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Application

SN 9.2 · Upaṭṭhānasutta

Maple leaves and moss beside an old tree trunk.

At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Now at that time that mendicant went for the day’s meditation, but fell asleep. The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:

“Get up, mendicant! Why lie down? What’s the point in sleeping? How can the afflicted slumber, inflicted by an arrow strike?

You should amplify the faith that led you to go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Don’t fall under the sway of slumber.”

“Sensual pleasures are impermanent and unstable, but dullards still fall for them. Among those who are bound, they’re free and unattached: why bother a renunciate?

By removing desire and greed, by going beyond ignorance, that knowledge has been perfectly cleansed: why bother a renunciate?

By breaking ignorance with knowledge, by the ending of defilements, they’re sorrowless, unstressed: why bother a renunciate?

Energetic, resolute, always staunchly vigorous, aspiring to extinguishment: why bother a renunciate?”

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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.