At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time the householder Sirivaḍḍha was sick, suffering, gravely ill. Then he addressed a man:
“Please, my man, go to Venerable Ānanda, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him: ‘Sir, the householder Sirivaḍḍha is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’ And then say: ‘Sir, please visit him at his home out of sympathy.’”
“Yes, sir,” that man replied. He did as Sirivaḍḍha asked. Ānanda consented with silence.
Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Sirivaḍḍha, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to him:
“I hope you’re keeping well, householder, I hope you’re all right. I hope your pain is fading, not growing; that its fading is evident, not its growing.”
“Sir, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”
“So you should train like this: ‘I’ll meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. I’ll meditate on an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.’ That’s how you should train.”
“These four kinds of mindfulness meditation that were taught by the Buddha are found in me, and I exhibit them. For I meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. I meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. And of the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha, I don’t see any that I haven’t given up.”
“You’re fortunate, householder, so very fortunate! You have declared the fruit of non-return.”