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- Samyutta Nikaya XX1.2
- Upatissa Sutta
- About Upatissa (Sariputta)
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
At Savatthi. There Ven. Sariputta addressed the monks: "Friends!"
"Yes, friend," the monks responded.
Ven. Sariputta said, "Friends, just now as I was withdrawn in seclusion, this
train of thought arose to my awareness: 'Is there anything in the world with whose change
or alteration there would arise within me sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &
despair?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'There is nothing in the world with whose
change or alteration there would arise within me sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress,
& despair.'"
When this was said, Ven. Ananda said to Ven. Sariputta, "Sariputta my friend, even
if there were change & alteration in the Teacher would there arise within you no
sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair?"
"Even if there were change & alteration in the Teacher, my friend, there would
arise within me no sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. Still, I would have
this thought: 'What a great being, of great might, of great prowess, has disappeared! For
if the Blessed One were to remain for a long time, that would be for the benefit of many
people, for the happiness of many people, out of sympathy for the world; for the welfare,
benefit, & happiness of human & divine beings.'"
"Surely," [said Ven. Ananda,] "it's because Ven. Sariputta's I-making
& mine-making and latent tendencies to conceit have long been well uprooted that even
if there were change & alteration in the Teacher, there would arise within him no
sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair."
See also: DN 16; SN XLVII.13.