4. 1 Bhaddekarattasutta

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the mendicants:

“Mendicants.”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Mendicants, I will teach you the outline and the analysis of one living rightly by lodging in the present. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Don’t chase after the past,
and don’t long for the future.
The past is left behind;
the future has not arrived.

But one who clearly sees the present thing
in each and every case,
unwavering and unshaken:
knowing this, let them develop it.

Today’s the day to keenly do
what must be done! Who knows if tomorrow
will bring death? For there’s no bargaining
with the Great Commander, Death.

One who lives like this—keen
and tireless night and day—
truly, that’s one living rightly by lodging in the present,
say the peaceful sages.”

And how, mendicants, does one chase after the past? One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such form.’ One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such feeling.’ One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such perception.’ One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such choices.’ One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such consciousness.’ That’s how one chases after the past.

And how, mendicants, does one not chase after the past? One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such form.’ One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such feeling.’ One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such perception.’ One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such choices.’ One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the past I had such and such consciousness.’ That’s how one does not chase after the past.

And how, mendicants, does one long for the future? One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the future may I have such and such form.’ … ‘In the future may I have such and such feeling.’ … ‘In the future may I have such and such perception.’ … ‘In the future may I have such and such choices.’ … One approves of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the future may I have such and such consciousness.’ That’s how one longs for the future.

And how, mendicants, does one not long for the future? One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the future may I have such and such form.’ … ‘In the future may I have such and such feeling.’ … ‘In the future may I have such and such perception.’ … ‘In the future may I have such and such choices.’ … One does not approve of the sensual stimulation in the thought, ‘In the future may I have such and such consciousness.’ That’s how one does not long for the future.

And how, mendicants, does one get shaken in present things? Take an uneducated ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is unskilled and untrained in the noble teaching. They regard form as self, or self as having form, or form as in self, or self as in form. They regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, or self as having consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That’s how one gets shaken in present things.

And how, mendicants, does one not get shaken in present things? Take an educated noble disciple who has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the noble teaching. They don’t regard form as self, or self as having form, or form as in self, or self as in form. They don’t regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, or self as having consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That’s how one does not get shaken in present things.

Don’t chase after the past,
and don’t long for the future.
The past is left behind;
the future has not arrived.

But one who clearly sees the present thing
in each and every case,
unwavering and unshaken:
knowing this, let them develop it.

Today’s the day to keenly do
what must be done! Who knows if tomorrow
will bring death? For there’s no bargaining
with the Great Commander, Death.

One who lives like this—keen
and tireless night and day—
truly, that’s one living rightly by lodging in the present,
say the peaceful sages.

‘Mendicants, I will teach you the outline and the analysis of one living rightly by lodging in the present.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved of what the Blessed One said.

The first Bhaddekarattasutta is finished.