Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kajaṅgalāyaṁ viharati veḷuvane.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kajaṅgalā in a bamboo grove.

Atha kho sambahulā kajaṅgalakā upāsakā yena kajaṅgalikā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kajaṅgalikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho kajaṅgalakā upāsakā kajaṅgalikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then several lay followers of Kajaṅgalā went to the nun Kajaṅgalikā, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to her:

“Vuttamidaṁ, ayye, bhagavatā mahāpañhesu:

“Ma’am, this was said by the Buddha in ‘The Great Questions’:

‘eko pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ, dve pañhā dve uddesā dve veyyākaraṇāni, tayo pañhā tayo uddesā tīṇi veyyākaraṇāni, cattāro pañhā cattāro uddesā cattāri veyyākaraṇāni, pañca pañhā pañcuddesā pañca veyyākaraṇāni, cha pañhā cha uddesā cha veyyākaraṇāni, satta pañhā sattuddesā satta veyyākaraṇāni, aṭṭha pañhā aṭṭhuddesā aṭṭha veyyākaraṇāni, nava pañhā navuddesā nava veyyākaraṇāni, dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti.

‘One thing: question, summary recital, and answer. Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Seven … Eight … Nine … Ten things: question, summary recital, and answer.’

Imassa nu kho, ayye, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa kathaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti?

How should we see the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement?”

“Na kho panetaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ, napi manobhāvanīyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ;

“Respectable sirs, I haven’t heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha or from esteemed mendicants.

api ca yathā mettha khāyati

But as to how it seems to me,

taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, ayye”ti, kho kajaṅgalakā upāsakā kajaṅgalikāya bhikkhuniyā paccassosuṁ.

“Yes, ma’am,” replied the lay followers.

Kajaṅgalikā bhikkhunī etadavoca:

The nun Kajaṅgalikā said this:

“‘Eko pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇan’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.

“‘One thing: question, summary recital, and answer.’ That’s what the Buddha said,

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

but why did he say it?

Ekadhamme, āvuso, bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding one thing, seeing its limits and fully comprehending its meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

Katamasmiṁ ekadhamme?

What one thing?

Sabbe sattā āhāraṭṭhitikā—

‘All sentient beings are sustained by food.’

imasmiṁ kho, āvuso, ekadhamme bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding this one thing, seeing its limits and fully comprehending its meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

‘Eko pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇan’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘One thing: question, summary recital, and answer.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

‘Dve pañhā dve uddesā dve veyyākaraṇānī’ti iti, kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

Dvīsu, āvuso, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Katamesu dvīsu?

What two?

Nāme ca rūpe ca …pe…

Name and form. …

katamesu tīsu?

What three?

Tīsu vedanāsu—

Three feelings. …

imesu kho, āvuso, tīsu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Tayo pañhā tayo uddesā tīṇi veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Cattāro pañhā cattāro uddesā cattāri veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

Catūsu, āvuso, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā subhāvitacitto sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

With a mind well developed in four things—seeing their limits and fully comprehending their meaning—a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

Katamesu catūsu?

What four?

Catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu—

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation. …

imesu kho, āvuso, catūsu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā subhāvitacitto sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

With a mind well developed in these four things—seeing their limits and fully fathoming their meaning—a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life. …

‘Cattāro pañhā cattāro uddesā cattāri veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Pañca pañhā pañcuddesā pañca veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

Pañcasu, āvuso, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā subhāvitacitto sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Katamesu pañcasu?

What five?

Pañcasu indriyesu …pe…

The five faculties. …

katamesu chasu?

What six?

Chasu nissaraṇīyāsu dhātūsu …pe…

The six elements of escape. …

katamesu sattasu?

What seven?

Sattasu bojjhaṅgesu …pe…

The seven awakening factors. …

katamesu aṭṭhasu?

What eight?

Aṭṭhasu ariyaaṭṭhaṅgikamaggesu—

The noble eightfold path. …

imesu kho, āvuso, aṭṭhasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā subhāvitacitto sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Aṭṭha pañhā aṭṭhuddesā aṭṭha veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Nava pañhā navuddesā nava veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

Navasu, āvuso, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding nine things, seeing their limits and fully comprehending their meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

Katamesu navasu?

What nine?

Navasu sattāvāsesu—

The nine abodes of sentient beings.

imesu kho, āvuso, navasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding these nine things, seeing their limits and fully comprehending their meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

‘Nava pañhā navuddesā nava veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.

‘Ten things: question, summary recital, and answer.’ That’s what the Buddha said,

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

but why did he say it?

Dasasu, āvuso, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā subhāvitacitto sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

Becoming well developed in ten things—seeing their limits and fully fathoming their meaning—a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

Katamesu dasasu?

What ten?

Dasasu kusalesu kammapathesu—

The ten ways of performing skillful deeds.

imesu kho, āvuso, dasasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā subhāvitacitto sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

With a mind well developed in these ten things—seeing their limits and fully fathoming their meaning—a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

‘Dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Ten things: question, summary recital, and answer.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

Iti kho, āvuso, yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitāsu mahāpañhāsu:

That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of what the Buddha said in brief in ‘The Great Questions’.

‘eko pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ …pe…

dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti, imassa kho ahaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi.

Ākaṅkhamānā ca pana tumhe, āvuso, bhagavantaññeva upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha.

If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this.

Yathā vo bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā”ti.

You should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

“Evaṁ, ayye”ti kho kajaṅgalakā upāsakā kajaṅgalikāya kho bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā kajaṅgalikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.

“Yes, ma’am,” replied those lay followers, approving and agreeing with what the nun Kajaṅgalikā said. Then they rose from their seats, bowed, and respectfully circled her, keeping her on their right. Then they went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho kajaṅgalakā upāsakā yāvatako ahosi kajaṅgalikāya bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo, taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesuṁ.

and informed the Buddha of all they had discussed.

“Sādhu sādhu, gahapatayo.

“Good, good, householders.

Paṇḍitā, gahapatayo, kajaṅgalikā bhikkhunī. Mahāpaññā, gahapatayo, kajaṅgalikā bhikkhunī.

The nun Kajaṅgalikā is astute, she has great wisdom.

Mañcepi tumhe, gahapatayo, upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha, ahampi cetaṁ evamevaṁ byākareyyaṁ yathā taṁ kajaṅgalikāya bhikkhuniyā byākataṁ.

If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as the nun Kajaṅgalikā.

Eso ceva tassa attho. Evañca naṁ dhāreyyāthā”ti.

That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.