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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

With Kakudha

SN 2.18 · Kakudhasutta

Three Himalayan summits above a wide Tibetan valley.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāketa in the deer park at the Añjana Wood.

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Kakudha, lighting up the entire Añjana Wood, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Do you delight, ascetic?”

“What have I gained, sir?”

“Well then, ascetic, do you sorrow?”

“What have I lost, sir?”

“Well then, ascetic, do you neither delight nor sorrow?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I hope you’re not gloomy, mendicant, I hope that delight isn’t found in you. I hope that discontent doesn’t overwhelm you as you sit alone.”

“I’m genuinely not gloomy, spirit, and no delight is found in me. And also discontent doesn’t overwhelm me as I sit alone.”

“How are you not gloomy, mendicant? How is delight not found in you? How does discontent not overwhelm you as you sit alone?”

“Delight is born from gloom, gloom is born from delight; sir, you should know me as a mendicant free of delight and gloom.”

“After a long time I see a brahmin fully quenched. A mendicant free of delight and gloom, he has crossed over clinging to the world.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.