoja Sutta

# About Yasoja

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time approximately 500 monks, headed by Ven. Yasoja, had arrived in Savatthi to see the Blessed One. As these visiting monks were exchanging greetings with the resident monks, setting their lodgings in order, and putting away their robes & bowls, they made a loud racket, a great racket. Then the Blessed One said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, what is that loud racket, that great racket, like fishermen with a catch of fish?"

"Lord, those are approximately 500 monks, headed by Ven. Yasoja, who have arrived in Savatthi to see the Blessed One. As these visiting monks are exchanging greetings with the resident monks, setting their lodgings in order, and putting away their robes & bowls, they are making a loud racket, a great racket."

"In that case, Ananda, tell those monks in my name, 'The Teacher calls you, friends.'"

Responding, "As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda went to the monks and said, "The Teacher calls you, friends."

"As you say, friend," the monks responded to Ven. Ananda and then went to the Blessed One. On arrival they bowed down to him and sat to one side. As they were sitting there, the Blessed One said to them, "Monks, why were you making that loud racket, that great racket, like fishermen with a catch of fish?"

When this was said, Ven. Yasoja said to the Blessed One, "Lord, these 500 monks have arrived in Savatthi to see the Blessed One. As they were exchanging greetings with the resident monks, setting their lodgings in order, and putting away their robes & bowls, they made a loud racket, a great racket."

"Go away, monks. I dismiss you. You are not to stay in my vicinity."

Responding, "As you say, lord," the monks got up from their seats, bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him -- keeping him to their right -- and left. Putting their lodgings in order and taking their robes & bowls, they went wandering among the Vajjians. After wandering by stages among the Vajjians, they came to the River Vaggamuda. There on the banks of the River Vaggamuda they made leaf-huts and entered the Rains Retreat.

Then Ven. Yasoja addressed the monks as they entered the Rains Retreat: "Friends, the Blessed One dismissed us, wishing for our benefit, seeking our well-being, being sympathetic, and acting out of sympathy. Let's live in such a way that the Blessed One will be gratified by our way of living."

"As you say, friend," the monks responded to Ven. Yasoja. And so, living secluded, ardent, & resolute, every one of them realized the Three Knowledges [remembrance of past lives, knowledge of the arising & passing away of living beings, and knowledge of the ending of mental fermentations] in the course of that very Rains Retreat.

Then the Blessed One, having stayed as long as he liked in Savatthi, went wandering in the direction of Vesali. After wandering by stages, he arrived in Vesali and stayed there in the Peaked Roof Pavilion in the Great Wood. Then, encompassing with his awareness the awareness of the monks staying on the banks of the River Vaggamuda, he said to Ven. Ananda, "This direction seems bright to me, Ananda. This direction seems dazzling to me. It's not at all repugnant for me to go & pay attention to where the monks on the banks of the River Vaggamuda are staying. Send a messenger into their presence to say, 'The Teacher calls you, friends. The Teacher wants to see you.'"

Responding, "As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda went to a certain monk and said, "Come now, friend. Go to the monks on the banks of the River Vaggamuda and say to them, 'The Teacher calls you, friends. The Teacher wants to see you.'"

"As you say, friend," the monk responded to Ven. Ananda. Then -- just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm -- he disappeared from the Peaked Roof Pavilion in the Great Wood and appeared in front of the monks on the bank of the River Vaggamuda. Then he said to them, "The Teacher calls you, friends. The Teacher wants to see you."

"As you say, friend," the monks responded to him. Putting their lodgings in order and taking their robes & bowls, they disappeared from the bank of the River Vaggamuda -- just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm -- and appeared in the presence of the Blessed One in the Peaked Roof Pavilion in the Great Wood.

Now, at that time the Blessed One was sitting in imperturbable concentration [either in the fourth jhana, the dimension of the infinitude of space or the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness]. The thought occurred to the monks, "Now, in what mental dwelling is the Blessed One now residing?" Then they realized, "He is residing in the imperturbable dwelling." So they all sat in imperturbable concentration.

Then Ven. Ananda -- when the night was far advanced, at the end of the first watch -- arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The visiting monks have been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

Then a second time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the second watch, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The second watch has ended. The visiting monks have been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

Then a third time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the third watch, as dawn was approaching and the face of the night was beaming, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The third watch has ended. Dawn is approaching and the face of the night is beaming. The visiting monks have been sitting here a long time. May the Blessed One greet them."

Then the Blessed One, emerging from his imperturbable concentration, said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, if you had known, you would not have spoken like that. I, along with all 500 of these monks, have been sitting in imperturbable concentration."

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

> In whom they're defeated --
> the thorn of sensuality,
> insult,
> assault,
> & imprisonment:
> like a mountain, he stands unperturbed,
> undisturbed by pleasures or pains
> : a monk.

See also: Thag III.8.

Revised: Sun 14 October 2001